This $5 Hand Cream Isn't Sexy, But It's Never Let Me Down
It's saved my chronically dry, over-washed hands and cuticles.
Photo: Courtesy of Eucerin
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Like many people, I took my hand-washing routine to obsessive extremes during the pandemic, and it's a habit that's stuck with me —which has been rather unfortunate for my skin. My cuticles and knuckles have become chronically dry and inflamed, leading to a perpetual search for the best hand cream to save them.
One of the first things I had to cut out to heal the skin on my hands was scented products, which I realized seemed to be contributing to irritation. I also started looking for formulas that contain colloidal oatmeal, since I'd heard that it can be a soothing ingredient that reduces irritation, promotes skin barrier function and, thus, promotes skin health. I also needed something with a bit of protective staying power — more like an ointment, rather than a fast-absorbing lightweight cream that seemed to disappear within an hour.
Enter: Eucerin Original Healing Soothing Repair Cream, an ultra-dense, almost paste-like cream that has gone a long way toward helping my hands rebound. It's fragrance- and dye-free, and because it's gentle yet intensely moisturizing, it's also marketed as a formula that can even help to relieve symptoms of eczema and psoriasis. Upon application, my skin feels immediately soothed and moisturized, and it it stays on for hours before I need to reapply. (Since it's so rich, though, I have to make an effort to avoid contact with delicate materials, like paper or silk, so as not to cause oil stains!)
Arguably the best thing about this hand cream? It's available at the drugstore for $5. It may be a two-ounce tube, but given that a tiny dab of the formula is all you need, it's pretty long lasting while. Of all the hand creams I've tried over the past few years, this is the one that's never let me down. It's not the sexiest or most luxurious, but damn it, it works.
Eucerin Original Healing Soothing Repair Cream, $5, available here
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