Hand cream

[TaviaRS]

With winter coming along I'd like to get some opinions; what hand cream works?

I spend quite a lot of time outside, I deal with chemicals and end up washing my hands lots when I go to places like hospitals. As a consequence my hands are now wonderfully dried out, to the extent that nearly all my knuckles are cracked, the palm side of my fingers are dried out and ridged. With the onset of winter I can just see it getting worse - last winter they got to the stage where they started to bleed!

I know gloves are good for prevention but I also need to cure them. I've tried so many different creams but none seem to do very much, obviously some are better than others.

So, any suggestions or recommendations?

 

[BorderReiver]

Neutrogena "Norwegian Fisherman's Formula" hand cream works for me.

It's based on what Norwegian fishermen use/used to protect their hands, the advertising blurb says. It is actually quite effective.

 

[TaviaRS]

I've tried the various ones of that (think there are 3) and none seem to do it for me. The other problem I have is that I hate having greasy palms

 

[bilmo-p5]

2nd the Neutrogena!

 

[Retired Member southey]

Coconut oil. Eat it and run it on your skin great stuff! Unless your allergic to nuts.

 

[sandbender]

Another vote for Neutrogena.

 

[British Red]

Make your own hand cream. Its one of the simplest things to make and you can tinker with the formula until you get a final blend that you like.

No reason bushcraft doesn't apply to soap and hand cream just as much as kinves and axes

 

[JonathanD]

No reason bushcraft doesn't apply to soap and hand cream just as much as kinves and axes

I can think of a few. Telling the kids I'm off to the woods to make hand cream would be the worst move I could possibly make. Man make fire and cut stuff sounds so much better to your rufty tufty mates.

 

[Shewie]

Have you tried the Vaseline stuff yet ?

 

[tomongoose]

and another vote for Neutrogena

 

[Toddy]

I'm with BR, maybe not telling your rufty tufty mates, but damn it all, if you can boil up fungus for 24 hours to make amadou you can melt a couple of oils and waxes and herbs together to keep your skin in good order.

Says she who's got just found 'another' nippy wee hack on a finger tip (I've been clearing out the ponds and working in the garden this week) and needs to make some for herself too

That said, the Neutrogena is good, and if you don't like greasy palms buy the soft cotton gloves (cheap gardening one's will do fine) and smother your hands in the cream and put the gloves on until it's absorbed. Overnight is very good.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Opal]

I've used this for years and only £2:99p in Home Bargains, excellent stuff.

People reckon I look two days younger than I actually am.

http://www.ciao.co.uk/Nivea_Visage_Oil_Free_Moisturising_Fluid__68650

 

[John Fenna]

Neutrogena "Norwegian Fisherman's Formula" hand cream works for me.

It's based on what Norwegian fishermen use/used to protect their hands, the advertising blurb says. It is actually quite effective.

for home hade try bees wax and olive oil melted together....

 

[ged]

This is the stuff:

http://www.ccsfootcare.co.uk/index.php/products/product/foot_cream/

The key ingredient is urea. I believe there are several similar products.

 

[BorderReiver]

Another one I used to use was to card and spin unwashed sheep's fleeces. Had hands as soft as a baby's bum from all the raw lanolin.

CAUTION: Some folk are allergic to lanolin.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Wifey uses L'Occitain shea butter hand lotion from qvc or decleor hand cream, she is a RDN and spends all day washing her hands and swears by em.

 

[TaviaRS]

Wow, lots of replies. I think that making my own sounds like a good plan, particularly like the sound of the honey and olive oil. Not allergic to lanolin so wonder if I could mix that in too...

I've tried the l'ocitane stuff, my other half swears by it too, worked better than most but still didn't have quite enough ooomph to it. Have tried the wearing gloves over the cream when going to bed but my hands just got too hot

Right, off to search for hand cream recipes, sorry, how to make fires, sharpen knives and cut stuff down

 

[MSkiba]

Just rub some lard onto em

 

[nickliv]

+1 for the neutrogena.

I'm doing a bit of building at the mo, and I often come home with 'velcro hands' Yesterday I picked up one of the kids coats with the flat of my hand.... I put on a heap of the old fishermans cream, and my spanners are almost presentable again.

 

[Tor helge]

Neutrogena "Norwegian Fisherman's Formula" hand cream works for me.

It's based on what Norwegian fishermen use/used to protect their hands, the advertising blurb says. It is actually quite effective.

What!! Made of nicotine and age old dirt?



The only thing I know fishermen from my homeplace used was SPENOL. Still available in the shops.

Tor