Hand Cream

richardw

Tenderfoot
Sep 1, 2005
67
0
69
Kent
I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for this, so apologies if it isn't.

However I need to purchase some commercially available hand cream for my son. He works as a locksmith and at this time of the year his hands get cold and chapped. Because of the intricate work he sometimes does it is not possible to wear gloves.A barrier cream would not be very useful either

He therefore needs a good hand cream to rub in when he has finished the job.

Any recommendations/ suggestions please?

Cheers,

Richard
(Also posted on BB)
 

Beer Monster

Need to contact Admin...
Aug 25, 2004
620
5
46
With the gnu!
A common problem in the Army too (especially in cold weather) ....... we call it exercise claw! Cracked fingers, nail cuticle peeling back etc.

The only thing I found to work is Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream. Hope that helps.
 

JonnyP

Full Member
Oct 17, 2005
3,833
29
Cornwall...
As a builder I get really bad hands this time of year and I find that atrixo works best for me. I know that neutrogena is supposed to be the best, but I find it too greasey. Another product which helps on bad chips and chaps is snowfire which you can get from chemists, but not in Boots though................Jon
 

charliefox

Forager
May 16, 2005
104
0
52
County Durham
Have to agree with Beer Monster on that one - Neutrogena Norwegian Formula is excellent.

One of the cheapest places to buy it is here and there delivery time is excellent.

Highly recommended :)
 

Rhianwen

Member
Dec 7, 2005
23
0
49
East riding of Yorkshire
Can't give advice on the non greasy type, but a good tip for overnight use (have worked in coldstores and had horribly chapped hands) is to slap a decent amount of greasy hand cream on, put some plastic gloves over the top and go to sleep like that ;) His hands will be lovely and soft :)

Rhi x
 

Abbe Osram

Native
Nov 8, 2004
1,402
22
62
Sweden
milzart.blogspot.com
Here comes a none commercial bushcrafter tip which is for real and works like a charm.

After making your self a coffee don’t throw the brown coffee beans stuff in the filter away. (Sorry I don’t know the English name for the stuff).
After the brown sand like bean stuff cooled down you can take it in your hand and rub it and around like you would do if you would wash your hands with soap. After that you wash the whole stuff off with clean water. Your hands will feel fresh and creamed.

I thought it was a joke when I had all the brown stuff hanging on my hands for the first time but after I cleaned the whole lot of with fresh water I was amazed how good it worked.

No need to buy hand crèmes anymore and coffee you have always with you in the woods I guess too.

BTW what is the English name for the stuff?

Cheers
Abbe
 

Hellz

Nomad
Sep 26, 2003
288
1
53
Kent, England
www.hellzteeth.com
Rhianwen said:
Can't give advice on the non greasy type, but a good tip for overnight use (have worked in coldstores and had horribly chapped hands) is to slap a decent amount of greasy hand cream on, put some plastic gloves over the top and go to sleep like that ;) His hands will be lovely and soft :)
I can vouch for this one. I suffer from really bad hands (really bad, some days my hands look like something out of a horror film :eek: )

When they get really bad (working outdoors, etc.) I apply a parrafin based cream and wear rubber gloves while I sleep, it's a drag but it really does work. Stops my hands from disintergrating :yuck:

Hellz
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
Why not make your own, it's easy, the ingredients are available and it really works.

4 tablespoonsful of sweet almond oil
Beeswax, about the size of 2cms square (a chocolate sized lump!)
The contents of 2 vitamin E capsules
2 teaspoonsful of honey.
6 drops of essential oil;
Lavender is excellent but the men folk aren't so keen to wear it; Tea tree is a very good healer oil too. Most of us know which oils we're happy with, if you make your own add that, and adjust with the almond oil to get the balance right. I use meadowsweet because it eases aches, other folks use St. John's wort. They all work.

Find a little tub or jar, break/grate the beeswax up as small as you can into it, and put the tub into v. hot water. When the beeswax is melting put the bottle the almond oil is in into the hot water too and you'll get them both to an even temperature. When the beeswax has melted lift the tub out of the water and add the almond oil and the honey.
Now, still gently until the mix is all one, and before it sets add the vitamin E and the essential oils. Keep stirring until it's setting well.
Set aside and let it cool throughly.

In winter I need less wax to oil, but it'll soften nicely if held in my hands for a little while anyway. Put a little of the cream into the palm of your hand and rub carefully into the finger tips and nails of the other hand. If you do this two or three times a day and last thing at night then hacks will disappear and quicknails and torn cuticles become a thing of the past :) rub it into your knuckles too.
If my hands are really in a bad state (I'm an archaeologist, and I garden too) I'll rub in masses of the cream and then put on a pair of cotton gardening gloves before I go to bed (surprises the h3ll out of the husband :eek: :D )

Cheers,
Toddy
 

Rhianwen

Member
Dec 7, 2005
23
0
49
East riding of Yorkshire
You can also infuse the almond oil with comfrey ( I use the dried stuff ) to speed healing :) Strain before use though :eek: lol

Rhi x

(sorry edited as I wrote olive oil above, as that's what I use lol)
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
Rhianwen said:
You can also infuse the almond oil with comfrey ( I use the dried stuff ) to speed healing :) Strain before use though :eek: lol

Rhi x

(sorry edited as I wrote olive oil above, as that's what I use lol)

Comfrey's good, as is the rosehip seed one :)

Cheers,
Toddy
 

Ryan Woods

Nomad
May 20, 2005
333
0
Where my bergan is
Time for the english to start drinking real coffee ;)
istockphoto_121846_moka_pot.jpg

Thats what I use to make my coffee... The left behind coffee grounds are great for getting glue, paint, ink, etc of your hands when you use it as soap. As mentioned makes your hands reall soft too!!
 

Spacemonkey

Native
May 8, 2005
1,354
9
52
Llamaville.
www.jasperfforde.com
On dead skin I use baby lotion to rehydrate it. When the skin goes yellow and leathery it works a treat, and is non greasy unlike massage cream. Baby lotion is also the best treatment for softening leather especially if you get high quality clothing grade leather wet and it dries out. Baby oil is not as good...
 

JonnyP

Full Member
Oct 17, 2005
3,833
29
Cornwall...
A farmer once told me that udder cream is a good hand cream, I have never tried it as my udders do not seem to dry out, so I have never bought any.................Jon
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
Rhianwen said:
Ooh, not tried that one, due to the fact that the dried seeds are itching powder I seem to recall. Will give it a go though......I'll test on Greywolf first :27:
*giggles*

Rhi x

:D
Just keep the scrapings from the haws when you cut them up for syrup, and crush the resultant mess. Soak it in almond oil as you do comfrey and then strain *really* well. I use filter paper but I'm assured that a very fine lawn hankie will work. Blackcurrant seeds are supposed to be excellent too, haven't tried that. The meadowsweet is well worth trying. :)
Cheers,
Toddy
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
Jon Pickett said:
A farmer once told me that udder cream is a good hand cream, I have never tried it as my udders do not seem to dry out, so I have never bought any.................Jon

Okay, it's my turn to clean the keyboard :lmao: Nice imagery Jon.

Cheers,
Toddy
 

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