By: Juliana Pires Johnson
COVID has really done a number on our hands, which in the scope of things, has been the least of our worries. For years we’ve been hearing experts repeatedly say that the hands are where you start to see the first signs of ageing, yet we never spent that much time obsessing over them. I typically always wipe extra facial product (my vitamin C and retinol, specifically) over the top of my hands after applying to my face and try to keep them aligned and that’s the end of it.
After a year of non-stop Purell and hand washing at every and any opportunity out hands are busted. Cuticles destroyed, nails brittle and dry, uneven skin. On top of that, the nail salon closures and our ineptitude for an at-home self-manicure made us realize it’s time we get hands on about this issue.
We’ve spent the last few months testing hand creams that we hoped would bring our hands back to life. Below are our favorites, tried and tested. Trust us, not all hand creams are the same.
Nécessaire – The Hand Cream – $20
This clean, multi-vitamin, peptide rich cream is super moisturizing and effective. Brightening, plumping and age-reversing. Simple, budget-friendly and effective, just like all of the brand’s products.
Kayo – Youth Renew Hand Cream – $18
Another high-quality face grade product by Kayo. Incredibly luxurious for the price. Hyaluronic Acid and Kayo’s Omega Oil Blend deeply hydrate, plump, and improve skin’s texture, while powerful peptides smooth the appearance of wrinkles. It also smells delicious and lives in our bags.
Medical Beauty Research (MBR) – Cell-Powered Hand Treatment – $109
I first met and bought this very pricey hand treatment the first time I looked at my hands last year and saw dark spots. My freak-out level was at 100 (silly, I know!) and I searched for days. This seemed to be touted as a miracle product and I wanted those ageing spots gone. The MBR cream is so intensive and protective it’s like an invisible glove. The 100ml bottle is also 3x the size of most of the other hand creams in the market (typically sold in 30ml bottles), therefore pricier too and has lasted me almost 6 months of daily nightly use. It got rid of all spots and unevenness pretty quickly and I now leave as a hand + cuticle mask once a week.
Augustinus Bader – The Hand Treatment – $50
Anti-ageing hand treatment, powered by the same patented TFC8® technology as the other products, this is an actual treatment. Immediate visible results and long-term effects. Equally as effective as MBR (also featured here) but sold in a 50ml package, therefore half the size and price than MBR. We are a believer of the TFC8® technology and use the brand’s face and body cream religiously too.
Byredo – Rose Hand Cream – $71
Deliciously smelling, luxurious, small and discreet. Like a second fragrance while moisturizing your hand. It’s a great gift for your fancy friend.
Deciem/ The Chemistry Brand – Hand Chemistry – $7 for 30ml version (multiple sizes available)
This budget-friendly cream is multi-functional and targets 8 signs of hand aging simultaneously. The 19.5% active complex concentration is impressive and quickly improves the looks of firmness, elasticity, density, evenness, brightness, texture, smoothness and hydration. When in doubt, start here.
Caudalie – Vinoperfect Brightening Hand Cream – $20
Caudalie’s Vinoperfect hand cream specifically targets dark spot correction and moisturizing. We love products that are specific with their purpose and are super effective.