WHY YOUR FANCY HAND CREAM ISN'T WORKING

March 27, 2023

As any OCD hand-washer can tell you, winter bodes badly for the skin beyond your wrists (repeated washings + freezing temps + lack of moisture in the air = cracks/rawness/redness/disaster).

“Hands are a part of the body that are most exposed to environmental and chemical insult. Something as benign as water can also strip away all moisture from the skin, when overexposed. Plus, the skin over the hands is neglected,” says Dr Jushya Sarin, MD Dermatologist and Co-founder, Sarin Skin Solutions. She adds that soap, hand sanitiser, cold weather, arid air, and other extreme conditions damage the skin barrier and lead to dryness, eczema, and damage to the skin barrier in toto. “Hand creams primarily function by restoring lost moisture. They are made rich in emollients. These ingredients repair the damaged skin barrier and restore natural oils back in the skin.”

But do we really need hand cream?

As we age, our hands tend to lose fat and the skin loses its elasticity. This results in fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots. Think about it, have you noticed your grandparents’ hands? As much as we love how soft and wrinkly, they are – and while ageing is an inevitable process – the fact is that time and the environment has taken toll on the skin. “Just like a raisin, dehydrated hands appear wrinkled and parched, and since hands are most exposed to environmental stressors, they tend to age faster than any other part of the body skin. That’s where moisturising comes to the rescue. Age spots, dryness, wrinkles, and pigmentation of the hands can all be postponed with the regular use of hand creams.

Difference between cream and lotion

One way to tell the difference between cream and lotion is the consistency of the product. Hand creams will be a lot thicker in texture because of their high oil percentage. A body lotion or lotion will be thinner because of the high-water content.

The debate about lotion vs cream has been going on for quite some time now. Before you try to pick between one, you should be aware of all the differences. In addition to different consistencies, let’s talk about usage.

Many people prefer to use lighter lotions in summer because the light texture doesn’t make hands feel sticky or greasy. Meanwhile, creams with a thicker consistency tend to be more oily and denser.

Lastly, coming to a difference that you can feel, lotions will be absorbed quickly by your skin. However, thicker creams rich in shea butter will stay on your skin for longer and create a protective layer — an ideal choice in the Winter.