A Winning Hand

After a lifetime of New England winters I have the market cornered on scarves and boots and gloves, but that doesn’t mean I’m not searching for the eternal answer to dry hands. After a long weekend of cooking and then cleaning pots and pans, my digits are especially beat up. Here are a few of my favorite hand creams.

L’Occitane’s Shea Butter lotion ($28 for 5.2 oz., $12 for 1 oz.) is by far my favorite hand cream. I’ve been using the thick,  hydrating, nongreasy lotion for years and it is a cure-all. I keep a large tube in my nightstand and smaller ones in my purses. Perfect for before bed application. A little goes a long way. 

Bluemercury’s extremely chic and smart founder Marla Beck gave me a sample of her M-61 Vitablast C Hand cream ($19) when I met her a few months ago and I keep it at my work desk. Made with Vitamins C and E, gallic acid, and aloe it is nongreasy and great for constant reapplication. It is also 100 percent paraben- and synthetic fragrance-free.

I’ve been on the Aromatherapy Associates bandwagon since I was introduced to co-founder Geraldine Howard at a breakfast at the Mandarin Oriental Boston a few months ago. She is a true master oil blender and a cancer survivor and one of the most inspiring women I’ve met. Her Renewing Rose Body Cream ($56) has been appropriated for hand use.  The rose scent is light enough I can wear it throughout the day. 

The Aesop store opened in Boston last year and I love the brand’s  Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm ($25). It is a bit thinner than the other hand creams and maybe a tad bit oilier but I would still use this throughout the day. It has the light herbal scent Aesop is known for and it also works great as a night hand cream. 

And a cheap one but another favorite is Gold Bond Ultimate Intensive Healing Hand Cream. I love the light scent. It is a little thicker and greasier so it makes a great option to slather on before bed. It does the trick every time. 

And next on my list to try is La Mer’s The Hand Treatment ($75).