Last month my little sister texted me from Sephora, wondering which hand cream I recommended for very dry skin. I knew my answer immediately: Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve.
“Get the Kiehl’s Hand Lotion!” I replied in all caps, looking at my own beloved tube of it on my bedside. She was, after all, in her own words, “cracking,” and I knew this was the only product that would get the job done.
“You don’t get it,” I asserted. “I’m so passionate about it.” She went on to purchase a tube and asked no further questions, as she knows better than anyone that I’m rarely this enthusiastic about one product — especially something as simple as hand cream.
This is also when I realised: I should probably write about this.
It may seem silly to feel this strongly about hand lotion, but I believe the hands (and feet) are far too often overlooked in the world of skin care (and as a longtime beauty editor, I know a thing or two about this terrain). Everyone obsesses over their face, neck, and even scalp hydration, only remembering their extremities when wintertime-induced dryness comes back around.
By the time we reach for the hand cream, let alone a nice hand soap (which is a whole other conversation I can’t wait to have), our skin is already in the state my sister’s was: so dry that it’s cracking!
What happened to preventive skin care, huh? Exactly. Which is why last year, I sought to change that — especially because I have to wash my hands so many times each day (I have four pets).
In the fall I began to incorporate the Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve into my bedtime routine, and within weeks I was hooked: my hands were noticeably softer, and even my manicures were lasting longer than before. (My grandmother’s manicurist once told me to apply moisturiser to my cuticles. It’s basically a form of nail slugging.) My cuticles also looked softer and the skin around my nails completely stopped peeling.
Now I don’t leave home without it. I always pack a travel size — or fill a travel-size tube if the 2.5 oz. option is sold out. Otherwise my hands feel sad and naked, or like prunes upon waking. Even after spending 10 days in the literal desert that is Los Angeles during the dry month of December, I’m pleased to report that my hands are silkier and softer than ever, thanks to the trial tube I brought with me for my holiday vacation.
As for why it works so well? That’s thanks to its ultra-hydrating formulation of avocado oil, olive-oil-derived sesame seed oil, and eucalyptus oil, which has rich emollient “glove-like” texture that deeply moistures, nourishes, repairs, and softens skin. Plus, despite being so rich, it absorbs quickly and easily without leaving a greasy-feeling film. Really: You can go right back to texting—or scrolling—after applying, which I do often. That’s how well, and quickly, it seeps in and stays there, all while helping maintain your skin’s moisture by forming a protective barrier.
Also of note? It smells amazing as a result of the eucalyptus oil, which offers a luxuriously refreshing and not-at-all overpowering scent that helps soothe and calm me down upon application too. (That’s another huge advantage to using it before bedtime.)
In short, this is the perfect hand cream. It’s not just the only one I’ll use, but it’s my recommendation and go-to gift for anyone with dry hands—not just my sister. Another example? My friend who is a bartender, and who therefore has to wash their hands a lot. Obviously they now also swear by this lotion. Really, it’s no wonder it sells out as often as it does.
Danielle Sinay is the Associate Beauty Editor at GLAMOUR US. Follow her on Instagram @daniellesinay. This story originally appeared on GLAMOUR US.
