My hands often get very dry and I hate that uncomfortable tight sensation that it causes. It is particularly bad after I have used cleaning products or after a long day in work. My bedside table is full to the brim with hand creams (a habit I seem to have adopted from my mother!) and I am always on the look out for new ones. After researching on line I saw that the Daily Mail had given Dermalogica's Multivitamin Hand & Nail Treatment 9/10 and that was all the motivation I needed to go and purchase it.

What does the product do?
The Multivitamin Hand & Nail Treatment is part of the AgeSmart range and it has been specifically designed for hands that are mature or prematurely aging. The product promises to repair, protect and condition both the nails and hands using natural ingredients. It also claims that it will strengthen the nails so that there will be no more snapping or splitting.

How does the product work?
Glycerin is included which is a humectant, meaning that it draws moisture into the skin and holds onto it. As long as the hands are hydrated, then new wrinkles and fine lines can't form as the skin can retain its elasticity and when the nails are moisturised, they won't become brittle and snap. Soy Protein is included because it is a powerful antioxidant meaning that it can remove aging toxins from the skin and nails, preventing them from aging prematurely. The protein also strengthens both the skin and nails, leaving them in a better condition.

Green Tea Leaf Extract also removes aging toxins from the skin and helps to reduce inflammation so there should be no more puffy hands. Panthenol, otherwise known as Vitamin B5, is included because it is highly moisturising and it plumps up the skin which fills out our wrinkles and makes our hands look younger. It also soothes irritations and helps to heal any imperfections. Licorice Root Extract is present because of its ability to heal, repair and brighten the skin. Almond Oil is included to hydrate and protect.

Seaweed Extract is thrown into the mix in order to nourish the skin and nails with a whole host of vitamins and minerals to improve their overall condition. It is also highly moisturising and revitalising, and leaves the skin more toned. Rose flower extract is included because it is hydrating and increases the circulation of blood so that more oxygen can reach the skin and nail cells meaning that they will develop healthily. And finally, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract rejuvenates the skin while stimulating the production of collagen.

How do you use the product?
The product is to be used in the same way as any other hand cream. A small amount is to be squeezed out of the tube and then massaged into the hands and nails, paying particular attention to the cuticles and dry areas such as the knuckles. It can be applied as many times during the day as you wish.

Packaging and Price
I really like the packaging for this product. It doesn't follow the usual plain packaging that we usually see from this brand and it looks really eye catching and expensive so it's one that I am proud to be seen using in public. The hand treatment is contained within a silver tube that is a little bit shiny and it has the purple AgeSmart band across the bottom. The flip top lid to the product is grey.

The product doesn't comes cheap in hand cream terms and will cost you around £15 for 75ml of the treatment. It can be bought from your local Dermalogica store or from a variety of online websites so you may find it for marginally cheaper if you have the time or inclination to shop around.

My Thoughts
None of Dermalogica's products contain artificial fragrances or colouring and this treatment is no exception to that rule. The hand cream does have an ever so subtle aroma but it is completely natural and delicate enough not to bother anyone. Once on the hands, the aroma is barely noticeable and although I usually like my moisturising products to smell sweet, I'd rather the product to be like this than to have some strong smell that I don't like.

The consistency of this product is quite rich but not as rich as I had expected from a product with treatment in the title and it not that different to a normal handcream, in the sense of the texture. It is easy to dispense the product from the tube and easy to control the amount of cream that comes out. Obviously, due to the packaging, you can't put the cream back in if you take out too much so go easy with the squeezing as this is an expensive product to waste. Again due to the packaging, there will be some left in the tube as I near the end of the treatment, but the tube will be pretty easy to cut open and access the very last drops.

When the cream is on my hands, it doesn't take long to be fully absorbed and when I massage it into my skin, it has completely gone within ten seconds. It does feel very moisturising and it brings instant relief to my hands when they have that horrible tightness. The cream is non-greasy just as promised and within a minute I can quite happily get on with my jobs within worrying that I will stain something or leave fingerprints behind. My hands have a healthy sheen to them and look in a better condition.

This treatment seems to become more beneficial with continued use although immediate effects can be seen on my skin too. Within a week, I have noticed that my skin is much, much softer and the skin looks a lot healthier. Some of the finer lines seem to have gone or at the very least, be less noticeable, and the problem dry spots such as my knuckles are in a very good condition. My cuticles are much healthier and my nails are shiny. My nails are a lot stronger and I had fewer of those oh so very annoying snappages.

The effects of this hand cream are quite long lasting although I have used products which do last for longer than this one. The cream is small enough to carry around with you in your handbag ready for reapplication and it is easy to use on the go. I find myself using the cream around three days a day because my hands do get very dry as my job is very active so I can't see the tube lasting me an incredibly long time. I can't comment on its ability to make age spots fade or its ability to rid deep wrinkles because I don't have any just yet.

All in all, this is a very good hand cream that completely banishes signs of dry skin and that horrible tightness that comes with it. My hands feel soft and smooth and my skin looks healthier and conditioned. My nails are much stronger and they no longer become brittle or snap so easily. Despite the cream not being overly rich, it still does a great job and it never makes my hands greasy or uncomfortable. I have to knock one star off because of the price but other than that, this is well worth buying.