Wave Goodbye to Dry Hands? (Neutrogena Hand Cream)

Member Name: Foxy-Lady

Product:	Neutrogena Hand Cream
Date:	04/02/08 (737 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Softens hands

Disadvantages: Requires more than 'just a dab'

When I look out of my window and see the hail being battered against the glass panes by huge gusts of wind, I can fully understand why my hands have been in such bad condition. Cold air contains much less moisture than warm air and in foul weather conditions of the kind we are currently experiencing in Britain, hands are susceptible to dryness, particularly if they are exposed to the elements. To make matters worse, if it's chilly outside you want it to be warm indoors and unfortunately, central heating also causes skin to dehydrate further. Combined with regular hand washing, which again strips the skin of moisture, your hands are bound to take even more abuse!

I can guarantee that when Winter approaches the condition of the skin on my hands rapidly worsens. My mitts end up feeling rough and irritably itchy. The terribly dry skin is also accompanied by chapping and cracking, causing tiny bleeding cuts to appear on my knuckles...really sore. Sounds lovely doesn't it?!

You can therefore probably understand why I have been on a quest to find a suitable 'cure' this Winter. Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream has been one of the competitors...


~ THE HAND CREAM ~

Neutrogena have over 25 years of skincare experience under their belts so you would expect their products to be innovative and effective. With the assistance of skin specialists and dermatologists the Norwegian Formula range was developed to specifically tackle much dreaded dry skin problems. Based on the experiences of Norwegian fishermen (who claimed to have soft hands, despite their harsh working conditions), investigations discovered that the natural fish oils that these men were coming into contact with had deeply moisturising properties. The Norwegian Formula range was then created using a synthetic version of fish oil as a substitute to mimic the intensive results.

The Norwegian Formula hand cream is therefore Glycerin enriched to relieve dry skin. Neutrogena claim that as this is a highly concentrated formula, "just a dab will instantly soothe and protect dry and chapped skin, leaving hands noticeably softer and smoother". Well it certainly sounds promising!


~ PACKAGING ~

Due to the nature of the product (as a concentrated formula) the tube is only very small. Now this can come across in two different ways...either firstly giving the impression that you aren't really getting a lot of product for your money or secondly, by way of explanation that the product must be damn good if they only need to sell it in such small amounts! I also find the dinky size makes the tube quite tactile.

There's nothing fancy about the design of the tube - plain and simple but it manages to be quite distinctive as a result of the colours used (a white tube with blue and red accent colouring). Some modern lotions and potions can be so minimal and stark that they are clinical and harsh in their appearance. The Norwegian Formula styling retains a softer element though, creating a slightly traditional feel which has an almost comforting effect.

The usual ingredients listings and contact information can be found on the back of the tube.

I'm not keen on the screw-on lid found on this tube and would much prefer it to be of the flip open variety...but that's only a minor quibble.


~ APPLICATION ~

The hole in the end of the tube is only tiny so it's easy to follow the 'just a dab' instruction. I must admit I find that a small squirt doesn't go far enough though. It just isn't enough to spread all over my hands and I like to use more cream. This is probably because my hands are exceptionally dry. You have to squeeze the tube really hard to force the desired amount through that little hole! I think this is partly due to the consistency of the cream too...it's relatively thick.

This product is slightly scented but it is only a very, very subtle fragrance. So much so that it's virtually impossible to describe. Erm, it's just like a light hand cream really! An unfragranced version of the formulation is also available.

As a result of the cracking that I have on my hands, the initial applications caused a bit of a stinging sensation but this soon soothed. You can feel the richness of the Norwegian Formula as soon as you apply it to your hands. It feels somewhat nourishing as it glides over the skin before slowly absorbing. I say 'slowly' because it does take a while to sink in, particularly if you use more than the recommended amount. In fact, the semi-transparent cream actually creates a thin white layer on the skin which needs to be massaged in thoroughly before it will disappear. Once it's absorbed, your hands feel lovely and soft...like silk.


~ DOES IT WORK? ~

I've been using this cream on a daily basis (sometimes twice daily) throughout the winter and on the whole, my hands are noticeably softer and smoother as a result. With prolonged use I've found that the majority of the uncomfortable flaking has disappeared although I'm still left with some stubborn cracked skin, particularly on my thumbs. The soreness has completely gone though as all the little cracks and cuts have now cleared up. I'm not suggesting that this hand cream has actually healed them, although I certainly think it has helped a great deal!

The product doesn't actually state that it's a barrier cream but I find that it does leave an unusual layer on my hands after application...it must be the 'protection' that Neutrogena mention on the tube. This is in no way unpleasant in my opinion though (not greasy, sticky or slimy) just a tad 'waxy'.


~ PRICE ~

Norwegian Formula hand cream varies quite a lot in price (usually between £3 and £5 - currently on offer at Tesco for £2.25) so it's best to shop around. It's certainly not one of the most expensive brands available, but it can't be considered one of the cheaper options either. If it works for you then I would say that the price is no object, especially if you manage to get 200 applications out of the tube. This would make it excellent value for money but I've got to admit, I don't think many people would succeed in getting that many uses from it. Even if you find you have to use larger quantities though, it still lasts quite a long time so the price remains justified to an extent.


~ OVERALL ~

There is no doubt in my mind that this cream does leave the skin adequately moisturised but I personally can't agree with 'just a dab needed' statement. The 200 applications claim can't be a lie as Neutrogena would get into huge trouble for false advertising. I can therefore only assume that this figure is based on an average usage...meaning that it is possible to get 200 uses from the tube but not necessarily relevant to everyone.

Although I have this gripe, I've got to admit that Neutrogena Norwegian Formula is still the best hand cream I have found so far for tackling and curing extreme cases of dryness. It's certainly made my hands much more comfortable this Winter. I'll definitely buy it again...but I'll continue in my quest to find something even better.

Summary: An excellent concentrated hand cream