Look after your hands (Nivea Hand Cream)

Member Name: solamarie

Product:	Nivea Hand Cream
Date:	23/01/06 (965 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Smells nice, works!

Disadvantages: None

Nivea comes from the Latin word nivius which means "snow-white.

Hands are the things that live on the end of our arms, and need looking after because if the skin gets dry and there are sore patches then doing almost anything is a pain. If you have ever had a tiny cut on the end of a finger you will realise how much it hurts/stings and affects your life.

A little of the story of Nivea.

Nivea began long ago in 1911 with the discovery of Eucerit, this was the first ever water in oil emulsifier and the discovery changed the way cosmetics and creams were made. This made if possible to make a cream that wasn't just oil that was stable and well mixed. I don't pretend to understand a lot about this but I do understand a little about the creams I apply to my face, hands and body and how they feel and how they work. I am not going to write the whole Nivea story here but it really is interesting so if anyone wants a look at their website to read it for themselves I include the web address. It is a good website which includes the history of Nivea, loads of information about skin care and there are fun things to do as well so really worth browsing.

http://www.nivea.co.uk/frameset.php

Today I am reviewing Nivea Hand Nourishing Cream because this time of year more than any other hands take a beating. Cold weather, chilly winds equal chapped hands, dry skin and flaky cuticles. Also if like me you go into the garden and get dirt under your nails and then come in and scrub them to get them clean you will need to nourish the skin otherwise all the above problems will happen and your hands will be sore.

What to do to minimise these problems?

Protect your hands, moisturise your hands, keep your hands warm and keep them dry.

When you wash your hands or wash up dry thoroughly otherwise if you go outside with slightly damp hands the skin will chap in our chilly winds. Weather plays a large part in how our skin is. Sun dries out the skin and water dries out the skin so the best thing to do is apply hand cream regularly and often during the day.

My tip is to keep hand cream by the sink, by the basin in the bathroom and keep a tube in your pocket or handbag to use when at work or out. If you see the tube of cream around all the time it will remind you to put some on and keep your hands soft and the skin supple.

So which one?

There are literally hundreds of hand creams on the market, from the supermarket own brands, to the most expensive named ones. One I am using at the moment and thinking that it works and makes my hands feel good is Nivea Hand Nourishing Cream.

Where do I buy this?

Well, any large supermarket stocks this, lots of independent chemists stock this also so it is easy to go out and buy a tube.

How much does it cost?

My nearest supermarket has it for £2.49 a 100ml tube at the moment. Sometimes Boots do three for two offers on ranges so it would be worth looking out for. The local chemist is a little more expensive but not much, no more than the extra petrol you might use driving out of town to a large supermarket anyway.

What's it like then?

Nivea is a well known name and the distinctive navy and white tubes are fairly easy to spot on the shelves of any shop. The tube is white and the writing is navy, so it the cap. The words are printed clearly and under the name it says this will restore lost moisture and nourish dry cuticles. Well, almost any cream will do that so what is special about this one?

I can remember having a tub of Nivea cream around when I was a child, in those days it came in a royal blue tub with a twist off lid. The smell is what I remember most about Nivea, not flowery, not sharp, just a rich creamy smell with a hint of fragrance. This isn't overpowering so it can be used and then forgotten while perfumes of choice can be used to make us feel nice and attractive.

The back of the tube says it is a rich cream that is quickly absorbed and if you use if daily it will improve the elasticity of the skin which in turn will make the hands and cuticles smooth and supple.

The tube also tells us that is has ceramides, a vitamin-complex (although not which complex) and it contains the oil of my favourite nuts; Macadamia, well I never knew that, so you learn something every day.

The list of ingredients are on the back of the tube for anyone with very good eyesight or a good magnifying glass, I can just about make out what they are in my reading glasses but wouldn't want to read the list completely.

The tubes in the shops are 100ml but there are also holiday tubes of 30ml and mine cost 59p and is the perfect size to pack when travelling or keep in a bag to carry with you wherever you go.

My opinion of this is good, the cream is rich and is quite quickly absorbed, it leaves my hands very slightly greasy feeling, nothing to worry me but just enough to stop me being able to undo tops of jars or bottles soon after putting my hand cream on.

A 100ml tube will last me between three and five weeks depending on how often I use it. The 30ml tube should last a weeks holiday when I am using sun creams during the day but using this night and morning after showering. I think this is pretty good value, after all £2.49 a month on average on hand cream is a lot less than I spend on sweets!



Tip for men.

Men get dry chapped hands too you know, so go on, buy some and try it, it should make your hands softer and less sore in the winter. My son suffers from chapped lips and will if there is nothing else available smear a little of this on his lips before going out in the winter weather. Go on, try it, it doesn't show!

Thanks for reading this, I can't think of anything else to add about one of my favourite hand creams.

Sue:o)

Summary: Absorbs quite well, keeps hands soft.