Hand cream / lotion suggestions

[LTS3]

What's a good non-greasy preferably non-scented hand cream / lotion for extremely dry cracked skin? My hands are especially dry this season, probably because I'm washing them a lot at work (new job) where the water has a high pH of 9 (it's the entire city water supply ). I'm currently using Eucerin Advanced Repair Hand Cream but my skin is still dry and cracked. I've tried Curel in the past but that doesn't do much for my extremely dry skin. I don't like the greasy feeling Neutrogena Hand Cream leaves. I vaguely recall using an Avon hand cream back in the '90s that claimed to be a "silicone glove" for dry hands but I didn't like the weird thick feeling the cream left on my hands.

Any suggestions for something affordable and available in stores?

 

[Kieka]

Try a body scrub (preferably a natural one, mine is sugar, salt and coconut oil) in the shower to get the dry dead bits off. Put lotion on immediately after your shower then wear aloe gloves to bed. Baby soft in a week or two.

I only go all out for a few weeks during the driest part of the year. My skin is super sensitive so too much hurts as much as not enough.

 

[Mother Dragon]

I'm in the same boat. I shed a fine white powder all over, so I look like dusty ghost. Eucerin is a very temporary fix, especially right after my shower, but in a few hours I'm dusty again. My doctor said to try something whose first ingredient isn't water, but that's hard to find, and the first ingredient is usually petrolatum, which is greasy Vaseline. I have to be very cautious of most lotions I put on my feet because of the slip factor. Getting n and out of the tub can be especially dangerous.

HELP!

 

[Norachan]

Vaseline works best if you rub it into dry hands and feet just before you go to bed, then sleep in cotton socks and gloves. That allows all the Vaseline to soak into your skin, rather than getting all over your sheets.

During the day I use Avene lotions.

Eau Thermale Avène Hand cream with cold cream

 

[Willowy]

Ugh, my hands just fall apart every winter. Nothing really fixes it but if I remember to apply lotion every day and every night I can keep it somewhat manageable. It doesn't seem to matter which brand/formula I use, as long as I actually use it, but there aren't a lot I can stand to use, at least during the day.

Cerave is a good one for nighttime, but it's very waxy so that's a nope for daytime. The best one I've found for daytime is Jergens Ultra Healing. It's not greasy at all, absorbs very quickly, and actually works. And, surprisingly, next best is Suave Advanced Therapy. I didn't have high expectations because I found a big ol' thing of it for like $3 at Menard's, lol. But it's good.

About once a week, or if your hands are unbearable, get some plain granulated sugar, add some lotion or Crisco, and rub until all the sugar is dissolved, then wash the whole sticky mess off and apply plain lotion. It stings like crazy, but it does. . .something that stimulates healing. It doesn't help to do it more than once a week though, at least for me. I don't get those kinds of results from other types of scrubs, so I think there's something in the sugar that does the trick, not just the exfoliation.

Speaking of Crisco, it's a great moisturizer for nighttime. But you definitely want to wear gloves! Works better than Vaseline for me.

And taking cod liver oil internally helps me too, although it's not enough on its own.

 

[ArchyCat]

I use Lubriderm. But then my skin problems are not as severe as any of the previous posters.

 

[white shadow]

.
You might look into these: O'Keeffe's
.

 

[Mia6]

I've always had very dry skin. One of my docs swears by Organic Coconut Oil but it is expensive. I use Naked Bee coconut on my feet and put socks on because it is very greasy. Nivea makes good products also what Norachan uses. Ammonium Lactate lotion is also good. There is no scent. It used to be on Rx and it's good for wrinkles .

 

[LTS3]

I need something I can apply at work

I can't stand the smell of coconut so anything with that is out

Don't hikers / outdoor activity people have products to keep their skin from getting chafed and dry from the sun and wind especially in winter?

 

[EmersonandEvie]

I have issues with texture when it comes to lotions, so I can only use stuff that absorbs immediately or within a few minutes. The absolute best stuff I have found is WalMart's version of Lubriderm in the blue bottle. It's also 100% unscented (I work outside, so I can't be smelling flowery and attracting insects). Here, It's like...$5 a bottle? And it lasts a good while. I put lotion on my arms/legs/chest/tummy after every shower and it lasts me several months.

 

[denice]

I used this when I was working with paper constantly for 12 hour shifts miracleofaloe.com/miracle-hand-repair-8-oz/ I didn't realize how drying paper is to your hands, my hands got to the point that they actually hurt and my cuticles especially were badly cracked. The drying isn't caused by the same factors as winter weather but paper is constantly absorbing all the natural oils off the hands. I noticed one of the girls that works in the mail room where I work now wears latex gloves, I wish I had thought of that. It would have saved me a lot of pain. This is also sold on Amazon, I have never seen it in a store.

 

[Mia6]

Bath and Body Works makes a great moisturizer for your hands
I don't remember the entire name of it but it was SPA something.
It came in a little tube.

 

[EmersonandEvie]

Bath and Body Works makes a great moisturizer for your hands
I don't remember the entire name of it but it was SPA something.
It came in a little tube.

SpaBlue? BlueSpa? The parrafin stuff?

 

[LTS3]

I wear nitrile gloves when doing the hands on stuff at work and I can through at least a dozen pairs a day. Maybe the gloves are partly contributing to the dry skin, although it was never been a problem at previous jobs. I can't wear latex gloves or those nitrile gloves with aloe inside.

I've seen that Miracle of Aloe hand cream before at CVS or some other store.

What about lotions / creams with honey? Honey is supposed to be a great moisturizer.

 

[Mia6]

Honey Moisturizer | Mario Badescu

 

[Jem]

I've heard excellent things about the O'keeffes working hands.

I've used these products before, they worked well and I don't believe they left much residue, but with any product you have to rub it in.
Products | Glysomed

The best thing you can do is treat your skin when your are not at work and maintain it with a simple fast absorbing moisturizer after every single time you wash your hands.

Cotton gloves at night (while sleeping) after applying thick moisturizer, followed by a layer of vaseline always works for me.
If you are allowed, I would bring in my own soap to use at work and not used the probably harsh one they have there for staff. One that is NOT antibacterial helps with over drying.
Doing a scrub (sugar, olive oil and some honey) before the night time moisturize/glove routine would help also, but be gentile as you don't want irritate the damaged skin.

Things that I find help with better absorption:

The outer skin needs to be soft for it to be absorbed - that's where the scrub will come in handy. But for at work, apply the lotion on warm, slightly damp hands. After you wash them, don't dry them all the way, and be sure you allow the water to be warm, don't do a quick hand wash with only cold. I have always found that if my hands were cold, it seemed like the moisturizer would just sit on the skin longer.

 

[Mia6]

SpaBlue? BlueSpa? The parrafin stuff?

Yes, that's it!

 

[neely]

I use Lubriderm.

I have worked in Special Education for a long time and we are always washing our hands as well as encouraging good hygiene for the students. Lubriderm has worked like a charm for me. I use the fragrance free one.

 

[Willowy]

I've heard excellent things about the O'keeffes working hands.

Nice for nighttime, too greasy for day use, IME.

 

[She's a witch]

I second the below, it’s my must have during winter time
O'Keeffe's Working Hands Hand Cream, 3.4 ounce Jar, (Pack of 2)