The beauty of hands begins with clean, washed hands with respect and delicacy. 22% of French people wash their hands more than ten times a day! (BVA survey of 1000 people - 2012). Even for basic liquid soaps, the brands have made real efforts to launch more feminine and aesthetic products that preserve the natural balance of the hands. This is the case with Dove en GMS, which offers its Mon Soin Cocooning Hand Beauty Cleansing Creams, always enriched with 1/4 moisturising cream, with a gentle pH, in elegant refillable pump bottles (two references: Shea Butter and Vanilla or Original, 200 ml, between 2.27 and 2.47 €, eco-refill of 500 ml between 2.60 and 2.80 €). In organic stores, Cattier innovates with Hand Cleansing Gels with clay, in three flavours: apricot, Moroccan mint and pomegranate, or mirabelle plum and peach (300 ml, 4.10 €). And Aésop, who is never afraid of words (especially the big ones!), launches an Aromatic Resurrection Cleansing Gel for the hands (500 ml, 31 €), as well as an Aromatic Reverence Cleansing Gel for the hands (500 ml, 31 €).

Specific exfoliants and masks

In this category, one of the most original creations is the Alessandro International glove-shaped self-heating skin care mask (Thermasoft Gloves Hand !Spa range, 9.95 € per pair, in salon), based on beeswax, cocoa butter and soy extract. The brand dedicated to hand and nail care also offers, in the same range, Silky Gloves whose fruit acids refine the texture of the hands (30 ml, 15.95 €). Other more"conventional" new products in the hand scrub segment: Yves Rocher's Beauté des Mains vegetable exfoliating hand scrub oil (75 ml, 13 €), and Essie Spa's Starter Scrub exfoliating hand scrub (75 ml, 9.50 €) which contains micronised sponge, aloe vera and emollients to gently exfoliate dead cells. On the mask side, Herborist launches the Crystal Mask for hands (120 g, 19 €) and TT Mask, its Moisturizing Mask for hands (25 ml, 11.50 € per pair). Practical, these bio-cellulose gloves impregnated with a serum based on aloe vera, shea butter and beeswax, do not prevent other activities.

The quest for the Grail…

Concerning hand creams, the search for the right texture is the formulators' obsession! It must be nourishing and (very) penetrating, fine and not too film-forming. The right test? To be able to grab the newspaper without the ink printing on your skin! The Mon Cocooning Hand Cream Shea Butter & Vanilla Dove Butter (75 ml, 2.99 to 3.29 €), Many Many Mani Intensive Moisturizing Hand Cream from Essie Spa (75 ml, 7.50 €) or the Sensual Hand Balm from Kenzoki (50 ml, 14 €) come close. Moreover, brands should"refocus" more on this ideal texture, rather than focusing everything on perfume, as Sothys does (Crème mains orange quince, 30 ml, 9.50 €) or Le Couvent des Minimes (Crème mains Cologne Eau des Mâtines, 25 ml, 5 €). And of course L'Occitane, king of shea hand cream (its best-seller), which, in addition to its many Collector editions launched each season, systematically declines it in a 30 ml scented version with each new perfume. Flora Peony Hand Cream will be next (30 ml, €7.50, starting April 22). The Provençal company is one of the few to offer a special summer hand cream (Crème Fraîcheur Mains Verveine, 30 ml, 7.50 €), which leaves a powdered film anti-wet hands (tapioca powder). In the same vein, Melvita (now part of the L'Occitane group) offers a L'Argan Bio Velvet Hand Cream (75 ml, 11.90 € or 30 ml, 6 €) which, thanks to silica, offers a dry and velvety touch. A good idea to dig to deseasonalize this winter chestnut tree!

More qualities

Three new formulas offer a real plus: the water-resistant power of Mixa Intensive Dry Skin (Multi-Comfort Hand Cream Cold Cream 50 ml, 3.35 €), the antibacterial properties (thanks to manuka honey) of the Super Hydrating Hand Cream Yes! Nurse (50 ml, 6.90 €) or the sensitive skin formula of Cicabiafine (Anti-Irritation Moisturizing Hand Cream, 75 ml, 8.30 €). Cypress essential oil also allows Decléor's Nutri-Comfort Hand Cream (50 ml, 12 €) to reduce excessive sweating. If most brands claim a"hands and nails" use, cuticle hydration remains rarer (Aromatic Resurrection Balm for the hands and cuticles of Aésop, 75 ml, 23 €).

Luxurious formulas with anti-ageing properties

Only the most interesting new ideas, such as the Weleda Evening Primrose Revitalizing Hand Cream for mature skin (50 ml, 9.90 €) or the Cattier White Clay and Sea Lily Hand Cream (75 ml, 7.40 €), one of the first to offer anti-ageing and anti-stain hand care in organic shops. Hand Relief Aveda Night Renewal Serum (30 ml, 39 €) is an anti-stain and plumping serum, composed of 97% natural ingredients. As precious as a facial treatment, it improves the texture, uniformity and tone of the skin during sleep (salicylic acid derived from wintergreen to refine the skin texture, lightening molasses and liquorice extracts, andiroba seed oil from sustainable crops…). It is accompanied by a moisturizing cream with the calming aroma of shampure (Hand Relief Cream, 125 ml, 26.50 €), as nourishing as soothing! Some women, sensitive to beautiful objects, would like to be able to leave this familiar care in their living room! And why wouldn't hand cream be (more) beautiful to look at? This is Alessandro International's bet, which offers jewel-packaging decorated with rhinestones (Dream Cream, 100 ml, 99 €, a price that borders on a nightmare!) or spectacular chrome or gold square pots (Royal Cream Intense Nutritive Care, 50 ml, 29.95 €). The brand, decidedly very inventive, is also one of the only ones to offer a specific sun cream SPF 50 with the UVA macaroon (Sun Hand Cream 50 !Spa, 50 ml, 16,95 €), and we don't understand why this kind of care, all the same quite justified, doesn't make more emules ! Small version for the bag for example…

Ariane Le Febvre