Hand Cream Round Up

I have kids, I have 3 kids, one is only 3; therefore I spend A LOT of time cleaning, so my hands are dreadful.  I know I should wear gloves while cleaning, but I should also not snack between meals, or drive above the speed limit, but I still do.

So... I am always on the lookout for any cream that stops my hands looking like a Somali riverbed in a drought.

I have tried many, many wonderful potions from hemp cream to Clarins.  Not many are really up to the job, but here is my humble opinion on all of the ones I have tried.

• Flexitol Hand Balm £5.10- This contains Urea (which is the main chemical in urine. nice!) it is really good but smells dreadful, reminiscent of old ladies in a care home. 5/5 for efficacy, 1/5 for usability because of the pong.
• E45 Cream £2.39 - Everyone with kids has some of these supposed wonder cream lurking around, I can't see it's appeal, maybe if you have super sensitive skin. 2/5
• Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector £5.00 - This stuff is amazing, it is so good at repairing chapped hands that even my Dad uses it.  Again the smell isn't it's strong point, but at least it's better than Flexitol. 4/5
• Body Shop Wild Rose Hand Cream £5.00 - Royally pants, this stuff has a pleasant old fashioned scent but it is so watery, it even slides off my hand whilst I am replacing the cap, and does nothing for your hands. 1/5 (just because it has SPF 15
• Nivea Cream £1.49  the stuff in a blue tub - Again I really dislike this, it is in no way moisturising enough, I can not ever imagine putting this on my face! 0/5
• Neutrogena norwegian formula, concentrated £3.68 - This is almost impossible to rub in, it takes some serious elbow grease, and on the subject of grease leaves an unpleasant film on your skin.  I does do what it says it does though so 3/5
• Clarins Hand and Nail Cream £21.00 - I really like this, it smells great, moisturises well and has a lovely texture that sinks in fast.  The only downside is obviously it's price £21 seriously!!! 4/5
• Soap and Glory Hand Food £5.00 - I have several bottles of this easy to apply, great smelling hand cream.  It sinks in quickly and does a good job but it doesn't last past the next hand wash and is more of a quick fix 3.5/5
• Molton Brown Hand Lotion Naran Ji - £20 - I absolutely love the smell of this and it absorbs super quick but like the soap and glory it is more of a quick fix, the smell is divine though (and has been renamed Orange and Bergamot) 3/5 due to price
• Derma Guard Skin Protector £5.99 - The main function of this is a barrier cream which means you apply it before doing tasks that would damage your hands (gardening washing up etc...) it works great at what it is designed for but only survives about 2 or 3 hand washes (which equates to about 30 mins for me) I always have it in though for when I am doing things that would really attack my hands. 4/5
• Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream - £26 - this is too greasy for use on my hands as they remain slippy after application, but I love this for my cuticles, elbows, heels and lips, it reminds me of Kiehls lip balm. 3.5/5
• Sanctuary Hand Cream - £3 - Again I love the smell, and always have this around as a nice pick me up in my handbag but it is quite a bog standard formula nothing special 3.5/5
• La Roche Posay Cicaplast  -£6 - My new Hold Grail Hand Cream.  I apply this after cleansing my face both morning and night and the benefits last a good few hours.  It is easily absorbed has no smell and really sorts your hands out.  If it had a gorgeous smell it would get a 5/5 but for now a 4.5/5 will have to do

See, I told you I have tried a lot, I have had even more hand creams than buggies, and I have had 6 of them.

It may sound like I do nothing but wash my hands but I love to cook so I have to wash my hands all the time when doing that and with a dog, 3 kids, a large house and garden, I am kept pretty busy with housework.

I can only honestly recommend 2 of them for efficacy, the rest may smell nice, have cute packaging or feel nice to put on, but they are intended for people who work in offices not people who limescale remove showers and clean up after mini people.  If you have ever have the joy of washing and sterilizing bottles, only you can understand the utter ruin it can reek on your hands.

The conclusion has to be La Roche Posay Cicaplast or The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector.

Has anyone else tried as many hand creams and have some recommendations?