My face isn’t the only thing that gets drier in winter. My hands suffer the same fate as well – if I let my guard down and forget to take hand cream everywhere with me.
That’s why Sebamed Hand + Nail Balm is now a staple in my handbag – and not just because it’s travel-friendly. Here’s how it’s helping my hands to survive winter:
What’s In Sebamed Hand & Nail Balm?
AVOCADO OIL
You won’t find avocado oil in the ingredient list of Sebamed Hand + Nail Balm. It hides under the name Persea Gratissima oil (the Latin name for avocados).
Avocado oil is loaded with fatty acids, the building blocks of your skin’s protective barrier (together with ceramides, cholesterol and other stuff).
These fatty acids deeply moisturise skin and help it to better withstand harsh weather and anything else that may irritate it. The result is softer and suppler skin even in the colder months of the year.
Wait, there’s more! Avocado oil is also a rich source of Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that hydrates skin and fights free radicals, the nasty molecules that give you wrinkles.
Related: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Vitamin E In Skincare
GLYCERIN
Fatty acids keep moisture into the skin. But what if your skin doesn’t have enough moisture of its own?
That’s where glycerin comes in. It draws moisture from the environment into the skin, binding it in. All that extra moisture plumps up your skin, makes it softer, and gives it a dewy glow.
Related: Why Glycerin Is In ALL My Skincare Products?!
SOOTHING AGENTS
Sebamed Hand + Nail Balm is loaded to the brim with soothing ingredients that can calm down irritated skin:
- Panthenol: The alcohol form of Vitamin B5, it’s an excellent moisturiser that helps wounds heal faster and reduces irritation, inflammation, redness and itchiness.
- Bisobolol: The soothing compound in chamomile that helps calm down irritations.
- Allantoin: Another good moisturiser with excellent soothing properties that helps skin repair itself.
Related: Allantoin: The Soothing Ingredient You Didn’t Know Your Skin Needed
Texture
More like a lotion than a balm. Lightweight and fast-absorbing, it sinks in quickly without leaving a greasy residue on your skin.
Fragrance
Mild and clean.
How To Use It
Massage a small amount of lotion gently into your skin. Warning: the drier your skin is, the more often you’ll need to reapply.
Performance & Personal Opinion
My fave thing about Sebamed Hand + Nail Balm is the texture: it sinks in immediately, I don’t have to wait 10 minutes before typing away at my laptop or getting dressed for fear I’ll leave a greasy residue everywhere.
The downside? It’s not the most moisturising hand cream out there. It’s ok if your hands are already soft and supple, and you just need to keep them that way.
But if your hands are already dry, this’ll keep them soft and smooth for a couple of hours. After that, you need to reapply it again.
Either way, it’s soothing. Whether you’re dealing with winter dryness or eczema, this lotion can help you soothe the itchiness and irritation.
Who Is This For?
- Anyone who wants to keep their soft hands in top shape
- Sensitive skin, including eczema sufferers
Who Is This Not For?
Dry skin – unless you’re willing to reapply frequently.
Packaging
Sebamed Hand + Nail Balm comes in a sleek white tube that pumps out just the right amount of product you need. Plus, it’s hygienic.
Does Sebamed Hand + Nail Balm Lives Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| Hydrates and protects sensitive hands. | True, as long as they’re not too dry. |
| The highly effective moisturisers provide silky soft skin, prevent irritation and support the regeneration of rough or chapped skin. | True. It makes skin softer and suppler and helps prevent irritation. But it’s not moisturising enough for dry, chapped hands. It’ll help regenerate them, but slowly. |
| Protects the nail against drying. | True. |
| Increases nail elasticity and make them less prone to breaking. | I can’t say I’ve seen a difference in the elasticity of my nails or their breakage frequency. |
| Non-greasy, fast absorbing formula. | True. |
Price & Availability
£5.29 at Sebamed UK and Sebamed USA
Do You Need It?
It’s not a must. But if you only need a maintenance cream, it’ll do.
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Dupes & Alternatives
- Alva Stressed Hands Cream (£3.20)
- Conscious Skincare Soothing Hand Cream For Working Hands (£12.00)
Ingredients
Aqua, Persea gratissima oil, PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol.
