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Now that we're in the midst of a Coronavirus pandemic, I trust that you all are washing your hands for at least 20 seconds multiple times a day, per the CDC's instructions.
And while I'm happy to do my part to help stop the spread, sudsing up is wreaking havoc on my already chronically dry hands. My palms are rough, the skin between my fingers has the texture of sandpaper, and my cuticles are in tatters. And it's not like I don't moisturize after I wash my hands!
To give my parched paws some much-needed relief, I reached out to some dermatologists to learn how to pick the best hand cream from the thousands that are out there. Plus, they also shared with me their favorite post-handwashing lotions, so BRB I'm gonna add these to my cart.
Before we delve into the good stuff, let's talk about how to pick a hand cream like a pro. All the derms I spoke with recommended looking for lotions that contain some or all of the following ingredients, so write them down: humectants, occlusives, and emollients.
In terms of ingredients you should avoid, alcohols and fragrance are on the naughty list as they can burn or irritate your skin.
Another point of agreement among the derms is that you want a thick formula. Creams and ointments are better than lotions, which are better than gels. So yes, you may have to wait for the product to fully absorb so your hands don't feel greasy but you probably won't have to reapply as often if you're picking a potent cream.
OK, OK, now let's get into the hand creams:
You looking at your hands and realizing your new hydrating hand cream is actually working:
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