Nobody wants a rough and scaly hand. In fact, all of us want a beautiful, younger-looking, soft and supple hand. We use all types and kinds of beauty products and beauty regimen just to keep them hydrated. However, with so many brands and beauty products being presented to us, choosing the right one can be a bit confusing.
It is very important that we choose the appropriate moisturizing product to help us fight dehydration and possibly irreversible damage to the skin on our hands.
In this case, hand lotion or hand cream.
Are hand lotions and hand creams just the same? Can they be interchanged?
Think of your hand like the engines of two vehicles. One gasoline automobile and other a diesel feed engine. Both use motor oils to keep its engine run smoothly, but their engine oils differ. Both are oil products but are totally two different items. Just like the beauty product that we use for our hands to keep it soft, moisturized and younger looking.
We usually encounter these products when going to the supermarket or beauty shops. Both are sold as moisturizing agents and as our daily beauty regimen, promising to keep skin healthier and softer. These two products are often offered to us as a mean to combat rough and dry hands. But are they the same, after all, they do the same thing, right? Well, not necessarily. Although both can and may contain vital vitamins and minerals needed to keep our skin soft plus other ingredients like nuts, essential oils, dairy and mild alcohol, hand lotions and hand creams are two different products used for different reasons.
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The confusion actually arises when these two products are sold in different varieties and have been mixed with ingredients that are hard to understand. Although both help rehydrate the skin, both prevent itchy skin due to lack of moisture and these two help keep our hands supple and soft, hand lotions and hand creams are actually different. The difference lies in their consistency and on the viscosity or the thickness of the liquid.
Hand creams have a higher viscosity as compared to hand lotions. This is due to the larger percentage of oil content and lesser liquid in creams. Hand creams are thicker than hand lotions, and because of this, they are usually kept in jars. It is quite difficult to squeeze out a thick mixture of the best hand creams from a tube lest you want a lot of those creams left inside the container. Moreover, its thick consistency makes it perfect for people with very dry skin. Hand creams also offer extra protection due to its heavier consistency. It also helps keep your skin ultra-hydrated. As a moisturizing agent, hand cream is suitable for people who need rehydration especially during winter or in a very dry condition. Beauty experts also strongly advise using hand creams during night time as it can provide deep hydration while you are resting.
On the other hand, hand lotions are almost the exact opposite of the former. It is not as thick as hand creams, it has lower viscosity and has lesser oil content. Hand lotions also contain a large percentage of purified water or liquid, making it thinner and easier to spread over a large area. And since they are thinner as compared to hand creams, hand lotions are usually stored in easy to squeeze tubes, pumps or plastic containers. For this, those with normal skin to slightly dry hands will find hand lotions ideal to use in order to keep their skin hydrated and soft. Hand lotions are perfect moisturizing agents during the summer or when there is a higher level of moisture in the air. Men usually prefer to use lotions as compared to creams, as the former is relatively easier to use and are easier to apply especially to areas covered by hairs. Hand lotions are also absorbed by the skin faster and do not leave any greasy residue to the skin on your hands. As a general rule, lotions are recommended during the summer season and during day time.
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Final Words and Conclusion: Know what you really need, Lotion or Cream?
Though both products may differ in its consistency, both beauty products have some things in common. Hand lotions and hand creams can be both, oil based or water based depending on the brands or label that offers them. Some even have a combination of both, water-in-oil emulsions. Nonetheless, they both help keep your skin hydrated and both help protect your skin from the harsh elements and weather conditions that we face every day.
Hand lotion and hand cream can be used daily and is suggested to use after a bath or shower when your skin is slightly damp. Hand lotions and hand creams can lock your skin and stops you from losing moisture quickly. Moreover, both can be massage to your skin and make you pampered and relaxed. And more importantly, these two products can work effectively as moisturizers and keep your skin feeling soft and smooth.
The next time you need a moisturizing agent for your hands, check the label of what you really need. Do I need a hand lotion or a hand cream perhaps? It is also advisable to know your skin type before indulging yourself in a lotion or cream. This way you won’t be wasting any money using the wrong product.
Bonus tip: Other useful things that your hand lotions or creams can do
“Lotions and creams can greatly help keep our hands and body moisturized. It can lessen the tough areas in our bodies like elbows, knees, feet and the palm of our hands,” explains Dr. Doug, Founder of iFootCare.net, a foundation that reviews best foot creams. Both are readily available in the market as body products. These products can also help your cuticles and can even help toughen your nails and prevent it from breaking. Other swore that lotion or creams, when used over their manicure, helps it last longer.
Aside from using hand creams and hand lotions, it is also advisable to stay away from strong soaps and sanitizers if you want smoother hands. But if it cannot be avoided, indulge your hands with either a hand lotion or hand cream in order to replenish the moistures that have been swiped off.
