#but only moisturiser doesn't help and i've tried a lot of moisturisers

[falklore]

i don’t apply make up one time during winter and i immediately get dry spots

[life-starringyou]

Hand care – Moisturisers

What to look for in hand creams?

There are a million different hand creams on the market, and some independent companies even produce their own hand creams. So how are we going choose? We'll be looking at a few criteria, which, honestly just comes down to personal preferences:

Ingredients

Lasting greasiness

Scents

Packaging

After which we will then look at brands available in the UK, and brands I love (which may not be available in the UK).

1. Ingredients

Realistically, you probably won't be able to tell whether you'll like a hand cream until you've tried it. And if the store doesn't have testers, then you might just have to look up reviews online and trust them.

However, there are some ingredients which may be indicative of moisturising guarantee. (And speaking of ingredients, remember to always go paraben-free, especially if you have sensitive skin.) Here are a few most common ones:

Aloe vera has natural anti-inflammatory properties, which is why you've probably seen aloe vera used in healing gels like for sunburns. But did you know it's also a very hydrating and is full of Vitamin A, C and E? Therefore it often appears in face masks too.

Shea butter is packed with Vitamin A, E and F, and offers intense moisture for dry skin. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, so moisturisers with shea butter can also help with soothing minor skin irritations.

Hyaluronic acid, which is not actually an acid, exploded in skincare products in recent years. Don't ask me how it works but it holds up to 1000 its weight in water, like a sponge. It appears very often in face moisturisers and face masks.

Jojoba oil is good for more sensitive skins as it is easy to absorb, non-comedogenic (so it doesn't cause breakouts), and has rich antioxidant content (it fights off environmental damage).

Vitamin E helps prevent skin aging.

2. Lasting greasiness

Have you ever used a hand cream and then realise... you can't hold on to anything because your hands are so slippery, and now you're not sure whether to just sit there and wait until your hands absorb everything, or if you should wipe it off?

Some hand creams actually absorb better than others leaving less greasiness, and some are even advertised for "working hands"! I have no idea if that affects the effeciency of moisturising though. So if you find that the hand cream you use doesn't leave greasiness but isn't hydrating enough, then I guess you can use it more frequently, and save the greasy moisturisers for when you're off to bed.

According to my impression and looking at the ingredients we talked about above, shea butter would probably be on the higher side of the greasiness scale, whereas jojoba oil would be on the lower side.

3. Scents

I love a good lavender scent. A lot of scents in cosmetics can be mainly categorised as floral or fruity, with the latter normally sweeter.

However, some people may prefer them unscented, especially if you have sensitive skin, as parfums can often be the main cause of skin irritation.

4. Packaging

Most hand creams come in tubes, and personally I do like tubes more, it's just easier to squeeze out the amount you want. The tubes are prettier normally and are easy to carry. But most importantly, some tubes come in smaller sizes, which means you can try more scents!! 😉 Sometimes you may even find multiple small tubes in a gift box set too. 👀

And honestly, let's be real, it is very gender affirming to use a hand cream that not only feels good, smells good, but also looks good as well. :3 So with that in mind, let's look at...

Brands

Nivea is a brand on the more affordable side. This Soft Moisturising Cream is one I've used, it has jojoba oil and vitamin E. This moisturiser has a mild cotton-y scent, and kinda middle-ground in greasiness but absorbs quickly, I find I don't have to wait too long to start using my hands again.

The Body Shop has quite a few scents to choose from. I believe that most, if not all, hand creams at The Body Shop contains shea butter, so they can be on the more greasier side. However, it also means they are definitely on the more moisturising side. If you visit a brick and mortar store, you may even be able to try their testers, see if you like the scents and the feel on your hands.

L'Occitane is a French brand and definitely on the higher end price-wise. They also have a wide-range of hand creams to choose from, and I have tried it once as my mom uses it sometimes. It was kinda greasy, but the one I tried was not as greasy as those from The Body Shop. It does feel better and nicer than some other hand creams, but it is more expensive.

Burt's Bees is known for hydrating lip balms based on, well you guessed it, honey, and they seem to have started doing hand creams as well. There's not a wide-range and I haven't tried any so I don't know what it feels like or how it smells, but I think Burt's Bees is a trustworthy brand.

If you look in local UK drug stores, you'd find a ton more brands, I'm sure there are more out there that are good.

Before I go on to talk about the moisturisers I like, naturally I also asked my mom some of her favourites. :3

She used to be such a fan of Crabtree & Evelyn before they closed globally, because there were literally giftboxes of maaany scents and she'd get to try them all. Nowadays though, she said she likes Innisfree (KR) and Fiancée's (JP) hand creams.

And lastly, here are three moisturisers that I quite like that are not easily obtainable in the UK:

Sebamed's Hydrating Hand+Nail Balm used to be available in the UK, but it seems they have stopped stocking it. You might be able to find it in other parts of the globe though. This is a very practical hand cream, it's light, has a mild scent, and is low on the greasiness scale. It's very good for more sensitive skins, and is also good for your nails too.

Yuskin's Hana (JP) has a few scents to choose from, and is very low on the greasiness scale. But because of that, you need to put more each time to have full coverage on your hands. I like it because of its low on greasiness, but also the mild scents that sparks joy.

But nothing beats my absolute favourite hand cream, Furupuru's Hand and Nail Cream (JP). It's so light and the scent is absolutely wonderful, and its selling point is literally that you can use the touch screen on your phone after using it, which means it's very low on the greasiness scale. AND you get cute animals printed on the tube, what's not to like?

[taliah-tezel]

"That's good." She nods, hoping that he was being truthful. Was he actually thinking clearer? There was minor doubt there caused entirely by her own concern, but she decided to take him at face value and cling to the hope that it would only get better from here. Hearing him use the word hate didn't surprise her, she'd known for a long time now that he held himself in no high regard, but she did want that to change. "I'm going to suggest something, and you can tell me to fuck off, but I really hope you won't." Taliah takes a breath, realising that what she's about to say also reveals something of a secret about herself, though that wasn't to take the spotlight. "I've been going to a therapist for a few months now. She's in a small practise, half hour out of town, very discreet, doesn't judge and I think she really actually helps. I mean, if you look at me now compared to a few months ago, it's all the evidence you need." Sure, Cole had a lot to do with it too, but it was also a lot to do with the work she had been applying to herself, with the help of a professional.

"Don't get me wrong here, it's not easy, that woman will break you down but the result of that, is this." Gesturing to herself. "Lighter, happier, hopeful. I want you to feel those things, I think you deserve them, so if you let me, I'd like to give you her number?" Shrugging a shoulder, she doesn't want to corner him, she tries to leave it open, something for him to think about. "Well I wasn't going to say anything but since you mention it, a little under eye moisturiser wouldn't kill you." Smirking at him, she flashes him a wink and falls into a soft sigh. "You're laying the ground work down, for sure. You just need to keep going. Eat well, sleep more, and shower daily because nobody will thank you if you smell like a trash can."

Nate's brows creased as he shook his head, silently telling that she didn't need to be sorry. He hadn't expected anyone to do anything for him, he knew Alara had known for a while and he didn't fault her for not doing anything - because what was there to do? The only problem at fault was him and he knew that, just as he knew it had been a problem only he could truly fix. It had taken him longer then he'd have liked to be where he was right now, but all he could do was take the positive from it and that was that he was here. "Thanks." he responded quietly, offering a small attempt of a smile. He didn't want to dismiss her efforts, he appreciated them, he just felt guilty for having to put people in that position. Though again, that was something he needed to work through.

His blue eyes pulled back up towards her as she said his name, admittedly her follow on only had him feeling a little confused, feeling that he had answered her question on Cole's safety. Though that was just how he had interpreted it. Keeping quiet he listened to her, understanding where she was coming from this time, and he showed that by the small nod he gave after her asking if she heard him. He scoffed lightly - amusingly so - at her no pressure, smiling ever so faintly before that faltered. "Feel like I'm thinking more clearly than I have been for a while so..." he sighed, "I don't know... I'm doing what I need to do for myself, I want to be okay y'know? Getting sick of fucking hating myself." all it was doing was providing him with a constant headache and he knew he needed to shift that. "I know you will but you don't need to worry about me, I know where I wanna be so that's not changing." if anything he hoped that him being better would positively impact the people around him. It's a hope, anyway. "I know I look like shit right now, feel it too, but honestly it's the best I've felt for a while." he knew on the scale of things that didn't sound great, but it was truth. He knew he was balancing a lot, but for him the fact that he felt in-control of his own actions, was the only place he wanted to be in.

[softroaches]

Hi.

My name is rose and to be blunt, I am a walking pigsty. I hate my hair, I hate my skin, I hate my face, I hate my clothes, I hate my bedroom, I literally hate everything about myself. I'm sick of feeling so bad all of the time, so I've decided to make a change. Problem is, I've tried to change SO MANY TIMES before and either given up, or completely forgotten about it. This time, I'm going to make monthly progress videos in the hope that if I can see progress, I will be more motivated. I'm also splitting it up into categories rather than just a generic "be better", because more specific goals are more achievable or something.

The first one is hair. My hair is a complete mystery to me, k sometimes it's a poofy mess, sometimes it looks pretty ok and then I wake up the next day and it's ugly again. My scalp has also been really itchy recently, and I haven't got a clue why. I currently use Asda anti dandruff shampoo (I don't have dandruff but it helps with the itching) and Shea moisture conditioner, and I wash my hair every other day. I do use scalding hot water which isn't good for my hair or skin, so I definitely need to work on that. My dream hair would be something like cher from clueless or chuu from loona, and I want to grow it longer. I also need to figure out what hairstyles fit my face, because usually I just leave it how it is and I hate it.

The second category is skin. In theory, I have a skincare routine but in practice I only do it every other day and end up rinsing my face and rubbing on moisturiser most days. As a result, my skin is really congested and also itchy? It sucks. On my body, I have eczema, and it's really itchy and horrible. It looks orange and just odd? All I use on that is the shower gel and moisturiser prescribed by the doctor. My parents offered to take me to a dermatologist once because it was so bad, but that sounds expensive and I do think it'll go away by itself at some point.

Category three is health. Health has never been something that's super important to me, and I end up spending all my money on crisps and chocolate bars. I'm a vegetarian, but I am also quite picky so I end up surviving on tomato soup and quorn pies. I am also basically allergic to exercise, and I wish I didn't always get out of breath when I run. I know that most of my hair and skin issues would be hugely helped if I was healthy, so I really need to fix my diet and stuff. I also carry a lot of fat in my face, and I really wish I didn't have a double chin.

Environment and organisation is my fourth category, because my room is a rubbish tip, which I decorated when I was six so some of the design choices are... interesting. All my stuff seems to get stained or dirty, and my schoolbooks are all over the floor. I want to get new school supplies, and keep them nice, and I am also swapping rooms with my sister and redecorating it at some point over the next year. Here is kinda what I want it to look like.

Makeup is next, I'm pretty terrible at makeup. Anything that looks good in my bedroom mirror ends up looking messy or just strange when I look in the mirror at school, and I have to try my best to clean it up. I really want to learn how to do makeup that is flattering and not too obvious.

The sixth category is clothes. My wardrobe is basically just whatever is wearable from primark at the moment, and I live in leggings and t shirts. I'm not working with much of a budget here, but I'll put some pictures of clothes I really like. I also want to find my style, and not be so terrified of wearing anything that isn't jeans.

The last category is hygiene. This is super embarrassing but I don't always brush my teeth when I should, I usually can't be bothered to epilate my legs and sometimes I forget deodorant. I'm also super paranoid that I secretly have really bad breath and I don't know about it. This is kinda obvious but my goal for this is just to be clean.

I hope this doesn't come off as vain or something... actually, I don't care. It's too embarrassing to post anywhere right now, maybe I will when I'm 18 and I think this is really cringey and funny, but for now it isn't gonna happen. Anyway, I don't have anything else to add so see you December 31st.

(written December 17 2020)