Reasons to apply hand cream instead of lotion on dry hands

Brush your teeth and keep your hands moisturized and hydrated.

The office is drying out with the heater.

During the dry autumn and winter seasons, hands easily become dry and chapped. In particular, hands are exposed to water frequently and to the air, making them especially dry. Applying hand cream at this time reduces dryness, but some people think that facial lotion might be more effective and apply it to their hands. However, facial lotions may actually be ineffective for hands, so caution is advised.

Facial lotions or nourishing creams contain a lot of high-moisture ingredients, but they may have limited effectiveness on the hands. The reason is the difference in ingredients between lotions and hand creams. Facial lotions or creams contain premium moisturizing ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and ceramides, which penetrate the skin and supply moisture. These ingredients are effective on the thin skin of the face, but on the thicker skin of the hands, it is difficult for the moisturizing ingredients to penetrate sufficiently. Additionally, when the hands are moved, such as touching objects, the moisture that has not been properly absorbed is quickly wiped away.

On the other hand, hand creams contain ingredients such as urea and petrolatum. These ingredients create a protective barrier on the skin surface rather than moisturizing, preventing moisture from evaporating. For hands that can be easily washed and cleaned, applying hand cream that acts as a protective barrier rather than just moisturizing is more effective. Meanwhile, for severely dry, keratotic skin, applying enough hand cream and wearing gloves while sleeping can help alleviate symptoms.