Handcreams and Foot Treatments

This week I’ve gone shopping with my trusty 1980s jelly basket for handcreams and foot treatments. I have had a horrendous flare-up of palmoplantar psoriasis this year – that’s psoriasis of the soles of your feet and palms of your hands. As well as treatments from the doctor I have been using more hand creams and foot treatments than ever before. So, I thought I would share them with you.

Before this bout of psoriasis took hold, I was, like most us, pretty slack when it came to using hand cream and foot treatments. Now, I cannot get enough of them, and not just for my poor, dry, cracked hands. My nails are better, the rest of my skin feels good, and I just love the ritual of applying hand cream in particular. So, here are quite a few of my absolute favourites!

HANDS

Dr Hauschka Hand Cream (£12.50, johnlewis.com). Softens, protects and renews. This one is not my favourite, but my mum loves it. It isn’t oily, but it feels not quite rich enough for me. Contains rich plant juices of bryophyllum to soften the skin and retain moisture.

Aveda Hand Relief (£19.50, aveda.co.uk). A ‘revitalizing formula for stressed skin‘. This is great. There’s nothing much more I can say. It smells wonderful, it;s rich and hydrating, doesn’t leave a greasy residue, and contains hydrating plant emollients, humectants, exfoliating fruit acids and anti-oxidants—including vitamins A and E which help diminish signs of ageing as well.

Clinique Deep Comfort Hand And Cuticle Cream (£18, clinique.co.uk). Despite this being fragrance-free, and me being a lover of scented products, this has been very kind to my psoriasis-riddled hands when at their worst. It is rich and nourishing and has been wondrous for my nails.

A’kin Unscented Hand, Nail & Cuticle Cream for sensitive skin (£0.80, naturisimo.com). This is deeply nourishing and soothing at the same time, and contains Vitamins E and B5, shea butter, jojoba oil and chamomile to nourish and sooth, and is non-oily and unscented, but it just isn’t the same when there is no scent. It performed beautifully though, really moisturising, you don’t need a lot of this cream at all.

Bobbi Brown Extra Hand Cream (£22, bobbibrown.co.uk). Has one of the most amazing, natural scents. It’s ultra-luxe, but absorbs instantly. Contains shea butter and clary sage to help strengthen the hand’s natural moisture barrier, glucosamine to gently exfoliate, and licorice extract to help with those age spots. Hands feel smoother longer thanks to a skin-quenching blend of apricot kernel and avocado oils. This one has come later on my list, and I haven’t been using it for long, but I am already a big fan.

Dr.Ceuticals Super Repair Hand Cream (£9.99, boots.com). My psoriasis didn’t like this, but now it’s a bit better, I have more time for it! It’s not up there on my top creams list, but it does dry in quickly, feel moisturising, but also I just felt I had to reapply more. It contains anti-ageing co-enzyme Q10 with a proven collagen peptide and hydrating glycerine, so is perhaps more for anti-ageing than real nourishment.

Aveeno Moisturising Cream (£8.93, boots.com). This is the cream I was prescribed by my Doctor, along with my other treatment. Aveeno cream has naturally active Colloidal Oatmeal, which is great for dry and sensitive skin. This cream was absolutely brilliant when my psoriasis was at its very worst – gentle, soothing, rich. It does feel a wee bit greasy, but I was usually putting cotton gloves on top anyway, so it didn’t bother me much. Brilliantly moisturising, in larger pump bottles  it’s easy to use all over your body.

Elizabeth Arden Fragrance Free Eight Hour Cream (£26, boots.com). What can I say about this. I have rediscovered an AMAZING product! I first used this years ago, and where has it been all those years since?! Yes, this is uber-greasy and when you slather it on your hands, it leaves a right old mess, but it feels amazing, it moisturises so well and you can rub your hands into your hair to get rid of the excess and it helps your hair. It’s great as a lip balm, it;s just brilliant. I know it’s a love/hate product – I’m a love! Formulated originally in 1930, Miss Arden used it on her thoroughbred horse’s legs! I use it everywhere I feel I need it, and I adore it. This fragrance free version I actually favour, as the original scent is a bit odd for me.

FEET

Dr Hauschka Rosemary Foot Balm (£16, johnlewis.com). This one is not good for psoriasis. It hurt my poor foot when applied, But on my psoriasis-free right foot, it felt heavenly! It rebalances cold and clammy or hot and sweaty feet! Contains silk to help absorb moisture protecting the feet from fungal attacks and rosemary essential oil to help refresh and energise tired feet, making this product ideal for runners, hikers, or poor shop workers with tired feet!

Skin Truth Pedicure Foot Scrub (£4.69, sallyexpress.com). Exclusive to Sally, this is a basic foot scrub, with the peppermint scent and the walnut shell to exfoliate. I didn’t use this on the psoriasis-hit foot, but it works quite effectively as a scrub. A bit basic, but it’s cheap as chips!

Weleda Foot Balm (£9.95, weleda.co.uk). More of a cooling cream to refresh aching, tired or burning feet, this came in handy before and after running. I couldn’t use it on one foot, again, because the psoriasis did not like it! Contains lavender, rosemary, sweet orange and litsea cubeba in a non-greasy cream to help keep feet dry. I think this would be a brilliant holiday foot balm, if you get tired feet on holiday! Also contains Myrrh for antiseptic and astringent properties, and Hectorite, a natural clay mineral for absorbing perspiration.

So, that’s my pick of hand and foot creams and treatments. What are your favourites?