Regular readers will recall the wailing and gnashing of teeth that accompanied my discovery some time ago that Nuxe had reformulated my beloved Reve de Miel hand and nail cream, and not for the better. I'd been using that particular cream for something like ten years, so my search for a replacement had to kick off in earnest when my last tube ran dry. One of the first contenders I tried was Fragonia and Seabuckthorn Instant Hand Therapy Cream, €20, from Pai skincare.
A little more pricey than my usual hand creams, this does have the bonus of being ethically-produced with certified organic ingredients and without common chemical ingredients which can irritate sensitive skin. Packaged in an adorably fat little pump bottle, this looks good enough to leave out on display (though at the price you may not want others to help themselves to it liberally). The pump is easily controlled to deliver the amount of cream needed, so you won't find yourself with more than you need in one go.
Packed with plant oils (grape seed, avocado, rose hip and macadamia, as well as the sea buckthorn and fragonia in the name), this is a nourishing and hydrating cream, designed to soothe and regenerate dehydrated skin. Fragonia is an essential oil with anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, though it is very gentle on the skin and sea buckthorn helps promote skin regeneration.
Look! It's bright yellow!
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While it may sound as though a cream packed with so many oils would be very rich and emollient, this bright yellow (thanks to the carotenoids present in the sea buckthorn) offering actually has a fairly light, lotion texture which sinks in quickly. The oils do linger on the skin surface for a while, but not so noticeably that you wouldn't be able to get on with your day immediately after applying. My hands feel smooth, soft and comfortable after application and I've noticed an improvement in the look of my nails too, thanks to the oils present in the cream.
The fragrance is an essential oil blend typical of the natural skincare lines, which I can't really identify, but it is not at all overpowering and doesn't bother me at all (I'm not a fan of strong fragrance in hand cream).
All in all, this is a nice hand cream, though for the price I'm not bowled over by it - yet. Perhaps with long term use the benefits will become more apparent, but for now I'd probably seek out a lower-priced alternative when it comes to a product I use up as frequently as I do hand cream.
However, if you're looking for a hand cream with that little something extra for a gift or special treat (Mother's Day, hem hem), then I don't think you could go wrong with this one.
