This Hand Cream Is the Only Thing That Soothed My Dry, Cracked Hands

Even prescription topicals wouldn't work before this.

FrankLin

Apr 24, 2023 - 21:02

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This Hand Cream Is the Only Thing That Soothed My Dry, Cracked Hands

mbg Assistant Beauty Editor

By Hannah Frye

mbg Assistant Beauty Editor

Hannah Frye is the Assistant Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including health, wellness, sustainability, personal development, and more.

Image by Milles Studio / Stocksy

April 24, 2023

Beauty has always been solution oriented—sure, most people want it to look glowy and healthy day-to-day, but it's not in focus until you have a specific concern to deal with. I've always been interested in skin care and wellness as a whole, but to be honest, I couldn’t have cared less about hand care. At this time last year I never had problems with dryness, cracks, or inflammation, so I figured why add another step to my routine?

But then they started drying out and experiencing irritation. Soon—thanks to a mix of weather and stress—my hands were covered in eczema. The rash would flare up whenever I was dealing with stress, dehydrated, or exposed to external stressors. I tried countless hand creams and topicals. Still, only one product truly worked.

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What I was dealing with

As someone who was new to eczema, I felt completely lost. Even with my knowledge of skin care already, this was a whole new experience.

Not to mention, the red and scaly rash would make me feel self conscious. When my hands were at their worst, I felt embarrassed to shake hands, hold hands with my partner, get my nails done, and even hand over my credit card at the market. Plus, the rash was painful and uncomfortable.

What didn’t work

After doing some research, I figured the first step to taming my hand eczema would be a classic oat extract eczema cream. I tried a few different formulas ranging from drugstore products to luxury picks (we’re talking $90 hand creams).

They didn’t help. And I was disappointed to say the least.

Not only that, but many of the formulas made my hands sting, and ultimately become more irritated than before. Even products designed for ultra-sensitive skin types often came with sneaky natural fragrances that triggered allergic reactions I had never experienced before.

I visited my dermatologist and got a prescription-grade topical in hopes that would finally work. Unfortunately, it didn’t do much besides simply hydrate my hands. The redness, scaling, and discomfort was still present.

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What finally saved my hands

Before I nearly gave up and booked another visit with my dermatologist, I tried one last product: The mindbodygreen postbiotic hand cream. I knew this product was adored by staffers and mbg customers for smoother, healthier looking skin, but I definitely wasn’t expecting the shocking result.

Image by Hannah Frye | Assistant Beauty Editor

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These before and after images speak for themselves. After just two days (yep, a quick 48 hours) of using this hand cream twice a day, my flare up was gone. The redness was eliminated, flakes had subsided, and my hands felt softer than ever.

As a dedicated beauty writer and product tester, I decided to go a few days without using the hand cream and see what happens. The result? The irritation came back—but not as bad as before.

Part of the reason this hand cream had a lasting impact is likely due to the pre- and postbiotics in the formula. Once those ingredients hit my skin, my microbiome was nurtured and balanced—and it stayed like that for a few days even after halting my use. But it also contains other soothing ingredients like oat oil, aloe vera, and antioxidants that can help calm inflammation in the skin.

Once I realized the difference my new habit made, I of course hopped back into diligently applying hand cream morning and night. Even in times of stress and dry winter days, my eczema hasn’t hit the surface.

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The unique formula

After learning more about each of the ingredients in this hand cream, I’m not totally surprised it worked better than competing products. Inside the tube, you’ll find a plethora of healing ingredients that work on different aspects of skin health. Below, a quick overview.

Pre- & postbiotics: As mentioned above, the addition of microbiome-friendly ingredients is truly a game changer. Many hand creams are filled with standard hydrators that will encourage softer skin, but don’t often contribute to overall skin health and microbiome balance. Aloe vera: Next we have a classic soother for irritated skin. Aloe vera acts as a humectant, pulling water into the skin for a supple finish and super quick absorption. Shea butter: This rich plant butter is where the hand cream gets its luxurious texture. Functionally, shea butter helps to soften the skin and prevent moisture loss (hence, why I don’t need to apply it in the middle of the day). Squalene: Squalene has always been a favorite ingredient of mine, and for countless reasons. Not only does it add slip to the formula, but it also helps to repair and protect the skin barrier. When dealing with eczema, tending to the skin barrier is essential. Oat oil: A quick science note: Those with eczema tend to have lower ceramides in their skin 1, which contributes to the rough and dry texture. Luckily, oat oil has been known to boost ceramide levels in the skin—directly helping to ease eczema and promote smoother skin over time. Moringa seed oil: Apart from hydrating the skin, antioxidants found in moringa seed oil have skin-smoothing and brightening properties, too. Watermelon, apple, and lentil extracts: This trio delivers a wide range of skin-supporting nutrients and benefits like citrulline and polysaccharides for water retention, vitamin B5 to smooth skin, and trisaccharides to enhance epidermal barrier function.

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However, I also know that eczema flare-ups are tricky, one that takes regular management and is highly unique to the individual. What works for me may not work for everyone! This hand cream isn't a treatment or solution for the condition, but rather a step in my routine that helps me immensely—one that I can't imagine going without.

The takeaway

After trying countless hand creams, the mbg postbiotic hand lotion is the one product that gave my dry, irritated hands some relief. My hands instantly looked better, and have only gotten softer and brighter since. If you want to dive deeper into the research behind the skin microbiome and why pre- and postbiotics are so essential, check out this guide.