Clarins hand and nail cream review: the cult product has stood the test of time

When it comes to skincare products, one that can multi-task doesn’t just save time and money, but space in your handbag, too. That’s just one of the reasons I love Clarins’ hand and nail cream.

Hands, nails, palms, cuticles – it goes to work on all areas, so you’re not just giving some TLC to dry hands, but to everything from your nail beds to your wrists.

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• Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream, from £9 at Clarins – buy here

Pros

• Non-sticky
• Helps remove sore skin when rubbed into cuticles
• Absorbs quickly
• Hands feel instantly moisturised

Cons

• Some may find the fragrance too sweet
• Didn’t make a difference to age spots on my hands

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Clarins has been one of the biggest names in beauty for over 60 years, so you can be pretty confident that this cream marks the spot in terms of soothing and smoothing sore and dry hands. 

Heavy-duty hand cream butters can often leave a greasy mark on everything you touch so I always rate products on their “sticky-factor”, and this has none of it. The cream is absorbed super quickly into the skin, allowing you to go about your daily tasks without smearing any of the product on your phone or keyboard.

many loyal followers of this hand cream describe it as a protective glove, thanks to its emollient-rich cream that creates a barrier to the skin. As an avid user myself, it most certainly does the job in making hands feel supple and smooth.

What it doesn’t do however, from my years of use, is reduce my age spots, which it claims it does on the packaging. Admittedly I only have two dark spots and am yet to suffer from old-lady hands, but I’m not convinced it has covered them up. However, perhaps it has worked in preventing new ones to appear!

I love the ivory coloured cream, and the scent, which is infused with Sesame Oil and Japanese Mulberry extract; I find it very comforting and uplifting.

However, once applied it does remain all day, so I can understand why some people may prefer something without a fragrance. I find the smell wafts up to my nose when I’m using my laptop and that even after washing my hands several times a day, the sweet floral scent is still there.

As a nail treatment, it certainly does what it says on the box; it strengthens them! I rub it into my cuticles, nails and nail beds and the hydration busting formula works a treat. The odd brittle nail gets soothed over, preventing it from breaking, and the cream gives the perfect pick-me-up to sore patches of skin, especially if you are prone to picking the cuticle area.

As far as its packaging goes, it is the same as all Clarins products, the familiar red and white box is simple and clean looking, just like its hand cream. And for a luxury brand that prides itself on delivering products to help skin remain youthful and smooth, the price value is spot on. 

Enjoyed our review of Clarins’ hand and nail cream? You might be interested in our roundup of the best face cleansers.

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Also check out our roundup of the best face creams for women.