Show Me Your Hands | Garden- and Weather-Proof Your Paws

Photo courtesy of Top1walls.com.

After coming indoors, treat your tired and element-beaten hands to these results-driven, nature-based products that do exactly what they say.

The eyes may be the mirrors of the soul, but the hands reflect your personal and work life. Gardening, the fall-winter seasons and repeated washings can do a number on your hands, but that doesn’t mean they can’t happily bounce back. Cutting through the marketing hype, these skin care standouts all have track records of soothing, nourishing, and revitalizing. Plus, they can multitask on other body parts.

Photo courtesy of Dairy Association Co., Inc.

Bag Balm
This trusty goop was originally used in dairy barns to keep cow udders supple. Its secret ingredient? Lanolin, a waxy substance derived from wool that has for centuries been used as a moisturizer and protectant. $8.00 for 10 oz; bagbalm.com.

Photo courtesy of Burt’s Bees.

Burt’s Bees Hand Salve
This “farmer’s friend” relies on olive oil to hold in moisture, almond oil to soften skin and lavandin to fight wear and tear. $9 for 3 oz; burtsbees.com.

Photo courtesy of L’Occitane.

L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Creme
Proven on the hands of climbers who have overcome the most extreme conditions to reach the summit of Mount Everest, this rich French designer formula combines a healthy dose of Shea butter, a nongreasy oil squeezed from the nuts of the Shea tree, found in West and Central Africa, with antioxidant vitamin E. $28 for 5.2 oz; loccitane.com.

Photo courtesy of Sentara.

Sentara All Weather Cream
Pricey but effective, this new classic serum popular with the fashion set harnesses the hydrating properties of inca inchi, an omega-3-rich plant extract from the Amazon rain forest, providing lasting moisturize without stickiness or oily residue. $65 for 50 ml. woodleyandbunny.com.

Photo courtesy of Beiersdorf.

Eucerin Intensive Repair Extra-Enriched Hand Creme
Light, fast-absorbing and non-greasy, it’s a no-frills topical both moisturizes and exfoliates with the help of alpha hydroxy acids, a favorite of dermatologists, who use it to treat patients with eczema or chronically dry skin. $5.99 for 2.7 oz. eucerinus.com.

Photo courtesy of Kao USA Inc.

Curel Ultra Healing Lotion
A lightweight, cheap and versatile above-average player—as far as lotions go—that’s great for everyday use, it contains Shea butter and oatmeal extract, which help to heal and smooth over cracked and calloused skin. $4 for 6 oz; curel.com.