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My hands don’t usually get dry in winter. Imagine my surprise when I discovered my hands (and knuckles in particular) had become reddened, sensitive and prone to little cuts. I figured this was due to increased handwashing and use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers. These aren’t habits I’ll cut anytime soon, but I knew I had to protect my hands ASAP. Thankfully, YesStyle has a large selection of hand creams. Drawn by the buzzwords “vegan” and “eco-friendly” and its simple, earthy packaging, I decided to try FRUDIA’s Re:proust Essential Blending Hand Cream, which comes in three types.
Background Info
Made free of artificial fragrances and blended with 100% natural essential oils, the Re:proust Essential Blending Hand Cream contains two main ingredients: shea butter and 100% pure moringa oil. Shea butter maintains moisture and elasticity while cold-pressed extra virgin moringa oil nourishes skin, increases elasticity and leaves skin smoother. Together, they form a strong protective film on dry, flaky skin.
In addition to its high-quality natural ingredients, the cruelty-free and EVE VEGAN®-certified formula excludes 20 types of harmful ingredients. The cream is also eco-friendly as its packaging is made of 100% FSC-certified recyclable paper and printed with soy ink. Since all hand creams typically make similar promises of moisture and nourishment, these features set the Re:proust Hand Cream apart.
Something else that makes the cream stand out is the romantic concept behind its name, which comes from the Proust phenomenon: the sudden evocation of a memory from a sensory stimulus, such as a scent. FRUDIA designed this hand cream as a “fragrance of memories.” The products are formulated with scents to help users remember specific feelings from daily life.
First Thoughts
I’m a huge fan of the soft pastel shades on the creams’ packaging, as well as the streamlined shape that’s great for popping into your bag for convenient on-the-go touch-ups. I was surprised by the cream’s yellow color since I expected the usual white. Most of all, I was impressed by its texture. I dislike formulas that feel thick and heavy, but FRUDIA’s creams were super lightweight and comfortable. They were smoothly absorbed without any sticky or greasy sensation. Although I typically don’t like anything scented, I adored these fragrances – perhaps because they aren’t artificial. The scents are appropriately strong but also fade away gradually to not be overwhelming throughout the day.
Earthy
Formulated with sandalwood and chamomile oils to relieve stress and soothe skin, Earthy is described as a moist grassy aroma to conjure up the cozy feeling you experience after it has rained. I found this scent the muskiest of the three. It reminded me of fancy hotel soaps from past holidays, making it feel extra luxe.
Dazzling
Enriched with rosemary and mandarin oils, Dazzling is described as a refreshing citrus fragrance reminiscent of fruit trees. Like Earthy, it offers both skin benefits as well as mood boosters. It revitalizes skin for a dewy finish and increases concentration. It was my personal favorite as I enjoyed how the tangy citrus notes stood out, but the overall balance was still calming and sweet.
Greenery
Greenery is infused with geranium and bergamot oils to provide rich moisture and nourishment, improve skin elasticity and alleviate nerves. It’s described as a grassy scent evocative of walking in the forest. Like Dazzling, it has zesty elements but balanced with herbal notes. It’s sharper and stronger than Dazzling, with a sinus-clearing effect.
Overall
All three hand creams were moisturizing, nourishing and soothing, offering both immediate effects and long-term changes in dryness and sensitivity. After two weeks of use, my skin felt smooth, supple and generally stronger, with no more flakiness and redness. Because of the mood-lifting properties, I often reached for these hand creams when I was feeling tense during busy days. The invigorating scents proved to be welcome breathers that helped reset my mood.
I highly recommend these creams for anyone whose hands need a little love this winter. Apart from the delicious aromas, another winning factor is the light, gentle and quick-absorbent formula, which squashes misconceptions I previously had about hand creams being heavy and greasy. You’ll hardly notice anything on your hands, yet still reap all the benefits!