Pure Fiji Hand Creme 120ml

Hands get washed many times a day, and every wash takes a little of the skin's own oil with it. Add winter heating or a weekend in the garden, and the backs of the hands start to feel tight. This one leans on fresh coconut milk and nourishing plant oils to soften and hydrate, and it absorbs without leaving a greasy film.

How much, and when

A small amount, roughly the size of a pea, is usually enough for both hands. Warm it between your palms, then work it over the backs of the hands, between the fingers, and around the nails and cuticles, which tend to feel dry first. As with any hand moisturiser, the easiest times to use it are straight after washing or doing dishes, while the skin is still slightly damp, and last thing before bed. Since it absorbs without a greasy finish, you are not left waiting before you pick up a phone. If your hands feel very dry, a thin second layer is easier to work in than one thick one.

New Zealand conditions worth knowing

• Winter indoors. Heat pumps and log burners dry the air out, so you may find you reach for a hand moisturiser more often over winter.
• Humid Auckland summers. Use less. A thin layer is usually plenty when the air is already damp.
• High UV. This is a moisturiser, not sun protection. The backs of the hands catch a lot of sun while driving and gardening, so keep sunscreen on them too.

Who it suits, and where it falls short

It suits hands that feel dry from frequent washing, air conditioning or outdoor work, and anyone who cannot stand a slippery finish. It is made in Fiji from sustainably sourced ingredients. If you need something strictly fragrance free, read the ingredient list on the pack before you buy. And because this is a cosmetic moisturiser, if the skin on your hands is broken or sore, talk to a pharmacist or your doctor rather than relying on it.

The honest limitation: no hand creme survives soap and water. It washes off, so the benefit comes from reapplying, not from one application lasting all day. For the same reason you will get through 120ml faster than a face product, so keep it where you actually wash your hands. Stocked at Verdo Cosmetics, an authorised stockist in Parnell, Auckland.