Why Body Lotion & Hand Cream Are Not The Same Thing

We all tend to think that body lotion is pretty universal to slather from the neck down, right? And while it’s true, there’s an actual reason as to why specific products are created for the hands, feet, face, etc. As an example, you wouldn’t want to use foot cream on your face…that seems a little backwards. At least you may not purchase foot cream to use as face cream, and even in a pinch where you really need some moisturizer for your face and foot cream is all you can find, you probably wouldn’t use it on your face even then. A similar concept is there regarding your hands and using only body lotion for them.

If you think about it, your hands are used in everyday activities, almost every minute. Keeping your hands smooth, soft, and moisturized can help in a number of ways, especially if you have dry skin or skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis where hydration is essential (and sometimes an impossible feat). Keeping the same attributes optimized for the skin on the rest of your body is also important. So, what is the real difference between creams meant for your body, and creams specifically to help your hands?

Read on to find out!

The Difference Between Hand Cream and Body Cream

Typical bathroom cabinets seem to be filled with creams of all sorts that are meant to protect your skin.

You may have the added SPF protection to your day cream and even the vanilla fragranced body cream and a hand lotion on your nightstand or a mini version in your bag for on-the-go. Unless you want to shortchange your hands, a hand cream is another must.  As an important part of your body, your hands deserve the attention and specific ingredients tailored to the delicate and hardworking skin of your hands.

Hands are susceptible to becoming dry and tight, especially in colder weather, which we are rapidly approaching. Some hand creams may include exfoliants in their formula ingredients, which you should avoid using on a daily basis. Although gentle exfoliation may be okay to use on rough elbows, knees, and the bottom of your feet, it may be irritating to use all over the body. The formulations of hand cream and body cream do vary for consideration of the skin being different textures and thicknesses. Hand cream can absorb quicker, whereas body cream is generally thicker and absorbs more slowly, making it ideal to use after a shower or before bed.

Commonly, people may wonder, can you use hand cream on your feet?

Your soles on your feet have very thick skin compared to the rest of your body. This may be obvious based on the fact that we use our feet to support our body weight and may also walk barefoot sometimes, indoors our outside on rougher terrain.

Walking on our hands would probably tear them up very quickly. When it comes to creams, it’s good to know your skin around your body does indeed vary. The needs of your skin are not equal from your hands to your feet. So, can you use hand cream on your feet? You can do this, but you wouldn’t actually be doing your skin a beneficial favor. Stick to foot cream for your feet and hand cream for your hands.

Now, let’s dive into the next big lotion factor.

Body Cream vs Body Lotion?

For dry skin, a body cream will persist in its moisturizing properties for a longer period of time than a body lotion will. Oils in body cream absorb more gradually and deeply, as the water component in lotions makes them wear off more quickly. Whether you’ve recently had sun exposure or experienced harsh winter, body cream is ideal over body lotion.

What about the ingredients in body cream?

By having a thick consistency, body cream provides protection against the elements and longer skin hydration. Your skin has a protective barrier, and health complications often follow when skin loses this barrier. Some products chosen to protect, heal and nourish skin may be doing quite the opposite. For example, fragrance in body creams smell delicious but can be ultimately damaging to your body as a hidden, harmful chemical. This danger in many cream products also applies to dyes, harsh preservatives, steroids, petroleum, or sulfates. Choosing a cream without these harmful added ingredients will be best to suit all skin types, and certainly for sensitive skin types!

Where to Buy the Best Body Cream

Searching through brand names and depicting products through fancy marketing techniques can get increasingly complicated, plus having to avoid such commonly used ingredients that you should avoid. It’s good to appreciate well-advertised and aesthetically decorative products, but what’s important is their ingredients. Coconut oil has been long used for moisturizing and soft skin. This ingredient is an excellent naturally derived substance that is good for all parts of your body and is used in natural hand and body creams. Aloe vera, manuka honey, hemp seed oil, and shea butter also have outstanding skin benefits that will keep your skin nourished all day and all night. Wild Naturals products include these effective natural ingredients to equip products that actually work for your skin without any negative results or false advertising.

Shop the Wild Naturals online store today and choose the best body cream for your skin!