Viva Woman

ImOlive is another Korean brand that has hit our shores.  I was attracted to the fact that their products uses extra virgin olive oil.  The packaging looks neat too.  Naturally being a hand cream addict, I tested their Golden Olive Water Drop Essence Hand Cream first.

Unfortunately I can’t rave about it because it doesn’t quite meet my expectations.

This formula is water based, so it’s quite natural that it feels watery and diluted.  However, while it isn’t richly creamy to the touch but upon application, I find my palms feeling somewhat sticky even though the cream absorbs rather quickly.  I had to wait for quite a while before the stickiness disappears but afterwards, I get a matt feel on my hands.  

If you’re read some of my earlier reviews about other brands of hand creams, you will know that I dislike having my hands feel matt altogether.  I like it smooth and supple but this one doesn’t meet those requirements even though it is supposed to be enriched with Vitamin E and polypenols on top of its extra virgin olive oil.

Fragrance wise, it is very light with a fruity tinge.  So that’s a plus there.

Additionally, the 80ml is being sold at S$12 at major pharmacies and department stores.  Considering the ingredients within the formula, this is actually quite a fair price.  So I would give that another point.

But definitely, I would rather spend my money trying out their other products the next time.

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This is not the usual hand cream.  Not creamy, greasy or even moisturising.  No, none of that. 

On application, the first thing that hit me was the zesty smell.  An aroma of verbena, orange, geranium and lemon tree.  Next was the dry and cooled feeling on my hands.  However, as I continue to smooth the gel over my hands, it turns to a matte, powdery finish.  Very different from the hand creams I’ve used before. 

I’m not sure why this unique hand cream is meant to help reduce perspiration and swelling sensations.  Could this be a product for people with sweaty palms? 

Anyway, I bought the 50ml to try but won’t want to spend S$30 on the 75ml.  It is unique no doubt, and my hands did look like it’s been protected, but I don’t like the matt feel that much.  And neither do I have a problem with perspirations on my hands.

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I think I may have discovered the DEFINITIVE hand cream. L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream.

This, I tell you, is SUPERIOR stuff ! No wonder it is their best-selling product. The difference is telling. My hands looked visibly smoother the first time I applied it. It was definitely softer and the lines were less visible. Much more so than after using any of the other high-end hand creams I’ve tried.

The cream is heavy with a slightly greasy undertone. Okay, granted since we’re talking about a super-smoothing synergy of 20% shea butter, honey, coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, sweet almond extract and linseed, blended with the light and alluring aromas of jasmine and ylang-ylang essences. But the good thing is that the greasy feeling won’t last too long. Continue smoothing over your hands and it will all be absorbed into the skin, leaving no sticky finger marks.

Now I completely believe them when they claim that this luxurious cream not only protects, nourishes and helps the skin to regenerate. I noticed that my hands don’t feel as dry even after washing them under running water (using soap don’t count though).  So unlike other hand creams with no noticeable long-term lasting effects, I’m quite certain that if I continue to use L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream for a prolonged period, the skin condition on my hands will improve.

Being a stickler about fragrance, I have to also state that this smells wonderful. Not as great as Jurlique Rose Hand Cream but it is certainly very subtle and pleasant.

I also like the packaging when it’s brand new as it resembles a tube of paint. But the metalic tube mean it will look ugly after a while, something I’ve to learn to live with.

For those with extremely dry hands, you got to try this hand cream if nothing else had worked for you. I even read that many with sensitive skin appreciate this hand cream as it lacks lanoline, a major ingredient that can cause an allergic reaction in some people.

Price-wise, it is a bit steep compared to the others. S$42 for the 150ml tube. But it’s worth every single cent. Plus, a little goes a long way so the tube will last you quite a good while.

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Crabtree & Evelyn has a series of wonderful hand creams.  Amongst the series, one of the earlier ones I’ve tried is Gardeners Hand Therapy which contains shea butter as well as extracts of yarrow, clover and calendula to help soothe and condition work-roughened hands. 

Usually I stay away from using hand creams containing shea butter because some of them are just too rich for my liking.  But Gardeners Hand Therapy isn’t like that at all.  It’s thick and rich alright but the cream penetrates quickly into the skin so I don’t get that greasy or slick feel.  In fact,  something in the cream forms an invisible protective layer over the skin and it doesn’t feel as smooth when I try to glide one hand over the other.  But it’s soothing and my hands certainly look smooth and supple.  Plus, a little goes a long way.

This hand cream is also suitable for those with sensitive skin as one of its ingredients, calendula, is known for its ability to heal various skin ailments.  In addition, the addition of clover provides it with some astringent properties.   

There are just two little things I don’t like about the product and both are personal reasons. 

One is the smell.  It is not unpleasant, but it is not something I fancy, especially when I compare it with their other hand creams, for example their very popular La Source Hand Therapy which also comes with shea butter.  

The other is the packaging.  To be honest, I bought the cream because of the cute looking metalic tube.  But I realised that tubes like that look awful after extensive usage.  Not a nice thing to whip out of the bag if you know what I mean. 

But overall, this is a good hand cream especially if you have hands that are real rough and badly need some remedy.  You’ll not be disappointed with its quality. 

The 100ml tube which comes in a very pretty box is retailing at S$30.  Alternatively, you can choose the smaller 50ml tube for around half that price if you’re looking for something more convenient to bring around.  

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