I tend to have drier skin than most and when I was in my teens, my brothers would jokingly ask me what grit of sandpaper my hands were. Seriously. They were that bad. So it doesn't really come as a surprise why I've become somewhat obsessed with hand creams. I carry little tubes of them everywhere. If other girls have 20 lip glosses in their purses, I probably have the same number in hand cremes. Okay, maybe not 20. Maybe 5. And I have at least 3 kinds on my nightstand. So after trying a truckload of these, I've learned to be more discerning. I still have my go-to favorites but I'm always in the market for the next best and biggest. My latest acquisition is an Ebeauty.ca find. I went a little crazy with excitement when I found out that they're finally carrying DHC (a Japanese brand that has an oil based cleanser that's been favorably compared to the Shu Uemura cleansing oils; review in the works!). When trying something out for the first time, I like to get a smaller size, if possible, just so if it doesn't work out, I won't feel so bad about wasting all that product. But to get free shipping (I hate paying for shipping), I needed to add something else. I ended up with this hand cream and I've had no regrets at all.
The Quick Take
Brand/Name: Tocca Stella Crema de Mano
Price: $8 CDN for 60mL
Seen at: Ebeauty.ca, Tocca.com
Note(s): Sephora also carries the Tocca brand but as far as I've seen online, they don't have the hand creams. Maybe check in stores if you prefer to do your shopping at brick and mortar establishments. Also, if you're wondering why there are no box photos, it's because it didn't come in one. What you see is what I got.
The Fun Facts
The hand creme that blew me away.
"Love Yourself" indeed!
Ingredient list. Notice anything awesome? (Aside from that it's made in Canada, of course.)
A dab of the cream on the skin. All nice and creamy.
The Lowdown
This was love at first use. I kid you not. This is a nice thick cream out of the tube, as you can see above. Now while the majority of hand creams or lotions tend to just sit on the skin, this one really feels like it absorbs into your skin. And it does it fast. There's no greasy feeling afterwards as instead, it leaves your parched skin feeling all velvety smooth and supple. Sandpaper hands begone!
From the Sephora website, here's a description of the fragrance:
Stella is infused with the slightly sweet, never bitter, and always fresh scent of blood orange. With its origins coming from 17th Century Sicily, the blood orange is harmonious with Tocca's philosophy of combining the best of old world traditions with modern influences.
Notes:
Bitter Orange, Blood Orange, Watery Accord, White Freesia, Wild Diamond Orchids, Spicy Lily, Sheer Musk, Sandalwood.
Style:
Sexy. Sensual. Impetuous.
I find it fairly accurate in terms of what little I do smell from the hand cream. See, it's nothing like those Bath and Body Works products where using just a bit is enough to have the entire room smelling like the stuff (not entirely a bad thing unless your sinuses are acting up). This is a mild and subtle scent that won't irritate more sensitive noses. The slight floral scent is far from cloying or old lady-ish. It's a lovely modern floral that's tempered by the slight citrus and musk scents. I've enjoyed the scent so much that I'm considering looking into the actual perfume next time I find myself at Sephora. It's that good!
But what really sold me on this one was something I noticed in the ingredient list. Two words: Sodium Hyaluronate. This is the salt form of hyaluronic acid which is a naturally occurring substance in your skin that helps sustain the nutrient transport framework and keep the skin hydrated. With age, the production of hyaluronic acid decreases, thus leading to skin dehydration, flaking and the appearance of fine lines among other things. Sodium Hyaluronate has a very high density and smaller molecular structure compared to its acid form, allowing it to be absorbed more readily by the skin. Amazingly, this substance also has the ability to absorb a thousand times its weight in water. (That's a lot of water!) When applied on to the skin, it easily absorbs into it and helps retain, maintain and attract water which results in smoother and softer skin.
Basically, the takeaway from all that is not only does this topically smoothen your skin, it also works on a deeper level where upon absorption, it helps maintain and retain moisture to keep your skin hydrated. Hydrated skin = healthy smooth and supple skin. Now, isn't that something everybody wants? I know I definitely do! Also, notice how it has no parabens (preservative antimicrobial/antifungal chemicals that may cause allergic reactions on sensitive skin). Even better!
Hammie loves the scent just as much as I do. But more than that, he's most interested in the science behind keeping the skin hydrated. Knowing that using this hand cream actually helps replenish your skin's moisture makes Tocca Stella Crema de Mano a definite keeper. He scores it:
From the Sephora website, here's a description of the fragrance:
Stella is infused with the slightly sweet, never bitter, and always fresh scent of blood orange. With its origins coming from 17th Century Sicily, the blood orange is harmonious with Tocca's philosophy of combining the best of old world traditions with modern influences.
Notes:
Bitter Orange, Blood Orange, Watery Accord, White Freesia, Wild Diamond Orchids, Spicy Lily, Sheer Musk, Sandalwood.
Style:
Sexy. Sensual. Impetuous.
I find it fairly accurate in terms of what little I do smell from the hand cream. See, it's nothing like those Bath and Body Works products where using just a bit is enough to have the entire room smelling like the stuff (not entirely a bad thing unless your sinuses are acting up). This is a mild and subtle scent that won't irritate more sensitive noses. The slight floral scent is far from cloying or old lady-ish. It's a lovely modern floral that's tempered by the slight citrus and musk scents. I've enjoyed the scent so much that I'm considering looking into the actual perfume next time I find myself at Sephora. It's that good!
But what really sold me on this one was something I noticed in the ingredient list. Two words: Sodium Hyaluronate. This is the salt form of hyaluronic acid which is a naturally occurring substance in your skin that helps sustain the nutrient transport framework and keep the skin hydrated. With age, the production of hyaluronic acid decreases, thus leading to skin dehydration, flaking and the appearance of fine lines among other things. Sodium Hyaluronate has a very high density and smaller molecular structure compared to its acid form, allowing it to be absorbed more readily by the skin. Amazingly, this substance also has the ability to absorb a thousand times its weight in water. (That's a lot of water!) When applied on to the skin, it easily absorbs into it and helps retain, maintain and attract water which results in smoother and softer skin.
Basically, the takeaway from all that is not only does this topically smoothen your skin, it also works on a deeper level where upon absorption, it helps maintain and retain moisture to keep your skin hydrated. Hydrated skin = healthy smooth and supple skin. Now, isn't that something everybody wants? I know I definitely do! Also, notice how it has no parabens (preservative antimicrobial/antifungal chemicals that may cause allergic reactions on sensitive skin). Even better!
Hammie loves the scent just as much as I do. But more than that, he's most interested in the science behind keeping the skin hydrated. Knowing that using this hand cream actually helps replenish your skin's moisture makes Tocca Stella Crema de Mano a definite keeper. He scores it:
10 Hammie Points!
Are you a hand cream fiend? What's your favorite hand cream? Would you purchase a perfume based on another product that had the same/similar scent?
I usually hate hand creams because I can't stand that greasy feeling (especially between my fingers), but your review makes me want to try this. My hands could definitely use the moisture, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteI have to have lots of hand creams about too, my hands can be a bit like sandpaper :-( my cuticles get so dry and people always say my hands look good but it takes a LOT to keep them like this. I might seek out this. Have you tried BalanceMe superm oisturising handcream? I will esed you one with the polishes. x Remind me!!
ReplyDeleteI am a total hand cream fiend. Thank you so much for reviewing this! I've been using a Biotherm cream that is nice, and I was paying the ungodly price for L'Occitane hand cream.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Shannon! I have yet to try anything from Biotherm though I've had my eye on it for a while now. (All I have to do is look inside my purse to deter me from getting anything new, hahaha!) I hear you about that price. It *is* a pretty awesome cream, I'll give L'Occitane that. Not that the wallet would agree!
ReplyDelete*high five* Agreed on all points! I have the exact same problems. It's even worse in the winter. *shudder* I've never seen BalanceMe before. If it works for you, it should be awesome! Aww, thanks so much, Esther! I'll definitely remind you! :D
ReplyDeleteDefinitely, Christine! I'm always on the go so, like you, greasy hands just won't work for me. Although I do have some hand creams that are a bit on the greasier side that I love to use overnight. If you're too busy during the day to bother with hand cream, I highly suggest using it overnight instead. I like to use mine with gloves so I don't get it on the sheets, plus it ensures your hands seal in the moisture that way, too. If you do try this Tocca hand cream, I hope you enjoy it as much as I have! :)
ReplyDelete