Monday 9 June 2014

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY! Innoxa One & All Hand & Nail Cream...

Regular readers of my blog are no doubt aware I'm quite the frenzied fanatic when it comes to body washes - I simply must have at least 10 to choose from at any one time to satisfy my craving for variety. But on the subject of hand creams, my focus is remarkably different. I'm not driven to have a drawer full of hand saviours, I just want a couple that will meet my needs, and NEVER let me down. My criteria is reasonably simple - it must hydrate my skin without having to reapply every few hours or so, keep my nails and cuticles in top-notch condition, heal the cracked and red skin on my knuckles, completely eradicate the dry patches, it has to smell "nice", can't possibly be icky-sticky greasy, and ideally, is reasonably priced and readily available.

Whoa - reading all that, am I asking too much? Well after scouring all my usual bargain haunts for years, and purchasing tube after tube that had been recommended by friends, family and my darling blogger gal-pals, I was beginning to think my dream cream would have to remain around the $30+ mark (e.g. L'Occitane, Crabtree & Evelyn etc), but then I chanced upon an old love, one I'd forgotten about for over 20 years...
Innoxa One & All Hand & Nail Cream


Back then, there was only one kind, and the tube was a deep shade of pink. I can't remember why I stopped using it, but for many years it was a staple in my kit - the ONLY hand cream that kept my hands soft and supple AND stopped my nails from splitting and flaking. A few weeks back, I couldn't believe my luck when I stumbled upon the above tubes at Chemist Warehouse for $3.99 each. Woo hoo - they're still making it, and it's half the price! There's actually four in the range - the one that's missing from the photo is the kind for "normal" hands, and I believe it may be the same formula as the one I used so long ago (the pink trim is the same shade as before). But as my paws haven't been what I would consider "normal" for at least 15 years, I decided to leave that particular one for later investigation, and focus on those specifically designed for my dry and age-withered hands...

All three creams are dermatologically tested, smell the same, contain glycerin, and Keretec ProSina - never heard of this particular ingredient before, but it's touted as "...a powerful antioxidant which helps fight the signs of ageing, locking in vital moisture, even after washing, to help restore skin elasticity. Dramatically strengthens nail integrity and protects nails against splitting and peeling." Sounds pretty good huh? Well I've found it to be ALL TRUE!

Re-Hydrating Protective - Dry Hands


This one I keep next to my computer. Of the three I've tested, this one has the most liquid texture, but it also absorbs the fastest, and therefore ideal to keep near my keyboard for a quick moisturising hit when I'm blogging. The fragrance is florally fresh with a tinge of tangerine, and I can only smell it when I hold my hands under my nose, so it's not invasive at all. After applying, the skin on my hands looks plumper with a healthy natural sheen, and it feels baby-soft. This formula also contains shea butter, and I consider it to be my maintenance tube 

Anti-Age SPF 15


This fella stays in my handbag, and I apply it on the train and at work, especially after I've had my hands in detergent after washing my tea mug. The blurb says Tyrostat 11 will improve uneven skin tone and give me more youthful looking hands. Check! I've been using this for just under a month, and can already see a difference in the intensity of the brown spots on the backs of my hands - and instead of pinky patches around my knuckles, overall the skin looks the same colour. The formula is richer and thicker - takes a bit more massaging before it sinks in, and it leaves behind a slightly tacky residue, but not enough to interfere with office activities. This contains SPF 15, and I classify it as my preventative tube 

Intensive - Very Dry Hands


This is the tube I keep next to my bed, and the one I use as a treatment every night. An even richer formula, this is the stuff I also faithfully massage into my nails and cuticles - of the three, I suspect this is the baby that's had the most profound effect on my mitts, and I now consider it to be my HG, can't possibly live without it hand cream. Because it's so incredibly cheap, I slather it on like there's no tomorrow - I massage it in for around 3 minutes, taking it up past my wrists. I find this whole just-before-bed pampering ritual delightfully peaceful, and gets me in the mood for a restful and healing sleep. I no longer have cracked skin around my nails or knuckles, my cuticles are soft and supple, my nails have stopped splitting and tearing, and my hands are outrageously silky and soft - and everything stays that way ALL DAYMy beautyheaven review hasn't been published as yet, but I've given this magical hand healer 5 big fat gold stars. The additional ingredient here is Provitamin (B5), and this is my healing tube 

Moisturising - Normal Hands


As mentioned before I haven't actually tried this formula, but I reckon it would be just the ticket as an all round every day hand moisturiser. As well as Provitamin (B5), it contains Jojoba Oil, and is fragrance free 

As you may have gathered, I'm deliriously happy to have at last found a hand cream (or three) that does everything for my hands that I could ever hope for, and at a ridiculously affordable price. I'm SO impressed, I'm sharing the love by giving away the whole set to one lucky follower...


Once again I've giving the Rafflecopter a shot, so please make sure that you follow the entry instructions, and read the Terms and Conditions inside the widget. Please note that leaving a comment and providing your email address inside the Rafflecopter are MANDATORY for entry :-)

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This giveaway is now closed


Yay - random.org has chosen the beautiful Vanessa F as the winner.  
Congratulations gorgeous! 
Vanessa please respond to the email I've sent you by 
Wednesday 18th June to claim your prize :-)

Edit: Vanessa F has claimed her prize ♡
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Good luck gals!

Take care of you,
kats xxx

33 comments:

  1. Awww thank you kat for the giveaway! I love your EOTDs that you post on BH! You really create fantastic looks :) I haven't found my HG hand cream yet but I've been using the Neutrogena norwegian formula hand cream and it helps a bit but my fingers are still peeling :S Would love to give these Innoxa ones a try especially since they've worked for you! :)

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    1. Hi Joole, thanks for stopping by hon - I bought the Neutrogena hand cream the same day as this one but I haven't even tried it yet, haven't needed to lol...

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  2. For years i couldnt use hand creams at all as i was battling horrible eczema and anything on my hands would cause it to flare up and become a nightmare so now that the rashes have calmed I find that I love applying hand creams and make sure that I apply some every night before bed. I dont think as yet that I have found my holy grail hand cream as im still fairly new to hand creams as ive only been able to use them for the past 2 years or so.
    When Mum passed away and my eldest daughter and I were cleaning up her place I brought home 2 tubes of the Avon Rich moisture hand cream so im using those at the moment.
    When I head away overseas for 6 weeks later this year I am taking a few sample sized tubes of the ulittlebeauty Happy Clappers Hand Cream.

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    1. Hey Fawn so happy to hear you've left the eczema behind, I know how painful that can be. Gosh there's some magnificent hand creams around, but most of them have magnificent prices too! I'll still keep using my L'Occitane and Urban Rituelle ones of course, but now I can save them for a pampering treat and not go through a $35 tube per month ♡

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  3. Kats they sound amazing!! My wishes from a hand cream are exactly the same as yours. The slightest cleaning and any old household duties set my hands off....especially in Winter. I want to go out and buy all off these Innoxa creams right now!! And they are so cheap! WANT WANT WANT :D
    Thanks for the awesome review darl xxx
    Best of luck to all entering Kats sweet giveaway!

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    1. Hey babe, there's so few reviews on BH it seems not many gals have tried them, but I do so hope they work for everyone and not just me!

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  4. No way are you being difficult or wanting too much from a handcream, Kats - completely normal and logical and I'm with you completely. I THINK, without being positive that the reason you stopped using the Innoxa was that it disappeared off the shelves for some time, no idea why. Bringing it back with several choices was a masterstroke. Hope your weekend has been relaxed and that your week will be stress free.
    Love,
    Trish.

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    1. Trish darling, you may just well be right, I vaguely remember looking for it as usual but wasn't able to find it. So glad to know I'm not being unreasonable (or alone) in my seemingly demanding criteria ♡

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  5. Dearest Kats.....wow so nice to read about an awesome and yet so affordable hand cream!
    I have found a HG Hand Cream recently by Antipodes called Joyful.....Smells divine, soaks in and heals up my cracked sore skin wonderfully......but its $35 a tube (I got it free as a GWP from Priceline).....so I have been using it VERY sparingly. So nice to read about one so good and so cheap!
    Love you reviews and fab Blog
    Love Flaming Beauty xxx

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    1. Sweet Flaming Beauty, yest it's a bit of a leap up to $35 hey? Don't get me wrong, I just adore pricey and deliciously effective hand creams, but my wallet keeps telling me to skimp on something else - so thrilled I don't have to now ♡

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  6. Oh wow! I've been looking for a cheap but good hand cream as well. I just bought Yes to Carrots Hand Cream at Priceline today that I found in their Clearance rack. I used it several times today already and it does make my hands feel soft but it doesn't have the nice smell that everyone seems to be looking for. Thanks for this review! I might consider buying it next time! :)
    xoxo Mia

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    1. Hiya Mia, love the Yes To Carrots range but sadly it's not potent enough for my wrinkly old skin - hope this Innoxa range does the trick for you hon xxx

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  7. What a fabulous post Kats. I am crazy about hand cream like you and your love affair with body washes (another item we have in common) so this is a really useful post for me. You are a sweetie giving a full set away. x

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    1. Delighted if this article comes in handy roxy - sometimes I'm really excited and find it so hard to wait for a reasonable test time before I post ♡

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  8. I'll keep an eye out for these when I'm at the chemist next time
    Looks like you had a great bargain I mean how expensive are the hand creams
    I'm finally done and dusted with my Avon hand cream and would love to get these for my hardworking hands
    Thanks for offering a great giveaway kat
    Xx

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    1. Varinder I think Priceline stocks them as well, but I so rarely get there any more I can't confirm - thanks for entering hon and best of luck xxx

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  9. Hi Taylor, thanks for the nomination hon, gosh I think it's my third Liebster award! Congrats to you, always enjoy reading everyone's answers...

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  10. I'm a fan of the Innoxa hand creams, especially the purple / SPF15 formula. It's one of the rare hand creams that include sun protection, which is so important when I'm driving or outside. I keep a tube of this in my car console to both nourish my hands & give me sun protection.

    I'm yet to try the others in the Innoxa range, but plan to

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    1. Oh yay Linda, at last someone who's tried one of them at least - hope you love the others too, and thanks for your precious comment hon ♡

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  11. not yet I have not. My favorite so far is crabtree and evelyn intense moisturizer

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    1. Hi there Nicole - mmmm I love C&E hand creams too, the Evelyn Rose one is my current fave. Fortunately I won it in a beauty heaven comp ♡

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  12. Im a hancream junkie and have all sorts of handcreams but i always go back to my staple elizabeth arden eight hour hand and body lotion.

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    1. Nice one Moonlight - hard to believe but I've never tried the EL 8 hour cream, it sure gets rave reviews, on my list xxx

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  13. I haven't found my HG hand cream but that's not for lack of trying! I'm a total hand cream junkie :) I've been very good lately though. You know I've only bought one body wash in months! Hmm but I'm worried that the Palmolive mango body wash is discontinued (it's no longer on BH) so I'll pick that one up soon :) Before I actually answer your question, was it you who loved Australis creme colour in chocolate truffle?

    Anyway, I have to agree with you. You're not asking too much but unfortunately you usually get what you pay for with hand creams. The ones I've tried that I've loved are:
    - Crabtree & Evelyn hand creams especially the lavender one - I usually I can't stand lavender scents but it's much nicer and less overpowering than most lavender scents. I only buy it during a sale.
    - Mirenesse hand and body balm - hydrating and smells amazing! Like oranges and sugar but it's so pricey! It'd be cheaper to give them my first born child :/
    - A'kin lavender hand cream - not a fan of the scent but it's very thick and hydrating. A bit pricey too.
    - L'Occitane shea butter hand cream - very thick and hydrating but also quite pricey.
    - Australian blue wren hand cream - I found this stashed away yesterday and I'm impressed with how hydrating it is + it has great ingredients.

    I have actually tried the pink Innoxa hand cream and loved it but I didn't like that the second ingredient is mineral oil. Whoops I practically wrote an essay! Anyway, thanks for the giveaway and good luck everyone!

    Sneha (chunky.monkeys)

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    1. What a wonderful comment Sneha - thanks so much for letting me know about all your hand cream experiences, I haven't heard of the Blue Wren one, I think I need to investigate it stat :-) And yes Australis Chocolate Truffle is my fave blush of all time - it's not made any more, but I bought a whole stash on sale so I have enough to last me at least a year ♥

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  14. I did have an amazing Nuxe honey one but sadly it got left behind in the move :( damn!

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    1. Oh boo Laura, Nuxe products are so delicious, but I've no doubt the universe will conspire to bring some more you way soon ♥

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  15. I remember these One&All handcreams - one of my very first beauty products when I was a lot younger! They're good! : )

    I'm going to follow your blog now I've found it Kath! : )

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  16. Well that's actually meant to be from me, Vanessa, (not Carlo my husband! Not sure how that happened!) I'll ask my hubby to fix that if he can when he comes back from the parent teacher interview tonight!

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    1. Hey Vanessa don't worry too much hon, if you win I'll email hubby and then you can let me know YOUR email address.

      I'll be drawing the winner as soon as I get home (about 2 hours) xxx

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  17. Thankyou so much for this and for hand-delivery too with that lovely bag too plus earrings hidden inside! It was very exciting to open it up and I love all the colours on the bag and the earrings are gorgeous! I must have only missed you by around 10 minutes.

    Well, I think my hubby has fixed the account thingy now..........will see when I 'post' this comment.

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  18. Also thankyou for wrapping it all so beautifully! ♥

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    1. Hey doll, I read my emails first and wondered who on earth The Whimsical Writer was, so I checked out your blogger profile and read about Thomas the Terrorist and the chickens, and then I figured it out ha ha! So glad you like everything sweetie, I'll catch you next time, promise ♥

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