Hello there!
I've got dry and sensitive skin on my hands, which has been a constant issue since I was a kid. It's always felt tight, and I've had to deal with flakiness, irritation, and itching. My skin reacts to pretty much everything: stress, harsh soaps, bad weather, and excessive exposure to water and soap. I've been using hand creams nonstop, and I've got a soft spot for the Russian brand Barhatnye Ruchki. I've been using their liquid soap and hand creams since they first came out, and I've seen the packaging change over the years. But not all of their creams work for me - some are too weak for my skin. I've been buying their moisturizing cream for hands, night cream, and unscented cream with panthenol and chamomile on a regular basis. They're my go-to products. The brand keeps releasing new products, and I picked up one of them back in February - the Barhatnye Ruchki Sweet Dreams cream-mousse.
This cream-mousse is sold in many stores. I picked it up at an Ashan store. Price: 170 rubles without discounts for an 80ml package.The cream comes in 30ml, 80ml, and 270ml packages. I've got the 80ml plastic tube. The packaging is nice.
The tube has all the information you need as a consumer.
This cream is made in Russia, specifically in the Sverdlovsk Oblast.
The expiration date is printed directly onto the tube.
After opening the packaging, you can use the cream for up to 6 months.
I've got to say, I'm not a fan of the design. The dosing nozzle is located under a screw-top lid, but there's no protection or tamper-evidence. Anyone could potentially open and close the tube multiple times in a store before you even get home. And to make matters worse, the lid is always covered in cream because it's so runny - you're left having to store the tube on its side to prevent leaks.
Here's what the manufacturer claims in the product description:
The formula is 100% natural, enriched with almond oil and shea butter, as well as raspberry juice, solving three problems at once: effectively moisturizing, restoring, and nourishing.
Yes, there are natural ingredients like shea butter and sweet almond oil, but there are also a fair few synthetic additives (emulsifiers, preservatives, film-formers, colorants, etc.).
Ingredients:
Aqua, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Stearate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Rubus Fruticosus (Blackberry) Juice, Allantoin, C13-14 Isoalkane, Glycine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Laureth-7, Parfum, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylamide, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Limonene, Linalool, CI 14720.
FormulaColor is a lovely pastel pink due to the red pigment in the formula. Texture is smooth and uniform. Consistency is super lightweight and runny.
Scent is heavily perfumey, and I think I detect a hint of fruity notes, but it's more like a chemical aftertaste. It lingers on the skin for ages, and I've even had people ask me what that weird smell is. Honestly, I'm not a fan of the scent.
I have super dry and reactive skin on my hands, so I need to use a rich moisturizer all the time. I apply this cream to clean, just-washed hands after using soap. I try to use a small amount, but because of its super lightweight texture, I end up needing more of it than I do with other creams. I apply it all over my fingertips, including between my fingers, and massage it in until it's fully absorbed.
I've got to say, the smell and texture of this cream are pretty off-putting, which makes it not exactly a pleasure to apply. On the plus side, the formula is light and absorbs quickly into the skin. It's literally gone in just a few seconds, without leaving any greasiness or stickiness behind. No parabens or anything like that to worry about.
According to the packaging, this cream-mousse is supposed to moisturize, restore, and nourish the skin. As for moisturizing, I can vouch for that – it does help to smooth out some minor dryness and tightness after washing my hands with soap. But as for nourishing or restoring, I'm afraid I just don't feel like it's doing the trick. It's not like it's building up any kind of cumulative effect or anything.My hands looked like this before:
And this is what happened after:
On the bright side, I didn't experience any adverse reactions – no itchiness, no allergic reactions, the works.One thing that did strike me was how much of this cream I went through. I mean, I didn't exactly use it daily, but it still lasted a pretty long time just because I wasn't using it that often.
It's got some nice moisturizing ingredients;It absorbs quickly;No greasy or sticky finish;It does smooth out the skin a bit;Helps to get rid of minor dryness and tightness after washing my hands with soap.Cons:
No protection against opening;Super runny consistency;A really annoying and persistent chemical odor;Doesn't moisturize;Won't restore;Big usage.I've gotta say, this cream fell short for me. It's a pretty weak product for both cold and warm weather. The smell is just awful – it's chemical and really lingers. I'd say it's not the worst hand cream I've ever used, but it's definitely a stinker. And that's saying something, given how much I love Silky Hands.
I wouldn't recommend it!