As I said in my previous review, the Lush Showcase has become an essential part of the community over the last eighteen months, and it's difficult to imagine what life was like before the sneaky teasers and such. Unfortunately, there are some products that make an appearance at the event, only to disappear into obscurity without any rhyme or reason. Sleepy Handcream is perhaps the most perplexing.
Not only does it share its scent with Twilight - perhaps the most sought after fragrance in Lush's catalogue - but it is also the first of its kind. Never before have the company offered a pocket- sized tube of this design, and I for one have revelled in the creative nature of the artist-inspired bottle, and how practical it is for carrying it around in a day bag.
In all fairness, I was rather shocked when this didn't make an immediate appearance in the shops, if only because of how quickly it sold out at the showcase event. Not only did I witness an entire bucket having to be replaced in the few minutes I was standing by one of the stalls, but I was told that the product was sold out very early on into the event, which couldn't be said for any other exclusive.While I have no doubt enticed you with the promise of a Twilight-scented handcream, I feel I need to state that this is not a direct replica. In fact, some fans may even be slightly disappointed with how this differs from the likes of the shower gel, body lotion and perfume. It is definitely of my favourite interpretation of the fragrance, but I appreciate that there is a clear difference between most of the scent family and this elusive product.
Although the handcream contains the familiar collaboration of Lavender and tonka absolute, there is something far more dry and almost grounded about the smell. It's almost as if the tonka has forgone some of its natural sweetness and the lavender has added in an extra herbal boost, which doesn't make this exclusive as rich or as sultry as the shower gel. I think the inclusion of the different nut butters gives this hand cream a subtle nutty aroma, which overrides the sweetness somewhat and makes it very slightly savoury.
Much like Handy Gurugu, this hand cream is very thick and comes out of the tube much like a typical acrylic paint would. This means that it's very easy to dispense the desired amount and won't leak if left unsealed. Because of its viscosity, you need very little to moisturise both hands, and I found that a blueberry-sized piece was more than enough for both hands.
Containing rose water as the key ingredient, this product is great for those with sensitive skin as the rose helps to soothe any irritation and prevent any possible reactions from occurring. The inclusion of evening primrose oil, which is a fairly new move for the company, contains lots of essential fatty acids that help to rebuild and repair skin. Not only this, but it is known for helping to alleviate firmness or rough areas that may come as a result of strenuous grafting with your hands. As someone who lifts weights, this handcream has helped to replenish the moisture I lose after my workout and soften the rough areas that come about through heavy lifting.
What is good about Sleepy Handcream is that it does seem to replenish the skin within a matter of minutes after applying it. I was able to notice the suppleness of my hands right away and this stayed with me for a good couple of hours after application. For someone who develops dry areas of skin in-between my fingers during the colder months, this hand cream was amazing at banishing this immediately.
Once on, the smell stays with you for a couple of hours as well, so you may need to be warned: sniffing your hands constantly in public may need some strange, and sometimes pitying, stares. Believe me.Unfortunately, I found that this hand cream takes quite a while to absorb into the skin, and it's rather rigid when massaging it into the hands as well. Let's just say that it doesn't feel as pleasurable as a normal body lotion does to apply, and your hands will be left feeling rather 'clammy' and 'sticky' for a good 30+ minutes until the skin has fully absorbed the oils and butters.
Another issue I found was that the hand cream didn't seem to make much of an impact on my hands over a period of many days. I was hoping that the daily application of the cream would ultimately resolve the dry and rough patches permanently, and I would notice an improvement in the condition of my skin. Instead, Sleepy is definitely more of a quick fix, and not something that is going to transform your life the way that the body lotion will. Perhaps this is why Lush opted to release the aforementioned lotion as opposed to the hand cream.
Ultimately, Sleepy Hand Cream has served me well the last couple of months. As a short- term fix, this will get your hands looking and feeling far more nourished, and you'll carry a wonderful scent with you without having to spray a perfume. However, if it's something more permanent you're after, you may wish to try the well-established Handy Gurugu, which heeds far better results.
Quantitative Ingredients: Rose water, Fair Trade Shea Butter, Glycerine, Stearic Acid, Organic Almond Oil, Fresh Lemon Juice, Lavender Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Tonka Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Organic Evening Primrose Oil, Tincture Of Benzoin, Organic Peanut Butter, Organic Pumpkin Butter, Organic Cashew Butter, Organic Almond Butter.
Vegan?: Yes.
2017 Price: £4.95 for 35ml, £7.95 for 60ml.
Year Of Original Release: 2017.
