There are certain skin products that are worth spending extra on, and some that you feel you can find an effective and less expensive version. For me, hand creams generally fall into the latter category, but once in a blue moon, a luxury hand cream comes along that is worth every single penny and more.

A classic example is philosophy’s Time on your Hands. I discovered a new favorite when we got sent a sample of Liz Earle’s Hand Repair. Style Chick Lyn calls it “A Time Machine in a Bottle” – and I agree.

Hand Repair is a moderately light textured lotion, and smooths on your hands beautifully and had a clean feel to it – no waxy feeling. Once on, it releases a subtle but nice scent. While I usually opt for fragrance free lotions, I really liked this particular lavender scent (and I dislike lavender scents in general), and didn’t encounter any irritation from my fragrance, nor was it an overpowering scent. I had to read the ingredients to figure out what composed the main scent.

It deep moisturized my hands immediately as I smoothed it on, and my hands looked instantly smoother and younger. You know things that you don’t know are a problem until a product fixes it? This is one of those products. My hands looked luminous, soft, and vital.

Absorption is a key issue for me when choosing a hand lotion. If I’m putting cotton or gel lined gloves on after, then it’s okay with me if a lotion is a bit greasy. But my everyday hand lotion has to absorb fast, not be greasy, and still provide a good level of hydration. Liz Earle Hand Repair does that with flying colors. I loved how it absorbed fast and didn’t leave any kind of sticky or gritty feeling behind – it super-hydrated the skin, and I was able to type on my touch screen within about 30 seconds without fear of fingerprints being left behind. It does its job, and it does it well.

If you are interested in a more spa-like experience, try using cotton or gel lined gloves after applying a generous amount of Hand Repair. I tried that as I watched a movie last night, and it felt soooo fantastic, and my hands looked fantastic after being intensely hydrated for an hour or so.

As with all Liz Earle products, Hand Repair has fantastic ingredients – tons of anti-oxidants, including Beta-Carotenes, Vitamin E, B5 to stimulate cell renewal, and plant-derived glyercin. It also contains Lactic Acid for a mild exfoliation. As great as a lotion as it is on hands, I am particularly impressed with how fast it works as a cuticle lotion – the Lactic Acid sacks ragged cuticles and makes nails look great.

All in all, this lotion is an instant classic at Style Chicks HQ. I appreciate that the product is well-crafted enough that everyone around here is wowed by it, when we are all of different ages and have different skin concerns when it comes to hands.

Find the fantastic Liz Earle Hand Repair at LizEarle.com for $28.50.