Holiday handful trio - hand cream by Cake Beauty - review by lexical

The Holiday Handful trio by Cake Beauty is a limited edition set of three hand lotions. These lotions are intended to nourish and moisturize the skin of the hands, though I also use them for my forearms, elbows, neckline, and upper chest. The three varieties offer something for everyone, including a fruity berry scent, a warm vanilla scent, and even an unscented version.



The ingredients list differs for each of the three included types, though they are similar formulas. Since these are intended to be used on your hands, the inclusion of glycerin in the ingredients list is less troublesome than if it were used in a lubricant. However, they are paraben-free.

Milk Made - Water, Glycerin, Cetyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, cetearyl alcohol, ceteareth-20, dimethicone, stearic acid, milk lipid, mangifera indica (mango) seed butter, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), phenoxyethanol, caprylyl glycol, sorbic acid, parfum (fragrance), carbomer, sodium hydroxide, tetrasodium EDTA

Snow Woman - Water, Glycerin, Cetyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, cetearyl alcohol, ceteareth-20, dimethicone, stearic acid, milk lipid, magifera indica (mango) seed butter, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), phenoxyethanol, caprylyl glycol, sorbic acid, carbomer, sodium hydroxide, tetrasodium EDTA, red 33

UnSweet - Water, glycerin, cetyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, cetearyl alcohol, ceteareth-20, dimethicone, stearic acid, althaea officinalis (marshmallow) extract, milk lipid, mangifera indica (mango) seed butter, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), phenoxyethanol, caprylyl glycol, sorbic acid, carbomer, sodium hydroxide, tetrasodium EDTA

Those with sensitivities to fragrances and dyes especially will appreciate the option to use an unscented, uncolored lotion. For safety's sake, be aware of your own sensitivities. If you have not been tested for allergies, it would be a great idea to do so so that you can avoid any potential reactions from products such as these. It's also a good idea to do a spot test, as you would with any other beauty product. I'm curious to know if people who are lactose intolerant can use products that contain milk lipids as an ingredient. I did some research, but was unable to find a definitive answer. If you have more information, please comment and let me know!

These lotions have a thick, creamy texture. When you flip open the caps and hold the tubes upside down, no lotion will come out until you give the tube a gentle squeeze. It is very easy to control the amount that you get. It feels silky and rich. It is not greasy or sticky. They all spread on smoothly and leave you feeling soft and smooth.

As you can see from the photograph, UnSweet is slightly more thin and translucent, while Milk Made is opaque white and Snow Woman is a light, pinkish tan color.

Milk Made - This lotion smells identical to its sister product, the Milk Made Frothing Bath and Shower Cream. The scent is Raspberry-Vanilla and smells similar to the artificial berry scent of the old Strawberry Shortcake dolls, with a bit of extra warmth from the vanilla. The smell of this product lasts a very long time, nearly twelve hours in my experience.

Snow Woman - The scent of this lotion also lasts a long time, but not quite as long as Milk Made. It smells incredible. The aroma is very, very sweet and is reminiscent of sugar cookies.

UnSweet - This lotion smells like...well. Lotion. Though it has no fragrance, it has a very, very slight smell that reminds me a bit of Nivea Creme. It is definitely unscented and should not cause allergic reactions in those with sensitivities.

None of the lotions has a discernible taste once it has been absorbed into your skin. Lick and suck away!

The three lotions perform very similarly. They absorb into the skin quickly and cleanly, doing an excellent job moisturizing. The scented ones last such a long time. I have no complaints about the performance of any of these. They maintain a sweet smell, as well as moisture and softness, even after washing my hands.

The bottles each say something different on them, though they are for the same purpose. They stand up well to these claims.

Milk Made - The front says, in English and French: "Nourish those overworked (and underpaid) hands with this rich, vitamin-packed hand creme. Decadent mango and shea butters, whole milk, and marshmallow extract soothe, comfort, and keep hands super smooth. Au lait!" The back says: "Approved by beauty junkies" and lists the ingredients.

Snow Woman - The front says: "Vanilla Snow Woman" The back says, in English and French: "Nourish those cold and winter-worn hands with this rich, vitamin-packed hand creme. Blended with whole milk, marshmallow extract, and rich butters and oils, this luxurious formula is lightly scented with notes of sweet vanilla cream, absorbs quickly, and leaves your hands feeling soothed and smooth, never greasy. Let it snow." It also lists the ingredients.

UnSweet - The front says: "UnSweet - Some days, you're just sweet enough!" (How cute!) The back says: "Un-scented and un-coloured. Nourish your hands and enjoy all the great benefits of our original (and unparalleled) velveteen hand creme. (Without scent). Specially formulated for extra sensitive skin or for those days when you're just sweet enough! This deluxe, vitamin-packed hand creme is blended with whole milk, marshmallow extract, and mango and shea butters to smooth and protect, leaving behind nothing but rejuvenated, nourished, and smooth hands and cuticles. Undeniably fabulous (and never greasy). Enjoy." It lists the ingredients too.

The Holiday Handful trio comes in a thin, square cardboard box, which is about 6"x6" and about 1.5" wide. Oh the front it reads "Holiday Handful", with some cute mittens strung between images of the three bottles.



The back lists the ingredients of each, as well as a short blurb in both English and French:

"Everyone could use a helping hand for the holidays, so we've packed up three of our best little helpers! Nourish, protect, and moisturize your mitts with this rich, vitamin-packed trio. Blended with shea and mango butters, whole milk, marshmallow extract, and just the right amount of glycerin to lock in moisture and protect your winter-worn hands. The formula you love in three delectable scents. Indulge."

The packaging is minimalistic, but very cute. Please recycle the cardboard box if you do not plan to store your lotions in it. The flip top snaps securely shut, preventing any and all spills or leakage. They are easy to open with one hand, by just pressing your thumb up against the ridge along the cap. I love that the toothpaste-shaped bottles are designed to stand steadily on a flat surface, since I keep them on my bedside table to use before I go to sleep. They are about 6.5" from top to bottom, 2.5" inches at the base, flaring out to about 3.5" wide. The bottles hold 3.4 fluid ounces each, so they are not particularly travel friendly if you're catching a flight somewhere this holiday season

I like to use lotion to moisturize my skin in the winter, but I primarily like it for the lovely scents! As such, I did not keep the UnSweet lotion for myself. Instead, I passed it on to a friend, knowing that I would never use it when I had the option to use these other two and enjoy their sweet aromas. These did a great job of moisturizing my skin and smelling delicious as well.