Love me tender - hand cream discontinued by Bella Il Fiore - review by Love Perpetua

Bella Il Fiore's Love Me Tender Hand Creme is an incredibly smooth and luscious hand creme that comes in a cute and convenient pump. It is wonderfully rich and creamy, although it takes a couple minutes to rub in. This quality makes for a wonderful massage, but also means that you have to wait a few minutes after use before you start say...typing on the computer. (Yes, I wanted to start telling you about this right away!) Once you give it a few minutes, it sinks into the skin leaving it moist, supple, and no longer feels greasy. It smells amazing - a delightful blend of coconut and sweet almond, and the scent lingers on the skin long after it is completely absorbed. And just because its called a hand creme doesn’t mean you can’t use it anywhere on your body you’d like - I love using it on my hands, feet, and legs. My skin has never felt so soft!

This is an wonderfully rich creme that is ultra moisturizing. It is a very thick white creme that feels amazing as I pump it out and smooth it all over my hands. It seems to take longer than a usual lotion to rub it in, and even after it all feels rubbed in, it seems to take a couple minutes to absorb. In the mean time, it feels a bit greasy, but it’s not unpleasant. I just take a few minutes to relax and lavish in the delicious scent and lovely smoothness of my skin. After maybe three minutes, it is completely absorbed and my skin is left unbelievably soft, smooth, and comfortably moisturized.

This creme smells like a wonderful mix of coconut and sweet almond oil, although the coconut is the stronger of the two notes. It reminds me a bit of a piña colada, or that delicious coconut shampoo they sometimes use at the salon. It is really a strong, lovely scent. It is also very long lasting - I still smell good hours and one handwashing later!

This is a truly decadent creme that moisturizes and softens the skin for hours and hours. It feels soothing and lush, and contains nourishing ingredients like aloe vera, squalane, shea butter, and vitamin E. The only downside, which I think is a result of it being so rich, is that it takes a while to fully absorb. If you’ve slathered it all over your hands, you’ll want to wait a few minutes before touching things like your keyboard, a wine glass, or...your doorknob. It feels a bit slippery and greasy for a while, but it will absorb beautifully over the course of a few minutes. Then you’ll have soft, smooth, scented hands for hours. I don't love that I can't do things right away, but how great it makes my hands feel is completely worth the wait.

The Hand Creme is packaged in an 8 ounce pump bottle. There are no instructions included, but it is just lotion, so it’s pretty easy to figure out. In order to open it the first time, you have to twist it till it releases, and the pump comes up. It then needed to be primed a few times before lotion starts coming out. Every time after that, the pump works smoothly, and it is easy to dispense exactly the amount you want. I also love pump dispensers because they are so easy to use, and no germs get into the container from your hands (this can be a problem with pots that you dip your hands into). The packaging is feminine, but discreet. I wouldn’t say it is suitable for travel, because the pump top is likely to get squeezed and lotion will probably get all over your things. But it’s perfect to keep on your nightstand, dresser or desk, and use whenever you crave the delicious scent and smooth hands.

There are a lot of ingredients in this lovely lotion, so this will be a longer than usual rundown of ingredient info*, which you should feel free to skip or skim if you prefer. Ingredients are listed in order of concentration - the higher up on the list, the greater the amount.

Aloe barbadensis leaf extract: An extract from the Aloe Vera plant, it is healing, moisturizing, and soothing.
Octyl palmitate: A clear liquid derived from palm oil, octyl palmitate is an emollient. It smoothes and softens skin.
Squalane: An emollient and moisturizer that is a natural component of human sebum.
Gylcerin: Glycerin is present in natural lipids, and is a humectant, which means it attracts water from other sources. It is found naturally in the skin, and it increases the amount of hydration (water) in the skin. It also helps maintain and protect the skins barrier and prevent dryness. Although many women avoid glycerin in lubricants because it can cause yeast infections in susceptible women, this is not meant for internal use.
Sorbitol: A sugar alcohol, sorbitol is often used as a sugar substitute in foods. In cosmetics it serves as a humectant to hold moisture, and a thickener.
Cetyl Alcohol & Cetearyl Alcohol: Emollient, emulsifier and thickening agents, from natural or synthetic sources.
Dimethicone: This liquid silicone gives a soft, velvety feel to the skin, and works as a skin protectant. by forming a hydrating barrier.
Cyclomethicone: Another silicone, cyclometicone works as a conditioner, humectant, and gives a silky feel to the skin.
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) butter: A rich cream derived from the African Shea Tree, it acts as a skin conditioning agent that helps the skin retain moisture, and forms a protective barrier on the skin. The moisturizers in shea butter are also naturally produced by the skin. It helps keep the structure of the skin intact, facilitates healing, and prevents irritation.
Ceteareth 20: An emollient and emulsifier, it also helps thicken the cream.
Hyaluronic Acid: A natural lubricant, hyaluronic acid actually promotes collagen formation, which are the fibers that help keep skin firm.
Nnthemis nobilis (chamomile) flower extract: Chamomile has anti-inflammatory and soothing properties, and is a natural skin conditioner.
Calendula officinalis flower extract: A conditioning and healing agent that has anti-inflammatory properties.
arnica montana flower extract: An flower extract that has anti-inflammatory properties, and is often used as a homeopathic remedy to fight bruising.
Symphytum officinale (comfrey) rhizome/roof extract: Skin conditioning, contains allantoin, which has skin soothing and healing properties.
Echinacea angustifolia extract: A natural extract with clarifying and toning properties.
Tocopheryl acetate: One of the most common forms of Vitamin E, it is a natural skin-conditioner and moisturizer. It is also an antioxidant.
Retyinyl palmitate: A derivative of palm oil, it is a skin smoothing emollient, as well as a fragrance fixative.
Allantoin: An extract of the comfrey plant, it has skin soothing, healing, and keratolytic properties. This means that it helps shed the dry, outer layer of skin cells, promoting the formation of healthy new skin. It also softens the skin, and enables it to absorb moisture.
Panthenol: Provitamin B5, used as a lubricant, emollient and moisturizer. It binds and penetrates the skin, improving hydration, reducing inflammation. It is often used in sunburn treatment products.
Stearic acid: A fatty acid, used as an emulsifier.
Xanthan gum: A thickening agent that helps prevent oil separation, keeping it stable.
Carbomer: Thickening agent, absorbs and retains water. Assessed as safe for use in cosmetic products.
Pheoxyethanol: A preservative, used as an alternative to parabens, this helps extend shelf life. There is some concern about irritation and toxicity at high levels.
Ethylhexyglycerin: A natural and safe preservative.
Triethanolamine: A buffering agent and pH adjuster.
Fragrance: Likely a combination of synthetic and/or natural chemical compounds that produce that lovely coconut almond aroma. Fragrance is considered a ‘trade secret’ and companies do not have to release information about what makes up their particular blend.

*Information from Skin Deep Cosmetics Safety Database, and Truth In Aging: The honest truth about beauty and personal care products.