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Here's the chilly truth: It's winter. It's cold. And our hands? They're dry. Finding the perfect hand lotion is a very personal quest. You want a cream that's nourishing without being oily and smells good without being overbearing. To get some expert advice on which ones are worth stashing in your nightstand all season long, ELLE.com asked nine trapeze artists—who often need to protect their chalked and roughed-up hands—for their holy grail picks.
"I like to use Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion. After flying, my hands are often red, aggravated, and dry from all the chalk. The oatmeal in the lotion helps to soothe the irritation, and it restores my hands without feeling greasy or heavy." —Rachel Reizburg, front office coordinator and rig instructor at TSNY Chicago
"Aveeno lotion works well for keeping my hands moisturized. As someone who is constantly using my hands for circus arts and drying them out with chalk, it helps to have a gentle and non-irritating lotion that can help keep my hands soft despite all the abuse they take day-to-day." —Cassie Weigel, Gamma Phi Circus at Illinois State University
"I prefer vitamin E oil to hand creams or lotion. Generally, I apply it after flying, after showering, and before bed, as it seems to absorb better that way. The vitamin E oil doesn’t remove callouses, which is good for repetitive flying, but it does make the skin feel smoother and softer. Trapeze people may see callouses as a badge of honor and hard work, but corporate America doesn’t have the same appreciation for shaking calloused hands." —Amy Hain, staff member at TSNY Chicago
"Aveeno Baby lotion is amazingly moisturizing but dries quickly to a very light feeling. [I also use] Burt's Bees hand salve at night in the dry season if I am chalking regularly. It's thick and gooey but does the job beautifully." —Mandy Keithan, flying trapeze artist and instructor
"As a flying trapeze artist and gymnast, regular hand maintenance is essential. I need to regularly cut or shave the calluses on my hands to prevent them from getting too thick. I also have a couple areas on my wrists where my grips rub and the skin can get really dry, rough, and sometimes cracked. Burt's Bees hand salve works great both for softening the hard skin so I can trim my calluses, as well as for moisturizing and soothing rough skin areas." —Leilah McCarthy, flying trapeze artist at Trapeze Arts
"I’m a big fan of Gold Bond eczema relief hand and body lotion. It promotes rapid cell turnover which helps me manage my calluses. Side benefit: It’s also great for making a sunburn heal faster!" —Julia Quigley, flying trapeze artist and instructor
"I very rarely use it, but if it’s winter and my calluses are drying up and cracking, or if I am doing an intensive and they are hurting, I put this on at night. You need a very small amount. I bought a jar four years ago, and I’m only 50% through. It works like magic. It is super greasy though, so you have to avoid touching anything after using." —Katie Lacelle, flying trapeze artist and instructor at TSNY Washington D.C.
"As soon as I get back from my [trapeze] workshop, I lather on Among The Flowers whipped body butter. It feels like putting actual whipped butter on my hands, which would be trouble during practice if I'm trying to hold onto a bar, but it's great when I'm trying to repair my hands. I also play guitar and it helps with the calluses." —Laura Lane, trapeze student at STREB
"It's not greasy or oily, which is what I hate about most hand moisturizers. It also has a light but pleasant scent." —Amanda Bach, flying trapeze artist and instructor at TSNY Washington D.C.
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