Recently a new Ulta opened nearby (woo, accessibility)! I just took advantage of a promo on their site (and received it the day before), so my resolve was firm not to purchase any makeup. That, of course, does not mean, “not to purchase anything.”
Though I did purchase a few items, including some neat sunscreen, the item I was most excited about was the Hand it to Me Dreamy Hand cream which I thought was from Soap & Glory. I was looking for a hand lotion for my office and was going to get one from a different brand, but when I saw the seemingly Soap & Glory tube that suggested it is a mixture of mallow (what?), lemon balm (oh, I like that!), and rose (eh), I snatched it, sniffed it, deemed it mild and pleasant enough. Off I went.
It wasn’t until I used it, however, that I became horribly offended. The strong rose scent that I did not detect in the store upon initial whiff descended abruptly.
I like the smell of roses on roses. Not my hands. Really, I prefer them to be unscented if possible but wow.
Now, don’t get me wrong – it does not smell bad. If you like roses you will LOVE it! But it was strong, at first, and it surprised me. I looked at the bottle and found that it was not Soap & Glory but a player I hadn’t heard of, Ginger & Co.
Ginger & Co Hand it to Me Dreamy Handcream
Whaaaat? Shame on me for not paying attention, but doesn’t it just scream Soap & Glory? I’m not sure if they did it on purpose or if it was a coincidence, but Ginger & Co is just so darn similar. Even Musing Of a Muse thought so! Both lines hail from across the pond in England. To be perfectly honest, it wouldn’t surprise me if the creator was the same but wanted to keep lower-priced options available since Soap & Glory graduated to the wonderful world of Sephora exclusivity.
Anyway. Despite my initial distaste for the hand cream, it did feel quite nice – not greasy, not too silicone-y (it does contain it, like a good hand cream should, but some…overdo it), not thin. Formula-wise, for my needs it is just right. I slap it on during the day at work – it absorbs quickly, which makes me happy. My hands stay hydrated for hours – I have not yet had to reapply over the course of the workday–perfect!
About a half-hour to an hour after application, the you’ll notice the fragrance has changed. Any good scent evolves over the course of dry-down, and becomes unique as it works with your body chemistry. After that time the fragrance is still lightly floral, but not overwhelmingly rose. Just feminine, pretty…I can’t really identify the notes for you, though, because I am not a fragrance connoisseur.
At this time, I’m not sure if I will repurchase. It does perform very well, I’m just very particular about fragrance (if I weren’t, I’d rebuy in a heartbeat). If you like rose or are indifferent to strongly scented lotions, this is a great one to try. You can purchase Ginger & Co products at your friendly neighborhood Ulta, this hand cream specifically usually runs $7.99, should be eligible for most coupons, and currently qualifies for the B2G1 free promo.