The STARSKIN Hollywood Hand Model Nourishing Hand Mask Gloves Will DEFINITELY Fit — And Leave Your Hands Looking Their Best

The last time I enjoyed smooth, soft, scrape- and callus-free hands (not to mention healthy cuticles) for any prolonged period of time, I was pregnant with my son, who is now 13 years old. It may sound like an exaggeration but, in my case, it’s absolutely true. See, once you have kids, you wash your hands more than 20 times a day, you spend hours wiping countertops and high chairs, and your hands are constantly immersed in bathtubs, washing machines, and kitchen sinks. Add to that all the hand sanitizer you use to remain germ-free, and you’ve got the perfect formula for rough, parched hands, ragged cuticles, hang nails, calluses, and cut-up fingers and knuckles.

Over the years, I’ve found some great cuticle oils and hand creams. But, because all that dish washing, tub cleaning, counter scrubbing, and stain removing action tends to counteract the effects of these hand creams, serums, and oils, and because I’m horrible about wearing latex gloves when performing the aforementioned chores, I have to apply these products constantly — we’re talking 5 and 6 times a day — for them to work. If I don’t keep up with this regimen, my hands quickly start feeling and looking parched— picture the prune-y, shriveled up, sad-looking forms of Spongebob and Patrick when out of the water and laying under a hot lamp in The Spongebob SquarePants Movie. At that point, in order to nurse my mitts back to health, I need to undergo an intensely nourishing treatment. Only after doing so can I begin to press that reset button and again commence my hand serum and hand cream routine.

In the past, I’ve typically tried applying a rich hand cream, then slipping my hands into cotton gloves before going to bed. The problem? I move a lot when I sleep and I have tiny hands, so every single time, almost without fail, I wake up to find the cotton gloves on the carpet next to the bed or under my pillow. Also a problem: cotton gloves can make your hands really hot and uncomfortable. Ditto for fuzzy gloves lined with aloe and other conditioning ingredients.

I was excited, then, to try the STARSKIN Hollywood Hand Model Nourishing Double-Layer Hand Mask Gloves ($10 at Barneys.com) since, unlike the moisturizing glove treatments in the past, these were designed so as to be worn for just 15 minutes — not for a full 7 or 8 hours! Also, the gloves sounded like sheet masks for your hands, which appealed to me since these typically are infused with potent serums that are lightweight and refreshing as opposed to heavy lotions, which can feel cumbersome (especially when in thick cloth gloves!).

Sure enough, the STARSKIN Hollywood Hand Model mask left my hands ready for their close-up. The outer layer of the gloves is thin but tough, and it’s completely dry and touch screen compatible, so you can text, e-mail or play Cookie Jam while your hands are being nourished (score!). But, of course, it’s what’s inside that matters — and it’s a thing of beauty! When you open each glove, you find a smaller inner glove made of a felt-like material. All you need to do is separate the two layers of felt and slip your hand inside that serum-filled “pocket,” then use the sticker tabs attached to the outer layer of the glove so as to tighten the glove at the wrist, ensuring a comfortable and snug fit. The sticker tabs are absolute genius since they not only make the gloves more comfortable and secure, but they ensure that the treatment is completely effective by sealing the hand mask shut, allowing the double-layer to create the desired sauna-like effect. After all, you can’t very well enjoy the effects of a sauna when the door is wide open, right?

The serum, meanwhile, contains 16 botanical ingredients and oils: shea butter and olive oil, both of which soften hands; safflower oil and angelica root extract, which improve the skin’s barrier function so that moisture stays locked in for longer periods of time; hydrating and rejuvenating argan oil, Polygonium Multiflorum root extract (a Chinese plant believed to boost circulation and promote cellular activity), anise extract, and ginseng extract; soothing and conditioning aloe vera; brightening licorice root extract, lychee extract, white mulberry extract, and peony root extract; nourishing macadamia oil and sesame seed oil; and moisturizing goji berry extract. Other ingredients include hyaluronic acid, which can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in moisture, making it a powerful humectant; glycerin, a ubiquitous humectant and skin conditioner; and allantoin, which is typically extracted from the roots of the comfrey plant and which softens the skin and stimulates cellular regeneration, helping to accelerate any healing processes.

The only ingredient that puzzled me was urea since it doesn’t make an appearance in ingredient lists all that often. Why? Because it’s a colorless, crystalline, nitrogen-packed compound derived from — wait for it — urine! Not expecting that one, right? Before you cringe and picture your hands immersed in a public urinal, let me clarify: urea is not urine. While urea is the major organic component of human urine, the substance used in cosmetics is synthetic so that no, you won’t be giving your hands a golden shower (phew!). Studies show urea is effective in treating a number of skin conditions such as keratosis pilaris, eczema, and psoriasis — in fact, Eucerin uses the ingredient for a number of its popular and derm-endorsed eczema-fighting lotions. Once I realized the urea used was synthetic, I was more than comfortable with it being incorporated into the formula.

In the end, after a 15-minute treatment, my hands felt softer than they had in years! Moreover, my cuticles felt and looked smoother and the skin along the back of my hands actually appeared plumper, my pores were less visible, and any wrinkles were smoothed out and minimized. For the first time in ages, I felt like there might be hope for my hands just yet!

But here’s the rub: in order to keep those hands looking soft and supple, it’s recommended that you use the hand treatment 1-2 times per week. Given that each hand mask is $10, that means spending anywhere between $40 and $80 monthly to maintain those youthful mitts. Sadly, I only had one mask to test out, so I can’t speak to how my hands would look after months of indulging in weekly treatments, but I can honestly say that this was the best hydrating hand treatment I’ve ever experienced. For now, I’ve decided to try treating my hands every two weeks. After all, I can justify spending $20 monthly to keep my hands this soft and smooth!