Shea Cashmere Hand Cream features African Shea Butter, known for its excellent moisturizing, as well as Mongolian Cashmere Extract, which imparts a smooth silky feeling on skin. However, after digging out my reading glasses, I noted that these two ingredients were a ways down on the ingredients list. This was a little bit disappointing, as typically I'd hope for them to bit closer to the top, meaning a higher concentration.
On the positive side, the scent of Shea Cashmere Hand Cream is very nice. In the tube it has a sweet vanilla scent, but when applied to my hands, it smells more rich and nutty. It's subtle and not too heavy, a nice change from some of the more heavily scented Signature hand creams I'd been using. The scent does last for a few hours as well, so it's a good choice for women who prefer to use scented hand creams over cologne or perfume.
Shea Cashmere Hand Cream isn't as thick in consistency as the Signature line hand creams. This is not necessarily bad, though, as it makes it a bit easier to squeeze from the tube, while still having a nice rich consistency that I look for in a hand cream. I often apply hand cream while I'm at a stop light while driving and the last thing I want is a runny hand lotion that gets all over the place.
I also felt it absorbed a bit more quickly than the Signature hand creams, as it takes very little effort to rub it in. Of course, this is nice when I'm driving as it doesn't feel as sticky and I don't worry about my hands being slippery on the steering wheel.
However, the big issue is its lack of moisturizing. I look for hand creams to provide some long term moisturizing as well as healing of dryness and rough skin. While my skin is not super dry, the harsh, cold winters of Colorado can suck all the moisture out of my skin if I'm not careful and diligent about using a good hand cream. I felt that all Shea Cashmere Hand Cream really does is make my skin feel smoother. An hour after application my skin, particularly around my knuckles, felt as dry as ever. Clearly this is not a therapeutic or healing hand cream for those with dry to very dry skin.
I won't be purchasing Shea Cashmere Hand Cream again. Despite its high price tag, it's a below average product when it comes to healing and protecting my skin. While I love its scent, I'd be better off with their Signature line hand creams. 2 stars only.