Who’d have thought that the most-used product of the last year is not a new serum, perfume or body cream, but rather the humble hand-sanitiser? Despite us using bottles of the stuff over the past 12 months, sanitiser still remains a practical necessity – something to be grabbed off a shelf – rather than a desired item. But, glamping up its glamourous appeal is hand-care label Gloved.
The luxury brand was founded by Tom Daxon Bowers, who is perhaps better known for his fragrance line Tom Daxon, which he launched back in 2013. Using the same principles – whereby the ingredients form the inspiration, are celebrated and given room to breathe – Gloved products are what he calls “hand-care with heart”. The aim is to set a new benchmark for hand products, with premium quality ingredients being celebrated, and offering a true sustainable approach.
Tom has also worked alongside his mother, Dale Daxon Bowers, on the launch. The former creative director of Molton Brown, Dale has provided her expertise in working with Tom to create the perfect formula needed to care for and nourish the hands, while Tom has created the fine fragrance scent. Putting sustainability and ‘kindness’ as a priority, the range contains no animal products, animal testing, parabens,silicones, single use plastics, sulphates and other nasties. “Why should we have to settle?” asks Tom. “Gloved is about being the best scented, most effective hand care available, that’s also genuinely kinder to the environment, and to you.”
While there is a Hand Wash and Hand Lotion in the line-up, it is the Hand Sanitiser which is the star of the show. The 62% alcohol sanitising gel behaves like a moisturiser, so it is silky not sticky and enriches your hands and doesn’t strip them. This is the antidote to those water-thin hand sanitisers that fall off your hands before you’ve used them and leave your hands desiccated and sore.
It contains a high concentration blend of hydrators – namely, squalane and hyaluronic acid – to nourish and protect and ingredients which are 99% of natural origin. Best of all is the fragrance – just like the perfume line, Gloved uses fragrance oils which are all formulated and blended in Grasse, known as the perfume capital of the world.
At its heart is cedarwood, which is blended with lime, juniper, angelica and iris. “Just as when making a new fragrance for Tom Daxon, a single ingredient was the inspiration to build around,” says Tom. “The familiar-yet-sophisticated cedarwood, partnered with iris and a subtle lime top note, seemed like the perfect ingredient to scent our first range. In addition to the fragrance we’ve added Virginian cedarwood oil; an essential oil with
a miraculous array of potential benefits. Antioxidant packed, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial; perfect
qualities to soothe and re-energise stressed skin. Also, particularly apt for hand wash, cedarwood is a strong
odour neutraliser. Try using it after chopping garlic.”
Lastly, a little word on the packaging – which is not only chic and desirable to have on display, but minimises the brand’s environmental impact. Bottles are made in glass, to reduce plastic use as much as possible. The cap is aluminium, and all the protective packaging is recycled cardboard (no boxes filled with bubble wrap or plastic packing chips). Time to clap those (fragranced) hands.
gloved.co.uk
*This review is based on a press sample
