Q:

What vegan alternative to hydrating/repair creams are there?

Due to the cold temperatures, my hands are drying and chapping a bit. I'm using a cream to repair my hands. But, since I'm beginning with veganism, I looked at its composition and I saw it contains glycerin and stearic acid (maybe among others).

So, I would like to know if there is a vegan alternative to those creams.
Can an essential oil be used to replace it?I'm totally new about that, but I'm very interested in it. That's why I'm asking if it could be an alternative (while being totally open to other alternatives).

A:

Both of those ingredients may be from plant sources (for example, cacao and shea butters both contain stearic acid).
Producers of cosmetics are getting better at labelling for vegans. I advise you to check the labels of a range of products; many companies produce vegan moisturisers. 
You can also use single-ingredient products like cocoa butter or shea butter, or make your own moisturisers with a mixture of plant oils and butters (almond oil works quite well for me)
I myself have very dry hands and feet and I use products from yaoh, PHB and Lush as I'm mostly too lazy to make my own.

