Just what is it about the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream that’s made it a cult staple in the bags of everyone from runway makeup artists and top fashion models to beauty editors and celebrities like Prince Harry, Kate Moss, Kourtney Kardashian and Reese Witherspoon?
And yes, that’s the very same Prince Harry, of the British royal family (drama) fame.
Mr. Meghan Markle was armed with this potent cream while trekking in arctic conditions for the Walking With The Wounded Allied Challenge to the South Pole.
So what makes this almost-century-old formula stand the test of time?
It doesn’t have hi-tech stem cells (in fact, the core ingredients — petroleum jelly, mineral oil, natural lanolin, salicylic acid, and vitamin E — have remained unchanged since the award-winning skin protectant was formulated in 1930), it’s not super-expensive (clocking in at $24), and it’s not pretty.
But. It. Works.
And works so well that a tube of this unique formula is sold every 30 seconds.
Which is a LOT of tubes amidst the number of skincare products out there, vying for attention! And there’s a reason for that: It’s that good.
The 8-hour cream was created by Miss Arden herself as a multipurpose, do-everything, take-everywhere beauty product. She even used it to soothe the legs of her famous thoroughbred horses!
Why “8 Hour”? The name, which has become a moniker of excellence in the beauty industry, is based on the suggestion of a devoted Elizabeth Arden client who exclaimed that the miracle cream had healed her son’s grazed knee in just eight hours!
And while there are a myriad of its uses that underline the cult status, here are 12 of the very best ones.
Super-saviour for dry or sensitive skin
The cocktail of petroleum jelly, skin-soothing oils and anti-inflammatory vitamin E soothes, restores, calms and helps relieve minor skin irritations, including roughness, redness, chapped, cracked or dry skin.
This makes it perfect for protecting skin from drying winds, central heating and air conditioning… just add a dollop of the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream onto your hands, rub your palms together to let the product heat up a bit, then apply it over the face and neck as a protective moisturiser!
After-sun soother
With its legendary soothing and moisturizing benefits, it’s the ideal after-sun treatment to relieve sunburns and calm dry, irritated sun-exposed skin.
Effective results means skin looks happier and healthier almost instantly.
Lip scrubber
Dab a bit of the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream on your lips, then gently scrub with an old toothbrush — goodbye flakes and chapped lips!
Lip balm
The Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream makes an excellent treatment for dry lips, healing them quickly and leaving behind a soft shine and a light, glossy effect.
Smooth cuticles
Dry hands? The Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream also doubles up as a superb conditioning balm to soften rough, dry cuticles, keeping them smooth, supple and beautifully manicured.
Especially perfect for brutal winter months!
Shape brows
The Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream is brilliant at keeping unruly brows in place, providing a bit of sheen and creating a perfectly defined arch that will stay in place all day.
All it takes is a dab and a spoolie brush or wand to comb it through the eyebrows.
Instant radiance
Found in top makeup artists’ kits worldwide, this versatile formula is perfect for adding a soft glow or a hint of red-carpet-ready sheen.
For best effect, add a dab of the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream at the highest point of your cheekbones (post-foundation), or along the collar bone, knees and shins.
Glow up the eyeshadow
Want romantic looking eyes with a bit of shine?
Take a touch of the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream on your fingertip and apply it into the center of the lid, over your eye shadow. This will really open up the eyes and give them a sheer, ethereal glow.
You can also apply it on bare skin at the highest point of the brow bone, right below the brow. This will create a subtle highlight, without the dated look of a shimmer. All you need is the tiniest amount.
Level up your brows!
‘Tis the time for some edgy sexiness and one of the easiest ways to incorporate it into your look is by mixing a bit of soft taupe or light gold eye shadow with the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream and brushing it through the brows.
This will create a gorgeous ombre effect that’s very young Hollywood.
Age concealer
Thicker patches of skin — like the elbows and knees — can get dry and ashy as you grow older, making them visible markers of your age.
Counter by rubbing a small amount of the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream into these areas regularly… goodbye dry patches!
Overnight body skin healer
Massage Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream into your hands and feet before bed every night to heal even the roughest, driest skin while you sleep.
Worried about your sheets? Don a pair of cotton socks and cotton gloves.
The best inflight moisturiser
Flying leaves your skin dull and dehydrated?
Take a dime size amount of the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream in the palms of your hands, warm it up by rubbing the hands together and pat onto face and limbs as the best way to boost skin’s in-flight moisture levels.
Leg-saver
This legendary skincare formula calms irritation, reduces redness and leaves legs super-smooth and silky-soft.
This also makes the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream great as an after shave or after wax treatment.
Hair help
Fried or frazzled hair?
Rub a little of the 8-Hour Cream into the dry areas — especially the ends — leave it on for half an hour, then wash with your regular shampoo for smooth strands.
If you’ve discovered other uses for Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream, do share with us in the comments section!
Anubha Charan is a powerhouse in the luxury beauty industry, with over 15 years of expertise shaping the global beauty narrative. As the former Beauty Director at Marie Claire, she worked with the magazine's French headquarters to craft cutting-edge beauty content for international audiences.
Anubha's bylines have appeared in some of the world’s most prestigious publications, including Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Travel + Leisure, WebMD, and Architectural Digest. She is also the co-author of Paris Bath & Beauty, a Simon & Schuster book on French beauty rituals.
healthy beauty by sauleha choudhary says
hey nice cream…hey this is nice post and its very useful content thanks for sharing us such a useful content…..
denise hodgson says
It works wonders on scrapes that kids are so prone to getting. Just rub a tiny dab on the scrape before bed so it doesn’t rub or catch the sheets when they sleep.
Alice Mecklenburg says
This is all super resourceful, Anubha! The 8-hour cream is a cult classic, that’s for sure. It was one of the first products I ever used because my mother was a big fan (of course). Anyway, I may well try it out on my hair to see if it can revive things a bit after a long day!
Also, I can definitely vouch for this product as an excellent all-over helper. It works well across the body and on the legs in particular.
Judy says
This cream removes the crusty barnacle type lumps that appear on some skin as you get into your 70s or even younger..(I think called seborrheic keratosis)……just massage a small amount in gently twice a day and it gradually breaks them up and they wipe off………may take 2 weeks but it works. Works better when they reach the size of a small fingernail rather when they are small.
Sara says
Great on my crepey neck!
dino game says
This is nice post and its very useful content thanks for sharing us such a useful content.
that's not my neighbor says
With its versatility and proven results, it’s no wonder the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream is a must-have in beauty bags worldwide.
Margaret says
This cream must be really something if so many big names love it. I’ve always wondered what makes it a cult classic. Gonna check out those 12 ways!
Snake Game says
Wow, 8 Hour Cream sounds like a miracle in a tube! So many uses for such a simple product. I gotta try some of these tips, especially the one for dry lips! My winter skin needs all the help it can get!