Few beauty products can boast the legacy and enduring popularity of Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant. And few beauty products that reach a similar status can claim to do so much. Indeed, while this beauty bag staple has all the makings of an icon – a rich backstory and high-profile endorsements – it is its versatility that makes it so widely loved.

But what actually is Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant? An all-purpose beauty balm, it’s used as both skincare to moisturise, soothe, and protect, and as a cosmetic, lending the complexion a highlighted glow and leaving brows or fly-aways groomed.

Its story began in 1930, when Canadian-American businesswoman Elizabeth Arden concocted the apricot-coloured glossy ointment, 20 years after founding her namesake beauty brand. Allegedly, the product got its name from a friend of Arden’s, who applied it to her son’s scraped knee and noticed that after eight hours his skin was healed. It swiftly gained a reputation for possessing healing properties, benefitting Arden’s clients’ skin as much as that on the legs of her thoroughbred horses.

To this day this product is still sold by the Elizabeth Arden brand, and the formula – a combination of skin-softening petrolatum (an effective occlusive agent), anti-inflammatory salicylic acid (a beta-hydroxy in one of its first cosmetic uses), and antioxidant vitamin E – has remained unchanged. In addition to the original, however, a Lightly Scented version is available for those who prefer products without added fragrance.

Sales have increased by 62 per cent year-on-year

The now award-winning launch has stayed a best-seller too; in 2022 one tube of Eight Hour Cream sold every 30 seconds, which translates to one every two minutes in the UK alone. No doubt this success will continue in 2023, if not soar, due to Prince Harry’s now infamous anecdote in his new memoir Spare, where he recounts using Eight Hour Cream on his frostbitten penis – while also confirming that it was used by his mother, the late Princess Diana. According to Boots, it’s caused quite the surge in interest: searches for the product on boots.com spiked by 184 per cent week-on-week, while sales have increased by 62 per cent year-on-year.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream

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The many uses for Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream

Aside from Prince Harry’s unique use, there are a plethora of ways that Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream works.

It protects and strengthens the skin’s barrier function; soothes minor irritations such as scratches, nappy rash, bites, and windburn; moisturises dry patches – whether the lips, elbows, knees or hands; hydrates nails and cuticles; highlights the skin such as the cheekbones and Cupid’s bow; and tames hair and eyebrows.

As Boots beauty trainer Hannah Stern says, “It’s no surprise this product is so iconic, you truly can use it from head-to-toe”.

The famous fans of Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream

From royalty to make-up artists prepping celebrities for the red carpet and TV shows – and many a mere mortal in 'real life', Eight Hour Cream has a diverse fan base.

Of course, famous faces we know have used the product include Prince Harry and Princess Diana – which is no surprise given that Elizabeth Arden was granted a 'Royal Warrant of Appointment' from Queen Elizabeth II, meaning it served the royal household throughout her long reign. Others include fashion and Hollywood royalty, from Victoria Beckham to Cara Delevingne, Kate Moss, Lady Gaga and Reese Witherspoon, a former spokesperson for the brand.

The tube can also be found in most professional make-up artist kits and has been confirmed as being behind Zendaya’s 'no-make-up make-up' in HBO hit Euphoria, as well as Jenna Ortega's look in the Netflix series Wednesday.

The Eight Hour Cream collection

Now, a whole collection of Eight Hour products exist, with Elizabeth Arden branching out into specific versions of the balm, from a hand treatment to a facial mist and SPF.

Four of our favourites include the Eight Hour Cream Protectant Lipstick Balm SPF 15 – a treatment stick which both shields and soothes; the accompanying Protectant Lipstick Sheer Tint Balm SPF 15 which does the same but with rich colour; the Eight Hour Cream All-Over Miracle Oil that can also be used on the face, body and hair; and the Eight Hour Cream Intensive Moisturising Hand Treatment, a high-performance hand cream.

Eight Hour Cream Protectant Lipstick Balm SPF 15

Eight Hour Cream Protectant Lipstick Sheer Tint Balm SPF 15

Eight Hour Cream All-Over Miracle Oil

Eight Hour Cream Intensive Moisturising Hand Treatment

But for a truly multitasking handbag staple nothing trumps the original Eight Hour Cream. You needn't just take Harry's word for it.