Dry hands can be particularly annoying, and sometimes no matter what hand cream or balm you try, your hands continue to look flaky and itchy.
To determine the best treatments, we went to the experts and spoke with dermatologists about the best hand creams to soothe and moisturize your hands. Whether you’re already addicted to hand creams or that regular moisturizing is brand new territory, our experts are here for you.
Best hand creams for dry skin
Hand moisturizers, like moisturizers for other areas, ideally contain three components: humectants, emollients and occlusives, says New York-based dermatologist Dr. Hadley King.
“Ceramides and filaggrin are the building blocks for locking in moisture and keeping the external environment out,” says San Francisco-based dermatologist Dr. Caren Campbell.
Elta® Silky Smooth Hand Cream
This lotion is a favorite with King’s, who says, “The formula combines ceramides, emollients and vitamin E to nourish dry skin, and sclareolide, a plant-derived ingredient that helps brighten Brown stains.
Eau Thermale Avène Cold Cream Concentrated Hand Cream
King says she’s a big fan of this product because the cream is “fast-absorbing and paraben-free.” She adds, “Their studies have shown it lasts up to five hand washes,” which is about how much power we need from a hand cream right now.
As one of our favorites, this cream from Weleda has been a savior for dry winter skin, plus it has a light, refreshing scent and feels expensive without costing an arm and a leg.
Natura Castanha Nourishing Hand Cream
Emollient castanha (Brazil nut) oil lends richness to this vegan hand cream. We love its sweet but delicious fragrance and its penetration into the skin.
Best hand creams for aging hands
Another tip: it’s usually better to use a cream than a lotion. “Creams are always better for extra-dry skin than lotions because they contain more moisturizing ingredients and less water,” says Campbell. “Lotions contain more water than creams.” And remember, she says, “white cotton gloves can also be worn at night to help keep lotions and creams on your hands and keep them from rubbing off.”
Super goof! SPF 40 hand shield
This anti-aging cream is one of King’s favorites. “It combines sea buckthorn fruit to lighten dark spots and argan and meadowfoam seed oils to moisturize and hydrate without feeling greasy,” she says. “And SPF 40 protects your exposed skin from UV damage.”
Sundays Extra Moisturizing Hand Cream
In this new hand cream, Sundays uses the power of aloe leaf juice, coconut oil, jojoba seeds and other ultra-hydrating ingredients to create one of the most nourishing hands we’ve ever tried. Our favorite part though is that it’s not greasy and smells like bergamot.
Soap & Glory Hand Food
This Target bestseller soothes dry hands with shea butter and macadamia oil. (And although it’s packaged in a tube, it looks like it was pulled out of a tub of butter.)
Moroccanoil Hand Cream
Made with hydrating hyaluronic acid (a great ingredient for aging skin), silky smooth argan oil, and nourishing shea and cocoa butters, this new hand cream comes in six spa-like scents . You can’t go wrong with the Fragrance Originale, which shares the brand’s signature notes of amber and magnolia that scent its cult haircare products.
L’Occitane Intensive Hand Balm with Shea Butter
This luxurious balm melts onto hands and nails when massaged in, and it features a shea butter formula that promises to nourish and protect dry, damaged skin.
“A lot of people with dry skin don’t realize they’re also struggling to shed the dead top layer of skin,” says Dr. Clarissa Yang, chief dermatologist at Tufts Medical Center. “So a secret ingredient that I always look for is an exfoliating agent like salicylic, glycolic, or lactic acid.”
AmLactin Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion
This classic always packs a punch and is a favorite with dermatologists. “I recommend it to my patients who need gentle exfoliation and hydration,” says Campbell.
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
This daily cream “contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid and is perfect for patients with very dry skin,” says Campbell.
The best hand creams for eczema
If you suffer from eczema, you’ll want to look for a cream that’s sensitive enough for your skin while still providing top-notch moisturizing qualities.
“It’s a great lotion for many patients, especially those with normal to dry skin,” says Campbell.
Vaseline Advanced Repair Unscented Hand & Body Lotion
This lotion repairs dry skin with micro-droplets of Vaseline Jelly that lock in moisture. It has received the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance, which “helps individuals recognize products suitable for eczema or sensitive skin care.”
The best hand creams that work
Whether at home or in the workplace, hands that do chores or cook — or just get dirty — will need something extra, like “barrier ingredients like paraffin to keep in moisture. imprisoned,” says Campbell. Yang also likes to see particular occlusives or moisturizers in the ingredient list.
“The plosives are much more oil-based. They help by trapping the water that the humectants attract and preventing it from evaporating,” says Yang. “Lanolin, petroleum jelly, and beeswax are common.”
Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Hand Cream
This healing cream offers great value for money, using petroleum jelly to help restore smooth, soft and healthy looking skin.
O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream, 2 Pack
Another favorite of our staff, this is a moisture barrier builder for hands that has been working for years. Campbell recommends it because “it contains barrier ingredients like paraffin to keep moisture locked in.”
Burt’s Bees Almond & Milk Hand Cream
The sweet almond oil and vitamin E in this cream work to restore moisture to dry hands, while the beeswax locks in moisture.
Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Balm
This balm is designed for hard-working hands and has wax-based properties that form a protective barrier on the skin, leaving hands feeling soft.