Photo: Asia Milia Ware
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Between frequent hand-washing, harsh weather conditions from sun-exposure or winter weather, and habitual hand-sanitizer baths, overuse from day-to-day life can undoubtedly be an unsavory recipe for dry, cracked hands. But, fear not, our team of editors has put the most-talked about hand creams to the test and narrowed down the list to the ones you’ll actually want to throw in your tote bag. Whether you prefer an indulgent, luxury formula or simply want to hydrate without a greasy feel, read on for the best hand creams that are sure to leave your hands feeling supple and smooth this season.
So, you’re looking for the best hand creams?
➼ FAQs
➼ Our top picks
➼ More tried-and-true options
➼ Our experts
Our top picks:
The Overall Best Hand Cream
L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
Pros: Tried-and-true formula; provides long-lasting hydration.
Cons: It’s very thick, which can be a bit overwhelming.
Size: 5.1 fl oz
Key ingredients: Organic shea butter
This shea butter formula is on every hand cream roundup for a reason. It feels as luxurious as the pretty silver packaging looks, and is so rich that a single tube goes a long way. The next time you’re scrambling to come up with a good last-minute stocking stuffer, keep this crowd-pleaser on the top of your shortlist.
The Best Fast-Absorbing Hand Cream
Nécessaire The Hand Cream
Pros: Stocked with peptides and multivitamins; absorbs quickly; provides a post-manicure sheen.
Cons: The packaging is not very efficient.
Size: 2.2 fl oz
Key ingredients: Marula butter, marula oil, and niacinamide
If you want to treat your sensitive skin or selective nose to a more luxurious fragrance-free formula, this is it. Each squeeze dispenses an unbelievably creamy, cloudlike formula that truly feels like a treat for dry, worn-out hands. It also absorbs quickly and leaves a nice glow-y, photogenic sheen, like you recently got a manicure.
The Best Natural Hand Cream
J.R. Watkins Aloe and Green Tea Hand Cream, 3.3 oz.
Pros: Affordable; won’t leave your hands feeling greasy.
Cons: The packaging doesn’t feel luxe.
Size: 3.3 fl oz
Key ingredients: Aloe and green tea
If you have to do a lot of typing, hand-shaking, or carrying various objects, this cream will be your new best friend. The 96 percent natural formula doesn’t leave any trace of greasy residue; your hands won’t feel awkwardly sticky, just suddenly soft. The only evidence that you’ve been slathering rich cocoa and shea butters and jojoba oils all over them will be the energizing green-tea scent.
The One With Hyaluronic Acid
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Dior Le Baume Multi-Use Balm with Hyaluronic Acid
Pros: Unscented
Cons: Pricey
Size: 1.7 fl oz
Key ingredients: Extract of centella asiatica, hyaluronic acid, shea butter
Fashion and beauty writer Asia Milia Ware loves that this hand cream is unscented. It’s deeply moisturizing and can also be used on the face. The packaging is the cherry on top because who wouldn’t want to use this chic circle-shaped Dior cream? She always gets questions about it when she pulls it out.
The Best Hand Cream for Sensitive Skin
Tatcha Indigo Soothing Hand Cream
Pros: Great for sensitive skin.
Cons: One reviewer says the formula tends to separate.
Size: 2 fl oz
Key ingredients: Japanese indigo, squalane, colloidal oatmeal
Tatcha’s Indigo line is one of the Cut Shop team’s favorites. Just like their Indigo Overnight Repair moisturizer, this hand cream will soothe the skin on your hands, especially if you have minor eczema flare-ups or irritation thanks to its squalane and silk extracts.
The Best-Smelling Hand Cream
Mojave Ghost Hand Cream
Pros: A perfectly curated Byredo scent; chic packing; lightweight moisture.
Cons: It’s expensive.
Size: 1 fl oz
Key ingredients: Shea butter, glycerin
Yeah, like the Bad Bunny song. The woody and musky blend makes hands smell heavenly — and gives them smooth, lightweight moisture, too.
The One You Should Have in Every Bag
& Other Stories Neon Rush Hand Cream
Pros: Affordable and agreeable scent
Cons: Packaging can get squished up fast
Size: 1 fl. oz
Key ingredients: Shea butter
The Cut shopping writer Chinea Rodriguez shares that she always picks up one of & Other Stories’ hand creams when she goes into a store. They are the perfect size to throw in any bag and they get the job done.
The One Favored by House Guests
Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm, 2.5 oz.
Pros: Soothing scent
Cons: Expensive
Size: 2.6 fl oz
Key ingredients: Mandarin rind, rosemary leaf, and cedar atla
Senior shopping editor Bianca Nieves has her Aesop hand balm handy for all of her house guests, and they all love it. It elevates the simple act of washing your hands.
More tried-and-true options:
The Best Luxury Hand Cream
Chanel La Creme Main Hand Cream
Pros: Chic packaging; ideal for traveling.
Cons: Comes with a luxury-level price tag.
Size: 1.7 fl oz
Key ingredients: Camelia and iris extract
This adorable Parisian egg is home to an incredibly soft and melty hand cream that was designed to be used while traveling light. Sadly, though, it still won’t fit in this purse.
The Best Affordable Hand Cream
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Hand Balm
Pros: It’s the perfect post-dish-washing hand cream.
Cons: Smells like dish soap.
Size: 3 fl oz
Key ingredients: Shea butter, lavender
The ideal moisturizing window for hands is five minutes after you wash them; leave one of these lotions in the kitchen and one in the bathroom, and that goal becomes a lot easier to meet. The formula (with sweet almond oil and shea butter) is rich but absorbs surprisingly quickly. And it comes in the same lavender and basil scents that have made the brand’s cleaning products so popular.
The Best SPF Hand Cream
Supergoop! Handscreen SPF 40 Sunscreen
Pros: Has SPF 40, comes in two sizes, great for those who are outdoors often.
Cons: Scent is divisive, and some reviewers said they wish it was more moisturizing.
Size: 1 fl oz
Key ingredients: Sea buckthorn fruit, argan oil, glycerin
The tops of your hands might be the most neglected parts of your body when it comes to sunscreen application. Even if you’re not spending a day at the beach and are covered up in a long-sleeve shirt and jeans, your hands are still out in the open absorbing all those UV rays. Consider using Supergoop’s “handscreen” to protect them from any sun damage. With the combination of sea buckthorn fruit, argan oil, and glycerin hydrate and condition your hands, the SPF is basically an added bonus.
The Best Heavy-Duty Hand Cream
Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve
Pros: Creates a “glovelike” protection for your hands; can help with redness.
Cons: Because of the problem-solving formula, expect a thicker feel.
Size: 2.5 fl oz
Key ingredients: Avocado and sesame oil
This thick, eucalyptus-scented salve gets down to business with a heavy-duty formula that’s packed with the kind of oils (like avocado, sesame, and olive) that extremely rough, worn, and dry hands need. It creates a protective “glove” of moisture that helps keep hydration locked into hands.
The Best Hand Cream With a Pump
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Grown Alchemist Hand Cream
Pros: Has a bright citrus and vanilla scent; infused with nourishing essential oils.
Cons: Expensive; not travel-friendly.
Size: 10.14 fl oz
Key ingredients: Rose petal oil, camelia, sea buckthorn
If you loathe gunky flip caps or hate trying to screw a cap back on with slippery hands, this hand cream is the way to go. It’s infused with nourishing rosehip oil, orange-peel oil, grapeseed oil, and aloe vera to target stressed skin on overworked hands. The convenient pump-and-go package cuts down on frustration and mess, and the bottle looks beautiful on any bathroom counter. Bonus points for the crisp citrus scent, which transports your mind to somewhere warm and beachy.
The Best Hand Cream That Gently Exfoliates
Burt’s Bees Ultimate Care Hand Cream, 3.2 oz.
Pros: Helps soothe irritated cuticles; made with natural ingredients.
Cons: Sticky consistency.
Size: 3.2 fl oz
Key ingredients: Baobab, pumpkin seed, and watermelon-seed oils a
If you can barely focus on how dry your hands feel because of how terrible your cuticles look, this multitasking cream will help. It locks in the moisture it delivers with natural baobab, pumpkin seed, and watermelon-seed oils and gently exfoliates with a natural fruit acid complex.
The Best Cream for Hands and Body
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54 Thrones Egyptian Lavender + Moroccan Mint Beauty Butter
Pros: Available in four different scents and three different sizes; long-lasting product.
Cons: Some reviewers say it’s not very spreadable unless you warm it up in your hands first.
Size: 1.7 fl oz
Key ingredients: Shea butter, baobab, jojoba oil
This extra-rich formula is basically like slugging for your hands. It contains two different types of shea butter that really amp up the sealing factor, and comes in five unique scents to choose from. A little goes a long way, and that’s good news for the rest of your limbs, because this butter leaves skin kissed with a beautiful, hydrated sheen.
The Best Retinol Hand Cream
Soft Services Theraplush Overnight Repair Treatment
Pros: Helps even skin tone on hands, comes in a sleek container.
Cons: Not for sensitive skin, expensive, and has a waxy feeling.
Size: 1.7 fl oz
Key ingredients: Retinol, colloidal oatmeal, panthenol
If you want your hand cream to do more than just moisturize, consider this overnight formula that contains retinol to even the appearance of a spotty complexion on your hands. It also plumps skin and helps maintain cuticles, so you’ll wake up feeling (and seeing!) the difference on your hands. Though the price is a little steep, the container serves as cute decor for your nightstand (the curved top is a useful jewelry dish, too!), and you can buy convenient refillable pods after you run out.
The Best Restoring Hand Cream
Ranavat Restoring Hand Creme
Pros: A natural rose scent and a lightweight formula that lasts.
Cons: Some reviewers say the price is a bit expensive for the amount.
Size: 1.7 fl oz
Key ingredients: Sesame seed oil, glycerin
Throughout the day Adhav kept smelling a subtle scent of roses and she was convinced there was a candle or bouquet in the room. Then she finally realized it was this hand cream she had applied, and she was very impressed. The lightweight formula hydrates all day and doesn’t use silicones or synthetic fragrance. Instead, most of the natural ingredients are oils derived from aloe vera, almonds, sesame seeds, and roses. Reviewers love how rich and moisturizing the formula is and how it absorbs quickly.
FAQs
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