Despite being among the body parts that work the hardest, the hands frequently receive less care than other skin. Here come hand creams, essential for maintaining the delicate skin soft and free from dryness, especially for aging and working hands, in dry locations or seasons like winter, and while constantly washing your hands.

Based on rigorous testing, we think these are the best hand creams available for hydrating and healing dry, cracked skin.

We have put many of the most well-liked hand creams to help you sort among the infinite varieties on the market. Using scientific equipment to assess skin moisture and consumer testers to provide input on ease of use, texture, aroma, how the skin feels and looks after application, and other factors, these creams were tested in the laboratory.

Best Hand Creams for Dry Hands

Keeping hand cream on hand may seem mundane and even redundant. However, we’re here to inform you that selecting the best hand cream might be challenging. Our hands experience a lot daily, from using computers to frequently washing or rubbing alcohol-based hand sanitizer into our palms. After noticing our dry, tight skin, we realized we needed to find the best hand creams available. 

The Best Pick: Eucerin Advance Repair Hand Cream

According to measurements made using the Corneometer gadget, which measures skin hydration levels, Eucerin’s mix of ingredients—glycerin, urea, and sunflower seed oil—helped enhance skin moisturization by an amazing 51%, making it the finest hand lotion in our tests for even extremely dry skin. Additionally, it spreads well, and testers praised its purse-friendly compact.

The inexpensive Eucerin formula’s inclusion of alpha hydroxy acids, which promote cell turnover for hands that look younger, is another noteworthy aspect. One user tester stated, “It left my hands feeling moisturized.” Others added to the praise by stating that it “felt silky,” “made my hands smooth,” and even assisted in moisturizing cuticles. Be aware that several testers reported that their hands felt oily or sticky following application.

L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream

If a sumptuous trip to the south of France is now out of your price range, the next best thing is to moisturize your hands with the renowned L’Occitane brand founded in Provence. This hand cream received the top rank on our list due to its quick absorption into our skin, its ability to retain moisture throughout the day, and the soft appearance it gave our hands. 

By reducing the number of times we regularly reapplied lotion to four instead of ten per day, this product was simple to incorporate into our daily routines. Additionally, it left no white casing or sticky residue behind and sank into our skin in less than 10 seconds. It looked to soak before dissipating, leaving only the skin feeling moisturized and healthy as it “should” be.  

Shea butter, coconut oil, and honey combine to moisturize skin and leave a wonderfully soft feel behind. After a few applications, we could see the white, flaky skin on top of our hands recede and the dry spots between our fingers slowly recover. 

Benton Shea Butter and Olive Hand Cream

Hands that appeared as parched as this hand lotion might give the Sahara Desert new life and health. Our dry skin eagerly devoured the velvety soft texture as we applied it, and it gratefully welcomed the moisture it offered. 

We tested this product on hands that were regularly used for competitive weightlifting, with all the friction on the palms and regular use of the ultra-drying white chalk that goes along with it. Dr. Jodi LoGerfo, a nurse practitioner in New York City, advises patients who frequently exercise with weights or thick ropes to take extra precautions with their hands. You risk developing calluses and skin rips if you use weights or bars. While exercising, skin that is moisturized is less prone to sustain harm.

Even though this cream is extremely rich in shea butter and olive oil, it feels light and powerfully nourishes the skin. While it is a little longer than the other two selections, it spreads like a dream and absorbs completely in about two minutes. Once in, there is no sticky aftertaste. 

Philosophy Hands of Hope Sparkling Grapefruit Hand Cream

The citrus aroma of this sumptuous Philosophy hand cream was well-liked by our consumer testers, and they noted that it absorbed swiftly without leaving a sticky residue. Test subjects claimed that it made their hands softer, and laboratory analysis revealed that it delivered a 15% improvement while only modestly hydrating. Additionally, the tiny size fits nearly any bag, making it ideal for traveling.

Every time they used the cream, according to users, their hands felt extremely smooth, smelled fantastic, and didn’t pick up any excess product. There are nine additional scents you may choose from, including lemon custard, sparkling grapefruit, fresh cream, peppermint, green tea and avocado, coconut and guava, Hawaiian hibiscus, fig and pomegranate, berry and sage, and coconut and guava.

Aveeno Skin Relief Intense Moisture Hand Cream

In our lab tests, numerous testers received high marks from Aveeno’s hand lotion, which contains the eczema-relieving ingredients oat kernel flour and hydrating glycerin. They rated it highly for how quickly it soaked into the skin and said it made hands look the smoothest. Testers not only adored this fragrance-free product, but it also significantly increased skin moisture by 31%. Without feeling greasy, its thick composition offers a strong barrier against the elements.