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You’d never know it from opening your weather app, but we’re quickly approaching the time of year when parched, flaky hands are the norm. As the temps drop each fall, dry air and frequent handwashing (thanks, cold and flu season) make that fate seem inevitable, but the right lotion can save you without leaving your hands feeling like a greasy mess. “Using a hand cream helps restore moisture to the skin and maintain the integrity of the skin barrier,” Brendan Camp, MD, FAAD, a dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in New York, tells SELF.
The best hand cream will not only treat dry skin, but prevent it. You want to look for one that’s made with a combination of humectants that draw water into the skin, like glycerin and hyaluronic acid; emollients that soften, like shea butter, ceramides, or squalane; and occlusives that seal in all of the moisture, like dimethicone or petrolatum, Mamina Turegano, MD, board-certified dermatologist at Sanova Dermatology in New Orleans, tells SELF.
Once you find a cream that fits the bill, you should aim to apply it at least once a day before bed. “This allows the product to work overnight, helping to repair and deeply hydrate the skin while you sleep,” Dr. Turegano says. If you can also squeeze in applications throughout the day right after washing your hands, even better. “Washing strips the skin of its natural oils, so replenishing moisture right away helps to prevent dryness,” Dr. Turegano says. “Reapply as needed throughout the day, especially if your hands feel dry, tight, or irritated.”
If a hand cream is sticky or smelly, you’ll probably drop it like it’s hot after one use. To actually reap its benefits, you need something you want to reach for over and over again, so we asked dermatologists and SELF staffers for their tried-and-trues. Trust us, your new can’t-live-without-it hand cream is in the list below.
1. Best Overall: Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve
2. Best for Sensitive Skin: Beekman 1802 Pure Goat Milk Hand Cream
3. Best for Sun Protection: Eucerin Daily Hydration Hand Cream SPF 30
4. Best for Very Dry Skin: Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream
5. Best for Healing Cracks: O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream
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- Creamy formula
- Non-greasy
- Absorbs quickly
- Pricey
If you’re side-eyeing the word “salve” in this product’s name, let me reassure you: This cream has a silky texture that doesn’t feel anything like an ointment. After applying, the product is immediately absorbed into my skin—if it wasn’t for my hands’ new softness, I’d forget I slathered anything on at all. Avocado and sesame oils are responsible for its moisturizing powers and allantoin and aloe both offer soothing benefits.
Size: 2.5 and 5 fl oz
Other notable ingredients: Dimethicone (an occlusive), glycerin (a humectant), shea butter and squalane (emollients)
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- Available without fragrance
- Non-greasy
- Absorbs quickly
- Some Amazon reviewers say the texture is too watery
“This is the only hand cream that doesn’t break my skin out into hives,” SELF’s senior commerce writer Sara Coughlin says, adding that she buys it in the fragrance-free version. “It immediately sinks in and doesn’t feel greasy or distracting at all.” (Read: It won’t turn your steering wheel or keyboard into a Slip ‘N Slide.) It’s made with moisturizing shea butter and glycerin, but its star ingredient is goat milk, which contains lactic acid that exfoliates and smooths the skin.
Size: 3.4 fl oz
Other notable ingredients: Glycerin, moisturizing jojoba seed oil, isopropyl palmitate, and cetearyl alcohol (emollients)
Read Coughlin’s full review here.
- Protects from sun damage
- Fragrance-free
- Some Amazon reviewers say it pills
You already know you need to wear sunscreen on your face and body, but you might not think about intentionally applying it to the backs of your hands to prevent skin damage. “You can get a lot of what we call ‘cumulative UV exposure’ just from day-to-day activities, like driving,” Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology and clinical assistant professor at Cornell University in New York City, previously told SELF.
This cream gives your hands the moisture they need while also protecting them from UV rays with SPF 30. It gets its anti-inflammatory properties from licorice root extract, while cetearyl alcohol and glycerin help it hydrate.
Size: 2.7 fl oz
Other notable ingredients: Avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene (sunscreen)
Find more great hand creams with SPF here.
- Super moisturizing
- Safe on eczema
- Fragrance-free
- Leaves a film on your hands
Neutrogena’s Hand Cream has a thick texture that’ll coat your hands to repair cracks and soften calluses. “It has a high concentration of glycerin, which is an excellent humectant that draws moisture into the skin and keeps it hydrated,” Dr. Turegano says, adding that it’s great for anyone whose hands have been exposed to harsh environmental conditions.
This treatment is also a go-to for Gabriella Vasile, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and owner of Réforme Dermatology and Aesthetics in Charleston, South Carolina: “I am constantly recommending this thicker ointment for my patients with extra dry skin or eczema.”
Size: 2 fl oz
Other notable ingredients: Cetearyl alcohol
- Fragrance-free
- Softens skin
- Very protective
- Some reviewers say it’s too oily
“This cream is specifically designed for severely dry, cracked hands,” Dr. Turegano says, adding that it’s great for anyone who puts their hands through a lot, like construction workers, gardeners, or health care workers. “It creates a protective layer on the skin’s surface, locking in moisture and preventing further dryness.” It hydrates with glycerin, soothes with allantoin, and supports the skin barrier with urea and mineral oil.
Size: 6.8 fl oz
Other notable ingredients: Paraffin (an occlusive)
We’re calling out the hand creams above because they cater to specific needs, but we still have a bunch more SELF- and dermatologist-approved picks you should know about.
- Absorbs quickly
- Softens skin
- Pricey
This is a face and body cream, but one SELF editor swears by it specifically for her hands. “The texture is really nice, and it’s the only thing that keeps my hands from cracking in the winter,” she says. “It’s thick, but sinks in quickly and feels really luxe.” You can thank shea butter, beeswax, aloe, and soy proteins for how silky-soft this leaves your hands.
Size: 1 and 2.5 fl oz
Other notable ingredients: Paraffinum liquidum (an occlusive)
- Fresh scent
- Sleek packaging
- Feels silky
- Some Sephora reviewers say it’s hard to get the cream out of the container when it’s running low
I fell in love with the scent and texture of Rare Beauty’s body lotion while testing it for SELF’s 2024 Healthy Beauty Awards, so I decided to pick up the hand cream from the same line—and I’m equally enamored with it. It glides over dry patches, sinks into my skin right away, and makes my hands feel so smooth, thanks to moisturizing niacinamide, ashwagandha root extract, and hyaluronic acid. I also love the twist-top packaging because I don’t have to fiddle with a screw-on cap after coating my hands in lotion.
Size: 1.6 fl oz
Other notable ingredients: Glycerin, shea butter, macadamia nut oil (an emollient), peach flower extract (contains antioxidants)
- Absorbs quickly
- Non-greasy
- Some Amazon reviewers say the scent is too strong
One SELF editor is not playing around when it comes to this lotion—he keeps tubes in his desk, work bag, car, and by the kitchen sink. “I’ve probably tried upwards of 50 lotions, but most of them soak in immediately and leave my hands feeling irritated and itchy again within minutes. This one is rich and creamy but doesn’t leave an oily residue that gets all over anything I touch—and it keeps my skin hydrated for hours,” he says. Dr. Vasile also praises the formula, saying it’s made with shea butter that hydrates and plumps the skin.
Size: 1 and 5.1 fl oz
Other notable ingredients: Moisturizing and soothing beta glucan, glycerin, cetearyl alcohol, coconut oil, sunflower seed oil
- Easy to rub in, light scent, non-greasy
- Pricey
This hand cream has a pump, so it’s a strong contender for a spot on your sink or nightstand. The 2023 Healthy Beauty Award winner has a hydrating combo of aloe, glycerin, shea butter, and ceramides. Essential oils also provide a light floral scent. “I love that the lotion is rich, but not overly difficult to rub in,” one tester said. “It leaves behind no greasy residue and it absorbs quickly.”
Size: 10 fl oz
Other notable ingredients: Cetearyl alcohol, sunflower seed oil, reparative sea-buckthorn oil
- Protects skin barrier
- Good for eczema
- Fragrance-free
- Some reviewers say it’s too runny
A list of moisturizers that doesn’t include CeraVe? Impossible. This cream has the brand’s classic combo of hydrating hyaluronic acid and protective ceramides but also adds niacinamide into the mix to soothe your skin. “This is best for those with dry, sensitive, or eczema-prone skin,” Dr. Turegano says.
Size: 3 fl oz
Other notable ingredients: Dimethicone
- Fresh scent
- Feels silky
- Pricey
Dr. Vasile and Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand, MD, the founder of Houshmand Dermatology in Dallas, both recommend this cream that’s made with a killer combo (killer of dryness, that is…) of nourishing ingredients: squalane, niacinamide, shea butter, and baobab oil. It also has probiotic bioferments that are meant to help improve the skin’s microbiome (and therefore, barrier), but the jury is still out on how effective probiotics are in skin care. Either way, Dr. Vasile calls it “intensely hydrating.” And if you’re into scented products, you’ll probably love its fresh notes of almond, bergamot, and sandalwood, which smell like tea time.
Size: 2.53 fl oz
Other notable ingredients: Glycerin, sunflower seed oil, exfoliating glycolic acid, anti-inflammatory panthenol
- Protects against damage
- Fragrance-free
- Some may find it too thick
“This is more than just a hand cream—it’s a multipurpose balm that’s excellent for healing and repairing damaged skin,” Dr. Turegano says. “This is best for individuals with extremely dry, irritated, or compromised skin. It’s also a great option for those who need intensive repair, such as health care workers or those who frequently use hand sanitizers.” Its star ingredient is panthenol (or vitamin B5), which has moisturizing and soothing properties. Plus it contains nourishing shea butter and anti-inflammatory madecassoside (or centella asiatica).
Size: 1.35 fl oz
Other notable ingredients: Dimethicone, glycerin
- Very protective
- Fragrance-free
- May feel greasy
There’s a good chance you have a tube of Aquaphor lying around your house, and Dr. Vasile recommends applying it to the tops of your hands whenever they’re feeling extremely dry. (Applying it all over your hands may leave them feeling too greasy.) Glycerin and panthenol bring moisture into the skin, while petrolatum seals in that hydration and prevents irritants from getting into broken patches.
Size: 7 fl oz
Other notable ingredients: Mineral oil, soothing bisabolol
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