Here's a reality check — your hands age as fast as your face!  They are as exposed to UV rays and frequent washing as most other body parts, if not more — eventually leading to skin dehydration and other problems. Even so, our hands are grossly neglected when it comes to skincare. Thus, it's crucial to look for the best treatment for dry hands. According to  board-certified dermatologist and skincare expert Dr. Andrea Suarez, " The reason it's important to use a hand cream is that as we wash our hands throughout the day we dissolve some of the natural lipid barriers on the skin surface, and then begin to lose water from the hands. (This) can result in dryness and irritation. So using a moisturizing hand cream consistently can help to combat that dryness and protect the skin and keep its skin barrier stronger and healthier." 

To help you choose better, our contributor Dr. Anna Chacon, a board certified dermatologist, shares, “Some key ingredients to look for in a hand cream include moisturizing agents like glycerin, shea butter, and hyaluronic acid, emollients like jojoba oil or squalene, and protective ingredients like ceramides. For healing, ingredients like allantoin and panthenol may be beneficial. If it's a daytime cream, also look for sun protection factors like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.”

Using hand creams is an essential step in your skincare regimen as it helps in hydrating and rejuvenating chapped and dry skin. Hence, we have compiled an ultimate list of the 15 best hand creams for dry hands for you to get the hydrated, soft, and healthy-looking hands you always wanted.

• 1
  Best Overall

  Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Hand Cream

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This product by Gold Bond is an excellent cream for dry hands as its effects last even after washing your hands! It splendidly nourishes and repairs dry skin, and you will start noticing the difference within 2-3 days of application. Combining the power of seven intensive moisturizers like aloe vera, glycerin, and petrolatum as well as vitamins A, C, and E, the cream provides ultimate nourishment to your skin. Besides, it is hypoallergenic and hence suitable for all skin types. 

Key Ingredients: 

• Jojoba esters
• Cetyl alcohol
• Aloe vera juice

2

Most Luxurious

L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream

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L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream is a luxurious and one of the best moisturizers for dry hands. It's enriched with honey, almond extracts, glycerin, coconut oil, and natural emollients, which nourish your skin and protect its lipid barrier. The shea butter hand cream has a light and creamy texture, meaning it absorbs quickly into the skin and leaves hands feeling soft and smooth. You can use it anytime, anywhere, to hydrate your hands as and when required. 

Key Ingredients: 

• Shea Butter
• Glycerin
• Linseed extract
• Honey extract
• Sweet almond extract

3

Best Anti-Inflammatory

Mrs. Meyer's Hand Lotion

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Mrs. Meyer's Hand Lotion for Dry Skin is a non-greasy moisturizer made with essential oils. It's specifically designed to help heal and protect dry skin, leaving your hands feeling soft and hydrated. This lotion absorbs quickly and easily without leaving a residue. Our research indicates that this hand lotion is safe for regular use as it is free from harmful chemicals such as parabens, phthalates, and formaldehyde. You can use this lotion on your hands as well as your body. Plus, it is available in three scent options- lavender, lemon verbena, and honeysuckle. 

Key Ingredients: 

• Glycerin
• Shea butter
• Lavender extracts
• Almond oil

4

Best Revitalizing Formula

Malin + Goetz Vitamin B5 Hand Treatment

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Since this hand cream by Malin + Goetz is formulated without parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances, people who touch their face frequently (though they should still stop) are in luck, and they won’t get any nasties on it. What makes this product special is that despite this, it has an impressively refreshing formula — considering it is made with the natural goodness of bergamot. Besides, it contains rich emollients that pamper and mollycoddle your overworked and likely dehydrated hands. Hence, though this product is a bit pricey, we believe it is an incredible investment for your buck!

5

Best for Long-Lasting Hydration

eos Shea Butter Hand Cream

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The eos Shea Butter Hand Cream is a moisturizing cream that is specifically formulated to hydrate and soothe dry and rough hands. It has a refreshing pomegranate raspberry scent that uplifts your senses. The cream contains seven nourishing oils like soybean oil, avocado oil, sunflower seed oil, and natural shea butter. These natural ingredients provide instant moisture and comfort to your skin, along with long-lasting protection. You don't have to worry if you have sensitive skin, as the cream is hypoallergenic. 

Key Ingredients: 

• Glycerin
• Cetyl alcohol
• Shea butter
• Cocoa seed butter

6

J.R. Watkins Natural Moisturizing Hand Cream

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This hand cream by J.R. Watkins is healthy for your hands, as it leaves smooth, hydrated, and soft skin after a few applications. It does not contain irritating dyes or phthalates making it safe for people with sensitive skin. It is made from natural ingredients like shea butter, cocoa butter, and avocado oil that have hydrating and anti-aging properties. Plus, the cream has a light coconut scent, which is refreshing to your senses. It is also available in revitalizing variants like lavender, aloe and green tea, and lemon. 

Key Ingredients: 

• Water
• Shea butter 
• Macadamia seed oil
• Avocado oil
• Cocoa seed butter

7

Most Travel-Friendly

Gloves In A Bottle – Shielding Lotion for Dry Skin

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As the name suggests, Gloves In A Bottle is a lotion for dry, cracked hands, that provides hydration and protection for several hours. The barrier cream acts like an invisible pair of  gloves on your hands, that lock in natural moisture and foster the skin’s healing process. It is ideal for sensitive skin types and people with conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Additionally, it is approved by skincare experts and doctors for repairing dry and itching skin. 

Key Ingredients: 

•  Glycerin
•  Cetyl alcohol
•  Stearic Acid
•  Stearyl Alcohol

8

Best Healing Properties

CeraVe Therapeutic Hand Cream

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CeraVe Therapeutic hand cream is formulated with hyaluronic acid to help maintain the skin's natural moisture, niacinamide to help soothe skin, dimethicone as a good occlusive, and three essential ceramides to help fix the skin barrier. It has a seal of acceptance by the National Eczema Association, for its therapeutic benefits. Overall, this is a good hand cream for cracked hands and is approved by dermatologists to be suitable for dry, sensitive, oily, and acne-prone skin. 

Key Ingredients: 

• Ceramides
• Hyaluronic acid
• MVE technology
• Niacinamide

9

Best for Fast Relief

O'Keeffe's Working Hands Hand Cream

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O'Keeffe's Working Hands Hand lotion is a powerful, unscented lotion for dry cracked hands that cures, soothes, and repairs skin. It has been clinically proven to rapidly boost moisture levels, assist prevent future moisture loss, produce a protective layer on the skin's surface that locks in moisture and keeps your skin hydrated, and make a change in how you feel within days of using it daily. The hand cream is

Key Ingredients: 

• Water
• Beeswax
• Glycerin
• Acrylates/​acrylamide copolymer

available in both tubes and jars, depending on your preference.

10

Best Invigorating Scent

Curél Extreme Dry Hand Dryness Relief Hand Cream

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This hand cream by Curel is an essential must-have for doctors, nurses, or anyone else who frequently washes their hands. We are aware of the fact that frequent washing of hands strips away skin's moisture balance, making them dry and rough. This cream helps restore moisture, soften, soothe, and reduce dryness. It stays on your skin even after washing hands and its intensive hydrating formula helps in protecting skin from dryness for 24 hours. The lotion has eucalyptus extract that keeps you smelling fresh. 

Key Ingredients: 

• Vitamin E
• Monoi oil
• Eucalyptus extract
• Glycerin

11

Best Rich Formula

Panier des Sens Provence Hand cream

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Introducing a hand lotion specifically designed for dry hands, enriched with 20% shea butter and a nourishing texture that combines the goodness of essential oils that nourish your skin. With 97% of the total ingredients sourced from natural origins, this lotion is perfect for those looking for a natural and effective hand care solution for dry hands. This natural hand cream is fit for daily use, providing lasting softness from fingertips to wrists. The combination of cypress and citrus- two pleasant-smelling essential oils that uplifts your mood and provides a refreshing start to your day. 

Key Ingredients: 

• Shea butter 
• Glycerin 
• Olea europaea (olive) fruit oil 
• Citrus limon (lemon) peel oil

12

Jergens Cloud Creme Hand Cream

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Cloud Créme is a breathable hand cream that offers powerful hydration for dry skin, without the heavy and uncomfortable feel. This anti-aging hand cream is infused with Hyaluronic Complex, which is specifically formulated to quench thirsty skin, leaving it hydrated and free from any excess stickiness. Its smooth glide-on formula ensures fast absorption that provides all-day moisture, without leaving any residue on your skin. Lastly, the hand cream is dermatologist-tested and is free from both dyes and paraben, making it the best treatment for dry hands ideal for all skin types. 

Key Ingredients: 

• Glycerin
• Butylene glycol
• Stearic acid
• Fragrance

13

Mario Badescu Rose Hand Cream

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Pamper your dry and cracked skin with the luxurious Mario Badescu Rose Hand Cream with Vitamin E, specially designed to cater to your needs. This cream for cracked skin is a perfect blend of lightweight and non-greasy blend of emollients that shows instant results in softening and rejuvenating rough skin. Unlike heavy and oily hand creams, this cream is ideal for those who seek a light and refreshing option. Furthermore, the delicate fragrance of rose leaves your hands smelling fresh and revitalized, making it suitable for both men and women. 

Key Ingredients: 

• Rose oil
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin A
• Aloe vera

14

Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream

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The next hand care product in the line is Neutrogena hand cream which provides both instant and long-lasting relief for even the driest of hands. With just a small application of this formula enriched with glycerin, it provides immediate relief and protection for severely dry or chapped hands. Even under the harshest weather conditions or work environments, it effectively softens and smoothens hands, leaving them noticeably softer and smoother. Nonetheless, it keeps your hands moisturized for hours, even after washing hands multiple times throughout the day. 

Key Ingredients: 

• Glycerin
• Cetearyl alcohol
• Phenoxyethanol
• Stearic Acid

15

Dove Dermaseries Fragrance-Free Hand Cream

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Experience professional care for excessively dry skin with another hand cream for dry skin-Dove DermaSeries. This fragrance-free cream is perfect for individuals with psoriasis or eczema-prone skin, as it contains a specially crafted combination of AminoSilk Complex, potent moisturizers, and patented PPAR technology, which work together to rebuild the skin barrier and restore moisture from within. It is hypoallergenic and approved by dermatologists. With this hand cream, you can achieve instant relief and full hydration for your dry, cracked hands.

16

Tree to Tub Shea Butter Hand Cream

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Indulge in a luxurious hand cream experience with this organic shea butter lotion designed for extremely dry and sensitive skin. By massaging this cream into your hands, you can deeply hydrate, soothe, and smooth your skin, while locking in lasting moisture. Both women and men can enjoy this hand lotion for dry skin that helps achieve softer, more youthful-looking hands. The non-greasy formula of this hand lotion quickly absorbs into the skin, leaving behind no greasy residue. It contains quenching botanicals such as organic cocoa butter, rose, and panthenol that delivers instant hydration and nourishment to the skin.

Key Ingredients: 

• Shea butter
•  Glycerin
•  Dimethicone
•  Allantoin
• Vitamin E

Now that you have a comprehensive list of the best hand creams for dry hands, let's discuss how you can pick the one that suits you the best.

Searching for a good hand cream can feel like searching for a partner - it's not always easy to find one that meets all your needs. Some creams are too thick and don't absorb well, while others leave a greasy residue that makes everyday tasks difficult. Gretchen Frieling, MD, a board-certified dermatopathologist says, "All hand creams seem great when you first put them on, After one wash, or an hour or two, hands seem to revert to their dry or scaly state, or some make your hands so greasy that buttoning your shirt in the morning or typing is an exercise in futility."  However, the list of hand creams compiled by us comprises the top creams trusted by skin experts and users. Here are a few things you can look for while choosing your best hand cream for dry hands among our top picks. 

Look for a Cream that is Best for Your Skin Type: 

If you have sensitive skin, you should opt for creams that have no dye, paraben, or, artificial fragrances. Make sure the cream is hypoallergenic. Go for non-greasy light creams if you have oily skin allowing your skin to breathe and feel comfortable.

Find a Formula that Fits!

Look for a moisturizing hand lotion with ingredients such as plant oils, vitamins, aloe extracts, squalene, and botanical butters such as shea butter to soften your skin texture and boost hydration. Avoid products with harsh chemicals or synthetic fragrances that can exacerbate dryness. 

Also, get a cream that has occlusives in it. Just like you need mortar to hold the bricks together while building a house, you need an occlusive to seal in the natural moisture content of your skin.  Ceramides are a great example of occlusives to look for that serve as the "mortar" on your skin, thereby preventing moisture loss. Silicones, plant-based oils, and petroleum are other good ingredients to look for. 

Now that you know what to consider before buying a hand cream, let us understand the best ways to use it as explained below.

Here’s how you can add a hand cream to your daily skincare routine to get the best results: 

• Apply a hand cream at least twice a day. 
• Before starting your day, apply the product, and follow it up with a good sunscreen if you are stepping out in the day.
• When applying, massage a small amount of the hand cream on your hands and rub it till it gets absorbed. Don’t use too much as it can make your hands too greasy.
• Pay special attention to the back of your hands as this area tends to dry out quickly.
• Additionally, apply hand cream at night before sleeping to ensure overnight hydration and repair.

Note: The skin on the top of your hands is more susceptible to damage from harsh UV rays than the skin on your palms. Therefore, it's essential not to overlook this area and apply sunscreen over your product without fail.