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The 10 Very Best Hand Creams

Photo-Illustration: Courtesy Retailer

In this article

I didn’t really get into hand cream until 2020, when I’d started washing my hands with impressive frequency. It wasn’t too long before I realized my body lotion wasn’t going to cut it, especially on the go. Nearly four years — and lots of hand creams — later, I’ve become well-versed in what makes a good one. What I tend to look for is a rich cream that doesn’t leave a film behind and keeps hands nourished for hours on end. Generally, hand creams will contain glycerin, a humectant that traps and contains water, and then it’s common to see ingredients like peptides, which help to stimulate collagen, and vitamins E or C, which help to brighten discoloration and protect skin from environmental stressors. Sometimes they also contain oils and butters like shea, which adds to the moisture factor.

I’ve tried most of the creams recommended, but for the things I haven’t tried, I’ve polled dermatologists, manicurists, and Strategist staffers who take their hand-care routines very seriously about their favorites.

What we’re looking for

Active ingredients

The skin on your hand is thicker, and thus calls for more intense moisturizers. Many of the creams on this list contain multiple key moisturizing ingredients (our top pick contains seven!), which we’ve noted — along with any additional skin-care benefits like vitamin C (a brightening antioxidant) or lactic acid (a gentle yet effective exfoliant).

Fragrance

Whether you want a hand cream that acts as an extension of your fragrance wardrobe or prefer something unscented, we’ve noted it below.

Price

The creams on this list range in price — from a luxe fragrant option that’ll run you $100 to a cheap drugstore pick that won’t cost you more than $5. In case cost is a factor, we’ve noted how much you’re getting in each tube, as well as the cost per ounce.

Best hand cream overall

Active ingredients: Peptides | Fragrance: Fragrance-free | Price: 2.2 ounces (Approx. $9/ounce)

When thinking of a hand cream that works well for most people, I kept a few things in mind. First (and most important), how effectively it moisturizes. I also considered hand-feel (nongreasy or sticky) and if it has any extras, like vitamin C or peptides to enhance skin. This one from Necessaire ticks all the boxes and converted me into a verifiable hand-cream person. It’s the standard by which I rank all others. I’m currently on my third tube and hoard them whenever I can. The brand recently reformulated its hand cream, and despite a slightly thinner consistency, it’s still virtually perfect: rich and moisturizing without being greasy, no strange residue after it dries down. My hands still feel like, well, my hands, just more supple and moisturized. A peek at the ingredients list reveals lots of good-for-skin ingredients like peptides, niacinamide, vitamin C, and vitamin E. The packaging is also worth mentioning. It takes cues from Aesop’s status-y aluminum tubes and not only looks cool as you continue to crush it as it gets used up but makes for a fairly sturdy construction. And at $20, it’s a bit more expensive than the $5 lotion you might find at a drugstore, but it’s a small luxury that’s completely worth it.

Necessaire hand cream on Tembe’s hand. Photo: Tembe Denton-Hurst

Best less-expensive hand cream

Active ingredients: Vitamin E, vitamin C | Fragrance: Aloe| Price: 3 ounces (Approx. $1/ounce)

For a more affordable option, I recommend this hand cream from Gold Bond, which is only $4 and punches well above its weight. It has a lotion-y consistency that sinks in easily and has a few key ingredients like vitamin E and vitamin C. Both help to protect skin from environmental stressors, particularly UV rays. Even though it doesn’t contain SPF, I like that it offers a bit of protection, especially since it’s easy to forget to apply (let alone reapply) sunscreen to hands. It’s also a favorite of dermatologist Dr. Lal, who likes that it doesn’t need to be used too often. I like to keep this one in my car because it actually lasts through hand washes. It won’t keep your hands as supple as when you first apply, but they won’t go back to being bone dry either.

Best luxury hand cream

Active ingredients: Glycerin, rose wax, jojoba, licorice root | Fragrance: Rose, iris | Price: 1.7 ounces (Approx. $32/ounce)

I’m the first to admit that the Chanel hand cream is a bit spendy, but there is something to be said for having a little luxury throughout your day. For anyone trying to romanticize their life, I think an expensive hand cream is a good way to do it. Of all the options on the market, the Chanel hand cream reigns supreme. It was the most recommended of every hand cream on this list — and has been written about before here at the Strategist and by our friends at the Cut. It’s a favorite of on-set manicurists in particular. “It absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave any shine or residue, so it ‘photographs well,’” says hand model Ariel Paredes. Celebrity nail artist Trenna Seney (who has lots of on-set experience) is also a fan. She likes that it is lightweight but moisturizing and has a “soft, floral scent.” One of its main moisturizing ingredients is glycerin, a humectant that draws moisture from the atmosphere to hydrate and soften the skin.

Best hand cream for very dry hands

Active ingredients: Lanolin, shea butter, vitamin E, coconut oil | Fragrance: Coconut | Price: 1.7 ounces (Approx. $9/ounce)

We’re longtime fans of lanolin here at the Strategist. The sheep-derived oil is a popular moisturizing ingredient, especially in diaper and nipple creams (many moms have recommended it to us in articles past). Of all the brands that make lanolin-infused products, Lano is probably the most ubiquitous. Its 101 Ointment is a staple for people with extremely dry skin, so it stands to reason that it makes a solid hand cream too. It uses triple the amount of lanolin as Lano’s regular formula along with vitamin E and shea butter for even more moisturizing properties. Despite the rich ingredients, it’s not the least bit greasy. This one comes recommended by my former boss, beauty expert Dawn Davis, who has been a beauty editor for two decades and has tried most everything as a result. “It has absolutely zero residue,” says Davis, “and somehow lasts through handwashing.” She’s spartial to the coconut version (which also includes coconut oil), but if that doesn’t appeal, there are three other scents to choose from.

Best hand cream for extremely dry hands

Active ingredients: Glycerin, paraffin | Fragrance: Unscented | Price: 2.7 ounces (Approx. $3/ounce)

Whenever I poll my fellow Strategist staffers about what hand creams they’re loving, this one from O’Keeffe’s always comes up. It’s one of the most popular hand creams on Amazon (it has over 6,500 five-star reviews and counting), with reviewers crediting the cream with making the hands baby-smooth. The magic is in the ultra-concentrated ingredients, which include glycerin and dimethicone, a popular and effective skin protectant. It creates a barrier on skin and draws moisture in and also stops moisture from leaving skin.

Best hand cream for aging hands

Active ingredients: Retinol, colloidal oatmeal, panthenol | Fragrance: Unscented | Price: 1.7 ounces (Approx. $36/ounce)

As hands age, wrinkles and fine lines tend to appear. Using a regular moisturizer will help with this, but if you want something more targeted, you can use a hand cream that has retinol, a vitamin A derivative that’s essentially a catch-all for any and all skin issues, including hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and crepey-ness. Recently, I’ve incorporated this hand cream from Soft Services into my routine, which contains retinol, colloidal oatmeal, and panthenol, a moisturizer that helps to reduce moisture loss. The combination is nice, and it delivers moisture without feeling at all heavy. Despite what I said about not liking a hand cream with a film, it does have a silky finish that isn’t at all off-putting. It also comes in a nice-looking container, which can be refilled. That makes it easier to justify the $62 you’re paying the first go-round.

Best hand cream with SPF

Active ingredients: Coconut oil, shea butter, aloe, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, SPF 15 | Fragrance: Unscented | Price: 1.7 ounces (Approx. $16/ounce)

Hands can experience the same levels of UV damage as the rest of the body, and since they have less fat tissue than the face, they can begin to look wrinkled sooner. A hand cream with SPF can help to protect your hands. If you’re using a hand cream with actives you’ll definitely want a hand cream with SPF, because ingredients like acids and retinols can make skin more senistive to UV rays. Anello, who burns easily, likes this hand cream from Unsun, which apparently kicked off her obsession with SPF-filled hand creams — so much so that she’s on her third tube. It contains shea butter, aloe, and coconut oil to nourish and moisturize, along with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, physical blockers that protect from UV damage by bouncing the sun rays off the skin.

Best hand cream for dry, flaky skin

Active ingredients: Lactic acid (15%) | Fragrance: Fragrance-free | Price: 4.9 ounces (Approx. $3/ounce)

If you deal with dry, flaky skin, Dr. Lal recommends this cream from Amlactin, which contains lactic acid. “It gently exfoliates and hydrates at the same time,” says Lal. Lactic acid increases cell turnover and helps to make skin look smoother overall. Even though it can be used on the entire body, its thick consistency makes it particularly good for hands.

Best hand cream for eczema

Active ingredients: 2% Colloidal oatmeal | Fragrance: Unscented | Price: 3 ounces (Approx. $1.6/ounce)

There’s a few Gold Bond options on this list, because they’re cheap but effective. I personally don’t have eczema, so I asked someone who does: our beauty columnist Rio. She discovered this hand cream during the height of COVID, when she was washing her hands upwards of ten times a day. It healed her dry eczema patches in just a few days thanks to ingredients like colloidal oatmeal, aloe, and vitamin E. “It has a thick, hydrating texture,” she says of the consistency, which works well to soothe dry patches and irritation.

Some more hand creams we’ve written about

Our experts

• Christina Ambers, parts model
• Chloe Anello, Strategist writer
• Dr. Karan Lal, dermatologist
• Trenna Seney, celebrity nail artist
• Rio Viera-Newton, esthetician and beauty columnist

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The 9 Very Best Hand Creams