Proper skin care extends beyond your face and neck. I’m talking, specifically of course, about our hands aka the most overworked, underappreciated part of our bodies. Adding a nourishing hand cream to your self-care and beauty routine can make a massive difference in how your hands look and feel. For our latest review, we tested some of the best hand creams on the market and concluded that the following 10 creams provide the most moisture and protection for hands.

Frequent handwashing, sun exposure, harsh weather conditions, and sanitizing can cause a break in the skin barrier on hands. A common symptom of a damaged skin barrier is dry and cracked skin, a condition that causes the skin to age faster, and leads to discomfort, spots, and fine lines. A fun fact about our bodies is that they produce a natural sebum to protect our skin from dehydration. The hands, however – specifically the palms of our hands and soles of our feet – are the only places on our body that do not have sebaceous glands.

The solution? Applying a hydrating hand cream will keep delicate skin soft and free from dryness, especially for aging and working hands, in dry climates or seasons like winter, and when frequently washing hands. With the hundreds of thousands of different creams on the market, finding the one exceptional, nourishing hand cream that works well with your skin type can prove to be a bit of a challenge.

Based on extensive testing, we’ve rounded up the best hand creams that help combat a variety of concerns and leave your hands feeling supple and smooth. Overall, we tested 47 of the most popular hand creams from retailers like Sephora and Amazon. We evaluated the following creams on several factors: smell, how quickly it absorbs, how moisturizing it is, and how smooth it left their hands looking after use. Because let’s be real; some formulas are watery and not nearly moisturizing enough, and others include irritating scents or may be overly thick and greasy. 

There’s no gatekeeping here – whether you prefer an indulgent, luxury formula or simply want to hydrate without feeling greasy afterward, read up on some of the best hand creams to get today.

Which hand cream do dermatologists recommend for extremely dry skin on hands?

New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Dendy Engelman, MD, says to look for emollients (think: shea butter, cocoa butter, or oils) that will help soften the skin.

Occlusive ingredients like glycerin, petrolatum, sunflower oil, and jojoba oil, meanwhile, form a barrier on the skin to prevent water loss. If you have excessively dry hands you may want to steer clear of occlusive formulas like Aquaphor because they don’t penetrate the skin surface deeply.

Our editors recommend picking up products that contain humectants such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin, which draw moisture from the environment. To support a healthy skin barrier and promote better hydration, consider formulas that contain vitamin E & niacinamide. Other ingredients like ceramides and filaggrin are the building block proteins for locking moisture in and keeping the outside environment out.

Is hand cream different from body lotion? 

Yes, hand cream is different from body lotion. Generally, hand creams contain a higher concentration of hydrating oils than body lotion, because they are engineered to resist more frequent washing.

Your hands are constantly interacting with irritants like soaps, detergents, and hand sanitizers, on a daily basis. Proper skin maintenance is applying hand cream to our hands and feet, which are the most vulnerable to drying out. Not to worry though, we search and review the best nail supplies in stores, so we’ll help you find your newest holy grail hand cream.

How often should you apply hand cream? 

How often you should apply hand cream totally depends on how good your skin barrier function is. If your hands often feel dry, you most definitely should apply hand cream. If you’re in a profession that is more hands-on, take baking, gardening, and cleaning for example, we recommend that you moisturize your hands at least two to three times a day.

Final Verdict 

What is the world’s best hand cream? Well, the L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream is our favorite hand cream so far. It’s thick, hydrating, fast-absorbing, non-greasy, and highly effective at smoothing and moisturizing the hands. If you’re wondering what the best hand cream for very dry cracked hands is, we recommend the Skinfix Eczema+ Hand Repair Cream to treat eczema and increase hydration. 

How We Tested

The Gloss Guru editors did extensive research on popular hand creams taking expert recommendations and consumer reviews into account before choosing 47 to test out first-hand. Each tester considered each formula’s consistency, overall efficacy (like whether or not it did what it said it would), and how hands felt after consistent use before deciding on a rating from one to five. Other factors like smell, absorption, post-application, and residue were also considered. Those with the highest scores made the list.