The nine best hand creams we’ll be swearing by this winter to avoid dryness
When the weather cools down, you might notice your hands in sudden need of nourishment — but with this highly-rated list, we have you covered.
By Dani Maher
I DON’T KNOW about the rest of you, but the second the weather takes a turn towards winter, every inch of my skin finds itself instantly, drastically parched — and no area is more dramatically in need of hydration than my hands.
Perhaps its my penchant for very hot showers or constant hand-washing that puts me in this predicament, but most winters, my hands reach such extreme levels of dryness that they end up quite literally cracked and bleeding at the knuckles, leaving me in agony as I type away on my keyboard.
The solution seems simple — just slap on some hand cream, right? But the truth is that not all hand creams are created equal, especially when you’re in need of restorative nourishment. You don’t just want a lotion, you want a deeply hydrating cream that sinks effortlessly into the skin without further irritation, repairing your hands and providing long-lasting relief. With that in mind, I’ve rounded up the internet’s favourite hand creams (along with a few of my own personally top-rated picks).
Related: Best rich face creams for extreme nourishment
Best hand creams for dry hands
1
KIEHL’S Ultimate Strength Hand Salve Hand Cream 150ml
1
IDEAL FOR SEVERELY DRY HANDS
KIEHL’S Ultimate Strength Hand Salve Hand Cream 150ml
$45
Creating intensely nourishing products is a bit of a specialty for Kiehl’s — and this hand salve is no exception. Thick and rich, it’s formulated with avocado, eucalyptus, and sesame seed oils to deeply condition your hands while creating a protective barrier against moisture loss. With over 2,200 five-star reviews, it comes very highly recommended.
2
LA ROCHE-POSAY Cicaplast Hand Cream 50ml
2
FRAGRANCE AND PARABEN-FREE, AFFORDABLE
LA ROCHE-POSAY Cicaplast Hand Cream 50ml
$16.95
La Roche-Posay creates some of the best skincare for sensitive skin types on the market — and for impressively affordable prices. Their Cicaplast Hand Cream absorbs quickly, and soothes the skin with restorative niacinamide and barrier-protecting glycerin.
3
AESOP Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm 75ml
3
GROUNDING SCENT, NOURISHING
AESOP Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm 75ml
$35
A delightfully fragrant blend of botanicals and skin-softening emollients deliver top-notch hydration in this hand cream from Aesop. Citrusy, woody, and herbaceous, it smells amazing thanks to the mandarin rind, rosemary leaf and cedar atlas — and nourishing ingredients like sweet almond oil, coconut oil and glycerin ensure deep quenching of your hands’ thirst.
4
FRESH Seaberry Nourishing Hand Cream 70ml
4
QUICK ABSORBING
FRESH Seaberry Nourishing Hand Cream 70ml
$30
Specially formulated to absorb quickly and prevent against dryness, this hand cream from Fresh is fortified with seaberry oil (AKA seabuckthorn oil), which moisturises and softens hands thanks to its natural stores of omegas 3, 6, 7 and 9. Cupuaçu, sal seed, and shea butters further nourish the skin while vitamin E protects.
5
THE BODY SHOP Hemp Hand Protector 100ml
5
BESTSELLING, NON-GREASY
THE BODY SHOP Hemp Hand Protector 100ml
$20
The bestselling hand cream from The Body Shop, Hemp Hand Protector offers up to 24 hours of protection. It harnesses the power of sustainably-sourced hemp seed oil, which is hydrating without being greasy. Head of Digital Content, Mariela Summerhays, is a devotee of this uber-hydrating formula.
6
JURLIQUE Rose Hand Cream 125ml
6
RELAXING SCENT, RESTORATIVE
JURLIQUE Rose Hand Cream 125ml
$63
Jurlique’s highly-rated Rose Hand Cream features the brand’s signature scent of roses grown and extracted from their organic farm in South Australia. Nourishing ingredients like macadamia and safflower oils possess natural antioxidants which leave your hands feeling soft and supple.
7
NEUTROGENA Norwegian Formula and Cream Fragrance Free 56g
7
AFFORDABLE, FRAGRANCE-FREE, SOOTHING
NEUTROGENA Norwegian Formula and Cream Fragrance Free 56g
$8.49
Neutrogena’s Norwegian Formula Hand Cream might not look like anything special, but I couldn’t exclude it from this list. Just a tiny dab of this stuff will almost instantly soothe and heal chapped hands — it’s one of the best things for when my knuckles are full-on cracked and bleeding.
8
ENDOTA ORGANICS Signature Blend Hand Therapy 90ml
8
PROVIDES AROMATHERAPY EXPERIENCE
ENDOTA ORGANICS Signature Blend Hand Therapy 90ml
$35
In this hand cream from the spa experts at endota, notes of bergamot and ylang ylang combine with nourishing shea butter to deliver intense hydration and an at-home (or on-the-go) aromatherapy experience. It’s all-organic, too, as a bonus.
9
JO MALONE LONDON English Pear & Freesia Hand Cream
9
PERFECT SIZE FOR YOUR BAG
JO MALONE LONDON English Pear & Freesia Hand Cream
$56
A treat for your hands, this heavenly-scented hand cream from Jo Malone London is enriched with apricot kernel oil, clary sage extract, shea butter, and vitamin E. It’s easily absorbed into the skin, and doesn’t leave your hands feeling greasy.
Related: Best lightweight yet hydrating moisturisers for your face
What is the best treatment for extremely dry hands?
If your hands are seriously dry, opt for a hand cream that features deeply nourishing ingredients like shea butter or a blend of emollient and nourishing oils. Opting for fragrance-free formulations, or those that are only scented naturally (with aromatherapeutic oils, perhaps). If you’re really after some nourishment, you can try a hand mask; or DIY one by applying a thick layer of moisturiser to your hands before bed and covering them with a pair of soft gloves or sock while you sleep to really trap in the moisture.
What causes super dry hands?
There are a number of causes for dry hands — the first being that genetically, you may simply be more prone to them, in the same way that some people naturally have drier skin on their faces.
Environmental factors also play a big role in the dryness of your hands: Weather, for example, can really affect you. You’ve likely noticed that colder weather saps hydration from your hands far more quickly, which is why it’s always ideal to have hand cream at the ready as soon as the weather begins to change.
Frequent hand washing can also dry out the hands — opt for mild or soap-free hand wash to alleviate some of the dryness.
