14 Of The Best Hand Creams To Soothe Dry Skin
Since the pandemic, we have all become ultra-diligent about washing our hands, which can have the unfortunate side-effect of leaving them dry and in dire need of some TLC. The remedy? Liberal use of the best hand creams, which promise to deliver a much-needed hydration hit, help skin to stay robust and healthy, and repair skin where necessary. Washing our hands strips them of their natural oils, so it is essential to keep them soft and supple with a formula that delivers everything the skin needs. And as we head into winter, with both cold weather and central heating stripping the skin of all important moisture, a nourishing hand cream is a non-negotiable if you want to avoid dry hands.
The best hand creams harness the power of clever skincare ingredients to rebuild a damaged skin barrier, soften flaky skin and inject hydration back into the area. Using a good quality hand cream regularly sounds like a faff, but consistent use will actually transform the look and feel of your hands, while improving the health of your cuticles, and even making your manicure last longer. Increasingly, they’re a rather chic addition to a handbag, too, so you’ll be happy to whip out a tube when in company.
- Best hand cream overall: Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm, £25
- Best intensive hand cream for dry hands: Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Moisturising Hand Treatment,
£28£19.60 - Best affordable hand cream: CeraVe Reparative Hand Cream, £7
- Best hand cream for wrinkles and age spots: Sisley Paris Sisleÿa L’Intégral Anti-Âge Hand Care Anti-Aging Concentrate, £120
- Best retinol hand cream: Beauty Pie Super Retinol Anti Aging Hand Treatment,
£35£12.50 - Best hand cream for cracked hands: Nursem Caring Hand Cream,
£20£15.99
There’s nothing worse than buying a lotion that disappears not long after you’ve slathered it on, or on the other hand, greasens up your palms without sinking in. To save you from either scenario, each hand cream in our edit has been tested by Vogue beauty editors, so you can trust the options below are the best for the job of nourishing and protecting dry hands.
From luxurious scented salves that are a delight to apply to the no-frills formulas that you can rely on for heavy-duty moisture, below are the best hand creams to keep your hands soft and healthy.
1/13Best hand cream overall: Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm
- Size: 75ml
- Fragrance: fragrant balm with a natural scent from mandarin peel oil
Why we love it:
Infused with citrus oils and nourishing botanical extracts, Aesop’s hand balm is an olfactive delight. The rich formula is elevated by a shea butter base that melts with the warmth of your palms for instant absorption, plus sweet almond oil that conditions nails and cuticles with antioxidants and vitamins. Sleek and chic, it easily slides into your purse or pocket for hydration on-the-go, and it is one of the best hand creams we’ve tried for scent and lasting moisture.
2/13Best intensive treatment: Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Moisturising Hand Treatment
3/13Best hand cream for cracked hands: Nursem Caring Hand Fix
- Size: 300ml
- Fragrance: comes in fragranced and unfragranced versions for sensitive skin
Why we love it:
The people who really do know the effects of relentless hand washing? The nursing community. Nursem was created by a paediatric nurse and her husband specifically for hardworking hands, meaning it really does do the job. Plus, every time a pot is purchased, they give a month’s supply free to a nurse or midwife – beauty that truly gives back.
Read more: Manicurists Share The Best Cuticle Oils To Rescue Brittle Nails
- 4/13
Best scented hand cream: Byredo Suede Hand Cream
- Size: 100ml
- Fragrance: fresh bergamot scent which perfumes your hands
Expect a gentle scent after applying this – it smells like pear, bergamot, plum and musk, and it will leave your nose as happy as your hands. On the moisture front, there’s plenty of nourishment to be had thanks to the shea butter rich formula, which is finely whipped for a silky consistency that won’t leave you with sticky mitts.
5/13Best retinol hand cream: Beauty Pie Super Retinol Anti Aging Hand Treatment
- Size: 75ml
- Fragrance: fragrance-free
Why we love it:
Hero ingredient retinol is just as handy from the neck down, and for rejuvenated hands, Beauty Pie’s cream is a must-have in your arsenal. Using encapsulated, delayed-release retinol and pseudo collagen to bind moisture to the skin, it helps with dryness, lines and blemishes in one fell swoop.
“I’m partial to a monthly manicure, but over time I noticed the UV lamps were ageing my hands – I had dark spots and deep lines becoming more apparent with every fresh set of gels. As well as a pair of fingerless gloves to protect my hands in the salon, massaging this cream in at night has revived my hands massively. They’re significantly less wrinkly, softer and I’ve even noticed pigmentation from cuts lightening up. Best of all, the retinol is gentle enough that it doesn’t cause flaking – which is the last thing you want when already tackling dry hands.” - Tracy Achonwa, beauty shopping writer
6/13Best affordable hand cream: CeraVe Reparative Hand Cream
- Size: 50ml
- Fragrance: fragrance free, hypoallergenic formula
Why we love it:
Packed full of ceramides – the building blocks of a healthy skin barrier – this cream may be affordable, but rest assured it works hard to rejuvenate and protect dry skin. Those with especially sensitive or sore hands will appreciate the simplicity of its formula, which employs skin loving ingredients (think:hyaluronic acid and glycerin) and zero fragrance or essential oils to avoid irritation.
- 7/13
Best for wrinkles and age spots: Sisley Paris Sisleÿa L’Intégral Anti-Âge Hand Care Anti-Aging Concentrate
- Size: 75ml
- Fragrance: subtle scent
Why we love it:
It may come with a hefty price tag, but Sisley’s hand cream really does offer a 360 degree approach to looking after hands. With buckwheat seed and lindera extracts, plus soy protein and vitamin E, it helps to soften fine lines and dark spots while plumping hands. It also provides SPF30 protection.
8/13Best hand cream for dry hands: Augustinus Bader The Hand Treatment
- Size: 50ml
- Fragrance: fragrance-free
Why we love it:
As the winter months set in, and the temperature drops, it’s important to keep your hands hydrated. And what better way to do that than with Augustinus Bader’s ultra-nourishing hand cream? Powered by white peony extract, vitamin E and honey, as well as the brand’s signature TFC8 complex, this miracle cream leaves your skin feeling calm, soothed and protected.
