“This is the only hand cream that doesn’t make my skin break out in hives,” says Sara Coughlin, SELF’s senior commerce writer, adding that she buys it in the fragrance-free version. “It sinks in immediately and isn’t greasy or distracting.” (Read: It won’t turn your steering wheel or keyboard into a Slip ‘N Slide.) It’s made with moisturizing shea butter and glycerin, but its star ingredient is goat’s milk, which contains lactic acid that exfoliates and softens skin.
Size: 3.4 fl oz
Other notable ingredients: Glycerin, moisturizing jojoba seed oil, isopropyl palmitate and cetearyl alcohol (emollients)
Read Coughlin’s full review here.
Best for Sun Protection: Eucerin Daily Hydration Hand Cream SPF 30
Pros
- Protects against sun damage
- Fragrance free
Cons
- Some Amazon reviewers say they are pills
You already know that you need to wear sunscreen on your face and body, but you may not think to intentionally apply it to the backs of your hands to prevent skin damage. “You can get a lot of what we call ‘cumulative UV exposure’ just from day-to-day activities like driving,” Dr. Marisa Garshick, FAADboard-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology and clinical assistant professor at Cornell University in New York City, previously told SELF.
This cream gives your hands much-needed hydration and also protects them from UV rays with SPF 30. It gets its anti-inflammatory properties from licorice root extract, while cetostearyl alcohol and glycerin help moisturize it.
Size: 2.7 fl oz
Other notable ingredients: Avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene (sunscreen)
Find more great hand creams with SPF here.
Best for Very Dry Skin: Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream
Pros
- Super moisturizing
- Eczema Safe
- Fragrance free
Cons
- Leaves a film on your hands
Neutrogena’s hand cream has a thick texture that will coat your hands to repair cracks and soften calluses. “It has a high concentration of glycerin, which is an excellent humectant that draws moisture into the skin and keeps it hydrated,” says Dr. Turegano, adding that it’s great for anyone whose hands have been exposed to harsh environmental conditions.
This treatment is also an option for Gabriella Vasile, PhD, FAADa board certified dermatologist and owner of Réforme Dermatology and Aesthetics in Charleston, South Carolina: “I am constantly recommending this thicker ointment to my patients with extra dry skin or eczema.”
Size: 2 fl oz
Other notable ingredients: Cetearyl alcohol
Best for Healing Cracks: O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream
Pros
- Fragrance free
- Softens the skin
- Very protective
Cons
- Some critics say it is too oily
“This cream is specifically designed for severely dry and cracked hands,” says Dr. Turegano, adding that it’s great for anyone who exposes their hands to a lot of stress, like construction workers, gardeners, or healthcare professionals. “It creates a protective layer on the surface of the skin, locking in moisture and preventing further dryness.” It moisturizes with glycerin, soothes with allantoin, and reinforces the skin barrier with urea and mineral oil.