Editors Swear By These 7 Hand Creams to Keep Their Hands Nourished All Year Long (2024)

TL;DR

Our top pick for the best hand cream is the fast-absorbingGrown Alchemist’s Hand Cream. It’s full of nourishing ingredients we love without being sticky or greasy. If you’re shopping on a budget, check outBenton's Shea Butter and Olive Hand Cream. We love that it can improve overall skin texture without breaking the bank.

We often overlook skincare below the neck, but when it comes to the hands, taking the extra moment to care for them can make a massive difference to how they look and feel. According to board-certified dermatologistDr. Diane Madfes, M.D., FAAD, a break in your hands’ skin barrier can contribute todryness and discomfort. “This canbe causedby trauma, repetitive hand-washing, allergic reactions, and underlying genetics, i.e.,eczema,” she explains. “When the barrier is compromised, the skin no longer effectively retains hydration, and its ability to protect itselfis also weakened.”

Combat dry hands and apply a hydrating, nourishing hand cream that isn’t watery, overly thick, or greasy. To find the best hand creams, wetested over 30 options. Our testers each took one home for two weeks and used it multiple times daily to evaluate it on several factors: how quickly it absorbed, how moisturizing it was, how smooth it left their hands looking, and how it smelled. Give your hands the TLC they deserve with our seven top picks.

Our Top Picks

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Best Fragrance-Free:

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EltaMD Hand Creme at Amazon$29$24
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What We Like

  • Excellent consistency

  • Nonsticky and no greasy residue

  • Fast-absorbing formula

  • Improves look and feel of hands

Key Ingredients: Glycerin, camellia seed oil, grapeseed oil | Size: 2.3, 16.9 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Grown Alchemist’s hand cream is formulated with a blend of nourishing ingredients—glycerin, camellia seed oil, grapeseed oil, and aloe plant extract—to moisturize and soothe dry skin without any lingering residue. Our tester loved this product’s lightweight yet plush consistency and found that a nickel-sized dollop was enough to make her hands feel soft and smooth (although she sometimes dabbed a little more onto extra-dry patches of skin). We also love that while this cream doesn’t contain synthetic fragrance (which can be irritating to some), it has a natural citrusy scent that smells fresh without being overpowering.

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Elsie, tester: “One of my favorite things about this hand cream is that it’s perfectly moisturizing without being greasy or oily. It dries within 30 seconds of application, then I can touch my phone, clothes, bags, screens, and keyboard without worrying about the hand cream getting everywhere.”

What We Like

  • Blend of oils and butter provides intense hydration

  • Spicy, woody scent

  • Fast absorbing

What to Consider

  • A bit difficult to get last bits of product out

Key Ingredients: Shea butter, castor oil | Size: 2.4-16.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Dry, cracked, and rough hands stand no chance against Aesop's hand cream. This herbaceous moisturizer is crafted with a blend of oils and butters, like castor and shea, to hydrate and replenish winter-weathered hands. The nourishing formula coats the skin in a silky, smooth formula that quickly absorbs, giving your complexion a much-needed boost. It instantly hydrates dull skin, and after long-term use, our tester's skin feels refreshed sans any dry spots. Plus, we love that we don't have to sacrifice nourishment for odd-scented creams, as this one is formulated with deliciously woody-smelling ingredients (patchouli, cedar atlas, and clove bud). We adore the chic aluminum bottle it comes in, but be sure to fold down the bottle with use to get every last drop.

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Caitlyn Martyn, associate editor: "My coworker, Shannon, is obsessed with hand creams, and she recommended this one to cure the rough, dry skin on my hands. It immediately softens and nourishes my hands; long-term, it eliminates dryness and ensures my skin stays smooth and hydrated. Best of all, it sinks into the skin quickly—aka it doesn't leave a sticky or oily residue on my fingers that transfer onto my laptop or phone."

What We Like

  • Lightweight and easy to spread

  • A little bit goes a long way

  • Nongreasy formula

  • Improves textured skin on hands

What to Consider

  • Natural scent can be a bit overpowering

Key Ingredients: Shea butter, olive oil | Size: 1.8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This budget-friendly option is formulated with shea butter and olive oil to nourish dry, cracked skin, and despite its ultra-moisturizing abilities, it’s not at all thick or heavy. Even with its lightweight texture, our tester. Mike, only needed a small amount of product—enough to cover a fingertip—to coat both hands. It absorbed in around two minutes with no sticky residue left behind, leaving Mike’s hands noticeably nourished.

Editors Swear By These 7 Hand Creams to Keep Their Hands Nourished All Year Long (6)

Mike, tester: “The first time I used this hand cream, it felt like my hands devoured the product, and I even doubted whether I had put it on.”

What We Like

  • Rich texture from rose wax

  • Fast-absorbing formula

  • Smooths dry patches without leaving residue

What to Consider

  • Small amount of product

Key Ingredients: Glycerin, shea butter, jojoba oil, camellia oil, iris extract | Size: 1.7 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

While Chanel’s La Crème Main is packed with classic moisturizers, including glycerin, shea butter, and jojoba oil, the brand highlights camellia as its star ingredient. This hydrating plant oil is high in antioxidants, helping protect the skin barrier. Additionally, iris extract (another antioxidant) helps even skin tone and boost radiance.Our tester says this cream was extremely rich but highly absorbent, drying within seconds so she could use her laptop and phone without leaving any greasy fingerprints behind. After using the cream, she felt an immediate improvement in her skin's softness and smoothness. The subtle scent and sleek egg-shaped packaging also added to the luxury experience.

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Caitlyn Martyn, associate editor: “The chapped skin around my knuckles felt softer, and even the cracks in my palms seemed like they plumped out a bit.”

What We Like

  • Spreads easily

  • Fully absorbs with nongreasy finish

  • Rich texture isn’t overly heavy

What to Consider

  • Some might find the scent too strong

Key Ingredients: Shea butter, coconut oil | Size: 1, 5.2 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

This hand cream has been around for ages, and it’s no wonder so many people have raved about it for so long. Its rich texture (thanks to shea butter, coconut oil, and glycerin) deeply hydrates the skin while remaining lightweight and nongreasy.Our tester, Michal, loved the consistency of this cream. The formula spread quickly and easily over her hands, and no matter how much she applied, it entirely absorbed without any stickiness or greasiness. After slathering on the cream four times a day, Michal noticed a big improvement in the texture of her skin; dryness and roughness—especially between her fingers—were both visibly reduced.

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Michal, tester: “It felt creamy and rich but not too heavy or sticky.”

What We Like

  • Great for sensitive skin

  • Great for smoothing cuticles

  • Formula reduces lines, discoloration, and dehydration

What to Consider

  • Not super fast-absorbing

Key Ingredients: Ceramides, vitamin E | Size: 3 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

This nourishing hand cream leans on ceramides, vitamin E, and jojoba esters to coat the skin in rich, buttery moisture. A dime-sized amount was all our tester needed to completely cover her hands, and she appreciated that it effectively nourished and smoothed her skin without leaving an oily residue behind.The formula does take one to two minutes to fully absorb, but once it does, it’s virtually undetectable, especially since it doesn’t impart a fragrance. While our tester's hands typically get very dry in the winter (especially those pesky cuticles), this cream worked wonders.

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Maggie, tester: “Keeping this in my handbag and at my desk and applying one to three times a day has prevented cracks and dry spots on my hands.”

What We Like

  • Deeply hydrating for overnight nourishment

  • Gel-like cream

  • Easy to spread

What to Consider

  • Some might find the scent too strong

Key Ingredients: Glycerin, panthenol, murumuru and mango butters | Size: 1, 2.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Nighttime hand masks are often extremely thick and oily; while this one does have a rich texture, it’s far from greasy or slimy. Designed for pre-bedtime application, this hand treatment from Rihanna’s skincare line is packed with hydrating ingredients (like glycerin and a blend of nourishing butters), and it works beautifully to remedy dry patches, smooth skin texture, and significantly boost hand hydration.Our tester was impressed by its smooth, gel-like consistency and lavender squeeze bottle that dispenses the perfect amount of product each time. It absorbed easily in around two minutes and “worked like a gem,” hydrating ashy patches and leaving her skin noticeably more supple.

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What to Look for When Buying Hand Creams

A helpful hand cream is crucial for keeping hands healthy and hydrated all year. To hone in on which hand cream is right for you, keep the following factors in mind.

  • Ingredients: To ensure you’re selecting a hand cream that will truly improve your dry skin, Dr. Madfes says it’s important to look for formulas that contain humectants (ingredients that draw water into the skin, like hyaluronic acid and glycerin), ceramides, and lipids. Her favorite ingredients in hand creams are shea butter, coconut oil, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid.
  • Texture: While the texture of your go-to hand cream is really a matter of preference, it’s still an important factor to consider. If you’re looking for a hand cream that you can use on the go, try something lightweight and nongreasy. If your hands are extremely dry or you’re prone to eczema, you might benefit from something richer.
  • Size: We highly recommend buying a cream that’ll last through multiple applications (consistency is key to seeing a real difference here), so you’ll want to take a look at the size options before purchasing. Select a larger tube so you can slather on copious amounts of lotion whenever needed.

How We Tested Hand Creams

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Below are the features our team of editors and contributors evaluated over two weeks to determine our top picks.

  • Absorption: While certain creams on our testing roster may have smelled or felt amazing, if they didn’t absorb quickly enough for us to do things with our hands, it was a no from us. As such, we noted each hand cream’s consistency, texture, and thickness, tracking how easily it spread and (most importantly) how long it took to sink into our skin. We also monitored the amount of residue each cream left behind, if any.
  • Moisture: An essential quality of a good hand cream is how moisturized it makes hands feel, which is why we considered how hydrated our hands felt after using each hand cream.
  • Smoothness: Since most people apply hand cream to make their hands look and feel smoother, we observed the suppleness of our hands when evaluating each pick.
  • Smell: Finding a hand cream scent that speaks to you is essential, so we accounted for this when testing each product. While which scent smells most appealing is largely up to the individual, we noted the strength of each and whether the product caused any irritation.

FAQ

  • How often should you use hand cream?

    You should apply hand cream as often as you feel is necessary, but keep in mind that Dr. Madfes recommends using it at least twice daily and after every hand washing.

  • What ingredients should be avoided in hand cream?

    Just like it’s important to seek out certain ingredients in hand creams, the opposite is also true. According to Dr. Madfes, it’s best to avoid synthetic fragrances—especially if you have broken or sensitive skin—because fragrance can be an irritant.

Meet Our Expert

We tapped a dermatologist to learn all about hand health and what to look for in hand creams.

  • Dr. Diane Madfes, M.D., FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City specializing in dermatology and dermatologic surgery.

Why Trust Byrdie

Caitlyn Martyn is an associate editor on staff at Byrdie. She covers all things beauty, style, and wellness and often participates in tests happening in Byrdie’s in-office lab. For this test, she tried (and loved) the Chanel and Aesop Eleos hand creams, but she also has an entire collection of hand creams on her bedside table.

Esme Benjamin is a freelance writer, editor, and podcaster based in New York. She began writing and editing for Byrdie in 2023. As a wellness expert, she has a particular interest in naturally derived beauty ingredients and the intersection of beauty rituals and self-care. She updated this article in 2024.

According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find enough hand creams from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business to meet this percentage. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com, and we will evaluate the product ASAP.

Editors Swear By These 7 Hand Creams to Keep Their Hands Nourished All Year Long (2024)
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