If you’re on the hunt for the best hand creams for dry hands, chances are your skin’s sending an SOS. Between constant washing, cold weather, and overzealous hand-sanitizer use, it’s no wonder your hands feel rough, tight, or even flaky by midday. A really good hand cream, however, can fix that fast—without leaving you greasy or unable to text on your phone. What’s more is that the latest formulas go way beyond basic hydration: They’re packed with barrier-repairing ceramides, rich butters like shea and marula, and even ingredients borrowed from facial care, like peptides.
Whether you prefer a lightweight lotion you can stash in your bag or a thick overnight treatment for seriously cracked skin, we’ve rounded up the options derms swear by (and our editors can’t stop reapplying). Your cuticles will also thank you—and so will anyone lucky enough to hold your hand.
Our Top Picks
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Overall: Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm
Why it’s worth it: Ever wonder how one of the world’s most recognizable hand creams came to be? Fun fact: Aesop’s cult-favorite Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm actually started out as a hair product. Back in the ’80s, the brand’s founder—a Melbourne-based hairstylist—began mixing essential oils into his salon formulas to make them smell (and feel) a little better. What began as a small experiment for clients’ hair quickly turned into a global obsession for their hands. The now-iconic balm blends sweet almond, macadamia, and coconut oils to deeply hydrate, while shea butter and cocoa seed butter soften without any greasiness. Carrot root, rosemary, and aloe soothe and repair, and that signature mandarin rind, cedarwood, and lavender scent instantly transforms a simple step into a mini ritual. Bonus: It also comes in a jumbo 17-ounce jar with a pump in case you never want to run out.
“I can’t go to bed (or wake up, frankly) without reaching for this hand cream. It lives on my nightstand, and saves my hands from the lizard-like state they want to be in once it hits November. The scent is fresh and light but not so strong that it announces itself to the room. At this point, I’ve used it before bed so often that it functions like a sleep spray—it signals to my brain that it’s time to wind down and hit the hay.” —Sarah Hoffmann, commerce producer
- Key ingredients: glycerin, mandarin rind, rosemary leaf, cedar atlas, cocoa seed butter
- Scent: citrus, woody, herbaceous
Best for Cracked Hands: Dr. Jart Ceramidin Moisturizing Hand Cream
Why it’s worth it: The primary moisturizing key in Dr. Jart’s Ceramidin Moisturizing Hand Cream is, you guessed it, ceramides. More specifically, this cushiony cream soothes working hands with ceramide NP, a particular form of the popular lipid known for its ability to support moisture retention. To up the ante on its skin-softening properties, Dr. Jart’s hand cream also contains glycerin to hydrate and antioxidant panthenol to soothe irritation.
“My hands get unbearably dry and scaly in the winter, which wouldn’t be such an issue if I didn’t hate the sensory experience of having moist, cream-covered hands, especially while out and about. Thankfully, Dr. Jart’s Ceramidin Hand Cream is light and fast-absorbing enough that I can apply it anywhere without any goopy, lingering wetness—while still providing plenty of hydration thanks to its barrier-building ceramides. Plus, the generous three-and-a-half-ounce tube can last me months.” —Nicola Dall’Asen, senior news editor
- Key ingredients: ceramide NP, glycerin, panthenol
- Scent: floral
Best Overnight Hand Cream: Soft Services Theraplush Overnight Repair Treatment
Why it’s worth it: The key ingredient in Soft Services’s Theraplush, a dense overnight hand cream, is retinol, which you might be familiar with from your wrinkle-reducing skin-care routine. This active ingredient is considered the gold standard for treating aging and discolored skin because it regulates collagen production and helps boost skin thickness—toodles, sun spots and wrinkles. This cream is infused with calming colloidal oatmeal and panthenol to moisturize and keep active ingredient-related irritation to a minimum. To keep its formula from bacteria and oxidation, this cream comes in an air-tight, pump-top container (that’ll look great on your nightstand, by the way).
Tester feedback from contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai
“I have hand cream everywhere—my car, my desk, my purse—but this is my ride-or-die. Everything about it is perfect, from the beautiful, sculptural tub to the soft scent. I also appreciate the addition of retinol for my rapidly aging hands. It’s enough to keep them smooth, but not so much that I’ve ever experienced irritation.” —Deanna Pai, contributing commerce editor
- Key ingredients: ceramide NP, glycerin, panthenol
- Scent: floral
Best for Eczema: Skinfix Eczema+ Hand Relief Cream
Why it’s worth it: Raise a (cracked, dry) hand if you’re dealing with red, irritated, or eczema-prone skin. Skinfix’s Eczema+ Hand Relief Cream—complete with the National Eczema Association’s seal of approval—was made for exactly that. The formula combines 1% colloidal oatmeal with a 1.5% Triple Lipid Complex of ceramides, sterols, and fatty acids to mimic your skin’s natural barrier and lock in hydration. “I love this because it hydrates deeply without feeling greasy,” says Pooja Rambhia, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. “It contains colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, and allantoin to soothe irritation while strengthening the skin barrier, making it a great choice for anyone with sensitive skin.”
“With two kids, I wash my hands about 4,543 times a day, and they’re as cracked, patchy, and red as ever. This formula is as nourishing as can be—maybe a tad slick for my palms, but since the real irritation is on the backs of my hands, that’s where I focus it. Even my nails feel stronger and less dry since I started using it.” —Christa Joanna Lee, contributing commerce writer
- Key ingredients: 1% colloidal oatmeal, 1.5% Triple Lipid Complex (ceramides, sterols, fatty acids)
- Scent: none
Best for Crepey Skin: Grown Alchemist Regenerating Hand Cream
Why it’s worth it: In addition to dryness, if you’ve noticed your hands are looking a little crepey, Grown Alchemist’s Regenerating Hand Cream is here to smooth, firm, and deeply nourish skin. The formula combines antioxidant-rich grape seed and sweet almond oils with polypeptides (long chains of amino acids that act as building blocks for collagen and elastin) to help boost skin’s elasticity and resilience. Rambutan extract, a plant-based alternative to retinol, further supports firmness, while echinacea helps calm and protect against environmental stress. Plus, every time you apply it, the uplifting scent of a fresh blend of orange, rosemary, and sage always puts you in a good mood.
- Key ingredients: grape seed oil, sweet almond oil, polypeptides, rambutan, echinacea
- Scent: orange, rosemary, sage
Best for Barrier Repair: Drunk Elephant Therabu Buttered Reparative Hand Cream
Why it’s worth it: Think of Drunk Elephant’s Therabu Buttered Reparative Hand Cream as the Goldilocks of hand creams—deeply moisturizing but not heavy, rich but never greasy, thick enough to heal, yet quick to sink in. It’s packed with ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids (the same lipids your skin naturally makes) to rebuild and strengthen a compromised barrier. Marula and shea butters deliver plush hydration, while squalane, avocado, and jojoba oils smooth rough patches and lock in moisture. To calm irritation, colloidal oatmeal, oat flour, and panthenol step in to soothe redness and tightness almost instantly.
“This ultra-thick hand cream is my go-to in the wintertime. It transforms my hands upon application: my cuticles look well-manicured and my skin feels softer. Unlike other heavy-duty creams, this one isn’t the slightest bit greasy, so it’s easy to reapply throughout the day as needed.” —Kara McGrath, former content director
- Key ingredients: shea butter, marula butter, oat kernel flour, colloidal oatmeal
- Scent: none
Best Scent: Mienne Fleurir Hand Crème
Why it’s worth it: Launched just this year, Mienne’s Fleurir Hand Crème is already catching everyone’s eye (and nose) here at Allure HQ. While we usually think of hand cream as a utilitarian part of our routine, this one takes hand care to a whole new—dare we say—sensual level. The brand calls its approach “aphrodisiac skincare,” with ingredients meant to awaken touch and scent as sources of pleasure. For instance, maca root extract and ylang-ylang oil lend a warm, romantic feel, while ginger, rosehip, and passionfruit oils smooth and nourish. Shea and mango butters, ceramides, and sodium hyaluronate keep hydration locked in for hours. Every time you use it, your hands feel silky, smell amazing, and suddenly, moisturizing feels less like a chore and more like a treat.
Tester feedback from designer Briana Rengifo
“A staple in my purse currently, since the tube is stunning and sleek, it’s such a sensual and smoky hand creme that transforms such a mundane task into a self-care ritual, leaving my hands hydrated and with a pearl effect.” —Briana Rengifo, designer
- Key ingredients: ceramides, passion flower, ylang ylang, aloe
- Scent: floral
Best Drugstore: Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream
Why it’s worth it: Inspired by Norwegian fishermen who spent their days braving icy Arctic seas, Neutrogena’s Norwegian Formula Hand Cream was made to handle parched, overworked hands. The formula is refreshingly simple—just a few ingredients centered around super-hydrating glycerin. “Glycerin powerfully attracts and seals in moisture even after multiple hand washings,” says Dr. Rambhia. The texture is thick and dense at first, but don’t let that fool you—it sinks in fast and leaves behind an invisible shield of softness. “It creates a protective layer that restores cracked, over-washed hands—perfect for anyone who washes or sanitizes often. I’ve used this one since residency and always keep it in my white coat pocket,” says Dr. Rambhia.
- Key ingredient: glycerin
- Scent: none
Best Luxury: Chanel La Crème Main
Why it’s worth it: Brightening your hands might not be the first thing you think to want from a hand cream, but once you see how nourished, softened, and subtly illuminated they look after using Chanel La Crème Main, you’ll wonder where it’s been all your life. At the heart of its luxurious formula is a blend of camellia-derived ingredients: camellia ceramides help protect the skin barrier, camellia oil deeply nourishes and softens, and camellia yeast delivers lasting hydration. Iris extract adds brightening benefits, helping achieve a more even tone. So, why reach for a $62 hand cream over any other? Because you’ll use it to the very last drop.
- Key ingredients: camellia oleifera seed oil, glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, iris pallida root extract, shea butter
- Scent: soft floral
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes dry hands?
Like anywhere else on your body, dry skin can develop on your hands from environmental changes like the weather becoming colder. “Winter is particularly harsh as cold, low-humidity air can cause skin to dry out and become itchy, cracked, and irritated,” Ross C. Radusky, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Dallas, Texas, previously told Allure. “Cold air also tightens pores, reduces circulation, and reduces sebum production.” Also worth keeping in mind: General dehydration can lead to dryness, so make sure you’re staying hydrated to keep your skin at its plumpest. “When hydrated, our skin cells swell, and this can be a great thing,” he says. “It minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.”
Why should I use a hand cream?
Hand creams are formulated with some of the best moisturizing ingredients available to soothe, comfort, and moisturize dry skin. Usually, they’ll contain a mix of humectants (ingredients that draw water to the surface layer of skin), emollients (lipids that fill in “gaps” of your skin’s moisture barrier), and occlusives (essentially moisture-sealing cling wraps for your skin) to provide skin-softening moisture at different surface levels of the skin.
Meet the experts
- Audrey Kunin, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Kansas City
- Ross C. Radusky, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Dallas, Texas
- Pooja Rambhia, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at UnionDerm based in New York City
- Joshua Zeichner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of the best hand creams, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
Winter is coming—beat scaly skin with our favorite products for drier months: