Until you’ve experienced dried hands yourself, you might not realize how painful and uncomfortable they can be! Dry hands can get worse and become cracked, which is not only painful, but unsanitary, and can welcome all kinds of unwanted bacteria!
So, what’s the solution?
Hand cream, of course! However, they’re not all made the same. If you want the best hand cream, then stay tuned, because we’ve got them all right here!
The 6 Best Hand Cream For 2022
| Product | Scent | At a Glance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| O’Keefe’s Working Hands | Peppermint | Perfect for cracked hands or hands with eczema, fresh peppermint-like aroma, relieves and repairs hands, safe for those with diabetes, boosts moisture levels and prevents against damage | |
| L’Occitane Fast-Absorbing Shea Butter Cream | Nutty | 20% Shea butter/honey/almond extracts/coconut oil, rich and creamy texture, leaves hands soft and smooth, protects/nourishes/moisturizes | |
| Camille Beckman Glycerine Blackberry Lavender | Various | Comes in 19 different scents, moisturizes and nourishes, made with kosher vegetable glycerin and sweet almond oil, reduces signs of aging, promotes skin health, relieves dry and cracked skin, free of parabens/dyes, made in US | |
| La Mer The Hand Treatment | n/a | Silky formula soothes hands on contact, helps combat signs of aging, fades age spots, heals very dry skin | |
| Burt’s Bees Almond Hand Cream (Editor’s Favorite) | Nutty | 2 ounce jar is 99.9% natural, sweet almond oil and vitamin E moisturize hands, natural beeswax seals and conditions, all-natural nutty scent, no parabens or phthalates | |
| Supergoop Forever Young Buckthorn (Editor’s Favorite) | n/a | Great for protection against the sun, paraben/oxybenzone/fragrance-free, brightens and improves skin texture, moisturizes skin, great for travel |
Now that you’ve had the chance to do a quick overview about each of the best hand creams, you’re probably curious about learning more. Take a scroll further below, where you’ll find in-depth, unbiased reviews of each hand cream!
O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream – Editor’s Favorite
About the Product
Without-a-doubt, one of the best hand creams for dry hands, is the O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream.
If you have extremely dry, painful, and/or cracked skin on your hands, you need to add this one into your arsenal. While it is customary among many people who live in dry areas or have active jobs, it’s surprisingly not very easy to get rid of.
Most people choose to use a prescription cream, but the truth is, those can be quite expensive, and may not always work.
The solution?
O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream.
What’s so unique about it?
It’s a formula that has worked even on the roughest and driest of hands. Not only that, but it works immediately upon the first application, and continues to improve the hydration of the hands as days go by.
The formula is extremely thick; almost wax-like. However, it does not leave an oily, greasy feel like your traditional hand lotion would. For this reason, it’s very popular among men who have cracked hands. The formula locks in moisture, making skin more supple, while also being safe for those with allergies!
Our Experience
We can’t say enough good things about this hand cream for dry, cracked hands. It not only lives up to the expectations they’ve set, but honestly, exceeds them.
All you need is a tiny, tiny bit to coat both hands, so it’s best to just start small and work your way up if you find you need more. Again, it is very thick, so just slide a bit of it off and begin working it over your hands. You’ll immediately start to feel some relief, as the cracks begin to soften, along with the rest of your hands.
It doesn’t have any particular scent, which is nice, as many people don’t like the smell of lotion on their hands. It not only works for that day, but provides long-lasting results. It moisturizes, but also helps to prevent further loss of hydration when in cold or harsh conditions.
Is it safe to use?
Absolutely! It is a hypoallergenic formula, making it a great option for those with sensitive skin, or those with allergies. Even if you have diabetes, you’ll find that this will work great for you.
The 3.4-ounce jar is very economical and will last you for months, if not years. However, if you’re in any way not satisfied, you can take advantage of their 100% money-back guarantee.
So, are there any “cons”?
To be honest, we couldn’t think of any, except for the fact that it doesn’t have a scent that women would like.
What We Loved
- Very little is required for great results
- Works right away, repairing dry skin and cracked skin
- Inexpensive and easy to find
- Great for those with sensitive skin and diabetes
What We Didn’t Like
- No scent, which some prefer
L’Occitane Fast-Absorbing Shea Butter – Most Reputable Product
About the Product
L’Occitane is a brand that’s already very well-known for creating high-quality, luxurious beauty products, so it’s saying quite a lot that their Fast Absorbing Shea Butter Hand Cream is their best-seller.
Enriched with a whopping 20% Shea Butter, this ultra-creamy and luxurious balm works quickly to help protect, nourish, and moisturize dry and damaged hands. Not only that, but it also contains ingredients such as honey, almond extracts, and coconut oil to further nourish and hydrate the skin.
The texture is definitely not one to mess around with.
It’s very thick, rich, and luxurious, and it feels wonderful going on. After you’ve massaged it into the skin, you’ll find that the skin doesn’t feel greasy at all, so you can go about your day. It also retexturizes the skin and restores circulation, so if you have poor circulation in your hands, you’ll love this one.
Our Experience
We have to agree with most others and say that we really loved the Fast Absorbing Hand Cream. It’s one of the best hand creams for winter, and with the convenient little squeeze bottle, you can take it with you in your purse, wherever you go.
The scent is hardly noticeable but is a nice addition.
It is thick and creamy, but rubs in very quickly and easily, without leaving any kind of film or greasiness behind afterward. Keep it at your desk for daily use, but even just applying it a couple of times a week will make a tremendous difference in any cracks or stiffness of the skin.
The downside?
It is a bit pricey; while it does last a long time, it is still a bit of an investment on the front end.
What We Loved
- Very thick, creamy, luxurious texture
- Works immediately to hydrate and nourish dry and cracked skin
- Has a very light scent
- Convenient container can be taken just about anywhere
What We Didn’t Like
- It’s a bit expensive
Camille Beckman Glycerine Hand Therapy Cream – Best Smelling Product
About the Product
Camille Beckman has created her products with the everyday woman in mind. She makes her products with natural, healthy ingredients, makes them smell and feel good, and makes sure they actually do what they’re supposed to.
The Glycerine Blackberry Lavender Hand Cream is our favorite scent, but it comes in 18 other scents as well. Each one is gluten-free, and combines rich oils, pure pH-balanced water, along with her signature herbal blend to not only moisturize the skin, but to actually heal and restore it to its soft, healthy natural state.
They do not include: parabens, sulfates, phthalates, petroleum products, PEGs, TEA, DEA, mineral oils, harsh detergents, or artificial colors! With that being said, they average 98-100% purity which is pretty crazy!
So, what are they made with?
They use plant-derived glycerine along with the herbal complex, which has been tested in various salons, hospitals, and homes to make sure the cream is consistently performing its best.
Owned and operated right out of Boise, Idaho, you can count on the ingredients always being fresh, natural, and rich. Not only that, but Camille also uses old-fashioned methods that may not sound like much, but it creates a real diversity in the feel of the cream.
Our Experience
If you’re looking for one of the highest-quality natural hand lotions out there, we highly recommend the Camille Beckman Glycerine cream.
For our review, we took a look at the Blackberry Lavender, which is full of plump, juicy berry juice and lavender essential oil to create a soothing, therapeutic experience to invigorate the senses.
It goes on very creamy, but is not as thick as some of the others out there. However, it is thick enough that it can be a bit difficult to get out of the container, at times!
The smell is so amazing, and is not overpowering in any way. It actually kind of made us feel a bit sleepy afterward, so that’s nice!
Not only does it hydrate the skin, it reduces signs of aging, promotes healthy skin, and immediately relieves damaged and painful skin. We of course loved the fact that it’s free of all potentially-harmful artificial ingredients, is vegan, and is also gluten-free.
The only downside?
It may not be powerful enough for very dry or damaged skin.
What We Loved
- Made with all-natural, healthy ingredients
- Smells wonderful and therapeutic
- Thick and luxurious cream hydrates and nourishes skin
What We Didn’t Like
- May not be powerful enough for very dry and damaged skin
La Mer The Hand Treatment – Most Luxurious Product
About the Product
La Mer is a brand known worldwide for their high-quality products that ooze luxury. These products aren’t the most affordable, by any means, but you can be sure that they quality is pretty equal to the price tag.
The Hand Treatment is a silky formula, meant to soothe and hydrate the hands on contact while creating an emollient barrier to further protect it from anything that may damage it such as harsh weather.
The hand cream features an exclusive Skin Brightening Complex to improve the tone and clarity of the skin while simultaneously working to help diminish the appearance of any hyperpigmentation spots caused by aging. The nutrient-packed Miracle Broth helps even further by protecting and healing dry skin, while improving the overall texture of hands.
The paraben-free formula contains sea kelp along with other natural ingredients to create a potent, effective product that helps heal and soothe skin immediately.
Our Experience
We really did love the La Mer The Hand Treatment, and if it weren’t so expensive, we would probably have already purchased more by now.
The luxurious cream works into the skin very quickly, and you can tell the skin absorbs it right up, rather than the lotion just sitting on top of the skin, like so many skin creams tend to do. It doesn’t leave an icky greasy feeling afterward, either. Literally, as soon as it’s rubbed in, you notice a difference in the softness and suppleness of the skin, but you can go about your routine as normal, not having to worry about slipperiness.
The fragrance is feminine, light, and pleasant. It’s not in any way too strong or overwhelming and does diminish a couple hours after application.
It’s strong enough to get rid of cracking and severe dryness, but may not be strong enough for those with eczema.
The downside?
Again, the price. It is probably the most expensive hand cream we came across. The good thing is, that the cream is very high-quality and works well.
What We Loved
- Very high-quality product made from luxurious materials
- Works to soothe the senses and hydrate/nourish the skin
- Works very quickly
- Light, feminine, fresh scent
What We Didn’t Like
- Very expensive for a hand cream
Burt’s Bees Almond and Milk Hand Cream – Editor’s Favorite
About the Product
Perhaps the best natural hand cream on the market today, Burt’s Bees Almond and Milk Hand Cream works wonders, especially if you love products that retain the purity that our skin craves.
The cream not only works wonders, but it also smells incredible. If you like marzipan or really anything almond-flavored, then you’re going to love this one. Just don’t eat it; no one needs an upset stomach.
The ultra-rich cream features sweet almond oil along with vitamin E to work to hydrate and shield hard-working hands or dried-out skin. The inclusion of beeswax actually seals and conditions the skin to not only hydrate upon contact but to further protect it from any harsh weather or hard working conditions.
The product is actually 99.9% natural, which is pretty much the most natural you can get these days. There are also no parabens or phthalates to speak of, which opens the product up to a wider audience.
All you need to use is a dollop of the cream after washing your hands or during work to help keep them feeling soft and smooth!
Our Experience
There are plenty of reasons to love this best natural hand cream for dry hands. It stimulates many senses at once, with the incredible almond smell and rich consistency that makes it actually a pleasure to apply the stuff!
It’s one of the thickest creams we’d tried, yet massages in very well. And actually, it’s so thick that it almost has more of a peanut butter consistency.
We weren’t huge fans of the greasiness that came afterward, but the good thing is, that it did go away quite quickly after it appeared.
The packaging looks like a vintage-styled jar, and contains the thick cream featuring soothing aloe, sealing beeswax, hydrating almond oil, and nourishing vitamin E. It’s strong enough for very dry, cracked skin, and can even prevent or help get rid of eczema! That’s because there are no alcohols or synthetic scents to speak of in this formula.
What We Loved
- Very thick, luxurious feeling
- Smells like almonds
- Very natural, containing no alcohols or synthetic materials
- Lasts for a very long time as only a small amount of product is needed
What We Didn’t Like
- Can leave a greasy feeling for around 20 seconds after application
Supergoop Forever Young Buckthorn – Best Product for Day Use
About the Product
The Forever Young Supergoop is a one-of-a-kind formula which not only works to hydrate and heal the hands, but also prevents sun damage with broad-spectrum SPF 40 sunscreen, powerful antioxidants, and skin-nourishing natural oils.
Many of us don’t realize it, but we can actually start to see our hands developing age spots and wrinkles solely due to driving. UVA rays easily penetrate our windows and windshields which can cause premature aging of the skin on our hands.
This formula is luxurious-feeling, a bit thick, yet easily-absorbed into the skin. It also has meadowfoam and argan oil which work together to nourish and moisturize the skin without being too heavy and thick.
How does it smell?
It actually smells very pleasant and natural, with a gentle hint of cardamom, eucalyptus, and tangerine to stimulate the senses! It’s also made without parabens, sulfates, or phthalates.
Our Experience
We absolutely loved the Supergoop cream!
It’s one of the only hand creams that we felt actually worked to reduce the effects of aging, while also preventing further sun damage. The ingredients are unique and well-selected, because they actually work!
The subtle essential oil fragrance is soothing more than anything, and is definitely not too strong or overpowering. However, there is a hint of that sunscreen smell, so if you don’t like that, take that into consideration.
It actually did begin to brighten dark spots, and even helped reduce the appearance of scars, which we were surprised by, pleasantly!
The consistency is creamy, but not super thick. It is a bit greasy, but not greasy like your typical lotions. However, after a few seconds, it does start to disappear. Bottom line, if you are looking to add some hydration to your hands while also protecting against the sun, this is it.
However, if you have very dry or cracked skin, we’d probably recommend going for another product on our list.
What We Loved
- Best hand lotion for daytime use
- Protects against sun damage
- Lightens dark sun spots and scars
What We Didn’t Like
- Not ideal for very dry/cracked hands
- Scent is a hit-or-miss
How To Pick The Right Hand Cream
Now that you’ve had a chance to look through each product in-depth, have you decided on the best hand cream for you? If you’re still on-the-fence, then that’s okay. That’s why we’ve gone ahead and created this buying guide!
It’s going to ensure that you’re picking out the perfect cream for you hands’ needs!
Needs
Speaking of needs, what are yours? Do you have super dry/cracking skin that seems to not be reacting to anything else? Then you’re going to need an extra-strength cream to go along with that.
Do you not really have dry hands but are experiencing some premature aging from the skin? Then you probably aren’t going to want the same hand cream as someone with very dry skin.
Not every hand cream is designed for the same functions, so remember to really read up on what each product is designed to help assist with.
Scent
This is a pretty important aspect when it comes to lotion. No one wants to have their hands or really anything around them, smelling like something unpleasant, or something that is so strong it makes their head hurt.
Make sure to read up on the scent of the product you’ve got your eyes on. Keep in mind that many of these products actually don’t have a particular scent at all, and many people appreciate that, too.
Feel
What kind of texture do you like in a hand cream? Some people like a thinner, more watery feel, while others really love a thick, luxurious cream or even a more waxy texture. Hand creams vary widely in their consistencies, but they also vary in how they feel on the hands.
Most lotions out there actually leave behind a kind of greasy feel, which can be very inconvenient or undesired, especially if you are working around electronics or in an environment where you can’t afford to have your hands being all greasy and slippery.
Price
How much are you willing to spend on your new best hand cream? Don’t think that all of them are around the same price, because that is definitely not true. However, don’t just look at the final price when you’re budgeting.
If you can, try to calculate a price per application. Oftentimes, the ones with the higher price tags are going to last you much longer than the cheaper products, so in the end you may end up paying around the same, or even less than if you’d gone with the cheaper one.
Conclusion
So, have you decided on which one you’re going to go with? If you haven’t, allow us to reiterate how much we loved our two editor’s favorites: the Supergoop, and the Burt’s Bees Almond and Milk.
Supergoop is the best daytime cream out there, due to its protective properties against the sun, while also working to reduce the appearance of age spots and wrinkles.
The Burt’s Bees Almond and Milk is our favorite for use at any time. It smells and feels luxurious and soothing, and doesn’t leave behind a huge greasy mess like many other comparable products do.
Both are pretty affordable, especially when you consider how long the containers will last!
So, which one of these best hand creams will be making its way into your home?
