The 18 Best Hand Creams, According to Allure Editors
We rely on our hands for just about everything we do — every text, double tap, and crucially important right swipe — but we rarely give them the much-needed TLC they deserve. Plus, with all that exposure to the elements, it's no wonder they're the first place to show signs of weathering. Luckily, though, there's an abundance of skin-softening, nourishing, and ultra-hydrating hand creams on the market that, when used consistently, ward off signs of damage from daily wear and tear. And, the best part is there are excellent formulas available at every price point, no matter your budget. With the latest innovations landing on our desks at an ever-rapid rate, you could say we've tried our fair share of the lot, which means we've got a good idea of the lotions that work, as well as the ones that aren't truly worth it. Curious about the ones we can't stop slathering on right now? Check out our current faves that fit into every budget, below.
Photos: Courtesy of Brands
M61 Hydraboost Hand Cream
Our resident makeup editor Sable Yong swears by M61's peptide-infused Hydraboost Hand Cream for its skin-smoothing, line-softening properties. It also contains ultra-hydrating vitamin B5, nourishing shea butter, and avocado oil to deeply hydrate even the driest, cracked hands.
$18 (Shop Now)
Nubian Heritage Abyssinian Oil & Chia Seed Hand Cream
A new favorite for our digital deputy beauty director Sophia Panych, Nubian Heritage's Abyssinian Oil & Chia Seed Hand Cream features a nourishing blend of abyssinian oil (an ingredient rich in omega 6), chia seed, and jojoba oils. And together, they work in tandem with ingredients like panthenol (aka vitamin B) and vegetable glycerin to give parched hands a hefty boost of hydration.
$10 (Shop Now)
Aveeno Eczema Therapy Hand Cream
If your hands are struggling with aggressive dryness and itch from eczema, you can't go wrong with Aveeno's Eczema Therapy Hand Cream. Infused with soothing colloidal oatmeal, the thick (not greasy!) formula works to par down redness, itching, and stubborn dry patches. Our skin editor Sarah Kinonen calls it a dream, too, so you know it's the real deal.
$13 (Shop Now)
Gold Bond Ultimate Intensive Healing Hand Cream
This is another must-have for Panych, who picked up Gold Bond's Ultimate Intensive Healing Hand Cream at the airport before hopping on a moisture-swallowing plane to save her dry skin. Thanks to a blend of glycerin, silk amino acids, and vitamins B, C, and E, her hands stayed hydrated throughout the entire flight.
$4 (Shop Now)
The Body Shop Almond Milk & Honey Calming & Protecting Hand Cream
Not only is The Body Shop's Almond Milk & Honey Calming & Protecting Hand Cream TSA-friendly, but it also smells delicious and has an instant calming effect, as it's infused with real honey and soothing almond oil.
$8 (Shop Now)
Yes To Coconut Protecting Hand & Cuticle Cream
Infused with skin-softening shea butter and smoothing passionfruit, Yes To Coconut's Protecting Hand & Cuticle Cream works to rid your digits of dry spots and soothe snaggle skin.
$5 (Shop Now)
Caudalíe Hand and Nail Cream
A favorite of our deputy digital beauty director's, Caudalíe's Hand and Nail Cream deeply nourishes your digits with antioxidants and shea butter. Bonus: It smells divine, too.
$10 (Shop Now)
Weleda Sea Buckthorn Hand Cream
With a subtle fruity scent and soothing ingredients like beeswax, sesame, and sea buckthorn oils, hands feel immediately moisturized and supple post-application with Weleda's Sea Buckthorn Hand Cream.
$11 (Shop Now)
Hand Chemistry Youth Intense Complex
Hand Chemistry's Youth Intense Complex is a multi-use, highly concentrated skin saver comprised of the biotechnological derivative of a mushroom, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp — an ingredient shown to be 400 times more moisturizing than hyaluronic acid — works overtime to improve the appearance of fine lines, hyperpigmentation, and texture, resulting in one seriously healthy-looking pair of hands.
$25 (Shop Now)
Eau Thermale Avène Cold Cream Hand Cream
Designed for those with sensitive skin, Avène's Cold Cream for hands is a lightweight lotion that instantly soothes dry, chapped areas on the hands, thanks to glycerin and thermal spring water.
$15 (Shop Now)
Jo Malone Geranium & Walnut Hand Cream
If you're into fancy hand creams (who isn't?), then you'll love Jo Malone's Geranium & Walnut Hand Cream. With notes of geranium and walnut, hands will smell warm yet crisp — and will feel well-hydrated long after application.
$30 (Shop Now)
Karuna Age-Defying+ Hand Mask
Technically a hand "mask," Karuna's Age-Defying+ Hand Mask serum reduces fine lines and wrinkles, smooths calluses, and targets hyperpigmentation. What else could you ask for?
$30 (Shop Now)
Supergoop Forever Young Hand Cream with Sea Buckthorn Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 40 PA+++
An Allure editor favorite, Supergoop Forever Young Hand Cream UV-protecting hand cream soothes with sea buckthorn fruit and hydrates with meadowfoam sea oil, which reinforces the skin's natural lipid barrier and prevents moisture from escaping.
$38 (Shop Now)
Tatcha Indigo Soothing Silk Hand Cream
Like the rest of Tatcha's Indigo line, its Tatcha Indigo Soothing Silk Hand Cream specifically targets dry, sensitive skin, and works wonders on rough patches and/or minor rashes.
$38 (Shop Now)
Chanel La Crème Main
Perhaps the priciest of the bunch (thanks to its $50 price tag), Chanel's La Crème Main is luxurious to its core. Rose wax softens, while iris pallida brightens skin — together, they'll leave hands supremely smooth (and never sticky).
$50 (Shop Now)
Aveda Hand Relief Cream
A favorite of our deputy digital beauty director's, Aveda's Hand Relief Cream contains vitamins E and A to reduce discoloration and enhance moisture. Here's why she loves it:
"One of my biggest pet peeves is my hands feeling dry. It drives me nuts, so I'm constantly applying and reapplying hand cream. That means I've tested a LOT of options over the years, and have become quite a hand cream connoisseur because of it. This one from Aveda has been a long-time favorite — putting it on is like a sigh of relief for my skin (its name is spot on). It has the same luxurious, silky texture of a face cream and leaves my skin feeling soft but not slippery or greasy (although it will leave marks on your phone if you touch it immediately afterward). I love the soft, comforting scent as well, which is hard to describe: a little bit nutty, a tad citrusy, and a subtle as a whisper."
$24 (Shop Now)
Skinfix Eczema Hand Repair Cream
Skinfix's Eczema Hand Repair Cream is an ultra-rich formula chock full of soothing colloidal oatmeal, beeswax, and shea butter — works overtime on stressed, super-dry skin caused by eczema. It's also won an Allure Best of Beauty award two times, so you know much we stan for it.
$13 (Shop Now)
Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve
A recommendation from our associate editor Loren Savini, Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve is a soothing emulsion that contains avocado and sesame oils to help repair and restore damaged skin. "I'm extremely rough on my hands and I feel like this erases all of the damage and protects against more; it feels like I have a barrier of moisture," she says. "Also, it doesn't smell like much, which is nice because I don't like my hands to smell like a Limited Too," she adds.
$23 (Shop Now)
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