The Top 5 Hand Creams

A good hand cream can help your hands look young and feel soft. When you're frequently washing your hands, the skin dries out quickly. The elements in your environment can also take a toll on the state of your hands. Hand creams are one way you can help moisturize them. Applying a nourishing cream is a low-key way of making sure your hands stay beautiful. To help you sift through all of the hand creams on the market, here are reviews of five of the best.

O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream

Perfect for Hardworking Hands

This hand cream works well for dry, cracked hands.

Best Overall

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If you don’t like greasy hand creams, this is a great formula. It’s a strong formula, which is perfect for people who have hardworking hands that are frequently exposed to the elements and water. This hand cream is unscented. The tube holds 3-ounces, and is a great size for bringing along with you. Then you will always have it when you need it. With this hand cream, a little goes a long ways. You want to start with a small, pea-sized amount, because if you use too much it can feel sticky until it all gets absorbed.

Pros

You only need a small amount
Unscented
Very moisturizing for dry skin

Cons

If you apply too much there’s a weird sticky feeling

Burt’s Bees Ultimate Care Hand Cream

All Day Moisturization

One application of this hand cream will help moisturize your hands all day long.

Runner Up

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Do you prefer a more natural hand cream? This one contains no phthalates, parabens, petrolatum, or SLS. There is no added fragrance. This cream is made from nourishing ingredients such as Baobab oil, watermelon seed oil, and green tea extract. It’s formulated for all-day protection. This product is dermatologist tested, and hypoallergenic. As you apply it, it provides gentle exfoliation as well to keep your hands beautiful. This hand cream absorbs very quickly, so you can get on with your day. The tube contains 3.2-ounces.

Pros

More natural ingredients
Absorbs quickly
Gently exfoliates as well as moisturizes

Cons

A higher price point than many other hand creams

Eucerin Advanced Repair Hand Cream – Pack of 3

Keep Your Hands Soft on the Go

This travel size tube of hand cream can go on all of your adventures with you.

Best for Travel

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If you’re frequently on the go, you need a portable hand cream. This set includes three small (2.7-ounce) tubes. It contains the powerful Ceramide-3 and nourishing Shea butter to help keep your hands smooth. There aren’t any fragrances, parabens, or dyes in this formula. However, it does contain Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA). This ingredient helps gently exfoliate your skin. But, it also may increase your sensitivity to the sun. It’s important to wear sunscreen when you use this product. This hand cream absorbs quickly, which is important when you’re traveling. Also, it won’t leave your hands feeling greasy.

Pros

Set of three tubes
Great size for travel
Non-greasy formula

Cons

May increase your sensitivity to the sun because of the AHA

Pre de Provence Midnight Garden Hand Cream Trio Gift Box

Beautiful Gift Set

This set of three hand creams makes a thoughtful gift.

Best Variety

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Do you prefer scented hand cream? In this variety set, there are three different fragrances, Lavender, Verbena, and Original. The original smells clean and powdery. They arrive packaged in a cute box that has bright flowers. It makes a great gift. This hand cream is infused with Shea butter. This natural ingredient comes from the karite tree and helps moisturize your skin. Each tube contains 1-ounce, so it’s a great size to put into your purse. Then you can moisturize your hands whenever you need to. If you’re trying to avoid plastic, you’ll appreciate that each tube is made from metal, not plastic.

Pros

Beautiful presentation
Non-plastic tube
Contains Shea butter for moisturizing

Cons

It can be hard to squeeze out the last bit from the metal tube

NIVEA Cream – Unisex All Purpose Moisturizing Cream for Body, Face and Hands

Multi-Purpose Cream

You can use this nourishing cream on your hands, and the rest of your body.

Largest Size

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Are you looking for a hand cream that you can safely use on your face and body? This is a great multi-use option that works great everywhere. It’s a thick creamy formula that may help to restore moisture to your skin. Mineral oil and petrolatum are two common skin-care ingredients in this formula. It’s been dermatologist tested and approved. You can safely use this after each hand washing to help keep your hands from drying out. Instead of coming packaged in a tube like most hand cream, this one is in a tin container. You can easily scoop out exactly the amount you need, without worrying about squeezing out too much and creating waste. It is a larger tin, holding 13.5-ounces of cream. Since you only use a small amount for each application, this container should last you a long time.

Pros

Large container
Not in a tube so you can get exactly the right amount
Multipurpose so you can use it on your hands, face, body, and feet

Cons

The formula contains mineral oil and petrolatum, which are common skin-care products some people prefer to avoid

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you use hand cream?

When you are ready to moisturize your hands, you can apply hand cream. Put a small amount on the back of one of your hands. Then, rub it all over. As you apply it, rub your hands together to help spread it out between them. If your hands still feel dry, add a little bit more and repeat the application process. You always want to start with a small bit and then add more if necessary, because if you start with too much your hands may feel greasy or sticky. Once it’s rubbed in, allow the cream to absorb into your skin for a few minutes so you don’t transfer it to the next thing you touch.

How can hand cream help?

When you wash your hands, the water tends to dry out your skin. Damage to your hand skin can also occur due to exposure to extreme temperatures. The ingredients in hand cream may help remoisturize your hands, repair damaged skin, and combat signs of aging. It may help you get rid of flaky skin as well. Some hand cream also creates a barrier on your skin that can help seal in the moisture. When your skin is moist, you are less likely to develop dry skin that can crack. Cracking hands are very painful, so avoiding that condition is important. Not all hand cream will work the same on each person, so it’s important to find a brand that works well for your body. This may require experimentation with multiple products.

How often should you apply hand cream?

You want to apply hand cream whenever your hands feel dry. Many people keep a tube with them so that as they wash their hands throughout the day, they can apply some cream after each wash. Others prefer to apply it only at night, letting the ingredients soak into the skin as you sleep.