Although the hands are amongst the hardest-working parts of the body, they're often not given the care of other skin (like the face). Enter hand cream, which is a must for keeping the delicate skin soft and free from dryness, especially for aging and working hands, in dry climates or seasons like winter and when frequently washing your hands.
Based on extensive testing, we believe these are the most effective hand creams you can buy to heal and hydrate dry, cracked skin.
Our top picks:
"Hand creams hydrate skin, leaving hands feeling soft and looking smooth and plump," says Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab chemist Danusia Wnek. "You should see and feel the results almost immediately." And dermatologists agree: "It's so important to keep hands moisturized, as they are subject to even more environmental damage than the face," adds Gregory Brown, M.D., founder of RéVive Skincare in Louisville, Kentucky.
To help you sort through the endless formulas on the market, we have put dozens of the most popular hand creams through our rigorous tests over the years. We evaluate hand creams in our Lab using technical instruments to measure skin hydration and on consumer testers, who report their feedback on ease of use, texture, scent, look and feel of skin after application and more.
After reading our reviews of the best hand creams and lotions to moisturize even extremely dry skin, you can find more information about how we test, what to look for when buying a hand cream and more at the bottom of this guide. We also have a roundup of the best body lotions if you're looking for top-tested picks to moisturize your legs and arms.
Eucerin Advanced Repair Hand Cream
Eucerin Advanced Repair Hand Cream
Pros
- Highly moisturizing
- Anti-aging effects
- Easy to spread
Cons
- May leave skin tacky or greasy
| Key ingredients | Glycerin, ceramides, lactic acid |
|---|---|
| Size | 2.7 oz. |
The best hand cream for even extremely dry skin in our tests, Eucerin's combination of ingredients — glycerin, urea and sunflower seed oil — helped increase skin moisturization by an impressive 51%, according to measurements with the Corneometer device, which gauges skin hydration levels. In addition, testers gave it high marks for spreading easily and loved that it's purse-sized.
Another standout feature of the affordable Eucerin formula is that it contains alpha hydroxy acids, which increase cell turnover for younger-looking hands. "It left my hands feeling actually moisturized," one consumer tester reported. And the compliments didn't stop there, with others saying it "felt silky," "made my hands smooth" and even helped moisturize cuticles. Note that some testers found it left their hands feeling sticky or oily after application.
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Hand Cream
Pros
- Increased skin hydration by 40%
- Kept hands soft hours later
Cons
- Scent can be polarizing
- Can leave a greasy feel after application
| Key ingredients | Glycerin, hyaluronic acid |
|---|---|
| Size | 3 oz. |
Of all the hand creams in our test, this drugstore bargain Neutrogena hand healer is the only one with a gel-like formula. It raised skin hydration by a whopping 40% in Lab calculations. Hyaluronic acid helps add and lock in moisture, contributing to its impressive hydration scores. It scored well among testers for spreading easily on skin, though some users thought it had a greasy feel and the fresh scent was polarizing. "It kept my hands feeling very soft, even hours later," one tester commented. Another said: "My hands were very smooth and felt refreshed."
Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream
Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream
Pros
- Effectively hydrates skin
- Leaves skin soft and smooth
Cons
- Thick texture may feel greasy
| Key ingredients | Glycerin, fatty acids |
|---|---|
| Size | 2 oz. |
This thick, glycerin-rich Neutrogena cream has achieved cult hand-healing status for a reason: In our past tests, it was a top-scoring formulation, increasing skin's hydration levels by 40.3%. It also rated well with testers for making skin feel soft and smooth and its pleasant scent, though some thought the "thick" formula was greasy. "The best hand cream I've ever used," one consumer tester raved. More positive tester feedback: "You don't have to use a lot to make your hands feel conditioned," and "even after washing my hands, they were still moisturized."
Dove DermaSeries Dry Skin Relief Hand Cream
Pros
- Highly moisturizing
- Intensely softening
- Helps minimize chapped and cracked skin
Cons
- Not as fast-absorbing
| Key ingredients | Glycerin, fatty acids, vitamin E |
|---|---|
| Size | 2.5 oz. |
Our testers couldn't get enough of how soft the Dove cream made their skin feel. They rated the formula with glycerin and fatty acids best for improving the look of chapped or cracked hands, which are common in winter. With a 32% moisturization improvement after six hours, it's no surprise. As one GH staffer said, it makes your hands feel "baby soft and non-greasy after application." One even had her husband try it, and she said it seriously improved the look of his dry, "rough" hands.
Philosophy Hands of Hope Sparkling Grapefruit Hand Cream
Philosophy Hands of Hope Sparkling Grapefruit Hand Cream
Pros
- Soaks in quickly
- Non-sticky
- Portable
Cons
- Not as moisturizing as other top performers
| Key ingredients | Shea butter, fatty acids, vitamin E, plant oils |
|---|---|
| Size | 1 oz. |
Our consumer testers liked this luxurious Philosophy hand cream's citrus scent and said it absorbed quickly without leaving a tacky feeling. Testers reported it softened their hands and Lab measurements showed that it was mildly moisturizing, delivering a 15% improvement. Plus, the small size can fit in almost any bag, so it's perfect for on-the-go application.
"Each time I applied the cream, my hands felt super soft, smelled great and left no traces of extra product," one tester raved. If you, like some of our editors, prefer a different scent, there are nine other options available: green tea and avocado, coconut and guava, Hawaiian hibiscus, fig and pomegranate, berry and sage, fresh cream, peppermint, lemon custard and sparkling grapefruit.
Mario Badescu Rose Hand Cream with Vitamin E
Mario Badescu Rose Hand Cream with Vitamin E
Pros
- Contains hydrating and anti-aging ingredients
- Softens and smooths
Cons
- May be tacky
| Key ingredients | Glycerin, retinol, vitamin E |
|---|---|
| Size | 3 oz. |
For bonus anti-aging effects on hand wrinkles, turn to this Mario Badescu hand cream. "It makes my hands soft and smooth, and it smells nice," says GH Beauty Lab senior chemist Sabina Wizemann. "It's rich in humectants, emollients and occlusives to keep skin moisturized, nourished and pleasant to touch." But the benefits don't stop there: The formula "also has retinyl palmitate to improve skin tone and boost collagen that comes in handy for aging hands," she explains. "I find it best used at night as it is a touch sticky, and the rose scent is relaxing to cozy up before sleep."
Reserveage Hydrating Hand & Foot Cream
Reserveage Hydrating Hand & Foot Cream
Pros
- Smooths skin
- Absorbs quickly
- Anti-aging ingredients
- Can be used on hands and feet
Cons
- Expensive
| Key ingredients | Glycerin, peptides |
|---|---|
| Size | 2.5 oz. |
Combat crepey skin texture on hands, including wrinkles, with Reserveage's formula, recommended by GH Beauty Lab Executive Director Birnur Aral, Ph.D. “This rich-textured cream soaks right into skin and makes hands immediately feel silky-smooth," she says. "Thanks to the encapsulated copper peptides in its formula, it is designed to also work over time and help build collagen in skin." The icing on the cake? "It has a lovely scent which smells like a cross between cucumber and coconut," Aral notes. The formula also does double duty and can be applied on feet as well.
L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
Pros
- Intensely softening
- Generous size
Cons
- Rich formula may be too heavy for some
| Key ingredients | Shea butter, glycerin, plant oils |
|---|---|
| Size | 5.1 oz. |
L'Occitane's iconic, decadent hand cream made with a high percentage of shea butter is a GH beauty editor's go-to and a GH Sustainable Innovation Award winner. "This will always be my favorite hand cream — I love how rich the texture is and how deeply it moisturizes," says one GH editor. "I have really dry skin and used to struggle with my knuckles cracking in the winter and when I worked as a server, and this is one cream that changed everything for me." Bonus: The aluminum tube is fully recyclable. The formula has thick consistency, which may be too intense for those that prefer a lighter feel.
Aveeno Skin Relief Intense Moisture Hand Cream
Aveeno Skin Relief Intense Moisture Hand Cream
Pros
- Fragrance-free
- Effectively moisturizes and smooths skin
- Made with soothing active ingredient
Cons
- Some users noticed a slight residue on skin
| Key ingredients | Glycerin, oat kernel flour |
|---|---|
| Size | 3.5 oz. |
Aveeno's hand cream, which contains soothing eczema relief active ingredient oat kernel flour and moisturizing glycerin, was rated as many testers' favorite in our Lab evaluations. They said it made hands look the smoothest, and it scored high for how quickly it absorbed into the skin. Not only did testers love this fragrance-free formulation, but it also improved skin hydration by a notable 31%. Its thick formula provides a great barrier against outdoor elements without feeling oily (though some noted a bit of residue). "I loved how it spread easily and didn't feel greasy after," a tester remarked. "My hands felt smooth and moisturized."
Mary Kay Satin Hands Nourishing Shea Cream
Mary Kay Satin Hands Nourishing Shea Cream
Pros
- Smooths chapped skin
- Intensive formula
Cons
- May feel sticky
| Key ingredients | Shea butter, glycerin, plant oils, vitamin E |
|---|---|
| Size | 3 oz. |
Many testers said this rich fragrance-free Mary Kay hand cream helped make chapped hands appear smooth. The thickness is likely due to the high percentage of shea butter in the formula, Wnek explains, and is ideal for sealing moisture into cracked skin. Texture aside, users continue to gush about how much it's helped the feeling and hydration of their hands. "I used it before bedtime and in the morning [my hands were] still soft and silky," one consumer shared. Note that this is a heavy-duty formula — some testers said the consistency left their hands feeling tacky post-application. "A small amount goes a long way," a tester noted.
Soap & Glory Call of Fruity Hand Food Hand Cream
Soap & Glory Call of Fruity Hand Food Hand Cream
Pros
- Highly moisturizing
- Soaks in quickly
- Not oily
- Large size
Cons
- Some didn't like the fruity fragrance
| Key ingredients | Glycerin, shea butter, plant oils |
|---|---|
| Size | 4.2 oz. |
In our tests, this Soap & Glory hand cream was the least greasy and fastest-absorbing formula and testers noted softer, more moisturized skin "immediately." Credit goes to a plethora of fast-absorbing hydrating ingredients, including glycerin, grapeseed oil, shea butter and coconut oil. In Lab tests, it earned a strong score for moisturization, upping it 34%. "I used the hand cream after washing my hands and it always made them feel softer and smoother," one tester said. "I cannot stand when a hand cream is too tacky or greasy and this product was neither." While there was an overwhelmingly positive response to texture, the sweet scent was polarizing.
Vaseline Clinical Care Hand Sanitizer Lotion
Vaseline Clinical Care Hand Sanitizer Lotion
Pros
- Sanitizes and hydrates skin at once
- Lightweight and non-sticky
- Great value
Cons
- Not for intensive moisturization
| Key ingredients | Glycerin, vitamin E |
|---|---|
| Size | 5.1 oz. |
What if you could sanitize and soften hands at the same time? Enter this GH Beauty Award-winning, groundbreaking Vaseline hand lotion, which kills germs sans alcohol while hydrating with vitamin E and glycerin. The formulation delivers antibacterial effects without burning or stinging and relieves dryness, Lab analysis found. “It’s not heavy or tacky, and my hands feel both moisturized and clean, which is a rare feat,” Wizemann reports. Note that this may not be the best option for skin in need of intensive hydration.
Natura Brasil Ucuuba Restorative Hand Cream
Natura Brasil Ucuuba Restorative Hand Cream
Pros
- Softens and protects skin
- Non-greasy
- Sustainable ingredients
Cons
- Concentrated formula is easy to over-apply
| Key ingredients | Plant butters, vitamin E |
|---|---|
| Size | 2.6 oz. |
If you're interested in an eco-friendly, sustainable hand cream, Natura Brasil's formula is Aral's choice. "This cream’s hero ingredient is the ucuuba butter obtained from the Amazon, and Natura is dedicated using ingredients that are responsibly and fairly sourced, like the Brazil nut, murumuru, andiroba and the ucuuba butters used in their formulations," she explains. "I like this rich butter for immediate skin softening benefits and making hands feel coated with a protective film that does not feel greasy." It also comes in an aluminum tube, which lends itself for recycling, she notes. Pro tip: A little goes a long way, so squeeze a tiny bit from the tube at a time, Aral advises.
Fresh Hesperides Grapefruit Moisturizing Hand Cream
Fresh Hesperides Grapefruit Moisturizing Hand Cream
Pros
- Portable size
- Luxurious formula
- Softening
- Non-greasy
Cons
- Highly fragranced
| Key ingredients | Shea butter, glycerin, vitamin E |
|---|---|
| Size | 1 oz. |
This indulgent Fresh hand cream, a GH editor favorite, is beautifully packaged and small enough to tote on the go. "It’s super hydrating but not greasy and has the perfect uplifting scent," says GH beauty editor Dori Price. "I keep one in my handbag and one on my night table to remind me to apply before bed."
How we test hand creams
In the GH Beauty Lab's most recent test of hand creams, scientists evaluated 17 hand creams for their ability to hydrate skin, first using the Corneometer, a device that measures skin moisture levels. We calculated a moisture reading of bare skin, then dispensed a controlled amount of each product onto testers' forearms and measured hydration content a second time. Six hours later, testers returned to the Lab for another measurement to determine which creams actually improved moisturization.
GH Beauty Lab scientists then recruited 77 women to evaluate the label-masked hand creams and report back on how the product felt, absorbed and smelled. Combining Lab results and consumer feedback, the experts crunched the numbers and found which products were cream of the crop for moisturization, texture, application and scent. In total, the GH Beauty Lab tallied 2,853 data points to find the best-performing hand creams on the market.
What to look for when shopping for the best hand creams
"Simple moisturization and sun protection are the best treatments for hands," Dr. Brown says. Here are other points to keep in mind when searching for the right hand cream for your needs:
✔️ For dryness and cracked skin: Seek out "humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid to draw moisture into skin, plus occlusive ingredients like shea butter and petrolatum that will seal moisture in preventing hydration loss," Wnek advises.
✔️ For wrinkles and signs of aging: "Alpha hydroxy acids like lactic acid in hand cream formulas will exfoliate dry, flaky skin and increase skin cell turnover to reveal more radiant skin," Wnek adds.
✔️ For dark spots and discoloration: "Just like the skin on your face, the best way to prevent discoloration and sun spots is to protect skin when exposed to the sun," Wnek says. After your hand cream, "slather on a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher and reapply after washing hands," she suggests.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Danusia Wnek is a GH Beauty Lab chemist who led our most recent round of hand cream testing. She has spent years overseeing our skincare product testing, including hand creams, night creams, serums, moisturizers, eye creams and more, utilizing both lab instrumentation and consumer feedback to recommend the best products on the market.
Wnek worked with GH Beauty Director April Franzino on this guide, providing test results and expert insights. Franzino has over 15 years of experience researching, writing and editing skincare content, utilizing the expertise of the Institute's Beauty Lab scientists and top industry professionals such as dermatologists and aestheticians. She is an expert in all face and body skincare product categories, including hand creams, cleansers, toners, serums, moisturizers, exfoliators and more.
April (she/her) is the beauty director at Good Housekeeping, Prevention and Woman's Day, where she oversees all beauty content. She has over 15 years of experience under her belt, starting her career as an assistant beauty editor at GH in 2007, and working in the beauty departments of SELF and Fitness magazines.
Danusia (she/her) is a senior chemist in the Beauty, Health and Sustainability Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute where she evaluates haircare, skincare, cosmetics and beauty tools. She holds a B.S. in chemistry from St. John’s University and a M.S. in pharmaceutical sciences with concentration in cosmetic science from the University of Cincinnati. Danusia has over 10 years of experience in the personal care industry including formulation, product development, claim evaluation and efficacy testing.
