The 10 Very Best Hand Creams

Active ingredients: Peptides | Fragrance: Fragrance-free | Price: 2.2 ounces (Approx. $9/ounce)

When thinking of a hand cream that works well for most people, I kept a few things in mind. First (and most important), how effectively it moisturizes. I also considered hand-feel (nongreasy or sticky) and if it has any extras, like vitamin C or peptides to enhance skin. This one from Nécessaire ticks all the boxes and converted me into a verifiable hand-cream person. It’s the standard by which I rank all others. I’m currently on my third tube and hoard them whenever I can. The brand recently reformulated its hand cream, and despite a slightly thinner consistency, it’s still virtually perfect: rich and moisturizing without being greasy, no strange residue after it dries down. My hands still feel like, well, my hands, just more supple and moisturized. A peek at the ingredients list reveals lots of good-for-skin ingredients like peptides, niacinamide, vitamin C, and vitamin E. The packaging is also worth mentioning. It takes cues from Aesop’s statusy aluminum tubes and not only looks cool as you continue to crush it as it gets used up but makes for a fairly sturdy construction. And at $20, it’s a bit more expensive than the $5 lotion you might find at a drugstore, but it’s a small luxury that’s completely worth it.

Active ingredients: Vitamin E, vitamin C | Fragrance: Aloe| Price: 3 ounces (Approx. $1/ounce)

For a more affordable option, I recommend this hand cream from Gold Bond, which is only $4 and punches well above its weight. It has a lotion-y consistency that sinks in easily and has a few key ingredients like vitamin E and vitamin C. Both help to protect skin from environmental stressors, particularly UV rays. Even though it doesn’t contain SPF, I like that it offers a bit of protection, especially since it’s easy to forget to apply (let alone reapply) sunscreen to hands. It’s also a favorite of dermatologist Dr. Karan Lal, who likes that it doesn’t need to be used too often. I like to keep this one in my car because it actually lasts through hand washes. It won’t keep your hands as supple as when you first apply, but they won’t go back to being bone dry either.

Active ingredients: Lanolin, shea butter, vitamin E, coconut oil | Fragrance: Coconut | Price: 1.7 ounces (Approx. $9/ounce)

We’re longtime fans of lanolin here at the Strategist. The sheep-derived oil is a popular moisturizing ingredient, especially in diaper and nipple creams (many moms have recommended it to us in articles past). Of all the brands that make lanolin-infused products, Lano is probably the most ubiquitous. Its 101 Ointment is a staple for people with extremely dry skin, so it stands to reason that it makes a solid hand cream too. It uses triple the amount of lanolin as Lano’s regular formula along with vitamin E and shea butter for even more moisturizing properties. Despite the rich ingredients, it’s not the least bit greasy. This one comes recommended by my former boss, beauty expert Dawn Davis, who has been a beauty editor for two decades and has tried most everything as a result. “It has absolutely zero residue,” says Davis, “and somehow lasts through handwashing.” She’s partial to the coconut version (which also includes coconut oil), but if that doesn’t appeal, there are three other scents to choose from.

Active ingredients: Glycerin, niacinamide, glycerin, shea butter | Fragrance: Unscented | Price: 1.69 ounces (Approx. $7/ounce)

I’m a longtime fan of La Roche-Posay for sensitive skin, because all of the products are formulated with soothing, gentle ingredients. The brand’s hand cream follows suit, containing ingredients like glycerin, niacinamide, and shea butter. It’s also a favorite of Strategist writer Lauren Ro, who describes it as a “thick gel more than a cream.” Ro says that the consistency makes it more effective and it actually moisturizes her “super-dry” hands. “It’s clingier,” she says. “It actually stays on and hydrates your hands instead of absorbing immediately and rubbing off.” It’s also important to note that the formula is fragrance-free, a known irritant for sensitive-skin types.

Active ingredients: Coconut oil, shea butter, aloe, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, SPF 15 | Fragrance: Unscented | Price: 1.7 ounces (Approx. $16/ounce)

Hands can experience the same levels of UV damage as the rest of the body, and since they have less fat tissue than the face, they can begin to look wrinkled sooner. A hand cream with SPF can help to protect your hands. If you’re using a hand cream with actives you’ll definitely want a hand cream with SPF, because ingredients like acids and retinols can make skin more senistive to UV rays. Strategist writer Chloe Anello, who burns easily, likes this hand cream from Unsun, which apparently kicked off her obsession with SPF-filled hand creams — so much so that she’s on her third tube. It contains shea butter, aloe, and coconut oil to nourish and moisturize, along with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, physical blockers that protect from UV damage by bouncing the sun rays off the skin.

Active ingredients: Lactic acid (15%) | Fragrance: Fragrance-free | Price: 4.9 ounces (Approx. $3/ounce)

If you deal with dry, flaky skin, Lal recommends this cream from Amlactin, which contains lactic acid. “It gently exfoliates and hydrates at the same time,” says Lal. Lactic acid increases cell turnover and helps to make skin look smoother overall. Even though it can be used on the entire body, its thick consistency makes it particularly good for hands.

Active ingredients: 2% Colloidal oatmeal | Fragrance: Unscented | Price: 3 ounces (Approx. $1.6/ounce)

There’s another Gold Bond option on this list, because they’re cheap but effective. I personally don’t have eczema, so I asked someone who does: our beauty columnist, Rio Viera-Newton. She discovered this hand cream during the height of COVID, when she was washing her hands upwards of ten times a day. It healed her dry eczema patches in just a few days thanks to ingredients like colloidal oatmeal, aloe, and vitamin E. “It has a thick, hydrating texture,” she says of the consistency, which works well to soothe dry patches and irritation.