Hand cream: how to choose it and what to buy (2024)

Strong and well-shaped nails or a polished look with creative nail art are not enough to ensure beautiful and healthy hands at all times. It’s essential to take care of them consistently and attentively, just as we do with the rest of our body and face. Think about it: we use our hands to communicate, grab, touch, caress, feel, eat, and hold things, yet we only pay attention to them when it’s too late, when the skin is dry and chapped. What if, instead of fixing damage, we focused on prevention? A few simple steps, like adopting the right hand care routine and choosing the right products, are enough to keep hands looking cared-for, nourished, hydrated, soft, and protected.

Why are hands so sensitive?

The skin on our hands is thinner than on other parts of the body, making it particularly sensitive to cold, as well as other environmental and non-environmental factors it faces daily. Weather, humidity, UV rays, frequent washing, exposure to chemicals or harsh detergents, and even home heating can strip hands of essential lipids, dehydrate the skin, and damage its barrier function, leading to dryness, chapping, and in severe cases, irritation or worse. Our hands are also one of the first parts of the body to show signs of aging. Over time, they lose fat and elasticity, developing wrinkles, discoloration, and spots that reveal our age even more than our face, which we tend to pamper more frequently. The solution? Changing habits and starting to treat our hands with greater care and attention, opting for gentle cleansers and targeted creams to keep them soft, hydrated, and protected.

The hand care routine: 4 steps to perfect-looking hands

A proper hand care routine involves just four simple, quick steps. To do it effectively, dedicate just a few minutes and choose specialized products, ideally free of harsh ingredients like alcohol. Here’s how:

• Cleansing: We all wash our hands multiple times a day, but frequent and vigorous washing can compromise the skin’s barrier, leading to excessive dryness. To avoid this, opt for mild, fragrance-free cleansers and rinse with lukewarm water to maintain the hands’ natural oils. A great option is Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash by Aesop, a gentle hand cleanser with orange, rosemary, and lavender oils to effectively clean without drying.
• Exfoliation: The skin on our hands varies—thin and delicate on the back and thicker on the palms, with no sebaceous glands. Targeted care is essential to allow creams to penetrate and hydrate where needed most. Exfoliate with a product containing alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA).
• Sun Protection: Hands are constantly exposed to sunlight and UVA rays, making protection vital. The easiest solution is to choose a hand cream with SPF 30 or higher, or apply sunscreen and reapply after each wash.
• Moisturizing: The best way to prevent dryness is to hydrate regularly with a cream that combines humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid to draw water into the skin; emollients like ceramides or squalane to soften; and occlusives like petroleum jelly, shea butter, or coconut oil to lock in hydration. For an extra hydration boost, use a hand mask, such as gloves infused with active ingredients, worn for a few minutes or even overnight. You’ll wake up with perfectly soft hands!

What to look for in a hand cream

As the temperatures drop, it’s common to experience dry, chapped hands. Gloves—rubber ones for washing dishes and wool, fleece, or leather ones for braving winter weather—offer protection but don’t replace the need for a good hand cream. What makes a good hand cream effective? As mentioned earlier, look for nourishing and emollient ingredients that hydrate and soften the skin while maintaining the integrity of the skin barrier. Additional soothing elements like aloe vera or specific actives such as vitamin C, retinol, peptides, kojic acid, and azelaic acid can address specific concerns like hyperpigmentation and aging signs. Go for creams rich in plant-based butters like avocado and shea, almond oil, jojoba oil, glycerin, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, squalane, and similar ingredients.

Which hand cream should you buy?

There are many options available on the market, but once you've checked that the formulas contain the right ingredients, choosing the right hand cream depends on your needs, preferred format and fragrance, and how much you're willing to spend. Luxury creams, like Chanel's ones inspired by the Chance fragrance, have a soft texture and come in mini formats, making them perfect to carry in your handbag wherever you go. Those looking for extra hydration will love Rilastil's Xerolact, packed with glycerin, shea butter, and vitamin E, combined with Schisandra chinensis extract. Another great option is Nuxe Rêve de Miel Cica, a rich hand cream infused with Provençal lavender honey and centella asiatica, which deeply nourishes, soothes, and repairs while strengthening the skin barrier. For those who prefer a stronger fragrance alongside hydration, HAAN’s Coco Cooler hand cream offers a prebiotic complex with an irresistible sweet coconut scent. Sol De Janeiro’s Brazilian Touch hand cream, enriched with cupuaçu butter, features the signature Cheirosa '62 fragrance, a classic of the Brazilian brand. For a festive twist, try Aroma-Zone’s gingerbread-scented hand cream, enhanced with hyaluronic acid and organic oat and avocado oils. Fans of Selena Gomez may want to explore Rare Beauty’s Find Comfort Hydrating hand cream, which features notes of sparkling lemon zest, jasmine, and cashmere wood. If you’re looking to care for both your hands and nails, consider Biopoint's Hand & Nail Cream, which revitalizes and restores the delicate balance of dry and sensitive skin.