Hand Creams and Lotions to Keep Your Hands Soft and Moisturized
I’ve been washing my hands more than ever these days—and as a result, I’ve been experiencing dry and irritated skin. Hand washing strips the natural oils from skin, and some hand soaps contain various chemicals and skin irritants that further exacerbate issues like dryness and dermatitis.
Hand Sanitizers and Soaps to Keep Your Hands Clean
If you also live in a dry climate or the weather is cold, then you definitely should use a good hand cream or lotion to restore moisture and balance to skin. Not only will your skin look and feel softer and smoother, but moisturizing your hands will also help maintain their youthful appearance. Lotions, creams and other hydrating products trap water in your skin, providing a plumping effect that makes lines and wrinkles appear less visible.
Check out our guide to ultra-hydrating hand creams and lotions that will keep your hands soft and moisturized. Discover and shop below!
1818 Farms Wedding Cake Shea Creme ($10-$20)
Handmade on a farm in Alabama, this all-natural shea creme provides rich hydration with shea butter and coconut oil. Available in eight delectable scents, including scrumptious Wedding Cake (pictured). The jar feels as light as air and the product sinks effortlessly into skin. Comes in a 4 fl oz and 8 fl oz size.
Algenist GENIUS Liquid Collagen Hand Cream ($38)
This collagen-packed hand cream helps to brighten and even skin tone, improving the appearance of dark spots. Ingredients include active vegan collagen, alguronic acid, and a moisture complex of glycerin and shea butter to deliver immediate and lasting hydration. Formulated with antioxidants, vitamin E, and paired with a powerful vitamin C, it helps to reveal more even and nourished skin.
Avalon Organics Nourishing Lavender Hand & Body Lotion ($11.95)
This nourishing combo of lavender essential oil, aloe, plant lipids, and nutrient-rich beta-glucan work together to restore skin's natural lipid balance. Long-lasting hydration instantly replenishes, rebalances and softens extra dry skin. Vegan and not tested on animals.
AVYA Skincare Nourishing Hand Treatment ($26)
This nourishing hand treatment is formulated with citrus stem cell technology and hyaluronic acid to help hydrate, brighten and protect dry chapped hands. After application, they will feel softer and more supple, and appear more youthful-looking.
Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Hand Cream ($16)
Tackle dry, irritated hands with this deeply moisturizing, protective hand treatment. The fortifying formula is packed with sugarcane-derived squalane, omega fatty acids, vitamin E, and 10% vegan glycerin for immediate relief and smooth, healthy hands.
Birkenstock Natural Skin Care Moisturizing Hand and Nail Cream ($25)
This hand and nail cream features Birkenstock Natural Skin Care's signature ingredient, cork oak extract, which has highly effective anti-aging properties. The formula is also packed with jojoba which provides moisture, prevents skin aging, and smooths and nourishes the skin, making it soft and supple. Moisturizing avocado oil helps shield against free radicals, while aloe vera cools and calms dry, itchy skin.
Elemis Pro-Radiance Hand and Nail Cream ($42)
This super-smooth hand cream quickly absorbs to instantly rejuvenate hands and condition nails. Fragranced with exquisite white flowers, the blend of milk protein, avellana seed oil, rare anti-aging omega 7, camellia, virgin plum and macadamia forms a silky barrier that locks in moisture. Hands are left youthfully radiant and soft with no oily traces.
EltaMD So Silky Hand Creme ($19)
Created to keep hands moisturized through handwashiing, this hand creme hydrates dry, flaky skin up to 12 hours from a single application even after hand-washing. Featuring ingredients that include powerful ceramides, gentle emollients and vitamin E, this nourishing, non-sticky and oil-free formula revives dry, rough hands and helps improve the appearance of skin discolorations with plant-derived ingredient, Sclareolide.
Eminence Organic Skin Care Mangosteen Replenishing Hand Cream ($34)
Ideal for aging hands, mangosteen is an antioxidant-rich super fruit that helps the appearance of skin and minimizes the look of environmental stress, all while promoting natural radiance. Lactic acid also acts as a gentle alpha-hydroxy-acid (AHA) exfoliant that removes build-up and improves skin hydration for brighter, smoother skin.
Eucerin Advanced Repair Hand Cream ($4.69)
This unique formula specifically made for hands combines Ceramide-3, natural moisturizing factors and nourishing shea butter. It helps repair dry skin and provides moisture for noticeably smoother and softer hands. Hands are noticeably smoother after just one use.
FarmHouse Fresh Moon Dip Back to Youth Ageless Mousse for Hands ($16)
This hand cream is boosted by vitamin-rich emollient oils that lock in hydration and suppleness. It features a powder-soft texture and deep-wrinkle peptides visibly firm the look of skin over time, smoothing the look of dull, uneven textures. The intoxicating scent is that of light oat milk—positively scrumptious!
Fountain of Truth Youth in Hand Cream ($28)
This luxurious treatment instantly improves skin's moisture while restoring a youthful glow. The triple emulsion formula has an emollient-rich blend of shea butter, coconut and macadamia oils, honey and jojoba. Breakthrough age-defying ingredients CoQ10, niacinamide, glucosamine and vegetable-derived squalene, along with potent tremella fuciformis sporocarp and Fountain of Truth's super bio-ferment complex, provide skin with a more youthful appearance, leaving hands nourished, hydrated and soft.
Jurlique Rose Hand Cream ($26)
This rich, protective hand cream features the brand’s signature rose scent from roses that are grown and extracted on Jurlique’s organic farm in South Australia. It's enriched with botanical extracts to soothe and calm the skin, leaving hands hydrated, softened and protected. IT also rebalances dryness and restores smoothness.
Kat Burki Hand Therapy ($45)
This ultra hydrating vitamin-enriched hand cream is designed to address weathered, damaged skin, and keeps hands soft, smooth and youthful looking. Nourishing cold processed oils and a potent KB5™ Complex (Arnica, Gotu Kola, Lavender, Calendula, Chamomile) replenishes hydration and helps improve the visible signs of aging.
LALICIOUS Sugar Lavender Hand Cream ($18)
Treat hands to this soothing and luxurious hand cream that features the scent of sweet lavender blossoms. Ingredients include mango butter to deeply moisturize and nourish, and milk thistle which provides anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial benefits, sealing in moisture with a protective barrier. The hand cream is available in six other incredible fragrances. Click here to view the full collection.
Lather Rose & Shea Hand Therapy ($16)
This luxurious formulation is enriched with rosehip seed oil, which is an excellent source of antioxidants and fatty acids. Combined with shea butter, olive and oat, it plumps and soothes dry skin, while protecting from additional moisture loss. Absorbs quickly with a velvety, non-greasy feel. Features the light and intoxicating natural aroma of rose and geranium.
Leaf People Unscented Hand & Body Lotion ($25)
This gentle restorative hand and body lotion helps to soothe and condition skin with a blend of Mediterranean olive oil, Kalahari melon seed oil, beet sugar prebiotics, and vitamin E. The family-friendly formula is great for all skin types and every age.
LILFOX x Muse & Heroine Violet Rose The Hand Treatment ($78)
This hydrating hand treatment is limited edition and was made exclusively for Muse & Heroine. It absorbs deep into the skin without leaving any residue behind. Rich in botanically derived and clinically proven actives, it’s formulated with a firming 5% alt retinol dew bean extract. Reduces crepiness and rough texture while softening cuticles. Features the incredible scents of Bulgarian rose, grassy violet and subtle woodsmoke.
Mademoiselle Provence Hand Creams ($12.50 each)
`00% made in Provence, these soothing and hydrating hand creams are inspired by timeless French recipes and feature protective shea butter, moisturizing glycerin, replenishing oils, and/or natural floral extracts. The natural personal care line was founded by former Miss France, Chloe Mortaud. Available in four scents: Rose & Peony, Verbena & Lemon, Lavender & Angelica, and Almond & Orange Blossom.
Mojave Desert Skin Shield Organic Oasis of Mara Hand Cream ($32)
The name Oasis of Mara stems from the first known Indigenous settlement in the Mojave Desert, known for its lush fruit and vegetable gardens. This hydrating hand cream is a special safe for skin formula, dermatologist-tested and specifically designed to care for hard working hands. Vegan and cruelty-free.
Naturopathica Lemon Verbena Omega-3 Hand Cream ($27)
This rich, nutrient-dense hand cream contains whipped shea butter, quinoa amino acids, and omega-3-rich chia seed oil to deeply nourish, protect and fortify the skin. Lemon verbena, well known for its calming properties, provides aromatherapy relief any time of the day.
Oars + Alps Dry Hand Repair Cream ($12)
To help combat the drying-effects of washing, this formulation is full of hydrating ingredients, including 20% shea butter to keep skin soft, coconut oil to keep skin moisturized, and sunflower oil to reduce redness and roughness. Dry Hand Repair features the scent of cedarwood, lime and fresh greens, and is free of aluminum, alcohol, glycols, parabens, phthalates, sulfates and talc. The product is also gluten- and cruelty-free, as well as vegan.
Odacite Intensive Hand & Heel Therapy ($39)
Great for hands overworked by gardening, cooking and washing, and for feet roughened by walking barefoot or from wearing sandals, this intensive nourishing moisturizer transforms rough skin. Extraordinary shea butter pairs with olive and sunflower oils to quench and nourish severely dry skin. Alpha hydroxy acids derived from fruit and sugar help skin stay soft and smooth. Lemon, spearmint, grapefruit and rosemary provide an immediate refreshing effect as they promote clean, invigorated skin.
Oribe Côte d’Azur Nourishing Hand Cream ($52)
This rich creme revitalizes hands and lightly scents with Oribe’s signature Côte d’Azur fragrance. A luxurious blend of oils and shea butter hydrates and repairs, making it perfect for everyday use or as an overnight treatment. Ingredients include glycerin and panthenol to prevent dryness, sodium hyaluronate to deeply moisturize and improve elasticity, and a blend of sweet almond, meadow foam and starflower oils to rejuvenate and replenish.
PCA Skin C&E Hand Renewal ($80)
This hand treatment is specially formulated for the delicate skin on hands to increase cellular turnover, provide optimal protection from free radical damage, and target UV-induced dark spots. Added emollients moisturize and hydrate hands. It features a unique combination of pure vitamins C and E with added advanced antioxidants that work synergistically to provide hands with the optimal protection from free radical damage and increase cellular turnover.
Skylar Renewing Isle Hand Cream ($16)
This renewing hand cream features a nourishing non-greasy formula with a skin-boosting peptide to help keep hands looking youthful and hydrated. Its powerhouse ingredients include hyaluronic acid, black currant seed oil, grapeseed oil, aloe leaf juice, chamomilla recutita flower extract, coconut oil, hemp seed oil, vitamin E, rosemary leaf extract, and hemp seed oil. Deeply moisturizes for all-day relief.
SpaRitual Hand Salve ($18)
This healing hand salve is formulated with ancient healing ingredients including marula oil, shea butter, and honeybush extract. It moisturizes, softens dry skin, and provides a breathable layer of protection, while the rejuvenating scent elevates the senses. Vegan, cruelty-free, and nature-derived. Features the pleasant scent of citrus cardamom.
Valmont Hand 24 Hour ($115)
This luxurious poly-active cream delivers instant efficacy, protecting and repairing the skin's barrier for up to 24 hours. With repeated use, it progressively hydrates and restores the skin to make the hands look and feel softer and younger.
[Images courtesy of brands]
Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk