10 Best Hand Creams For Softer, Smoother Skin | Cult Beauty (2024)

Red nose? Check. Wooly jumper on? Check. Hands feeling cold, dry and looking chapped? Check. Check. And check. Alas, it’s that time of the year when the temperature drops and you’re darting between heated rooms and the harsh windy elements outside... Your poor paws don’t stand a chance. But fret, we’ve found a solution to this conundrum. Cue: the best hand creams.

So, whether you love to lather before bed, on the tube, at your desk or anywhere else, we’ve gathered some of the best hand creams on our Cult Beauty shelves so you can enjoy a daily indulgence while keeping your mitts hydrated, happy and silky soft.

OUR TOP 10 BEST HAND CREAMS

1. Grown Alchemist Restorative Hand Cream
2. Weleda Regenerating Hand Cream - Pomegranate
3. Avène Cicalfate Restorative Hand Cream for Very Dry Cracked Hands
5. Hello Sunday The One For Your Hands Hand Cream SPF30
6. Dr. Barbara Sturm Super Anti-Aging Hand Cream
7. BIOEFFECT EGF Hand Serum
8. Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm
9. BYREDO Bal d'Afrique Hand Cream
10. La Mer The Hand Treatment

THE BEST HAND CREAM FOR DRY HANDS

Grown Alchemist Restorative Hand Cream

Non-greasy and calling on the nourishing properties of rosehip seed oil, sea buckthorn and moisturising camellia kissi seed oil, Grown Alchemists’s Restorative Hand Cream not only works to hydrate your hands, but it also soothes and soften your palms and cuticles too. Plus, ideal for those living or working in harsh conditions, this skin loving formula is packed with comforting aloe vera and fortifying grapeseed oil that work with your body’s natural processes to improve the health of your skin over time.

Weleda Regenerating Hand Cream - Pomegranate

Dedicated to more mature hands, Weleda’s Pomegranate Hand Cream leans on the protective properties of organic sesame oil, hydrating shea butter and a blend of organic pomegranate and golden millet extract to ward off dryness while providing a veil to shield against environmental aggressors. The result? Hands that feel softer, smoother and more supple.

Avène Cicalfate Restorative Hand Cream for Very Dry Cracked Hands

A fan of frequent hand washing and excessive use of antibacterial gels? Avène’s Cicalfate Restorative Hand Cream is the skin softening solution for dry, itchy and chapped hands. Enveloping your skin in a water-resistant, protective cloak powered by sucralfate and antibacterial copper and zinc sulphates, this powerhouse potion restores balance to your moisture barrier and soothes sensitivity... Have we just found *the* best hand cream?

THE BEST SPF HANDCREAMS

Ultra Violette Extreme Screen Hydrating Body & Hand Skinscreen SPF50+

Infused with nourishing vitamin E, aloe vera and moisturising pentavitin (which delivers 72 hours worth of hydration FYI), protects with SPF50. Ideal for when your hands are on show, the cream keeps your skin shimmering thanks to its subtle sheen finish.

Hello Sunday The One For Your Hands Hand Cream SPF30

Ultra light, fast absorbing and infused with a delicate lime, geranium and mint scent, Hello Sunday’s The One For Your Hands Hand Cream with SPF30 keeps your mitts protected, hydrated and looking suitably soft. Infused with a blend of jojoba, avocado oil and karité butter, this simple but effective formula offers a heavy dose of hydration and all-day comfort.

THE BEST ANTIWRINKLE HAND CREAMS

Dr. Barbara Sturm Super Anti-Aging Hand Cream

Formulated with hyaluronic acid, aloe and prickly pear extract, Dr. Barbara Strum’s Super Anti-Aging Hand Cream offers an intense shot of hydration that also boosts skin’s elasticity. Fast drying and quickly absorbed, this nourishing hand cream strengthens the skin’s protective barrier to fight against free radical , while also working to reduce the appearance of dark spots. Use standalone throughout the day, or as a powerful hand mask for an -indulgent treat during your self care Sundays.

BIOEFFECT EGF Hand Serum

Formulated specifically to tackle pre-mature aging of your skin, BIOEFFECT’s EGF Hand Serum is one of the best hand creams backed by scientific research. Utilising a blend of skin loving niacinamide, ceramides and hyaluronic acid, plus the brand’s cutting-edge Barley EGF complex, this daily hand lotion improves skin's barrier function, texture and appearance while simultaneously ensuring your hands look hydrated and healthy.

THE BEST LUXURY HAND CREAMs

Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm

A cult classic for good reason, Aesop's Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm has pride of place in many a beauty editor’s handbag. With a distinctive aroma of sweet almond, coconut, mandarin, cedarwood and rosemary, this rich lotion protects your skin against harsh weather, frequent washing and cold air. What’s more, melting into skin without leaving them feeling sticky or greasy, its replenishing formula works anywhere dry skin lives- elbows, fingers, toes and everywhere in between...

BYREDO Bal d'Afrique Hand Cream

A fan of BYREDO’s iconic scents? Why not indulge your hands with the alluring aroma of Moroccan cedarwood, vetiver and marigolds with BYREDO's Bal D'Afrique Crafted with a blend of shea butter, glycerin and dimethicone, this sensually scented lotion attracts moisture, forms a protective barrier and helps soften the look and feel of your hands...

La Mer The Hand Treatment

Powered by the brand’s iconic Miracle Broth complex, La Mer’s The Hand Treatment encourages brighter, smoother more intensely hydrated palms. Emollient-rich and deliciously scented, this treat ensures your skin feels baby-skin-soft. Harnessing the innovative blend of hand harvested sea kelp and utilising the Skin Brightening Complex within the formula, this powerhouse evens tone, texture and pigmentation on your skin, for hands that look nourished and silky.

HAND CREAM FAQs

What hand cream do dermatologists recommend?

CeraVe’s Reparative Hand Cream is recommended by dermatologists as a salve to soothe dry, chapped and itchy palms. Calling on a tri-cermaide complex, this hand cream helps fortify your skin barrier and locks in moisture for up to 24 hours. Dermatologists like this because its ingredient list is simple but effective and won’t aggravate already irritated skin.

Do hand creams really work?

Yes! Hand creams work because they are specifically formulated to target concerns usually caused by excessive hand washing and temperature changes. Most hand creams are crafted with a blend of humectants like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, dimethicone and petrolatum to form a protective barrier on the skin, guarding against the environment. What’s more, they’re also infused with moisturising must-haves like shea butter and soothing essentials like aloe to significantly improve the look and feel of your delicate skin.

What's the best thing for extremely dry hands?

Apart from using a soothing, super hydrating hand cream often throughout the day, doing an overnight hand treatment is also a good idea. This is as simple as using your favourite moisturiser and applying a thick layer before bed. Wearing cotton gloves on top of the treatment ensures better absorption and means you wake up to silky smooth hands come morning.

And there you have it, now you know the *cream* of the crop with our round up of the best hand cream, all that’s left to do is to pick your favourite one...