If you're concerned about sun damage or aging, you probably already use a face cream with SPF. But have you considered protection for your hands? Our hands are exposed to all sorts of environmental aggressors, from dry air to UV rays to persistent hand-washing. Pampering your hard-working hands with an SPF cream will help keep them soft, nourished, and protected from damage.
After comparing multiple products online, Alba Botanica's Soothing Sunscreen took top place in our list of favorites. This cream is formulated with aloe vera, vitamin E and more to keep your hands soft and hydrated. Plus, it offers SPF 45 for plenty of protection. Want to find out what other products made the cut in our top 10 list? Keep reading! We also compiled a buying guide at the end to give you some tips in choosing the right product for yourself.
Quick List - Top Hand Creams With SPF
Dr. Levy is a board certified dermatologist practicing in NYC and Westport, Connecticut. She has expertise in treating inflammatory skin conditions like acne, rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis. She has an interest in skincare and takes a personalized approach to all of her patients.
mybest US' editing team consists of experienced members who have backgrounds in writing, editing, translation, and more. We are dedicated to researching what makes a product or service the best to users in the US in order to create top-quality articles. From skincare, to kitchen appliances, and to DIY supplies, our mission is to find the best ones for you.
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We all know that SPF is essential, but our hands can often be forgotten. A regular sunscreen would work just fine, but since we wash our hands so much (or should, anyway), that sunscreen can wash right off along with your skin’s moisture and natural oils.
A hand cream with SPF is perfect to carry around with you so you can reapply throughout the day. In addition to providing sun protection, it also helps to moisturize dry skin.
The skin on the top of the hands is very thin and heavily exposed to the sun, making it a prime location for photodamage, skin cancer, and accelerated aging.
Many women and men dislike sun spots on their hands. Wearing daily SPF on the hands can help decrease your risk of developing skin cancer and help slow the signs of aging on the hands.
If you get UV gel manicures, putting on SPF prior to the appointment is recommended as well to prevent any damage from the UV rays.
When choosing a hand cream with SPF, pay attention to the ingredient list and make sure that all the ingredients work great for your skin type! Also, choose a product that can provide you with broad-spectrum protection for optimal suncare.
No hand cream is perfect for every skin type. If you have dry hands, need aging skincare, or have chapped hands from work, you can find one that is targeted to your skin.
If your hands are just slightly dry, you'll benefit from a product that contains a humectant, which helps increase the water content of your skin. Ingredients that will help you achieve that include glycerin, hyaluronic acid and urea.
For extremely dry hands, look for ingredients that can keep your hands moisturized and restore the condition of your skin. In addition to the ingredients listed above, look for oily ingredients like petrolatum, mineral oil and dimethicone, as well as ceramides to help lock in moisture.
Plant-based oils and butters like jojoba oil, shea butter and olive oil are pretty effective as well! Besides being ultra-hydrating, they're packed with nutrients that can soothe discomfort and form a protective barrier to prevent further damage.
Remember that the drier your hands, the richer your hand cream's consistency should be. So for extremely dry skin, you should opt for products with a creamy, thick texture instead of a light one.
But a rich hand cream will take time to completely absorb into your skin. So be patient and don't touch your smartphone or tablet right after application, or else you'll leave your fingerprints on everything!
For those with dry skin, eczema, or atopic dermatitis, I recommend a hand cream with ceramides or glycerin. These will help protect the skin and keep the skin barrier intact.
If you have skin with red, irritated patches or fissures, choose an ointment-based cream, as these are less likely to burn.
When your hands are constantly exposed to the sun without any proper protection, they become highly susceptible to getting wrinkles. Using a hand cream with SPF is a great start to avoiding this, but there are some other ingredients you can look for to help increase your hand cream's anti-aging power.
Vitamin E is a well-known ingredient that has been shown to leave your skin looking more vibrant and youthful. Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants, which help neutralize the free radicals that can damage your skin. Niacinamide, or vitamin B3, targets inflammation and pigmentation, while retinol (vitamin A) fights wrinkles and sun damage.
Alpha-hydroxy acids like glycolic and lactic acid act as light exfoliators, helping to slough off dead skin and improve its texture. Glycolic acid also boosts the natural levels of collagen and elastin in your skin, while lactic acid can help boost moisture.
Naturally-derived oils and butters such as coconut oil, shea butter, and rosehip oil are some other popular options that can help shield your skin from the damaging impacts of environmental aggressors while supplying nutrients to keep your skin nourished and silky-smooth.
If you have sunspots on your hands, look for a hand cream that has SPF, vitamin C, and/or retinol in its ingredient list.
The SPF will help prevent the sunspots from getting darker as well as prevent new ones. Vitamin C will help lighten your spots, and retinol will help with skin turnover. These antioxidants are a great way to help reduce the signs of aging on the hands.
For those with sensitive skin, perhaps the most important thing is to stay away from ingredients that can possibly cause irritation, including both chemical and natural ingredients like parabens, alcohol, fragrance, and dyes.
Some products are labeled as hypoallergenic to indicate that they're less likely to cause reactions. However, the use of this term is not regulated by the FDA, so it essentially means whatever the manufacturer wants it to. The best way to determine whether your skin will react to a hand cream is to do a small patch test first.
Environmental factors such as pollution and extreme heat can exacerbate skin conditions and cause irritation. In this case, you should find a product infused with calming ingredients like aloe vera, rosehip oil, and vitamin E. They are effective in soothing your skin while protecting from harmful damage by free radicals.
For those with dermatitis on your hand, using a good moisturizer is a must to keep the skin hydrated and repair the skin barrier.
Make sure the hand cream is fragrance-free, as that makes it less likely to be irritating. Also, avoid creams with essential oils, as these can make dermatitis worse.
Urban pollution, UV rays, and other environmental aggressors can cause skin discoloration and give your hands a dull-looking, wrinkled look. So to even your skin tone and to make your skin look more vibrant, go for ingredients like vitamin C, niacinamide, and rosehip oil.
Kojic acid is an antioxidant that also helps reduce hyperpigmentation. And sclareolide has been shown to be effective in lightening and reducing the appearance of spots to restore the appearance of your skin.
The SPF (sun protection factor) number shows how much protection against UVB rays you'll get. These are the main cause of sunburns and skin cancer. The higher the SPF number, the better the protection will be. For example, SPF 30 will shield you from about 97 percent of UVB rays, while SPF 100 can block approximately 99 percent.
Experts suggest using a product with at least SPF 30 for the best protection. Of course, the SPF number doesn't matter if you're not applying correctly or often enough, so try to re-apply after you wash your hands, or every couple of hours!
SPF indicates how much protection you get from UVB rays, but there are also UVA rays. While UVB rays are the main cause of sunburns, UVA rays have been shown to cause age spots and wrinkles.
The American Cancer Society reminds us that unprotected exposure to UVA and UVB can lead to skin cancer. So choose a product with broad-spectrum protection to ensure that your skin is shielded from both types of UV radiation.
For the best protection, sunscreen should be applied every two hours when outdoors. Therefore, you should look for a hand cream in a container that's portable and easy to use.
Many hand creams come in squeezable tubes that you can easily throw into your bag. Others come in pump bottles that give you more product. If you opt for a pump bottle, you may want to also purchase a refillable travel-sized container so you can take some of your hand cream on the go.
Hand creams get washed off easily since your hands are in contact with water and other materials often. This means the SPF gets washed off as well.
Try to make sure that you reapply the sunscreen to your hands throughout the day. Leave a travel-size tube in your car for long road trips, as your hands do get a lot of UV exposure while driving.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Alba Botanica Soothing Sunscreen | ![]() | Protect Your Hands and the Environment | |
2 | deborah lippmann Rich Girl Hand Cream | ![]() | A Botanical Brightening Complex to Even Your Skin Tone | |
3 | Supergoop! Handscreen SPF 40 | ![]() | Natural Extracts Improve Your Skin's Elasticity | |
4 | Hempz Yuzu & Starfruit Daily Herbal Lotion | ![]() | A Moisturizing Shield for Hands and Body | |
5 | jane iredale HandDrink | ![]() | Reef-Safe Sunscreen With Botanical Extracts | |
6 | Eucerin Daily Hydration Hand Cream | ![]() | An Ultra-Hydrating Hand Cream With No Fragrance | |
7 | LANCÔME Absolue Premium BX Hand Cream | ![]() | Ginkgo Biloba to Prevent Hyperpigmentation | |
8 | Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion | ![]() | A Skin-Soothing Lotion With Rich Emollients | |
9 | Retinol by Robanda Anti-Aging Hand Treatment | ![]() | Retinol and Emblica to Boost Collagen Production | |
10 | Gloves in a Bottle Shielding Lotion | ![]() | Keep Environmental Irritants at Bay |
This cream is infused with nourishing botanicals such as green tea, aloe vera, chamomile and lavender to deliver needed moisture to your skin while making it feel extra soft! With a fast-absorbing, lightweight consistency, the product can penetrate quickly into your skin and won't leave behind any greasy residue.
Plus, the formula is reef-safe, biodegradable and cruelty-free. So if you're concerned about the environment, this product might be a great option! It's also water-resistant for up to 80 minutes, so you can wear it to the pool or beach without worry.
Some reviewers warned that the lavender scent is quite strong and synthetic-smelling. Still, many reviewers found their skin much softer and more moisturized without greasiness. And they said it said it provided great protection when out in the sun.
Developed by celebrity manicurist Deborah Lippmann, this luxurious hand cream features a botanical brightening complex consisting of shea butter, avocado, and jojoba oil to brighten your complexion and even your skin tone. Those nutrient-rich ingredients are also ultra-moisturizing to help your hands stay soft and hydrated!
With broad spectrum SPF 25, this cream contains three UV-absorbing ingredients to provide protection from both UVA and UVB rays. However, some reviewers noted that the product contained perfume and didn't like the scent.
Still, many reviewers said it protected the skin from the sun's rays, faded away sunspots, and softened their hands significantly. Reviewers also mentioned that the consistency was lightweight and non-greasy.
If the skin on your hands seem to have lost its firmness, treat them to some of this handscreen! The formula touts sea buckthorn fruit extract and meadowfoam seed oil, two ingredients that can improve your skin's elasticity and even your skin tone.
This cream is also an excellent way to combat dryness since it contains argan oil, an ultra-hydrating moisturizer. And with a broad-spectrum SPF 40, the hand cream helps protect your hands effectively from both UVB and UVA rays!
Some reviewers didn't like the consistency of the product, saying it was too dense and felt more like sunscreen than hand cream. On the other hand, many reviewers loved how smoothly it applied and added that the cream left no greasy residue behind. Many said they kept it in their car for easy access.
This lightly-scented lotion has broad spectrum SPF 30 to keep both UVA and UVB rays at bay. It's formulated to be non-greasy and lightweight, making it great for everyday wear. It's also water-resistant for up to 40 minutes.
Hemp seed oil and shea butter lock in moisture and protect your skin, while coffee cherry extract contains antioxidants that help fight damaging free radicals. Vitamins A, B, C and E help to nourish your skin for a healthy look and feel.
Some reviewers said the pump on their bottle didn't work. Others found the smell to be too floral, although many said that it fades quickly. Overall, reviewers liked the sheer texture of this lotion and appreciated that it doesn't smell or feel like sunscreen. They said it's a great choice for daily sun protection.
As one of the products recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation, this reef-safe hand cream offers effective broad-spectrum protection from both UVA and UVB rays. It's also packed with nutrient-rich ingredients to hydrate and rejuvenate your skin.
Particularly, white and green tea extracts help neutralize the effects of free radicals and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The addition of apple extract helps even and brighten your skin tone. Meanwhile, lemongrass oil makes your skin feel refreshed.
Most reviewers thought this hand cream absorbed quickly, and some felt that made them need to reapply often. Still, many appreciated how it helped soften and moisturize their skin without leaving behind any residue or oily feeling. They also mentioned that it made their skin look more youthful!
This hand cream is infused with glycerin to supply your skin with needed hydration and leave it feeling silky-soft right after application. Plus, it's equipped with a broad spectrum SPF 30 formula to effectively shield your skin from both UVB and UVA rays.
The product is also dermatologist-tested and contains no fragrances or dyes, so even those with sensitive skin can feel safe about it! The formula is designed to absorb quickly into your hands without leaving behind a greasy residue.
Some reviewers said this product worked better as sunscreen than lotion. On the other hand, many reviewers were happy with how soft and hydrated their hands felt after using the product. Others added that the formula is non-greasy and can be reapplied throughout the day without any discomfort.
Sun rays can take a toll on your hands, so rejuvenate them with this hand cream! Enriched with ginkgo biloba leaf extract and liquitrine, this product can reduce the production of melanin due to exposure to UV rays and prevent hyperpigmentation as well as age spots.
The hand cream also boasts soybean protein, sea algae, and wild yam. These nutrient-rich ingredients help nurture your skin to make it firm, soft, supple and hydrated. It's lightly scented with a blend of bergamot, cardamom, green tea, cedarwood, iris and black tea.
Many reviewers claimed this product to be their absolute favorite since it helped fade away age spots and left their hands looking much more youthful. Others also loved how silky-soft their hands felt after each application. The lightweight texture was another plus for reviewers and they said a little product goes a long way!
This lotion is uniquely formulated with colloidal oatmeal that can effectively moisturize your skin while protecting it from environmental aggressors. It can also soothe itching, redness, and other skin irritations, and thus is suitable for those with easily irritated and sensitive skin.
The product features broad-spectrum SPF 15 protection. The non-greasy formula is designed to absorb quickly into your skin and has no added fragrance.
Some reviewers complained that the product had a thick consistency and a sunscreen smell. On the other hand, others loved the blend of natural ingredients since it left their skin feeling soft and supple after each use. Many further mentioned that the product was quite effective in protecting their skin from the sun.
Looking for an anti-aging treatment for your hands? This hand cream might be the ultimate choice for you! It contains emblica, which is naturally extracted from Indian gooseberry. This powerful ingredient can help shield your skin from the damaging impacts of free radicals and reduce hyperpigmentation.
It also features retinol, which helps promote the production of collagen in your skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. And SPF 15 gives you light sun protection to prevent new damage.
A few reviewers didn't see great results. On the other hand, most reviewers verified the product's anti-aging claims, saying it worked effectively in lightening age spots and reducing wrinkles. They also say it's not greasy and leaves their hands feeling silky.
If you have irritated hands, Gloves in a Bottle is for you! Packed with moisturizing, soothing ingredients, it's designed for people who suffer from dry hands, cracking, eczema and psoriasis. 35 percent aloe vera, plus arnica, chamomile and vitamin E, help to hydrate and lock in moisture for up to 12 hours.
In addition, this lotion can help protect your hands from everyday environmental irritants, like cleaning products, hand sanitizer, and cosmetic ingredients. With SPF 15, it's intended for light, everyday sun exposure.
Many reviewers appreciated that the product was gentle on their skin. Many others were also content with their skin condition after application, mentioning that their skin felt much softer and more hydrated. People further said that the cream absorbed quickly into the skin and left behind no greasiness.
Now your hands are covered, but what about your face and the rest of your exposed skin? Different parts of your body need different suncare. Check out our articles to see which products can help you.
No. 1: Alba Botanica |Soothing Sunscreen
No. 2: deborah lippmann|Rich Girl Hand Cream
No. 3: Supergoop!|Handscreen SPF 40
No. 4: Hempz|Yuzu & Starfruit Daily Herbal Lotion
No. 5: jane iredale |HandDrink
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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