10 Best Hand Creams for Dry and Rough Hands in 2022 (L'Occitane, Neutrogena, and More)
But you have different skin from the guy next to you. You live different lifestyles. If you need to be out in the drying winds, if your job demands you wash your hands constantly, then the cheap watery stuff may not work for you. So here are a few tips and tricks that will help you pick out the heavy-duty stuff–hand cream targeted at dry, cracked hands. Plus we'll introduce our favs, including L’Occitane's 20% Shea Butter Hand Cream!
Quick List - Top Hand Creams For Dry And Rough Hands
L'Occitane
The Goldilocks Cream With Ingredients Not Too Weak or Irritating
Josie Maran
Rich, Nourishing, and Bursting With Naturally-Derived Botanicals
Supergoop!
Includes Sunscreen and Skin-Nourishing Plant Oils for the Outdoors
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How to Choose Hand Creams For Dry And Rough Hands
Look for These Essential Moisturizers
If you want to be sure a hand cream will moisturize, there are a few powerhouse ingredients out there you can look for. Hyaluronic acid is a compound produced by your body, where it helps repair and hydrate skin.
Ceramides are another group of molecules that naturally reside in the upper layers of your skin; they contain fatty acids that hold on to moisture. Both can be derived from plants, but they are often synthesized in a lab. However, they’re more or less indistinguishable from their natural counterparts.
If, for any reason, you do want to stick with plant-derived ingredients, shea, jojoba, and cocoa butter are all potent moisturizers. You can also look for hand creams high in oils like argan, avocado, sweet almond, and sunflower. If you’re on the fence about whether or not you want a hand cream that’s all botanicals, Angela lays it out clearly below.
I use a lot of face oils because I have drier skin. And one of the ingredients is a mix of natural and synthetic. It’s squalane, which used to be derived from shark liver, but now there’s a company called Biossance that derives it from sugarcanes to make it more vegan-friendly.
Find a Hand Cream to Address Your Specific Concerns
For Crusty Hands, Look for Urea
Though it is a compound found in nature, the urea in beauty products is usually synthesized in a lab. It’s quite powerful, which means that can irritate sensitive skin and should not be used near open wounds.
So, for hand creams and body creams in particular, I always look for an oil or a butter in the first three ingredients. I noticed if the first three ingredients are things like water and glycerin and aloe vera, the formula ends up way too light to actually make a good hand cream.
Look for Aloe Vera if You Have Cracked or Chafed Skin
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant and protects your skin against environmental stressors. And you don’t necessarily need to look for hand creams that are specifically fortified with vitamins. Many botanicals include vitamins in them. Angela likes argan oil, which is not only packed with fatty acids, but with vitamin A and E.
This one might be obvious, but aloe vera is good for cracked skin. Not only does it hydrate, but it also disinfects open wounds. However, it’s still gentle enough for sensitive skin.
For Preventive and Heavy Nighttime Care, Stock up on Petroleum Jelly
Petroleum jelly is a by-product of oil-refining. It's made from the waxy substance found in oil rigs, which is then filtered to yield this skincare miracle. There are opponents of petroleum jelly, with some say it’s unsustainable (since it relies on oil drilling), while some worry it’s too heavy.
Brand-name Vaseline, however, is classified as a non-comedogenic, meaning it shouldn’t clog pores. Petroleum jelly is one of the most effective occlusives–that is, it traps water in your skin. It’s also an emollient, which means it softens flaky skin.
However, it is very greasy, which is why it’s not a popular skincare item to use during the day. But you can use it on your hands before you go to sleep, and it’ll lock in moisture and shield your hands from drying winds overnight.
If You Have Sensitive Skin, Go Light on the Scented Ingredients
You’ve probably heard all the bad rap about synthetic scents by now: they can irritate skin, harm your kidney, and mess with your hormones. However, even natural fragrances, including those derived from essential oils, can sensitize skin–that is, cause an allergic immune response.
If you have dermatitis or are prone to allergies, you may be more susceptible to sensitization. However, this does not mean you must avoid all essential oils with strong fragrances. This means you look at how concentrated the oils are and understand what does and does not work with your skin.
The two scents that I’m obsessed with are rose and peach. It’s relaxing, and you feel like you’re going to sleep in a spa. And I really like peach for the daytime because it perks you up and makes you think of summer exactly when it’s the coldest.
10 Best Hand Creams For Dry And Rough Hands Ranking
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | L'Occitane L’Occitane 20% Shea Butter Hand Cream | | The Goldilocks Cream With Ingredients Not Too Weak or Irritating | |
2 | Josie Maran Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter | | Rich, Nourishing, and Bursting With Naturally-Derived Botanicals | |
3 | Supergoop! Supergoop! Forever Young Hand Cream | | Includes Sunscreen and Skin-Nourishing Plant Oils for the Outdoors | |
4 | The Chemistry Brand Deciem Hand Chemistry | | A Hand Cream That Targets the Signs of Aging | |
5 | O'Keeffe's O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream | | A Simple Formula that Works like Magic on Cracks and Sores | |
6 | Weleda Weleda Skin Food | | A Hand Cream Packed with Soothing Plant Extracts and Oils | |
7 | Yes to Yes To Coconut Protecting Hand & Cuticle Cream | | A Richly Moisturizing Shea Butter- and Coconut Oil-Based Hand Cream | |
8 | Neutrogena Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream | | An Unscented Hand Cream for People Who Hate Hand Cream | |
9 | Curél Curél Ultra Healing Intensive Lotion (2-Pack)｜2 pack | | A Less Greasy Petroleum Jelly Alternative With Plant Extracts | |
10 | Aquaphor Aquaphor Advanced Therapy Healing Ointment | | A Protective Petroleum Jelly-Based Ointment with Simple Ingredients |
The Goldilocks Cream With Ingredients Not Too Weak or Irritating
It’s also chock-full of vitamins, including skin-restoring K and E, so it's a good Goldilocks cream - in other words, it's just right. It's also quick to absorb into the skin.
These ingredients are followed by a number of different good-for-you botanicals and there’s even some urea, quite low down on the list, so it’s not irritating. That means it can even be used on chapped hands, where it watches over the healing process.
Rich, Nourishing, and Bursting With Naturally-Derived Botanicals
The top of the list reads water and aloe vera leaf juice, argan oil, and caprylic/capric triglyceride, which are all super moisturizing. The rest of the list is mostly recognizable plant and fruit names, including shea butter and matcha tea extract. There’s even squalane!
It’s hydrating, nourishing, and healing–Angela describes it as rich. It is a bit greasy when you first apply it, but you just need to give it a few minutes to dry down. There are also unscented and scented versions available.
Includes Sunscreen and Skin-Nourishing Plant Oils for the Outdoors
As for inactive ingredients, there’s vitamin- and moisture-rich argan oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride, and cetearyl alcohol, which is fatty and often used as an emollient and texture stabilizer.
There's no water, so the cream is very thick and takes a few minutes to absorb into the skin. However, it is hydrating, and though there’s a plant-like scent to it, it’s light and pleasant.
A Hand Cream That Targets the Signs of Aging
The first three ingredients are water, caprylic/capric triglyceride, and propanediol. The latter two may sound like scary chemical ingredients, but they’re actually both known for being gentle. The first one is derived from coconut oil and glycerin and helps restore skin. The second acts as a toner, helping the skin absorb nutrients.
Most of the other ingredients in here have a similar effect, and the lotion isn’t greasy. There is fragrance listed as an ingredient, and it smells like artificial fruit–doesn’t seem very irritating to the skin, though the aroma is hit-or-miss.
A Simple Formula that Works like Magic on Cracks and Sores
O’Keefe’s includes dimethicone and paraffin, both of which are waxy ingredients that form a veil over the skin. There’s no conclusive research about whether these ingredients are harmful, but some worry they aren’t properly nourishing the skin.
But whatever the research turns out to be, there’s no doubt that O’Keeffe’s works wonders on cracked hands! You put it over cracks and sores. It stings a bit, but then it protects the skin and, pretty soon, your cuts are healed. It also absorbs well.
A Hand Cream Packed with Soothing Plant Extracts and Oils
Lanolin’s a skincare ingredient with hundreds of years of history; it’s derived from a grease that sheep excrete to condition their wool. It's an effective occlusive–that is, it forms a barrier over your skin and keeps water from evaporating.
While it’s generally harmless, it can cause allergic reactions when applied to chapped, irritated skin. Otherwise, this cream is full of soothing plant extracts and, even though it’s quite thick, is gentle enough to use on the face. It absorbs quite quickly as well.
A Richly Moisturizing Shea Butter- and Coconut Oil-Based Hand Cream
It’s not too thick and doesn’t take long to absorb. It helps with slight cracking on the hands, and it works wonders on dry and bleeding cuticles.
And if you’re looking to throw a little more summer into your day, it has this light coconut smell that’s reminiscent of pina colada. Fragrance does appear in the ingredients list. It’s the very last one, but it might irritate sensitive skin.
An Unscented Hand Cream for People Who Hate Hand Cream
It’s followed by cetearyl alcohol, which is a texture stabilizer, and stearic acid, which helps form a protective barrier over the skin. Both function as skin-softening emollients. And, simply, it works! You really need just a dab of the stuff–apply too much, and it will feel greasy and take longer to absorb into the skin.
It’s also colorless and odorless. The only thing is, it does contain parabens, which can disrupt hormone function when used excessively. Look over your skincare routine and think about how much you’re willing to accept.
CurélCurél Ultra Healing Intensive Lotion (2-Pack) ｜ 2 pack
A Less Greasy Petroleum Jelly Alternative With Plant Extracts
It’s noticeably lighter and can feel a bit runny or thin, especially in warmer weather, but it also absorbs fairly quickly. Other than that, it’s got water and glycerin as its first and second ingredients, which keeps your skin hydrated and protected. There are also a few more good-for-you botanicals in small concentrations, including shea butter.
A Protective Petroleum Jelly-Based Ointment with Simple Ingredients
The other three ingredients are mineral oil: lanolin alcohol, which is actually fatty and not drying; and ceresin, which is a wax often used as a thickening agent and may cause sensitization in some.
So, it’s a simple ointment. It isn’t packed with a billion nutrients, but it does its job well. It moisturizes and forms a barrier over your skin, and it’s worked wonders on cracks and callouses. It is greasy, and it doesn’t absorb well–but, still, it’s just so good at protecting you from irritants.
Are Medicated Hand Creams Worth It?
This means that they can be more effective in caring for extremely dry skin, but they are not necessarily always better. With medicated products, make sure that you always stick to the recommended dosage and intended usage, and, when in doubt, speak to a healthcare professional.
Heal Your Hands and Body With Even More Options
Your hands, cuticles, and body need a lot of extra care and love, so give it to them with some other great products that we found.
Top 5 Hand Creams For Dry And Rough Hands
No. 1: L'Occitane｜L’Occitane 20% Shea Butter Hand Cream
No. 2: Josie Maran｜Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter
No. 3: Supergoop!｜Supergoop! Forever Young Hand Cream
No. 4: The Chemistry Brand｜Deciem Hand Chemistry
No. 5: O'Keeffe's｜O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.