The Best Hand Cream to Soften and Protect Dry, Cracked Skin

This heavy-duty formula just barely qualifies as a hand lotion, but it’s worth bending the rules. You’ll find the usual suspects, like shea butter as well as avocado, eucalyptus, and sesame seed oils alongside soothing aloe for a comforting treatment. You can even go the extra mile and slather it on any and all dry spots, like your elbows and knees.

The Norwegian Formula Hand Cream is a drugstore classic, and for good reason: It’s all about results, with a high concentration of glycerin to replenish moisture ASAP. It’s also fragrance-free (ideal if you’re sensitive to essential oils) and so gentle that it’s even accepted by the National Eczema Association.

You truly can’t go wrong with Curél’s dermatologist-approved hand lotion, fortified with vitamin E and monoi oil to soothe dry and cracked skin. The formula runs thin but instantly absorbs into skin for long-lasting hydration. And did we mention it’s only $4?

Take a moment after applying this hand cream to breathe in the relaxing smell of arnica, which has been used for centuries to help relieve stress from the body. Other ingredients include amla berry, shea butter, squalane, and avocado oil for soft skin.

The company behind your favorite face masks also makes beauty products. EvolveTogether brings its zero-waste and clean ethos to its hand cream, using recyclable aluminum for the tube and no-box packaging. Vitamins B5, C, and E, and glycerin make it good for both your hands and the environment.

Who hasn’t seen Chanel’s chic egg packaging on social media and been immediately influenced? This hand cream is not only stylish, but will also improve brightness and nail strength—thanks to ingredients like iris pallida and rose wax—while protecting the skin barrier.

Beauty hypebeasts will want to flex this designer hand cream; each of its three scents comes in colorful packaging inspired by a corresponding Dries Van Noten fragrance. Each cream is lightly scented with perfume for a full sensorial experience, while rosehip oil, shea butter, almond oil nourish dry hands.

If you have a skin-barrier issue—like an itchy, stinging sensation or redness and flaking—then consider this nourishing formula, which feels more like a hand balm than a lotion. The combo of beta-glucan (which acts as a humectant to draw in water) and a whopping 20% shea butter (which helps keep it there) with coconut oil leaves skin feeling soft, smooth, and way more comfortable.

One of the best products for dry skin on the hands, this straightforward formula uses the brand’s signature ceramides—along with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide—to seal in moisture. It’s also accepted by the National Eczema Association and won’t leave behind any greasy residue.

With SPF 40, this lotion offers great sun protection for daytime—since the en az SPF recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology is SPF 30. Not only is there zero white cast, but it’s also infused with meadowfoam seed and argan oils to nourish skin. 

Burt might be all about the beeswax, but the true star here is the hemp seed oil, which is jam-packed with both vitamin E and fatty acids. This cream also features jojoba oil for and extra conditioning perk—as well as a fresh, subtle scent, courtesy of verbena and basil.

Hey, your cuticles need love too. If the name Vaseline makes you fear it’ll leave hands slippery, rest assured: This unscented formula actually uses micro droplets of the classic jelly to create a protective barrier on skin. It also features alpha hydroxy acids for a light exfoliating bonus, allowing moisture to get that much deeper.

Dealing with dark spots? You’re in luck: Not only do ceramides, jojoba esters, and vitamin E bring the moisture power, but this paraben-free formula also contains sclareolide, an extract of clary sage that actively brightens UV-induced hyperpigmentation.

It might not be the sexiest hand cream on the block, but if you’re in pain due to cracked fingers and knuckles, who cares? The glycerin-based formula delivers instant protection so you can go about your day without wincing. If over 60,000 five-star Amazon reviews are wrong, we don’t wanna be right.