If there’s one beauty habit we can’t shake, it’s stashing a full lip wardrobe into our handbags. Before you ask: Yes, we absolutely need two lip liners, four lipsticks and three glosses available at all times.
However buried beneath our army of lip products is one that we often (unintentionally!) neglect. Our dear old hand creams.
They’re the product we buy religiously, but always leave on our bedside table or work desk, only to reach for them when our hands are begging for hydration.
The Best Hand Creams For Dry Skin, According To maire claire
- Best For Restoring Moisture: Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream
- Best For Irritated Hands: Sven’s Island Miracle Manuka, From $21.80
- Best For Deep Hydration: L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream, From $19
- Best For Fast Absorption: Rare Beauty Comfort Hydrating Hand Cream, $32
- Best For Ageing Hands: Alpha-H In Good Hands Renewing Hand Treatment, $29.95
But this winter, we’ve made a promise to give our palms a little TLC. To care for them with as much dedication as we give to our evening skincare routine.
The first step? Trialing hand cream after hand cream (and some ointments and treatments) to see which comes out on top.
So if your hands are feeling dry and dull like ours, you’re in luck—we’ve tracked down the best hand creams for dry skin… ones you’ll actually remember to use.
Best For: Restoring moisture
Think of Avène’s Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream as the emergency care kit your skin never knew it needed—but won’t be able to live without. Perfect for those moments when your skin feels sensitive, tight or downright unhappy. Fragrance free and gentle enough to be used on little ones and adults alike, this restorative, protective cream changes the game for the hands (and anywhere else on the body, too).
The rich, creamy texture melts on with ease, delivering a blanket of hydration that comforts and shields. Instantly softening and restoring the skin within 48 hours and building resilience against everyday aggressors.
Sizes: 40ml, 100ml. | Key Ingredients: Copper-zinc sulphate, thermal spring water.
Best For: Sensitive skin
An unscented hand lotion might not immediately sound sexy, but it’s a game-changer for those with sensitive skin and anyone who doesn’t want the scent to overpower their fragrance. Necessaire’s ultra-nourishing hand cream is dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic, and designed with skin health in mind.
Packed with barrier-repairing ceramides, firming peptides and protective antioxidants, it delivers deep hydration without the heaviness, and the fast-absorbing, non-greasy formula makes it perfect for reapplying throughout the day.
Sizes: 65ml. | Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, ceramides, vitamin E.
Best For: Irritated hands
For those with red, itchy hands that are prone to eczema, psoriasis or dermatitis, trust me when I say that this repair balm works wonders. While not a traditional hand cream, this ointment is a great anti-inflammatory, healing and strengthening addition to your hand care routine.
My lovely mum who struggles with extremely irritated hands tried this balm and immediately noticed a difference in the appearance and feel of her hands. Formulated with manuka leaf oil—which is both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory—and a blend of oils that promote soothing, healing and hydration, this is a natural balm that will instantly make a difference.
Sizes: 17g, 55g, 100g. | Key Ingredients: Manuka leaf oil, calendula flower extract, chamomile extract, beeswax.
Best For: Deep hydration
A cult classic when it comes to hand creams, the L’Occitane Shea Butter hand cream has been reformulated in a vegan, 96 per cent natural formula. Made with dry and very dry hands in mind, this formula is deeply nourishing without feeling greasy or heavy.
Formulated with 20 per cent shea butter and loaded with skin-loving fatty acids, this ultra-nourishing hand cream delivers deep hydration while helping to strengthen your skin’s protective barrier. If you think your hands need something even richer, try out the Intensive Hand Balm for an extra boost of hydration.
Sizes: 30ml, 75ml, 150ml. | Key Ingredients: Shea butter, argan kernel oil, vitamin E.
Best For: Fast absorption
If you love having hydrated hands but can’t stand the sticky, damp feeling, the Rare Beauty hand cream is for you. Deeply hydrating yet ultra-fast absorbing, you’ll apply this hand cream and be able to get back to your day without having to wait around for it to sink in.
Made with ashwaganda, niacinamide, and peach flower extract, this formula will sooth and protect the skin, while humectants like sodium hyaluronate will help your hands retain moisture, all without feeling greasy.
Sizes: 53ml. | Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, shea butter, sodium hyaluronate.
Best For: Ageing hands
In Good Hands is an overnight hand treatment designed to smooth and soften the appearance of dark spots and fine lines on the hands. Fast absorbing and gently exfoliating, this hand treatment is perfect for those who are concerned about their hands showing signs of ageing.
Loaded with active ingredients, this rich formular uses AHA’s to lightly exfoliate the dead skin cells and enhance skin texture, while jojoba and avocado oils deeply nourish and lock in hydration.
Sizes: 50ml. | Key Ingredients: Lactic acid, panthenol, jojoba seed oil.
Best For: Multi-use balm
While designed to be an exceptionally hydrating balm for the hands, the Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm can also be used on other dry areas of the skin such as elbows, knees and feet.
Infused with nourishing butters and oils such as mandarin, shea and macadamia, this hand balm delivers deep hydration while helping to repair and restore the skin barrier.
Sizes: 75ml, 125 ml, 500ml. | Key Ingredients: Rosemary leaf oil, shea butter, cacao seed butter.
Best For: Gentle repairing
Moisturising yet lightweight, this hand cream from Grown Alchemist is an everyday luxury. Silky and ultra nourishing, it absorbs quickly without leaving any greasiness—perfect for reapplying throughout the day.
With rose petal oil and other botanical oils, this cream helps replenish lost moisture from daily activities like washing our hands. Rich in fatty acids, it supports the skin barrier and strengthens antioxidant defense.
Sizes: 65ml. | Key Ingredients: Aloe, camellia, grapeseed oil.
