Our Favorite Hand Creams to Hydrate Dry Skin

While the face gets the most attention in your skincare routine, the hands deserve a little TLC, too.

While the face gets the most attention in your skincare routine, the hands deserve a little TLC, too. Thanks to constant washing and sanitizing, dry skin is especially common. And, not surprisingly, hands can be one of first places on the body to reveal signs of aging. But being proactive — like looking for and actually using hand creams — can go a long way. Here, some tips on how to properly care for your hands and our Lancôme product picks.

Moisturize Dry Hands Often

Between washing your hands frequently and dousing them with hand sanitizer (which usually contain alcohol, a notorious source of skin dryness), finding a moisturizer for dry skin is a must. That means a product formulated with deeply moisturizing ingredients, such as shea butter. The known benefits of shea butter are twofold — it not only delivers hydration, but it also serves as an emollient to seal the skin’s protective barrier, effectively keeping in that moisture. Since dry skin is associated with an impaired moisture barrier, fortifying it can in turn ease the dryness.

Hand creams that provide hydrating benefits often contain multiple moisturizing ingredients. That’s why our Nutrix Royal Butter is a winner in our book. It’s designated as a nourishing and restoring body butter but is easy to spread and non-greasy. Use it all over the body from shoulders to toes for allover skin hydration. Enriched with Royal Jelly, hazelnut peptide and vegetable oils, it helps skin feel moisturized. Try slathering it on immediately after washing your hands, since applying hand cream when they’re still damp can help keep moisture within skin’s surface.

Apply Sun Protection Daily

While many are diligent about applying sunscreen to the face, the hands are often overlooked — unless there’s a beach day on deck. But unless you’re wearing gloves 24/7, your hands are just as exposed to the sun as your face is. Hand creams with sunscreen are the best for the daytime, especially in the spring and summer. Our Absolue Hand Treatment SPF 15 not only nurtures skin, but also helps defend it from harmful UVA and UVB rays. (What’s the difference between UVA and UVB rays? UVA rays contribute to signs of aging, like dark spots on the hands, while UVB rays lead to sunburns. Both are major factors in skin cancer.) Massage into hands and cuticles as needed, and again before you head outside. Remember to take other sun protection measures and reapply often.