(Skin)
Your Hands Deserve The VIP Treatment, too.
These luxury creams are hydrating, but never greasy.
Cold and flu season is upon us, which means constant hand washing, which leads to dry, cracked hands. Luckily, there’s an easy way to prevent that: using a hand cream. Make it a luxury hand cream and suddenly keeping your skin soft and hydrated seems less like a chore and more like a self-care moment.
“Hand cream is essential because our hands are constantly exposed to external irritants, including water and other environmental stressors, which can strip the skin of natural oils and leave the hands feeling dry,” says Dr. Marisa Garshick, M.D. a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and Englewood, NJ. “Hand cream helps restore moisture, repair the skin barrier, and prevent dryness, cracking, and irritation.”
Bonus: Regularly slathering on a hand cream can help prevent and reduce visible signs of aging. “Our hands are often one of the first places to show age due to sun exposure, the thin and delicate nature of the skin, and the gradual loss of collagen,” Garshick says. “A hand cream with hydrating and antioxidant-rich ingredients can improve skin texture, minimize the appearance of fine lines, and even out tone. Some hand creams may include SPF to help prevent UV-related damage.”
There are a few crucial things to look for in a hand cream, starting with key ingredients that hydrate and protect. “Humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid help draw moisture in while occlusives like petrolatum help to lock moisture in,” Dr. Garshick explains. “Ceramides and niacinamide help strengthen the skin barrier and calm the skin. For aging concerns, it can help to look for a hand cream containing antioxidants, retinol, or peptides. Some hand creams are also formulated with SPF to provide added protection from UV damage.”
Hand cream should be applied after washing your hands to help replenish moisture loss and before bed, unless otherwise directed. “For those with dry or cracked hands, it can be especially helpful to apply hand cream and then wear cotton gloves to enhance penetration and boost moisture,” Garshick advises.
Many luxury hand creams not only nourish skin and smell fantastic, but make a style statement when you pull them out of your bag. Pamper your hands (and your purse) with these top picks.
Don’t let the fact that it’s a serum fool you — it’s super lightweight, but heavy on hydration, thanks to spider silk and hinoki oil. The calming scent is earthy and grounding, plus it leaves zero greasiness behind, so you can scroll away on your phone right after applying it.
It’s no wonder Chanel’s egg-shaped hit helped kick off the luxury hand cream craze. Made with 97% naturally-derived ingredients, the camellia flower takes the ingredient spotlight for its nourishing and protective properties. The lightweight formula instantly melts into skin and leaves a sheen behind.
“This nourishing hand cream uses a blend of moisturizing ingredients including a biosaccharide solution, a plant-based sugar derivative, and a glycoprotein that serves as a cryoprotectant,” Garshick says. “Additionally, a blend of sweet almond oil and shea oil softens the skin. It can also help to treat dry cuticles, helping nail health as well.”
In addition to being incredibly chic, it’s incredibly moisturizing. The triple threat can be used on the hands, lips, and body and hydrates for up to 24 hours, restoring the skin barrier along the way. Despite being a balm, it has a medium texture and sinks right into skin.
“Incorporating TFC8, this hand cream helps to support cellular renewal, improving signs of aging while also nourishing the hands,” Garshick says. “It works to soothe dry, irritated skin while absorbing quickly. It is fragrance-free, making it good even for those with sensitive skin.”
The minty green hue and iconic Prada triangle make quite the style statement. What’s inside is just as good: A lightweight hand cream with a delicately sweet scent that also nourishes nails and cuticles with glycerin, niacinamide, and shea butter.
Iconic for a reason, this long-loved rich hand cream is made with 20% organic shea butter that’s loaded with omega 6 to smooth, soothe, and hydrate skin. It also contains beta-glucan, a naturally-derived sugar complex to moisturize, and rapeseed phytosterols to rebalance and safeguard skin.
“This all-in-one hand cream contains a combination of ceramides and peptides to help support the skin barrier and improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while improving the overall texture of the hands,” Garshick says. “It also contains niacinamide to soothe the skin and support the skin barrier. It is fragrance-free and non-comedogenic so it can be used by all skin types.”
A classic for a reason, this rich salve will bring even the thirstiest hands back to life. Shea butter, avocado oil, and sesame seed oil team up to soothe and condition dry hands, creating a barrier to protect against moisture loss.
One of the best ways to dress up your bedside table and give your hands beauty sleep is with the Soft Services Theraplush Overnight Repair Treatment. Now the chic refillable case and the retinol and colloidal oatmeal-spiked formula are getting a limited-edition makeover with a collaboration with DedCool. The case comes in baby blue and the medium-weight hand cream features the Xtra Milk scent. Bonus: The set includes a travel-sized eau due parfum of the universal musk.
