10 Best Hand Creams for Super Dry Hands in 2026

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Winter is just days away, and our chronically parched hands are already taking a big hit from these dry, frigid temps. Unlike the skin on our face, our hands are doing stuff all day long, be it typing up articles (hello), mastering the art of the spreadsheet, walking the dog, or enjoying a quiet, grandma hobby like crochet and needlepoint. And, as a result, they can get really dry—like, to the point of cracking. 

To ward off these winter woes, you’ll need help from the best hand creams for super dry hands, and maybe a weekly mask and exfoliation, too.  

Best Hand Creams for Super Dry Hands at a Glance

• Best Hand Cream, Overall: Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm, $35+
• Best Salve: Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, $22+ 
• Best Budget-Friendly: eos Shea Better Ultra Derm Hand Cream, $4
• Best Heavy-Duty: BagBalm Ointment, $7
• Best Nostalgic: Bath & Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar Hand Cream, $2 (was $9)
• Best Anti-Aging: Drunk Elephant Therabu Buttered Reparative Hand Cream, $24
• Best Scent: Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Touch Hand Cream
  , $16 
• Best Quick Absorbing: EltaMD Skin Restore Hand Cream
  , $34
• Best Fragrance-Free: ​​CeraVe Therapeutic Hand Cream
  , $11
• Best With Argan Oil: Moroccanoil Hand Cream, $12

What Do Dermatologists Recommend for Extremely Dry Hands? 

Extremely dry, cracked hands are uncomfortable (to say the least). Fortunately, there is a way to keep the itchy, burning sensations at bay and, ultimately, heal dry, cracked skin. “Dry, cracked hands require both barrier repair and a few tweaks to your daily habits,” says Dr. Dendy Engelman, MD, FACMS, FAAD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Shafer Clinic in New York City. “I recommend getting a thick, ultra-nourishing hand cream and reapplying it consistently throughout the day, especially after every time you wash your hands.” 

Additionally, Dr. Engelman says to slather on a generous layer—or even a thick occlusive like Aquaphor or Vaseline—then put on cotton gloves (like these from Clearbody Organics
) or socks to keep that moisture locked in overnight. “I also recommend avoiding very hot water, which can strip moisture from the skin [and] switch to a gentle, non-stripping, and moisturizing hand soap,” she adds. As a bonus, a weekly gentle exfoliation can ward off dry skin (we love the Lush Salted Coconut Hand Scrub) and “helps moisturizer penetrate more effectively.” 

With all of that said, if your hands are painfully cracked or inflamed, Dr. Engelman says that these recommendations won’t help you. Instead, she recommends a low-strength steroid cream to calm the irritation and initiate healing (but a visit to your dermatologist is strongly advised). 

How to Fix Really Dry & Cracked Hands

While the above advice can help address dry skin on your hands, sometimes you need to up the ante a little as regular hand cream might not be enough to soften and soothe those mitts. “When the barrier is compromised from cold and dry air, handwashing, and/or over-sanitizing, you need something more intensive,” Dr. Engelman notes. “For patients who consistently struggle with dry hands, I recommend repairing the skin with hand masks and regularly applying thicker, more occlusive hand creams to keep the skin hydrated and soft.” 

Dr. Engelman swears by the Aquaphor Hand Mask and Patchology Rosé Fingers Renewing Hand Mask as a weekly treatment for dry hands. “They bathe your hands in concentrated, occlusive serum while sealed inside treatment gloves, creating the perfect environment for deeper absorption, softening the skin, and barrier repair,” she explains, adding that hand masks are “one of the fastest and most effective ways to revive severely dry winter skin.”  

In addition to these treatment plans, Dr. Engelman says to get in the habit of applying a thick and nourishing hand balm (such as the Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm) after washing your hands. “This will restore moisture and help protect your hands from transepidermal water loss and the effects of cold, dry winter air.” 

What Are the Best Hand Creams for Super Dry Hands?

If you have dry hands, there are lots of hand creams to choose from. As fellow dry hand girlies ourselves, we’re sharing some of our favorites ahead.

Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm

The Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm is one of the most luxurious hand creams we’ve ever tried, and we love that it comes in a gigantic (16.5 oz to be exact) pump bottle, making it easier to reapply throughout the day. This hand cream has a thick yet fast-absorbing formula that includes a blend of nourishing oils, such as sweet almond oil, coconut oil, and macadamia seed oil. It also smells amazing, with woody, herbaceous, and citrus notes. 

“I have naturally dry skin, live in an ultra-dry climate, and am not particularly kind to my hands. Add in the fact that my hobbies (crochet, needlepoint, and pottery) all involve materials that draw moisture out of my skin, and I usually have the driest, itchiest hands ever. This Aesop hand lotion is one of my favorites because it goes on like a thick balm but is fast-absorbing and non-greasy. I also love that the pump bottle makes it easy for my scattered brain to remember to reapply throughout the day (so long as it’s plopped right next to me at my desk).”—Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster contributing writer 

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Aesop is a STYLECASTER sponsor, however, all products in this article were independently selected by our editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve

If you’re looking for a thicker, salve-like formula, the Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve is another excellent choice. This hand salve is designed for severely dry, cracked hands and is a great, more luxe Working Hands alternative. It features nourishing ingredients that pull moisture from the air into the skin, allowing for more hydrated hands.

eos Shea Better Ultra Derm Hand Cream

For a budget-friendly pick, you can’t go wrong with the eos Shea Better Ultra Derm Hand Cream. This might cost $4, but it feels (and smells) like it costs at least triple its price. The hand cream is formulated with shea butter, so it’s thick enough to handle ultra-dry hands, but it’s still fast-absorbing and feels lightweight on the skin, so you don’t have to worry about that dreaded layer of grease that some lotions can leave behind.

For a good, overnight salve, you can’t go wrong with BagBalm Ointment. This is by no means a lotion you can wear throughout the day (it’s way too thick and gloopy for that), but it’s a highly effective nighttime treatment that you can apply to get rid of chapped skin. 

“My mom has used BagBalm since the early 90s—one of my earliest memories is of her applying this to her hands before bed—and now it’s one of my go-to solutions for dry hands and feet. Just make sure to put gloves or socks on so that you don’t get the formula all over your sheets.”— Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster contributing writer 

Bath & Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar Hand Cream

On Sale 78% off

Our millennial editors live for Bath & Body Works hand cream, and there is something so nostalgic about the Warm Vanilla Sugar scent. This hand cream is enriched with shea butter, so it’s extra hydrating and can provide up to 48 hours of moisture on the hands. 

Drunk Elephant Therabu Buttered Reparative Hand Cream

Keeping your hands moisturized is anti-aging in its own way. But, if you want to up the ante, reach for the Drunk Elephant Therabu Buttered Reparative Hand Cream. This repairing hand cream is designed to strengthen the moisture barrier and features antioxidant-rich marula butter to target signs of aging and also protect the skin from environmental aggressors. 

“I love Drunk Elephant everything and have become particularly obsessed with this hand cream over the last few months. It lives on my bedside table and is often the last thing I apply to my skin before bed, and the first thing I reach for when I wake up.”— Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster contributing writer

Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Touch Hand Cream

Sol de Janeiro makes some of the best-smelling products we’ve ever tried, and the Brazilian Touch Hand Cream
is no different. In addition to its intoxicating Cheirosa 62 fragrance, the hand cream features cupuacu butter, Brazil nut oil, and coconut oil to deliver deep hydration to the hands. 

EltaMD Skin Restore Hand Cream

EltaMD makes some of our favorite non-greasy sunscreens, so we’re honestly not surprised that the brand also has the best quick-absorbing hand cream
, too. This hand cream might absorb quickly, but it works overtime to reduce dry, flaky skin. Plus, it is also an anti-aging formula and can literally brighten up the hands’ complexion while protecting against pollution damage.

​​CeraVe Therapeutic Hand Cream

For a no-frills hand cream that you can rely on, we recommend the ​​CeraVe Therapeutic Hand Cream
. This cream is unscented, fast-absorbing, and non-greasy—it’s literally just here to get a job done (and it does it well). The formula features hyaluronic acid to pull moisture into the skin, as well as niacinamide to calm irritation. 

For another incredible-smelling and nostalgic option, consider the Moroccanoil Hand Cream. This hand cream is formulated with argan oil (just like the iconic hair oil!) and comes in seven different scents, including the original Moroccanoil fragrance. It’s also a non-greasy formula that will absorb relatively fast into the skin (especially if you have dry hands) without needing to wipe off excess.