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Best hand creams: tried and tested for dry skin
Caudalie, Clarins and L'Occitane vs pharmacy favourites Nivea, O’Keefe Working Hands and Palmer's compared for hydration, absorption, feel on the skin and more
Manca has been testing baby products, health gadgets and gardening power tools for almost four years, weeding out the weak and recommending the strong
Hand sanitisers, frequent hand washing and the elements can affect the skin’s natural barrier and strip it of its natural moisture. Whether you’re suffering from dermatitis or just want to keep your hands smooth and soft all year round, a good hand cream will help to replenish the moisture and rebuild your skin's protective barrier.
We’ve compared 12 popular hand creams to help you choose one that’s easy to work into your skin, absorbs quickly without leaving behind residue and keeps your hands moisturised.
This includes a mix of heavier and lighter formulas, with pharmacy picks such as Nivea’s Soft Moisturising Cream and Palmer’s Cocoa Butter, plus premium skincare options such as Caudalie Vinotherapist Hand & Nail Cream and Clarins Hand & Nail Treatment Cream.
The hand creams were tested over a six-week period by a mixed-gender panel of testers with varying skin types. Although the panel had some contradicting views – mostly on fragrances and texture – they had no issue agreeing on the best. We found a Best Buy hand cream that impressed our panel with quick absorbency and lovely texture, plus a Great Value alternative that struck the perfect balance between quality and price.
How our tests find you the best
We've tested 12 popular hand creams
This includes big brands and popular products at different prices to help you find the best balance between value and performance.
Hydration and moisturisation
Our panellists rated how hydrated their skin felt straight after applying the cream, and whether their hands still felt moisturised hours later or if the effects were short-lived.
Absorption
No one likes waiting around for their hands to dry. We'll tell you how quickly each hand cream is absorbed into the skin and whether there's any annoying residue.
We also test...
how easy or difficult the hand cream is to work into the skin, what the texture feels like, as well as whether there's any scent and how strong that scent is.
The hand creams we tested
Only logged-in Which? members can view the hand cream test results below.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations.
| Hand cream | Price | Score | Moisturisation | Absorption | Feel on skin | Ease of application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations Unlock tableGet Digital access £8.99 per month, cancel at any time. Already a member? | 83% | |||||
| 80% | ||||||
| 80% | ||||||
| 78% | ||||||
| 78% | ||||||
| 75% | ||||||
| 73% | ||||||
| 72% | ||||||
| 69% | ||||||
| 69% | ||||||
| 59% | ||||||
| 55% |
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Date tested: August 2025. Page last checked: March 2026. We are not able to show every retailer, and cheaper prices may be available.
Atrixo Intensive Protection
Available from Savers (Out of stock), Boots (Out of stock)
Need to know 200ml jar
Aveeno Daily Moisturising Hand Cream
Available from Boots (£4.49), Tesco (£5.55)
Need to know 75ml tube, also available in 400ml jar
Caudalie Vinotherapist Hand & Nail Cream
Available from John Lewis (£9.60), Space NK (£9.60), Caudalie (£10)
Need to know 75ml tube
Clarins Hand & Nail Treatment Cream
Available from Boots (£29), Clarins (£29)
Need to know 100ml tube, also available in 30ml
L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
Available from Amazon (£25), L'Occitane (£27), John Lewis (Out of stock)
Need to know 150ml tube, also available in 30ml
Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream Concentrated Scented
Available from Boots (£4.29)
Need to know 50ml tube, unscented version also available
Need sun protection to prevent sunburn? See our sun cream reviews to find out which is most effective
Nivea Soft Moisturising Cream for Face, Hand and Body
Available from Amazon (£2), Boots (£2.25)
Need to know 75ml tube, also available in 200ml, 300ml and 500ml jar
Nursem Caring Hand Cream Unscented
Available from Nursem (£9.99)
Need to know 75ml tube, scented version also available
O'Keeffe's Working Hands Cream
Available from Boots (£8.99), Superdrug (£8.99)
Need to know 80ml tube, also available in 60ml tube/96g jar/193g jar, non-scented formula
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Cocoa Butter Softens Hand Cream
Available from Boots (£1.91)
Need to know 60g tube
Soap & Glory Hand Food Hand Cream
Available from Boots (£7.99)
Need to know 125ml tube, also available in 50ml
The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector
Available from The Body Shop (£18)
Need to know 100ml tube, also available in 30ml
How we test hand creams
We buy every hand cream we test – no freebies from manufacturers – meaning our reviews are honest and unbiased.
The hand creams were tested over six weeks by a mixed-gender panel of 10 people with varying skin types, including sensitive, very dry and normal-to-oily.
Each hand cream was tested for the following:
- Instant hydration - We asked the panel to tell us about the immediate and short-term effects of the hand cream. This included rating how hydrated or soothed their hands felt right after applying, and how long that feeling lasted.
- Long-term moisturisation - To check the lasting effects and find out if each of the creams keeps the skin moisturised throughout the day, we asked the panel to tell us whether their skin felt more resistant to dryness after several applications and if their hands still felt moisturised after washing them.
- Ease of application - To find out more about the texture, we asked how easy the hand cream was to apply to the skin and whether it left behind any residue.
- Absorption - Speed of absorption is one of the key aspects, so we asked the panel to tell us how long it took for the product to sink into their skin.
- Feel on skin - We also asked them to rate how soft and smooth each of the hand creams made their hands feel once it was fully absorbed.
- Scent - Whether there is any fragrance, how strong it is and whether panellists found it pleasant or not.
Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent
Your hand cream questions answered by a skincare expert
Dr Angela Tewari, a consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson, answers your questions about hand creams.
Can you use hand creams on your face?
You can, but as the face has sebaceous appendages (its own natural moisturisers) to lubricate the skin, it’s also more susceptible to blockages and acneiform changes – in other words, spots.
That's why face creams tend to be more lotion-based and may also contain very small amounts of salicylic acid, which helps to reduce hyperkeratosis (a skin condition where the outer layer of skin thickens abnormally) and blocked pores. If you’re prone to acne, oily skin or have sensitive skin, then I would hold off using hand creams on your face.
Why do hands get dry so easily compared with other parts of the body?
Hand hygiene is universally accepted as the single most important strategy for preventing and reducing healthcare-associated infections.
This means we wash our hands several times a day with whatever soap is available, potentially stripping the stratum corneum (the outer layer of the skin) and resulting in evaporation of moisture and increased risk of dryness.
What are the key ingredients that actually heal dry, cracked skin – versus just making hands feel soft temporarily?
To heal dry and cracked skin, rather than just soften, use a ceramide and free fatty acid-based moisturiser, followed by petroleum jelly-based ointments to seal it in.
How do hand creams differ from hand lotions?
Hand creams are oil-in-water formulas, which means the consistency is thicker, stays on skin for longer and helps to keep moisture locked in for longer.
Lotions are a thinner consistency, so if you're prone to very dry skin or wash your hands frequently, it may be best to go for a thicker formula.
What’s the best type of hand cream for very dry or cracked hands, especially in winter?
I would go for a non-lanolin-based formula and ointment-based hand cream, applied at night with cotton gloves worn over the top.
Are there any ingredients in hand creams that consumers should avoid, especially for sensitive skin?
Lanolin and acids such as BHA (beta-hydroxy acid), for example salicylic acid.
Can hand creams help with skin issues such as eczema or dermatitis, or are specialised treatments better?
Yes, hand creams can help with skin issues such as eczema, which is the same as dermatitis.
I would go for a barrier ointment to help protect the skin barrier, rather than a cream-based formula, as this prevents further moisture loss and also will have key humectants to draw in water.
Should you use a hand cream with SPF? Are hand creams that also provide sun protection effective enough for daily use?
I wouldn’t always use a hand cream with an SPF. Definitely go for one with SPF on holiday, but avoid touching your face as it may irritate delicate skin, especially around the eyes.
To see which sunscreens excel in our tests and provide robust SPF protection take a look at our sun cream reviews
3 things you need to know before buying hand cream
- Scent matters - our testers found the smell could make or break their buying decision. Some have a divisive smell, whereas others weren't particularly strong. Bear in mind even if the product says 'unfragranced', it may still have a scent due to the ingredients used.
- Consider the texture - in our tests, panellists preferred hand creams that absorbed quickly and didn’t sit on their hands. As with smell, it’s worth getting an idea of the texture before you buy, if you can.
- Price doesn't equal performance - just because a hand cream is cheap doesn’t mean it’s a dud. We included premium brands and cheaper brands in our hand creams tests and found no correlation between the most expensive hand creams scoring higher than the budget options. In fact, one of them outperformed several more premium brands to earn our Great Value badge.