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Last updated on September 27th, 2024 at 07:27 am
Dry, cracked hands can be uncomfortable and frustrating, especially when they interfere with daily activities. Whether it’s due to frequent handwashing, harsh soaps and detergents, or even certain vegetables, finding the right hand cream can make all the difference in healing and protecting your hands.
Handwashing is essential for hygiene, helping to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria. However, the process of washing your hands can strip away natural oils, leaving your skin dry and vulnerable. It’s crucial to replenish this lost moisture to maintain healthy, hydrated skin. Here are the best hand creams for dry cracked hands for healing.
Table of Contents
Causes of Dry, Cracked Hands
Vegetables
Surprisingly, certain vegetables like garlic, onions, tomatoes, carrots, and ginger can contribute to dry hands. Studies have shown that these irritations are particularly common among cooks and housewives, with garlic and onion being the most potent sensitizers.
Soaps And Detergents
Studies have shown that frequent handwashing with soap, constant dampness of your hands and frequent use of disinfectants such as sanitisers to prevent infections can cause hand irritation. I am not trying to say, don’t wash your hands often. It is very important that you do but it is also important you pay attention to your hands as well to prevent premature aging and irritation of the skin.
You might notice that your hands start getting irritated showing cracks, dryness, itchy, and other forms of irritation. The affected hands become prone to pathogens making it easier for bacteria to replicate. This may lead you to pass infections to another person without you knowing it. In order to avoid further spread of infection, it is vital to keep your hands well-hydrated after washing. This means the application of moisturizers will help put back lipids on the surface of the skin to create a smooth, soft, well-hydrated, and improved skin appearance.
Wetting Hands Too Often
Even without soaps and detergents, simply wetting your hands too frequently can diminish the skin’s protective barrier, leading to increased irritation and dryness.
Tips for Moisturizing and Hydrating Your Hands
- Choose a Thick Hand Cream: When selecting a hand cream, opt for one that’s thicker than your regular body lotion. Hand creams typically contain a higher concentration of oils, humectants, and water, making them more effective at locking in moisture.
- Look for Water-Resistant Formulas: Hand creams with silicone derivatives are more water-resistant and can withstand multiple hand washes, providing longer-lasting hydration.
- Ingredients Matter: Key ingredients to look for in hand creams include glycerin, petrolatum, and dimethicone, all of which help seal in moisture and keep your hands hydrated longer.
Best Hand Creams for Dry Cracked Hands
1. Vaseline Healing Jelly
A classic product, Vaseline Healing Jelly is pure petroleum jelly that effectively locks in moisture. It’s one of the best occlusive products on the market, providing deep hydration for dry hands.
2. Aquaphor Healing Ointment
If Vaseline feels too greasy, Aquaphor Healing Ointment is a great alternative. It contains petrolatum, glycerin, and panthenol to keep your hands moisturized and is specially formulated for dry skin.
3. CeraVe Healing Ointment
This non-greasy hand cream is enriched with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and petrolatum, making it ideal for repairing the skin barrier. It’s suitable for all skin types and provides long-lasting hydration.
4. Neutrogena Hand Cream
A little goes a long way with Neutrogena Hand Cream. This product is highly concentrated and comes out in a paste-like texture. It’s an excellent option for those seeking intense hydration in a small amount.
5. Aveeno Intense Moisture Hand Cream
This non-greasy, soothing hand cream contains colloidal oatmeal and rich emollients to keep your skin hydrated. It’s versatile enough to be used on other dry areas of the body as well.
6. Bioderma Hand And Nail Cream
Highly praised by users, this light, non-greasy, and fragrance-free cream keeps hands soft and moisturized. It’s perfect for those with sensitive skin.
7. Eucerin Daily Hand Cream With SPF 30
If you’re looking for sun protection, Eucerin’s Daily Hand Cream with SPF 30 is a great choice. It’s non-greasy and absorbs quickly, making it perfect for dry hands affected by frequent handwashing.
8. Dove Derma Series replenishing hand cream
Dove is a well-known brand that delivers quality skincare products, and their DermaSeries Replenishing Hand Cream is no exception. It’s non-greasy, easily absorbed, and contains antioxidants like vitamins C, E, and B to protect against free radicals.
9. Gold Bond Ultimate Intensive Healing Hand Cream
This affordable hand cream contains a powerful blend of antioxidants and humectants, providing long-lasting moisture and protection. It’s an excellent option for those looking for an effective yet budget-friendly product.
10. Yes to coconut ultra-hydrating hand and cuticle cream
This cream combines various emollients such as almond, coconut, jojoba, avocado, and shea butter to reduce moisture loss. It’s enriched with antioxidants, making it ideal for very dry hands and cuticles.
5 Tips For Dry Hands Treatment With Hand Creams
- Avoid Hot Water: Use lukewarm water instead of hot water when washing your hands. Hot water can strip the skin’s natural oils, leading to dryness. Make sure you are using lukewarm water instead of hot water.
- Moisturize Immediately After Washing: The best time to apply hand cream is right after washing your hands when your skin is still slightly damp. This helps lock in moisture. If you put hand creams on after drying out your hands, you may not get a lot of benefits from the moisturizer
- Pair Anti-Aging Creams with Sunscreen: If your hand cream claims to be anti-aging but doesn’t contain sunscreen, be sure to apply sunscreen separately to protect your skin from UV damage.
- Choose Fragrance-Free Products: Fragrances can cause skin sensitivity over time, so opt for fragrance-free hand creams, especially if you have sensitive skin.
- Reapply as Needed: No matter the claims of long-lasting hydration, frequent handwashing will strip the benefits of your hand cream, so be prepared to reapply throughout the day.
Conclusion
Dry, cracked hands can result from various factors, but with the right hand cream and proper care, you can restore your skin’s health and comfort. I hope this guide has helped you find the best hand cream for your needs. If you’ve recently developed dry hands, take a moment to consider any changes in your routine and use the tips provided to keep your hands moisturized and healthy.
Let me know in the comments if you have a favorite hand cream, and don’t forget to share this post with others who might benefit from these recommendations!
Photo by Shiny Diamond from Pexels
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I love the Neutrogena Hydroboost face cream, I didn’t know they had it in a hand cream too! Definitely going to be buying a bottle of it soon.
Yes it does come in hand cream, thank you for reading 💜
I always sing Happy Birthday every time I wash my hands! But I always try to moisturise my hands whenever I can, otherwise they dry out quickly. Thanks for sharing this post, as I was never too sure what to look for in a hand moisturise though!
Thank you so much for reading. Singing “happy birthday” while washing your hands sounds really uplifting and I like it.
I keep a bottle of Corn Huskers Lotion next to the skin. It’s inexpensive, but the best moisturizer ever.
Oh that’s great, haven’t heard of that lotion before. I should look into it. Thanks for reading 💜
Seems simple enough but i constantly see people do a “driveby” wash – thanks for putting this together!
Ah this is a perfect list for what is going on right now. My hands definitely break out and dry out when I wash them continuously so I definitely need to get a good moisturizer. Thanks so much for sharing this!
Thank you for reading ☺️
So glad you found it helpful, thank you for reading 💜
Great informative post!! I definitely have to look into purchasing a good hand cream!
Holly x
http://www.adailydoseofholly.com
Your tips are always so helpful and practical! We’re all washing our hands more frequently now, so it is even more important to moisturize. Thank you for sharing this!
Your tips are always so helpful and practical! We’re all washing our hands much more frequently now, so it is even more important to moisturize. Thank you for sharing this!
I love Dove hand moisturizer; when I end up washing dishes in hot water, or washing my hands frequently, my skin dries out. I love that you have options for different types of skin! 🙂
Yes when we wash our hands frequently, previous application might be stripped off. Hence the need to reapply. Thank you so much for reading
I’m going to check out the Trader Joe hand cream, thanks!
Thank you for reading 💜
I’m always looking for a good hand moisturizer, I work in a dental office and my hands get so dry and cracked! These are great options
Glad you emphasized on washing hands and your listed down your recommended lotions.
I had no idea about the hand cream! Thanks for sharing! I have been using lotion after washing my hands! It’s helped a lot.
Great tips in here! I have been using Elizabeth Arden’s 8h cream but with all this handwashing the habit is about to get pricey. Always loved Neutrogena and could get that next.
Thank you for sharing these tips and recommendations, I have noticed my hands are much dryer at the moment. I already have a few Neutrogena products and think they are a great brand, will definitely consider their hand cream too! Great post, very helpful! <3 xx
Bexa | http://www.hellobexa.com
Thank you, glad you found it helpful 💜
Because I work in the hospitality industry I’m used to washing my hands so much, and they’re always dry so dry! I used the lush moisturizer alot previously as it works so well for me x
Thank you for sharing information on the hand creams. Hand creams are important essential too. Washing hands with soap and sanitizers to much can make your hands dry.
I love Neutrogena hydroboost. I have loads of products from that range. I’m so used to washing my hands all the time anyway as I’m a nurse so it’s nice to see some other hand creams here that I haven’t tried yet. Thanks for writing such a great post. xx
Great tips! I know that the constant hand washing has taken a toll on my hands, and it’s time to start prioritizing a moisturizer or hand cream in my routine. I hadn’t stopped to consider what to purchase until reading this but I am a HUGE fan of Dove’s products, so I think that’s a great place to start!
Yeah I love Dove products too, they are found in most drugstore making them easily accessible. So glad you found the post helpful
My partner ls hands are already suffering, she has problems with them normally though. We have plenty of hand cream in, until recently I worked in a job that was rough on my hands, so I always use it. It’s something people should definitely be doing.
Yes definitely it is something we should take into consideration. Hand creams are important in self care
This is so important! My Nan has very sensitive hands and although she washed frequently before, this increased washing has made her hands sore. I personally love the body shop hand creams as they smell great though I know perfumed products can caused further irritation for some! Great post!
-Kyra xx
I had gel nail polish that I had to remove myself (since we are on lock down) so I soaked in nail polish remover to get it off. For some reason the tips of all of my fingers became very dry and cracked (to the point where my iPhone didn’t even recognize my fingerprint anymore). 🤦♀️ I’ve been moisturizing like CRAZY to fix this and the only thing I had that was “hand cream” is Bert’s Bees. It improved after two days but is still a work in progress. I was wondering what your thoughts are on that product/company?
Ohhh I’m so sorry about your dry hands. And Burt’s bees, I like their products because they are generally inexpensive and they mostly add lots of natural plant extracts and oil. But the the thing is not all naturals are good for skin, some include fragrance, some could be sensitizing for the skin. It sounds like the product is working for your skin and that’s great. Thank you so much for reading 💜
Such a handy article during the times we’re in! My hands are super dry too, I used cocoa butter hand cream and that works great!
Thank you for these tips! My hands are in dire condition at the moment due to all the hand washing and I really need to invest in a good hand cream. Also didn’t know the best time to use them was after washing! xxx
Wouldn’t silicone derivative moisturisers be bad to use during the pandemic? If they’re water resistant, virus particles could get trapped in the moisturiser instead of being washed off when you wash your hands, as the rinsing off of the soap also helps remove virus particles and other germs
No silicone derivatives are not bad because we have pores in our skin so the addition of silicone derivatives helps fill in spaces between skin cells to create a smoother skin surface.
Hand washing removes pathogens on the surface of the skin not inside the skin cells.
So washing the hands frequently would still remove the products eventually but it is not like other creams that you would need to re-apply often.
If the silicone derivatives fill in the gaps between the skin skills, and are water resistant, then you risk trapping pathogens between the skins cells and under the silicone derivative moisturiser.
Plus, what’s stopping pathogens sticking to the silicone derivative moisturisers once you’ve applied and then being protected by it’s water resistance until the moisturiser eventually dry outs or wears off?
If you properly do hand washing for at least 20 seconds, then there is no risk of pathogens getting trapped into your skin or getting under moisturizers because they would be washed off.
Creams are there to moisturize to prevent dry skin as they are non-greasy
If this product is going to stay on your skin for hours after you’ve put it on, then anything you touch would risk getting pathogens mixed into this water resistant layer you’d applied to your hands, and once you’ve applied it, you’re then reducing the effectiveness of any further hand washing until this water resistant moisturiser has been removed
First of all you have to understand what hand washing is. Hand washing is the process of removing materials from skin surface. During the process sebums (skin natural oil) and intracellular lipids and pathogens are all removed. So a moisturizer will put back lipids that was mistakenly removed resulting in skin hydration.
Firstly, pathogens stay on the skin surface. The only time a pathogen gets into in your skin is if you put your hands on your face.
Secondly, pathogens don’t mix with creams because once you apply a cream and work afterwards. Then wash your hands again, the pathogens are washed off. In most cases you might need to reapply the cream to return back the lipid lost.
That all makes sense for the other moisturisers, but that doesn’t account water resistant protective layer to your adding to your skin with the silicone derivative moisturiser. Unless they aren’t actually doing what it says on the tin
Every moisturizer that contains dimethicone and cyclomethicone are common silicone derivatives found in most moisturizers which if you look at the back of most creams you find it. It all depends on percentages.
I hope that helps
Thanks so much. Even with the Amazon links. You show that you really care.
Thank you, really appreciate that 💜
This post couldn’t have come at a better time, my hands are so sore right now, thank you for all the recommendations – I think I like the look of the Dove one the best x
Oh that’s great, a number of people have picked Dove too. Thank you for reading 💜
Thank you for this! It was very informative!
My daughters hands are getting so dry, I will definitely try some of your recommendations
Oh that’s great and thank you for trying out some of the recommendations 💜
Thanks for sharing!
Such a helpful post. My hands are so sore because I’m a cleaning and use so many different chemicals. I’m going to definitely check out some of these recommendations
Great handwashing tips + technique. Definitely need to moisturize after washing.
Thank you 💜
This is really useful, my hands are definitely much dryer during this handwashing periods so I’ll be sure to check out your recommendations.
Jess | https://jessrigg.com
Thank you ❤️
It really does dry your hands out! I just got a new facial moisturizer that I really love. I might see if they have a hand version, keeping all these tips in mind. Thanks for the great info!
Thank you for reading. 💜
Thank you! I always washed with hotter water thinking to kill germs! But really the soap does the killing LOL I will definitely start using lukewarm water.
Yeah hot water does strip moisture and oils from the skin leading to dry skin. Glad the post was helpful. Thank you for reading
I need to do a better job at keeping my hands moisturized! I keep using hand sanitizer but that really dries my hands out. I love that there are lots of options out there. Oooh I didn’t know Clinique has one too! I got to try out Chanel’s hand cream and it works great!
Nancy ✨ exquisitely.me