Hand Creams for Dry Skin

Frequent hand washing is the most common reason, especially with hot water and harsh soap. Cold weather and central heating make it worse, because there's less moisture in the air. Hand sanitiser can dry skin out too. The skin on the backs of your hands is thin and has few oil glands, so it loses moisture quickly.

Look for a richer formula with ingredients that pull moisture in and hold it there, such as urea, glycerin, ceramides or shea butter. Apply it after every wash, not just once a day. For dry skin elsewhere on your body, have a look at our products for dry skin.

Yes. Urea is a natural moisturising factor that's already found in healthy skin. At around 5%, as in Eucerin UreaRepair Plus and Sebamed Extreme Dry Skin Relief, it hydrates and gently smooths rough, flaky patches. Higher strengths, like the 10% in Altruist Hand Repair Cream, are better for very thick, hard skin.

Yes, and keeping the skin moisturised is a big part of managing it. Choose a fragrance-free formula made for very dry or sensitive skin, and apply it often. If your hands are weeping, bleeding or not improving, speak to your GP or pharmacist. You can also browse our products for eczema.

Before bed, wash your hands, pat them almost dry and apply a generous layer of a rich hand cream. Then slip on a pair of cotton gloves. They help the cream sink in instead of rubbing off on your bedding, and your hands will feel much softer in the morning.

If your hands are cracked, sore or prone to eczema, fragrance-free is the safer choice, as fragrance can sting broken skin. Nursem Caring Hand Cream Unfragranced, CeraVe Reparative Hand Cream and Avène Cicalfate are all good options. If your skin isn't sensitive, a fragranced cream is usually fine.

It can. Massage your hand cream into your nails and cuticles every time you apply it, as they dry out just like your skin. A hand and nail cream such as Caudalie Vinotherapist is made to do both jobs at once.

Your hands get a lot of sun, which can lead to dark spots and thinner-looking skin over time. Applying your usual SPF to the backs of your hands every morning makes a big difference. Our sunscreens have lots of easy, lightweight options.