Sanitizer Making Your Hands Dry AF? Try These Protective Creams (From $4)

Now that hand-washing and sanitizing have evolved into round-the-clock practices, hand-care rituals are more important than ever before. You’re probably all too familiar with the recurring hassle of red, parched, and chapped hands that, on the odd occasion, can flare up sensitivity around the area that’s just straight-up painful. But thankfully, there are some ah-mazing remedies in the market rn (a medley of oldies and newbies) to give your mitts some much-needed TLC — easing all dryness, flakiness, and unpleasant irritation. A few tips to keep in mind before we delve into our selection of star hand treatments:

• Always apply a hand cream immediately after washing or sanitizing your hands to replenish lost moisture.
• Don’t neglect your cuticles and nail beds, too, ensuring your choice of ointment or lotion reaches these delicate areas.
• And lastly, slathering on a rich overnight ointment before you snooze will do serious wonders for thirsty hands.

Check out these eight nourishing miracle blends that we’re loving…

Eucerin Advanced Repair Hand Cream, $13

Source: Amazon.

If you’re looking for a formula that provides immediate and lasting relief, this baby gets the job done, and well! Made specifically for the driest of dry hands, it delivers intense moisture without the tackiness or heavy feel that’s often associated with rich lotions. It combines ceramides, natural moisturizing factors, and some AHA to soften, gently buff, and retain moisture, ensuring your hands remain perfectly polished at all times. Don’t forget to top this off with an adequate coating of your daily SPF. 

O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream, $7

Source: Amazon.

Amazon shoppers swear by this intensive hand cream to heal extremely parched and cracked hands. It’s a rich, ointment-like cream that gets right down into dry areas while creating a protective film on the surface of the skin to help prevent further moisture loss. This is also an effective skin-softening remedy for calloused palms and fingers. 

Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, $24

Source: Sephora.

Kiehl’s heavy-duty savior boasts a blend of shea butter, avocado, and sesame seed oils to level up moisture and soothe rough and dry skin. This is a handbag staple for winter days and, you’ll love its airy scent — a whiff of delicate eucalyptus that leaves your hands smelling clean and fresh.

Soap & Glory Original Pink Hydrating Hand Food, $8

Source: Ulta.

We can’t get enough of this fragrant hand cream. It smells like an absolute dream — just envision a mix of bergamot, rose, jasmine, peach, patchouli, and musks with the added extra of having the softest hands ever post-application. No wonder this gem is an award-winning cult buy. Its hydrating ingredients include classic shea butter, macadamia oil, and marshmallow to soothe and pamper hands. 

L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream, $29

Source: Ulta.

Another shea butter-infused goodie that makes a standout overnight treatment. This thick and creamy balm contains 20% organic shea butter, honey, almond, and coconut oils to nourish and protect the skin, and despite how rich it is, there’s no greasiness or stickiness in sight. With regular use, your hands will look and feel supple and baby soft. 

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hand Gel Cream, $7

Source: Ulta.

Neutrogena’s expansive Hydro Boost range consists of bomb hand lotion, too, and just like the rest of their hydrating skincare offerings, hyaluronic acid sits front and center in this formula to help quench parched hands. This is a travel bag must-have for dried-out airplane skin — lightweight and so airy, your hands will soak this up, and thank you. 

Lano Golden Dry Skin Salve, $18

Source: Ulta.

A multi-purpose miracle worker that moisturizes, protects, and heals dry skin. It’s enriched with natural lanolin, manuka honey, and vitamin E to give your hands a dollop of TLC. Apply some just before you catch some zzz’s, so you wake up with the dewiest, baby soft hands. 

Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Hand Cream, $4

Source: Amazon.

This intensive cream gives immediate and enduring hydration that even lasts through hand washing. It’s formulated with seven essential moisturizers and vitamins C, B, and E to protect and nourish deeply while also safeguarding the skin barrier from moisture loss. Aloe is also infused in the mix to calm and soothe skin further. 

For a hand-to-toe body glow, check out these protective moisturizers to relieve dry skin woes.

Disclaimer: Every product we review has been independently selected and tested without bias by our editorial team. We never take payment to review products, although some brands allow affiliate links, so we may earn a commission if you purchase a product by clicking on one of our links.