Our Top Lotions To Keep Your Hands Moisturized And Crack-Free All Winter, Per Amazon Reviews
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The depths of winter bring more than low temperatures — they also bring dry hands. As the humidity plunges outside and the heating comes on inside, moisture leaches quickly from our skin, leaving our exposed hands vulnerable to dehydration and painful cracking (via WebMD). When it comes to combating dry skin on your hands, restoring the moisture balance is one crucial step. It's no wonder, then, that many people swear by their favorite hand lotion to get them through the season.
Of course, not all hand creams are created equally, and some may not be robust enough to make a difference to your parched winter skin. To find out which products provide actual relief to dry, sore hands, we scoured through Amazon reviews to identify the best of the best. Our investigation revealed that Amazon customers flock to some familiar brands — showing why these names have become so trusted in the first place — but if these basics aren't for you, we also found a few lesser-known treasures worth trying to help overcome your winter beauty woes this year.
Best overall lotion: CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion
To kick off our list of the best winter hand creams, let's start with the impressive performance of CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion. This product has a staggering response on Amazon, with over 100,000 reviews granting it a cumulative 4.7-star rating. Reviewers adore its gentle yet effective formulation, which is versatile enough to be used on your hands, body, and even face. In fact, it's Amazon's best-selling body lotion.
As one happy reviewer wrote, "This has been my tried and true lotion for about three years now. I have extremely dry and sensitive skin, especially in the winter, and this is the only lotion that I have found to help. It does not have any scent to it, which I love. ... It doesn't feel greasy and absorbs quickly." So, if you prefer a light, smooth feeling over heavy hand balms, CeraVe could be your ideal solution to thirsty winter skin.
Purchase the CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion on Amazon for $16.53.
Best heavy-duty lotion: O'Keeffe's Working Hands Cream
With O'Keeffe's Working Hands Cream, the promise is right there in the title, and a 4.8-star rating from more than 36,000 reviews shows that users second this lotion's ability to repair dry, overworked hand skin. It's unscented and hypoallergenic, making it an accessible option for many skin types. Also rich and highly concentrated, O'Keeffe's hand cream is definitely on the dense side, but users seem to appreciate its thick, luxurious feel on skin that needs extra TLC. As one reviewer noted, "This hand cream is very good at moisturizing chronically dry hands. It's a heavy-duty cream for those who need more than average hand creams provide."
Purchase the O'Keeffe's Working Hands Cream on Amazon for $7.97.
Best multi-purpose lotion: Lubriderm Daily Moisture Lotion
Touted to not only restore hydration but also help repair your skin's moisture barrier, this pro-ceramide offering from Lubriderm comes fortified with ingredients like shea butter and glycerin but without harsh additives like phthalates, parabens, and dyes. Like CeraVe's lotion, it's light and noncomedogenic, meaning you can go beyond your hands and use it on your face. Perhaps best of all, it comes in a massive bottle, so you don't have to restock often. Over 30,000 reviewers have graced Lubriderm's Daily Moisture Lotion with a 4.8-star average, expressing their satisfaction with the product's effectiveness and value.
As one reviewer raved, "It works so well. My skin feels refreshed after applying with no heavy feel. ... For all of the gimmicks and flashy packaging and marketing out there, nothing has worked so well. I feel so smooth and soft and my skin hasn't been uncomfortably tight once."
Purchase the Lubriderm Daily Moisture Lotion on Amazon for $10.12.
Best vitamin-rich lotion: Jergens Ultra Healing Moisturizer
When more than 34,000 reviewers come together to give a product 4.8 stars, there must be something to it. Jergens' Ultra Healing Moisturizer is formulated with vitamins C, B, and E to tackle even the driest of skin, including any rough patches on your elbows, knees, heels, and — you guessed it — winter-roughened hands. Plus, it promises to keep you moisturized for two days after using it.
"Fixed my skin issues like nothing else could," wrote one reviewer. "This lotion hardly has a scent ... rubs in well so as to not leave skin feeling oily, and has completely resolved my skin dryness issues. I can hardly remember what it was like to have my skin just crack and bleed from being so dry, even after having tried other lotions and healers."
Purchase the Jergens Ultra Healing Moisturizer on Amazon for $7.47.
Best budget lotion: Gold Bond Healing Hand Cream
Gold Bond promises "moisture that lasts through handwashing" on the tube of its Healing Hand Cream. While this may sound too good to be true, more than 25,000 ratings and an average of 4.7 stars have made this product Amazon's best-seller in the category of hand creams and lotions. According to its official product information, this hypoallergenic, aloe-infused cream utilizes positive ions to keep hydration locked into your skin, even after you've washed your hands. And reviewers have happily confirmed that the lotion stays put.
"Go for the Gold!" one reviewer wrote, adding, "This hand cream is the best. It moisturizes, softens, heals my hands and cuticles, and absorbs completely, leaving no greasy residue." Another reviewer commented, "I keep one in practically every room of my house. ... I love how quickly it absorbs and how hydrated my hands and feet feel after applying. It's a lasting hydration, too, like a drink of water for my thirsty dry hands."
Purchase the Gold Bond Healing Hand Cream on Amazon for $4.69.
Best lotion from a beloved skincare brand: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5
In skincare circles, La Roche-Posay is a pretty popular brand, and it's been featured on shelves via dermatologist-tested products since 1975. As a solution for dry winter hands, the Cicaplast Balm seems in keeping with this reliable reputation, with 15,000 ratings granting the product a 4.6-star average on Amazon.
Users praise its quality and skin benefits, with one reviewer writing, "Seems like there is nothing this can't do. It is super gentle, non-irritating, ultra moisturizing, yet not greasy or oily. It absorbs quickly, has no scent, and can be used anywhere on the body. Thicker than a lotion, but not as heavy as a cream. It is rich and glides across the skin. A little goes a long way." That said, some consumers were less thrilled with its thick consistency and slightly higher price point. But if you've tried and loved other La Roche-Posay products in the past, the Cicaplast Balm may be worth adding to your lineup.
Purchase the La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5 on Amazon for $15.99.
Best drugstore lotion: Eos Shea Better Hand Cream
Looking for a lotion that's a little off the beaten track? More than 12,000 ratings have elevated Eos' offering with a rating of 4.6 stars, making it worth a second look. Not only does this hand cream promise 24-hour moisture but it also uses sustainable, wild-harvested shea butter to help protect ecosystems and promote environmental stewardship. Beyond this green ethos, users love that the Shea Better Hand Cream comes in myariad scents to suit every personal preference. Choose from enticing fragrances like coconut, lavender, eucalyptus, vanilla cashmere, pink citrus, and pomegranate raspberry.
In addition to calling it a "treat for your hands" and waxing poetic over the scent, one reviewer gushed, "What truly sets this hand cream apart is its rich and velvety texture. The formula is incredibly hydrating, and as soon as you apply it, you can feel the moisture sinking into your skin. ... After just a few uses, I noticed a significant improvement in the overall texture and hydration of my skin."
Purchase the Eos Shea Better Hand Cream on Amazon for $3.38.
Best eco-friendly lotion: Mrs. Meyer's Hand Lotion
Mrs. Meyer's has become a beloved name among eco-friendly cleaning solutions. But as 4.5 stars from over 12,000 reviews shows, the brand's skincare line is also worthy of attention. With restorative shea butter and almond oil, this non-greasy lotion is crafted to instill moisture into the driest of hands. As with other Mrs. Meyer's products, this lotion is certified cruelty-free and made without parabens, phthalates, or formaldehyde.
"I am always washing dishes and cleaning up after others. Cracks in my hands have become a painful reality and I've dealt with the pain for years," wrote one reviewer. "My hands are better than ever now. It dries in 20 seconds and feels like there's nothing there. My hands don't feel greasy or sticky and they even smell nice. ... I'm sold for life." Regarding the fragrance, users can enjoy this hand lotion in signature Mrs. Meyer's scents, including basil, honeysuckle, lavender, and lemon verbena. As another reviewer summed it up, these aromatherapeutic lotions offer "spa quality for a non-spa price."
Purchase the Mrs. Meyer's Hand Lotion on Amazon beginning at $4.27.
Best luxury lotion: Ahava Dead Sea Water Mineral Hand Cream
Enriched with a blend of minerals straight from the Dead Sea, Ahava's hand cream is more of an investment than most offerings on this list. However, there are various sizes available, and converts to the brand swear that this product is a game-changer. The comments section on Amazon is littered with 5-star reviews, with everyone from physicians to guitar players chiming in about how the lotion has saved their dry and calloused hands.
"Ahava is the only hand cream that I use," wrote one reviewer. "One use lasts all day, and I have very dry skin. It has a delightful smell as well. Nothing else compares!" On the whole, more than 1,200 reviewers have given the Dead Sea Mineral Hand Cream a cumulative 4.8-star rating. So, if you're looking for a luxe moisturizing cream to tame your dry paws, Ahava may be worth exploring.
Purchase the Ahava Dead Sea Water Mineral Hand Cream on Amazon beginning at $23.75.
How we selected products
In today's health and beauty marketplace, hand creams and body lotions are a dime a dozen. Unfortunately, this makes it difficult to distinguish the skincare diamonds from the bathroom cabinet space-wasters. So, when it came to identifying the best lotions for your dry winter hands, we went straight to a trustworthy source: reviews and testimonials from verified Amazon customers.
First, we narrowed down products with high ratings and a huge depth of reviews, ensuring that these were well-tested hand creams rather than flash-in-the-pan products that had impressed one or two shoppers. Then, we examined the product information, ingredients list, and specific customer responses to see which lotions were living up to their promises and instilling real hydration into users' hands.
The result of our search is this shortlist of creams and body lotions beloved by reviewers for their nourishing moisture and visible results. Real consumers exalt these lotions for delivering softer, healthier hands despite overwashing or frigid weather, so if you need a healing balm for your own mitts this winter, this roundup should be the perfect starting point.