There’s so much uncertainty in the world right now as we navigate COVID-19. Staying informed is key, social distancing is crucial and doing what you can to relieve stress when so much is out of our hands is super important. One thing you can control? How dry your hands are. Your sandpaper paws have been through a lot thanks to to winter conditions, diligent hand washing (I’m partial to singing “Thong Song” to get my 20 seconds of lathering in, you?) and hand sanitizer baths, but these lotions, balms and salves are here to the rescue.
Behold, the best hand creams for soothing even the driest of hands.
The one that sells every two seconds
L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream, $35, thebay.com
This luscious lotion is enriched with 20% organic shea butter—harvested by several thousand Burkinabé women who, according to L’Occitane, are committed to developing a sustainable, fair trade shea butter supply chain—and penetrates quickly to protect, nourish and moisturize even the most leathery hands. Honey, almond extract and coconut oil add to the balm’s hydrating power and lovely scent (bonus!).
The one that also helps with anti-aging
Nivea Q10 Anti-Age Hand Cream, $6, walmart.ca
I can’t be the only person that looks down at their reptilian hands and wonders when they started to look so haggard. Enter this little cutie from Nivea that helps to visibly reduce the appearances of fine lines and wrinkles via its coenzyme Q10 while moisturizing your hands.
The one that’s somewhere between a cream and a balm
Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, $21, sephora.com
This stuff is the truth. It looks like a cream, acts like a heavy-duty salve and smells like a glorious old timey apothecary. Plus, despite being one of the most major moisturizers on this list that relieves the most weather-beaten hands, it’s non-greasy enough that you can do normal things, like type on a computer, after application.
Read this next: This Winter Is Dry AF—Here Are the Moisturizers That’ll Save You
The one that looks especially chic sitting on your desk
Aesop Reverence Aromatique Hand Balm, $43 CAD for 75ml, nordstrom.com
This rich, emollient balm provides sustained hydration with ingredients like potassium lactate, while its woody, smoky scent is almost too cool for a hand cream. (Almost.)
The one in a pump
Beautycounter Hand Cream in Citrus Mimosa, $38, beautycounter.com
This lightweight, fast-absorbing cream hydrates and softens skin with ingredients like shea butter, organic sunflower oil, vitamin E, aloe, calendula and chamomile. Plus, its refreshing citrus scent is a dream.
The one that’s like a spa moment
Burt’s Bees Hand Cream Lavender & Honey, $6.99, well.ca
Shea butter handles the hydration while aromatic lavender and honey calm your senses. We could all use a little calming right now, no?
The one that’s equally good for your nails
Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream, $38, sephora.com
This sulfate- and phthalate-free formula softens skin while strengthening nails so you can get those bad boys in peak condition for your next manicure.
Read this next: The Best Face Masks of 2020
The one that’s a cult classic
The Body Shop Hemp Hard-Working Hand Protector, $10, thebodyshop.com
The Body Shop was infusing products with hemp long before it was trendy. This best selling hand cream softens dry skin and protects hands from further damage with hemp seed oil, and has a slightly granola smell that’s somewhere between earthy and floral. Groovy.
The one that literally does it all
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant, $30, beauty.shoppersdrugmart.ca
This iconic little tube can do it all—it moisturizes, heals and protects dry, chapped skin, but it’s also a lovely (and effective) lip balm *and* has been a multi-use staple in makeup artists’ kits for decades (think: everything from grooming brows to creating a high-fashion glossy eye makeup look).
The one that’s luxe AF
Chanel La Crème Main Texture Riche, $70, Available at all Chanel beauty counters and chanel.com
Bonjour, beautiful. This impossibly rich cream promises to deliver at least eight hours of hydration to parched hands while fighting signs of aging. Iris pallida protects the skin barrier and helps diminish the appearance of dark spots while rose wax leaves a protective barrier of moisture on the skin. Shea butter and glycerin are also here for added hydration.
Read this next: The Best Facial Oils and How to Use Them
The one that you can also slather all over your body
Cela The Very Best Cream, $37, thisiscela.com
This decadent crème smells like an elevated Terry’s Chocolate Orange (yes, this is a GREAT thing) and delivers maximum moisture via the brand’s signature Céla Complex, a blend of Canadian botanicals, alongside hydrating Amazonian cupuaçu butter and Abyssinian oil. Bonus: The cruelty-free brand is also proudly Canadian.
The one that makes you stop and smell the roses
Lano Rose Cream Intense, $20, sephora.com
This 98.59% natural formula contains rose oil and brand’s signature lanolin and leaves your hands hydrated—and smelling like a bed of roses. It also boasts Sephora’s Clean seal which means it’s free of ingredients like sulfates, parabens and formaldehydes.
The one that pampers your cuticles
Clinique Deep Comfort Hand and Cuticle Cream, $33, thebay.com
They need love too! This rich, oil-free formula absorbs quickly and conditions brittle nails and ragged cuticles while smoothing scaly skin.