These 17 Expert-Approved Hand Creams Are Worthy of Any Rotation (2024)

Our hands don't always get all the love and attention they deserve when it comes to body care, but using one of the best anti-aging hand creams is key in helping them stay soft and supple. While we often recognize the importance of layering serums, moisturizers, and protective sunscreens on our faces, many dermatologists say the same methods can be applied to the skin on our fingers and hands, too.

"I think hands are the next frontier," dermatologist and founder of Idriss Dermatology in New York City Shereene Idriss tells Bazaar. "First it was the face, then the neck and the chest, and now we're moving on to hands—I'm happy that people are finally catching up." Since hands are used for just about everything, frequent wear-and-tear can strip away their natural skin barrier, and increase their need for moisture to help repair it.

Skin there is much thinner than what's on your face and more surprisingly more sensitive, which is why we should pay extra special attention to its care. "The hands experience skin aging in the same way that our face, neck, and décolleté do, and in fact, it is often said that you can tell someone’s age just by looking at their hands," explains dermatologist Marisa Garshick. "This is because not only is the skin on the top of the hands very delicate and can more easily show signs of aging. The hands are often neglected when it comes to regular sun protection and the cumulative UV exposure over time can lead to skin changes. For this reason there are some hand creams designed to specifically target anti-aging concerns," she adds. Although the same anti-aging ingredients used in face products can also work for the hands, the concentration and combination of ingredients in each may vary.

To help you find the best anti-aging hand creams to use for supreme hydration, we asked a few dermatologists about some of their favorites to recommend to clients, or use themselves to combat dryness. Here, read on for some of the best hand creams to stash in your bag all year-round.

Related: We Tried Nécessaire’s Hand Duo for Ultimate Hydration

Fashion influencer and beauty entreprenuer Chriselle Lim swears by this coveted hand cream from Chanel. It provides up to eight hours of hydration using ingredients like licorice root extract, sunflower seed wax, and shea butter, to your hands and cuticles nourished.

Just like the brand's cult-favorite mandarin rind, rosemary leaf, and cedar-scented Resurrection Aromatique hand wash, Aesop's Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm is a beauty editor hand care staple. And since it comes in a stylish, elevated tube, you'll have even more incentive to keep your palms moisturized.

Beauty Pie's Super Retinol Anti-Aging Hand Treatment comes expert-recommended. "One of my favorite hand creams is from Beauty Pie—they have a nice Super Retinol Anti-Aging Hand Treatment," Idriss says. "However, you don't necessarily have to use a treatment specifically for the hands. I advocate using beauty products that you have lying around on your shelf and not having them go to waste. If you have a retinol that might've been too harsh for your face, give it a try on the back of your hands."

"I am obsessed with O'Keeffe's Working Hands. It's great, especially if you're somebody who washes your hands a lot throughout the day like most healthcare workers," Idriss adds. Formulated to soothe dry, cracked palms and fingertips, the cream's formula is both unscented and non-greasy, and since it's also hypoallergenic, safe for sensitive skin.

Not only does Perricone MD's Cold Plasma Plus+ Hand Therapy Cream guard against dryness, but it's also beneficial for your skin barrier. "This hand cream uses shea butter to help boost moisture, phospholipids to strengthen the skin barrier, and glycine (an amino acid) that can help to improve the overall appearance of fine lines and wrinkles," explains Garshick.

Here's a nourishing jojoba seed oil and sunflower seed wax balm that's perfect for severely dry skin. "Medik8's moisture-boosting H.E.O. Balm uses humectants, emollients and occlusives leaving the skin on the hand looking healthy and hydrated," Garshick explains.

A little goes a long way when it comes to this intensive hand cream. "I also love using Neutrogena's Norwegian Hand Cream during winter months, since the formula is extremely thick and deeply moisturizing," Idriss adds.

"Applying a heavy ointment like this one to damp skin and covering your hands in white cotton gloves for 30 minutes to an hour can really helps hydrate the skin, as you seal in moisture using this technique," Shirazi notes of CeraVe's petrolatum and hyaluronic acid-based ointment.

For more than 150 years, Harper’s Bazaar has been the preeminent fashion and beauty resource for women at every age. We cover what’s new and what’s next in beauty by working with the world’s leading authorities in dermatology, plastic surgery, cosmetics, skincare, haircare, and fragrance. Every story we publish has been thoroughly researched and vetted by our team of beauty editors and industry experts.