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Hey you, yes, you, right there: I don’t want to freak you out but dry, winter hands are coming. It’s practically as inevitable as the changing of the leaves outside (damn you, winter!). And these dry hands do make sense, from an increase in hand washing (damn you, flu germs!), a decrease in moisture in the air, and the crispy cool air we’re about to encounter.
But there is a way to ward off dry, winter-chapped hands, and it’s an obvious but necessary solution: hand creams. Nothing revelatory here, but we’d argue that the more inspiring—be it in the form of elevated packaging or heavenly-scented products—a product is, the more likely you are to use it. You’ll be less likely to hide your hand cream in a drawer if you want it to be seen, and when it’s out and proudly displayed, you’re then also more likely to use throughout the day, and/or especially right before bedtime. Hide those sore, dry hands no more though, thanks to these chic, excellent hand creams.
LXMI Hand Lotion, $28
The whole package here, folks. She’s got beauty and brains. Literally safe enough for you to eat, this hand cream is 100 percent nilotica fruit butter, harvested from 20-year-old trees near the Nile River. It melts into the hands like a dream too, and absorbs quickly. And that packaging! *chefs kiss*
OSEA Malibu Hand Cream, $38
A recent launch from one of our favorite brands, this hand cream is hyper-rich, making it perfect for mid-winter (hand) blues. If you really want to amp it up, the brand recommends pairing the lotion with moisture gloves (just grab a cheap pair from Amazon) for an overnight treatment that will give skin a 180 reversal in moisture.
Ohii Hand Cream, $10
I spotted this on our GM’s desk (she’s very cool), and literally stopped in my tracks to investigate the cool packaging. So, you heard it here, folks, it’ll stop people mid-speed-walking around an office just so they can see what this impossibly interesting bottle could possibly be. Choose between rose, almond or citrus scents—or heck, grab them all, they are $10 after all.
Weleda Skin Food Skin Cream, $12.49
When in doubt, smear on some Weleda. Just read the hyper-enthusiastic reviews on Target, where it’s described as nothing short of a skin savior. And while, yep, this is usually meant for your face, why not spread the love to your hands and cuticles, too, bb?
Nivea Cream Tin, $.99
On the go, throw this little cutie in your bag with you. And the old-school tin throws me back to more innocent times (when my hands were less dry).
Lano Rose Hand Cream, $15
You already swear by the lip balms (Omg, are you not using the lip balms?! They are magic and stay on entirely overnight.), so throw on some of the lanolin long-lasting, hyper-hydrating powers with these super, super rich hand creams, too. I love the rose scent, it’s spring-ish scented and so fresh.
Susanne Kaufmann Hand Lotion, $31
This is the perfect gift for the minimalist in your life (whether that be you, or another). This hand cream by Austrian beauty Kaufmann is rich, luxe, and super gentle.
Byredo Hand Cream, $40
Speaking of gifts and hard-to-buy-for-friends (cough, our cool GM, cough), this is my holy grail gift. No one can deny the best of the best with Byredo packaging and product all wrapped up in these adorable metal tubes. Any scent is a dream, but I’m partial to La Tulipe, oh, and Mojave Ghost, oh, well, and Gypsy Water, oh, and …
Verso Hand Serum, $55
Sure, you want a hand cream. But why not have your hand cream be doing double duty while sitting on your hands? This is formulated with Verso’s iconic, powerful Retinol 8, which effectively stimulates collagen. So, when you slather on this cream (with hyaluronic acid, so it’s super hydrating and absorbs quickly), it’ll also be smoothing fine lines, and reducing the appearance of dark spots and discoloration. Thanks, friend!
Tatcha Indigo Soothing Silk Hand Cream, $38
Why use any hand cream, when you can use an indigo-infused hand cream?! Beyond just imparting a hypnotically interesting blue hue, the indigo plant is actually incredibly anti-inflammatory and soothing. Perfect for sore, wind-burnt winter hands. A few other superpowered ingredients encourage the skin to heal and reduce redness, too. *applies continuously all winter long*
Santa Maria Novella Hand Cream, $54
Okay, we’ve gotten to the point in the story where you’re probably wondering why I’m talking about a $54 hand cream. But, hear me out: Do you have that person in your life (Or if it’s you, it could be you and that’s okay!) that is just the coolest, most interesting, (It’s totally you, isn’t it? Knew it.) most impossible individual to find gifts for? I do, and honestly, super high design, iconic, classic hand creams like this are the answer. It’s simple, useful, incredibly thoughtful, and she (or you!) will love it, I promise.
Nuori Vital Hand Cream, $45
Just another letter of appreciation written to a brand for their epic packaging—this one goes to Danish clean-beauty brand Nuori. The clever packaging could be reason enough to *add to cart*, but the dreamy, subtle orange vanilla scent is another big draw. Fine, *adds all in stock to cart*.
Aesop Hand Balm, $27
I could not possibly put together a hand cream story without including the epicness that is Aesop’s Hand Balms. The color scheme and packaging alone are recognizable from across the room. For good reason: they work, smell like actual heaven on Earth, and ya know who loves Aesop? Men. Men who think they’re too tough for hand creams will use this hand cream. (Will it conjure attractive men when you apply it on yourself? Well, it’s worth investigating just in case.)