My Top Hand Cream Picks
Hand creams - so many choices, which one to go for? Over the last 10+ years of my life, I’ve really narrowed down what types of hand creams I like and I am picky AF with what I want. And that is A-OK.
What do you guys typically look for in your hand creams? For me, these are the few points that are needed to catch my attention:
Rich and hydrating.
Does not leave my hands feeling greasy.
Smells good (not necessary - either smells good or unscented).
Travel friendly packaging.
Cute packaging (ok, again - not a necessity, but a big perk. especially for this content creator).
For me, I go through hand creams at snail pace. I wish I was better about getting through hand creams, but I’ll admit that I often forget to use it. As an avid ring wearer (4-5 fingers), it’s often an extreme inconvenience to take off all my rings to apply my hand cream. Overdramatic? Maybe.
When sitting at my desk at work (or at home), I need hand creams that will sink in quickly so I don’t spread my greasy fingerprints over everything - computer, papers, printers, etc. At the same time, I do work with paper (lots and lots of it) so I need to keep my hands hydrated or paper cuts will be inevitable. I thought I would share some of my favorite hand creams that I have in my collection that are frequently in rotation:
L’Occitane: Almond Hand & Nail Cream :: The almond range at L’Occitane is one of my favorites scents and along with this, the almond shower oil are my favorites. I love the metal tubs of the hand creams at L’Occitane and they add a touch of luxuriousness. You can use this tool to get the last drop of product out of your tube!
Caudalie Hand & Nail Cream :: I’ve had a handful of the Caudalie hand creams over the years and it’s one I constantly go back to. Caudalie products have a classic scent and always remind me of walking into a French pharmacy. This hand cream sinks into your skin so quickly and truly makes your hands super soft. I actually believe it helps soften the skin around my nails which = soft and healthy cuticles.
Jurlique Rose Hand Cream * :: This one is a recent addition thanks to the Jurlique team! This smells beautiful like roses and is a nice thick hand cream that sinks into your skin without leaving behind that greasy residue.
Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm :: This one is a luxurious purchase and is one I hope to one day buy in a bottle with a pump! I treated myself to the resurrection hand wash a while back and it is such a treat - it was one I was always so excited to use and was definitely v sad when it ran out. TBH, T and I just re-use the bottle and filled it with a soap we got in bulk at Target. #bougie
Soap and Glory Hand Food * :: S&G’s original scent is one of my favorites and ever since I smelled it ~ 7 years ago, I’ve been a fan. I almost always have it in my shower as a body wash and recently received a PR package with a mini of the hand cream. I like having smaller hand creams to take around with me on the go, but this one is also great to have at work on my desk.
Chanel La Creme Main Hand Cream :: Ok this one was a total #IGmademedoit purchase - talk about a bougie peer pressure purchase. I’ve never owned anything prior to this from Chanel - shocker. When I saw a ton (and I mean a ton) of people posting about this little egg-shaped hand cream, I caved and made a somewhat impulsive order. This one is a luxurious treat and I use this *very* sparingly. A little goes a long way with this one. It is a bit of a stronger scent than I’m used to but it does dissipate rather quickly so it’s not a big deal. If you don’t have the budget for this one, I’d say pass on this. But if you have that wiggle room to splurge - go for it 😉
Aside from the Jurlique hand cream and Chanel (because $$$), I have repurchased all of the above which I think says quite a lot! I have gone through countless tubes of the Caudalie cream and I’m a huge fan of the light and fresh scent it has.
Something to keep in mind when you buy a hand cream to use at work, be conscientious of the scent. Try not to get anything that is overly scented or one that lingers for long long periods of time. And if someone mentions that they aren’t a fan of the scent, be respectful of that and leave it at home lol.
As I mentioned above, I go through hand creams at a snail pace. Since I move through hand creams so slowly, sometimes smaller sized tubes make me feel less guilty about not finishing a product or switching through halfway. Some of my favorite brands to purchase mini hand creams from are: L’Occitane (almond + cherry blossom are my favorites), Caudalie (this set has a mini hand cream + lip balm), Crabtree & Evelyn (they have a few sets with various scents), Philosophy (I haven’t personally tried these but I know a lot of people are huge Philosophy fans and the few scents I have smelled smell incredible). I often recommend stocking up on mini sets during the holiday seasons as you can typically find great deals!
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Products marked with (*) were gifted to me, but all opinions remain my own.
This post also contains affiliate links. Feel free to read more on my disclaimer.