Winter Hand Care: The Best Moisturizers For Dry, Chapped Hands

Winter comes with a few of our favorite things—magical snowfall, merry celebrations, and an excuse to wear a festive mani to match your favorite hot drinks. Our not-so-favorite thing about winter? Cold, dry air that makes our hands crazy dry.

Some of the remedies to combat dry hands:

• Drink your water for hydration from the inside out
• Use gloves when washing dishes
• Limit your hot shower sessions to less than 15 minutes
• Take a multivitamin to help replenish your skin
• Best of all—winter moisturizers to the rescue!

Here, we've listed the best moisturizing products to keep your hands buttery-soft until the spring season rolls around.

1. Hand cream for dry skin

Do you need a cream specifically formulated for hands? Yes, yes, you do! Hand creams usually have a thicker consistency than the regular moisturizer you slather on your body or face. And since your hands take a beating on the regular—what with the constant hand washing or hand sanitizing—you'll definitely need a more effective moisturizing agent, especially during winter.

Love Beauty and Planet Hand Cream, 1oz, $4.99

The 'delicious glow' rose hand cream is infused with Murumuru Butter for 24-hour moisturization and hand care.

Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream, 2oz, $5.99

This deeply hydrating, Norwegian hand cream provides effective relief for dry, rough hands. It features a formula with concentrated levels of glycerin leaving skin feeling softer and smoother.

L'Occitane Hand Cream, Mini Size, $12 or Standard Size, $24 to $29

This luxurious hand cream is enriched with nourishing shea butter to lock moisture into the skin for silky-smooth hands.

2. Hand lotion for skin hydration

Often brands interchange the terms 'hand cream' and 'hand lotion' to mean the same thing. But a critical difference between cream and lotion is the content. Cream contains a larger percentage of oil while lotion contains a larger percentage of purified water. This makes hand lotion suitable for those with normal or slightly dry skin.

Kiehl's Deluxe Hand & Body Lotion, 8.4 oz, $23

A lightweight scented hand and body lotion with Aloe Vera and Oatmeal.

Jo Malone London Nectarine Blossom & Honey Body & Hand Lotion, 8.5 oz, $59

It's readily absorbed to hydrate and condition upon application.

3. Hand serum for supersoft skin

If the for3. Hand serum for supersoft skinmula in hand creams or lotions is way too intense or oily for your liking, then meet your new handy BFF—a skin hydrator with a lighter than air finish. With a supercharged serum, a little goes a looong way. Pretty much one pump does the trick for a boost of hydration. The products below are a little bit on the pricey side, but they should last you a few months.

Aveda hand relief™ Night Renewal Serum, 1 oz, $37

A restorative serum that helps visibly improve the texture of your hands while you sleep.

La Mer The Rejuvenating Hand Serum, 1.6 oz, $115

This sumptuous, silky-soft treatment targets renewal and brightening as never before.

4. Multipurpose oil for your cuticles

Yes, your cuticles need moisture, too! And with a superhydrating cuticle oil like DipWell’s Cuticle Drops—thanks to jojoba oil and Vitamin E—not only do you get to create a more gorgeous dip mani, but you’ll also protect the health of your nail beds and skin. It has a non-greasy, quick-drying formula, so you won’t be left with icky feels.

DipWell Cuticle Drops, 0.5 oz, $11.97

With natural oils that condition and moisturize, plus other powerhouse ingredients that add anti-aging benefits to keep your hands looking fabulous for years to come. One drop per cuticle is all you need!

5. Other hydrating products

Double down on your winter hand care by incorporating other moisturizing products into your routine aside from your usual cream, lotion, serum, or oil.

Look for a germ-fighting AND moisture-retaining hand sanitizer. This usually has humectants such as glycerin, aloe vera gel, or even essential oils.

(Related topic: How To Keep Your Hands Healthy When Using Hand Sanitizer Constantly)

Touchland Power Mist Aloe Vera, 1.3 oz, $12

The dermatologist-tested formula is packed with good-for-you ingredients like hydrating Aloe Vera and a blend of Essential Oils to leave hands soft and healthy.

Poo-Pourri Hand Sanitizer 4-pack with FREE pocket-sized Poo-Pourri, 2 oz, $20

Made with natural essential oils and 70% ethyl alcohol content that leaves hands soft and germ-free without drying.

If you're more of a hand wash kind of guy or gal, look for a nourishing hand wash that will keep your hands clean and hydrated.

Dove Coconut Water & Almond Milk Foaming Liquid Hand Wash Soap, 6.8 oz, $2.99

Ultra-gentle hand wash formula with 100% gentle cleansers that purify and nourish hands.

Jergens Extra Moisturizing Hand Wash Cherry-Almond, 7.5 oz, $1.49

Enriched with real Jergens lotion, this pH-balanced formula will leave your skin feeling clean and soft.

Take note that when you’re prepping for a dip manicure, you need to use a hand soap that does NOT include moisturizing ingredients. Why? Because they can leave an invisible layer on your nail bed that'll keep your dip products from adhering. And that's another reason moisturizer and cuticle drops should be an important part of your post-mani routine. 

Got your own winter hand care routine?

We're always on the lookout for more tips on how to take care of dry hands in winter. Let's reward our hardworking hands with a hit of hydration and protect them against the drying effects of winter weather. Share your routine with us over at DipWell's Dipper Club or tag us on Instagram @dipwellnails and use our official hashtag #DoYouDipWell.