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And for all of that hand sanitizer we’re obsessively over-using too. We’ve never needed hand creams more than we do now.

The pandemic has been hard on us all but it’s probably been the hardest on our hands. Ironically, the best advice the CDC had for us to stop the spread of COVID-19 is the same advice we’ve always been given to maintain good hygiene: always wash your hands and cover your mouth. We are washing our hands all the time now—like every single time we touch something that is not on our person, we’re washing our hands—and even when we’re not washing our hands, we’re dousing them in hand sanitizer. As a result, you might have noticed that your hands are really, really, really dry and cracked right now.

Combine our new COVID practices with the harsh, bitter cold of winter and you might have yourself in a painful, ashy situation. This is where knowledge of good hand creams come into play. Read on to discover the best hand creams on the market right now! Please note: there may be some affiliate links within this post.

The Hand Cream for Manual Laborers

One of my older godbrothers is a welder, the other works for a major logistics company. They work with their hands a lot and they were having issues with callouses, splits, and cracks way before COVID came along.

A while ago, I noticed one of them casually reaching into his pocket and pulling out a moisturizing tin. That’s when I learned about the Workman’s Friend Healing Hand Cream ($9.95). It goes on incredibly smooth, feels rich, and to my surprise has one of my favorite healing ingredients—comfrey root! They also make a Superior Barrier Skin Cream ($9.98). This was made so that you don’t end up with grease stains on your hands but it works great for cracked hands too. Both of my godbrothers swear by this stuff.

At 2.5 oz. and 3.38 oz, respectively, I’d say this is a great price for hand creams that provide wonderful protection.

For Those Who Spend All Day on a Keyboard

I tweeted this one out the other day but I love the Lano brand. This is a brand that I discovered through a friend’s baby shower registry (this is also when I discovered nipple creams were a thing). The brand isn’t that well-known outside of mommy circles here in the US but it is a household name abroad in the UK and Australia.

Now, there are three products you can use depending on how dire your hand situation is: Lano Hands, Lano All-Over, and the infamous Lano 101 Ointment. All of these products are based in lanolin, hence the name.

If you’re mainly able to work from home and not venturing out much, then Lano Milk and Honey Hand Cream Intense ($14.95) is perfect! This is a non-greasy hand cream with a super velvety finish.

If you are going into the office, washing your hands frequently, and pumping that hand sanitizer ever hour on the hour then you’d probably benefit from the Lano All-Over Everywhere Multi Cream ($17). This hand cream feels super silky and dries quickly. Your hands won’t even know they were on the verge of extreme ashiness anymore.

Lastly, if you work in a retail environment behind a register and you already had really dry skin to begin with, the Lano 101 Ointment ($14) is for you. Think of this almost like a Vaseline or CeraVe Healing Ointment that is just a smidge more workable in the hands. Named because there are 101 uses for this ointment, you can also use this on your lips and feet! This one doesn’t dry as fast but once it does, it has a non-greasy feeling.

The Golden Dry Skin Miracle Salve ($17.95) from Lano is currently my go-to.

The Luxurious Hand Creams of the Rich and Famous

Okay, well maybe not the rich and famous but maybe someone rich and someone else who is maybe a little bit famous.

L’Occitane hand cream was a status symbol when I was in high school (along with Coach bags). No one could ever actually pronounce the brand’s name but everyone just had to have a tube of their iconic hand cream on them at all times. In researching for this post, I thought maybe the price would’ve come down over the years. But, no. It’s still $39 for one tube and you can get a trio for $65.

Two other hand creams for the rich are: the La Mer Hand Treatment ($95) and La Prarie Cellular Hand Cream ($130). These are, of course, not what I would choose to spend $100 on but then again I am not rich nor famous (yet) so who knows? I could change my mind later.

The Grandma’s Choice Hand Cream

If you had a black grandmother and she saw your hands were ashy, she was going to give you one of three things: cocoa butter, Nivea Creme (that comes in the tin), or Vaseline. She might even make you put on all three at once.

These things will still work today but whatever you do, do not get that Queen Helene brand of cocoa butter. It will somehow make you MORE ashy.

Well, I hope you all are finding the perfect hand cream for you via this post. Leave a comment and let me know your favorites and which ones you end up trying.

NOW AVAILABLE IN PASADENA!