10 of the best hand creams for mums and dads with dry over-washed skin
Soothe dry, chapped hands with our pick of the best hand creams, with something for every budget
From endless nappy changes and constant washing-up, you can find that as a parent you’re washing your hands multiple times a day. This can take a toll on your hands – many mums can’t keep up with moisturising and can end up with painful, cracked skin.
It’s worth finding the right hand cream early on in motherhood – a cream that you like applying, that feels and smells right, and, most importantly, soothes or heals your hands. You might also want one that can easily slip into your pocket, or an industrial-sized pot that sits next to your kitchen sink.
We have rounded up a great selection of fantastic formulas – from everyday budget options, to more intense treatments for neglected hands.
Here are 10 of best hand creams for mums…
1. Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream (50ml), £3.99
Many mums swear by this Norwegian Formula from Neutrogena. The original concentrated version lasts for up to 300 applications, with its glycerin-rich formula providing instant dry-skin relief.
You can also opt for an unscented version or the ‘fast absorbing’, less concentrated hand cream.
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Whichever one you go for – this is no-fuss, heavy-duty skin care at a great price. MFM tester, Jen, says a little goes a long way: “It’s not expensive and it works a treat.”
Available from: Superdrug, Boots and Tesco
2. Neal's Yard Bee Lovely Hand Cream (50ml), £10
This Bee Lovely product from Neal's Yard is one of those hand creams that sinks in beautifully, but protects for a long time. Its organic ingredients include fair trade honey and oranges. We love its uplifting and unobtrusive orangey scent, and it is also gentle enough to use on kids from 3 years.
Available from: Ocado, Waitrose or Neals Yard Organics
3. The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector (100ml), £12
The Body Shop is known for its focus on sustainability, fair trade and natural ingredients, and it’s always worth returning to this company to see what goodies it can offer for skincare challenges.
The Hemp Hand Protector is one of its bestselling hand creams. It’s enriched with community trade hemp oil from France which relieves and protects very dry skin. It is also suitable for vegetarians.
Available from: The Body Shop or Amazon
4. Lano Golden Dry Skin Salve, £17.99
This is an all-over, multi-purpose salve that works really well on dried-out hands. It provides intense hydration, as it’s an ointment with more than 70% lanolin, which is a great moisturising ingredient.
Other hero ingredients include vitamin E, manuka honey and beeswax. It comes in a handy little tube which is great for on-the-go days and travel.
We love a multi-tasker, that’s why this salve is so high on our list. At just under £18, it’s one of the more expensive products, but you only need a small amount.
MFM tester Emma says: “It works miracles and smells yum, too!”
Available from: Cult Beauty, Feel Unique and Net-a-Porter
5. Boots No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Daily Hand & Nail Cream SPF15 (75ml), £11.50
Protect & Perfect is Boots’ popular skin care range which provides top care for stressed skin. We love that this hand cream moisturises, but is light enough to use as often as required – and that it includes SPF15.
All too often, we forget our hands when it comes to sun protection, so having this built in is a great idea!
Available from: Boots
6. O’Keeffe’s Working Hands (96g), £8.49
Originally created by pharmacist Tara O’Keeffe to help her rancher dad cope with his dry hands, this formula heals and relieves severely dry hands.
As well as working to boost the moisture levels in your hands, it also forms a protective layer which helps to prevent further dryness, according to O’Keeffes.
Available from: Superdrug, Amazon or Boots
7. Garnier Hand Repair Intensive Restoring Hand Cream (100ml), £3.99
Developed by Garnier for extra-dry skin, this cream is enriched with glycerin and maple sap – known for their soothing properties, says the brand. MFM tester, Kayleigh, often has dry hands with skin that can split, but she says this "does a brilliant job" at helping this.
And at £3.99 it's a hand cream that's also great value!
Available from: Amazon, Superdrug and Boots
8. Bioderma Atoderm Ultra-Repair Hands and Nail Cream (50ml), £4.90
Bioderma is a well-established, independent French skincare brand that was founded by a pioneering pharmacist. Its Atoderm hands and nail cream is a light, non-sticky formula that is specifically designed for damaged skin. It forms a barrier to lock moisture in and protect your skin even during hand-washing.
This is perfect if you’re a busy mum who’s just applied her hand cream only to find yourself wiping a bottom a second later. We really like the combination the lightness of application and gentle scent, and the handy sized tube that's perfect for using on the go.
Available from: Boots, Feel Unique or Escentual
9. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Hand Cream (75ml), £27
A spin-off from the brand’s iconic Eight Hour Cream skin protectant that was first created in the 1930s, this hand cream contains petrolatum and vitamin E to soothe damaged skin.
The cream goes on smoothly and doesn’t leave a greasy residue, and dryness and cracking are quickly reversed. Be aware, though, that it does have quite a distinctive, medicinal smell which you may be sensitive to.
Available from: Boots, Debenhams or Look Fantastic
10. Eucerin Urea Repair Plus Hand Cream (75ml), £8.99
This is a fantastic option for those who prefer a cream without noticeable scent.
This product contains 5% Urea, which is often used to treat dryness and itching in skin care, as it's designed to help bind moisture to the skin.
Available from: Superdrug, Boots or Escentual
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