The best hand cream for every skin type

Especially in the cold season, the condition of the much-stressed skin on your hands depends to a large extent on the cream you use to care for it. We therefore explain how you can find the best hand cream specifically for your skin and tailored to your needs.

Im Idealfall sollte die beste Handcreme perfekt auf die Bedürfnisse unserer Haut abgestimmt sein© iStock
Ideally, a hand cream should be perfectly tailored to the needs of our skin. We give you tips on what you should look out for.
  • Why do your hands need additional care at all?
  • What should you always look out for when choosing a hand cream?
  • Natural cosmetics or classic hand cream?
  • How to use the best hand cream correctly?

Why do hands need extra care at all?

There's no question about it: our hands are exposed to a wide variety of stresses day after day, largely unprotected. While in the cold months dry heating air and the cold remove moisture from the skin, in summer the strong sunlight damages our outer protective barrier. In addition, chemical irritants should not be underestimated: From soap to washing-up liquid, various substances attack the skin and even regular hand washing, which is essential for hygienic reasons, promotes dehydration of the skin. The fact that the skin on the hands is particularly sensitive is due to its structure: Especially on the back of the hands, the skin has hardly any sebaceous glands and little subcutaneous fatty tissue that could prevent it from drying out.

What should you always look out for when choosing a hand cream?

The best hand cream moisturizes the skin on the one hand and prevents it from drying out on the other. Ideally, this effect lasts for a longer period of time and the cream also supports the regeneration of the skin and is also easy to use. Add to this a pleasant fragrance, a good consistency and, of course, easy tolerability, and the attribute "best hand cream" can be awarded without hesitation.

But which cream exactly meets these requirements? The answer to this question depends on various factors:

  • Firstly, it is important to choose a skin cream that suits your own skin type. Most creams are suitable for normal as well as oily or dry skin. However, special products are designed for very dry skin, mature skin, sensitive or allergy-prone skin or skin diseases, for example. These creams can alleviate typical complaints. Anti-ageing creams also contain active ingredients such as Q10, which make the skin look firmer.
  • Another important criterion when choosing a hand cream should be its ease of application. The best hand cream is easy to spread, absorbs into the skin within a very short time and also feels pleasant throughout without leaving a sticky film. A hand cream with a fragrance that suits your personal taste also increases its appeal and makes hand care a pleasure for several senses.
  • After checking the above properties, you should turn your attention to the individual ingredients of the cream. First of all, moisturizing substances such as aloe vera, shea butter, sea buckthorn, avocado or jojoba oil are an essential component of any good hand cream. One of the advantages of these substances is that they bind the moisture in the skin for a long time and the effect of the cream does not evaporate the first time it comes into contact with water.
  • On the other hand, mineral oils, which are still contained in some hand creams, should be used with caution in relation to the cream's ingredients. The potentially harmful effects of oils on the skin have not yet been sufficiently clarified, nor have the long-term effects of creams containing parabens and silicones. We therefore advise against the regular use of such creams.

Natural cosmetics or classic hand cream?

Should it be a conventional hand cream from the drugstore or one certified as natural cosmetics? The best hand cream for you can be found in both departments, depending on your personal requirements. With certified natural cosmetics, you can generally be sure that they are produced without chemical ingredients, that no animal testing was carried out during development and that environmentally friendly aspects are taken into account during production. Natural cosmetics also have a reputation for causing fewer allergies. However, as there are no artificial preservatives, the creams have a shorter shelf life than conventionally produced varieties.

How to use the best hand cream correctly?

Just washing your hands every day is enough: Time and time again, the skin on your hands is exposed to great stress. Hand cream can therefore be used every day and several times if necessary to compensate for moisture loss from the skin. The widespread assumption that the skin gets used to the cream and produces less of its own fat over time can be clearly debunked as a myth. A hand cream is by no means addictive; on the contrary, it contributes to a well-groomed and protected skin barrier.

You might also be interested in this: