As the cold temps arrive and the humidity drops, my poor hands become soooooo dry and crave some major TLC! But you guys know I’m not gonna use just *any* old hand cream out there; it’s gotta be low tox and use safe ingredients. So if you’re searching for a good hand lotion for dry winter skin (without the chemicals), keep reading! 🖐️
This post contains affiliate links.
Hand Lotion Ingredients to Avoid
Why is it important to choose non-toxic and natural products in the first place? Many conventional lotions (like Gold Bond or Jergens) contain ingredients such as:
❌ Formaldehyde releasers (ex. DMDM hydantoin or diazolidinyl urea)
❌ Mineral oil
❌ Parabens
❌ PEGs
❌ Petroleum
❌ Silicones
❌ Synthetic fragrances
I suggest avoiding these due to their links to hormone/endocrine disruption, contact allergies, and potential carcinogenic properties. Thankfully, we have plenty of choices for cleaner lotions without these ingredients that are actually beneficial for our skin!
The Best Clean & Non-Toxic Hand Cream Brands 🧴
BTW, I’m all about being minimal and using multi-purpose products when possible. I honestly don’t think you *need* a separate hand cream if you already have a really nice body lotion. Personally, I use those on my hands all the time! If you wanna know what my fave body lotions are, check out this blog post.
That being said, hand creams are more targeted and can have different formulations that are made specifically for delicate hands. Plus, they tend to come in smaller travel-friendly, purse-size tubes vs. big bottles. So here are my top picks!
Henné Organics Luxury Hand Creams
$25 • Most luxe • Vegan & Cruelty-Free (Leaping Bunny Certified) • Packaging: Plastic tube and cap
If you’re looking for a luxurious cream with amazing and pure ingredients, this is it! Henné products are high-quality and handcrafted in a USDA-certified organic facility (this lotion is 82% organic and 100% non-GMO). You can grab this in two scents: Citrus 🍊 (what I prefer; it has sweet orange, bergamot, and grapefruit!) or Blomma 🌹 (floral).
It’s packed with aloe, argan oil, jojoba, shea butter, rosehip, and numerous other wholesome oils. I like that it’s rich yet fast-absorbing. My hands are so supple after using it!
Also available here at Credo and Amazon.
Honest Hand Creams
$9 • Budget-friendly • Vegan & Cruelty-Free • Packaging: Metal tube, plastic cap
I cannot believe these are only $9—they’re the best bang for your buck! 💵 Honest’s hand creams come in three scents and I really like the Sweet Almond one. They’re made with desert date oil, avocado oil, and upcycled lemon peel.
This one does have a slightly waxy feel to it and doesn’t sink into skin quite as well as the others in this post, but you just can’t beat the price!
Also available here on Amazon.
Related post: “Six Tips to Combat Dry Skin This Winter (with All Natural Products)”
Nécessaire The Hand Cream
$25 • Best for sensitive skin • Unscented & Fragrance Free • Vegan & Cruelty-Free • Packaging: Aluminum tube, plastic cap
Just when you thought it was impossible to find a fragrance-free lotion! The highly-coveted, frequently sold-out Nécessaire hand cream is unscented and contains NO essential oils. So if you’re sensitive to smells or have reactive skin, this one might be up your alley! It’s hypoallergenic and has a seal of approval by the National Eczema Association as well.
The all-stars in this formula are squalane (conditioning emollient), ceramides (to replenish), shea butter (moisturizes), peptides (firms and strengthens), and niacinamide (supports a strong skin barrier).
I typically am one to gravitate towards scented hand lotions, but I do enjoy how light yet silky this one feels. It uses the least amount of oils compared to others in this post, so it absorbs quickly, but still leaves my hands feeling soft!
Buy Nécessaire Hand Cream Here
Also available here on Amazon and Sephora.
Related post: “Unscented vs. Fragrance Free vs. Essential Oil Free Skincare: What’s the Difference?”
Sun & Moo Grass-Fed Tallow Balms
$26-55 • Most nourishing and moisturizing • Packaging: Glass jar, metal cap
Don’t knock tallow until you try it! 🐮 I loveeeeeee using these balms on my face, but they’re also wonderful on hands. Due to the nature of tallow, it does take a bit longer to fully absorb into skin compared to water-based lotions.
I know it’s not your traditional type of hand cream, but, it is incredibly moisturizing and nutrient-dense so I had to include it! Plus, this brand has a light, whipped, airy texture to it.
Sun & Moo makes a lot of different formulas, but I’d recommend The Healer (made with tamanu oil), Mend Blend, or The Simple One for using on your hands. The balms are made with grass-fed, grass-finished tallow and organic oils. They’re also great for sensitive skin and most do not contain any essential oils. If you have eczema, psoriasis, or any similar conditions, give tallow a try!
You can use code ORGANICALLYBECCA for a discount 🏷️
Buy Sun & Moo Tallow Balms Here
Read more here: “Tallow as a Natural Face Moisturizer? I Gave it a Try & Here’s How it Went!”
The Wonder Seed Hemp Hand Creams (Becca’s top pick! ⭐️)
$12 • Budget-friendly • Vegan & Cruelty-Free • Packaging: Plastic tube and cap
A better swap for Hempz! I’ve used The Wonder Seed for years and love that they’re more affordable too. They come in two scents and I prefer the Water Lotus one which is fresh and slightly floral.
They’re made with cold-pressed virgin organic hemp seed oil which has tons of skincare benefits such as anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, balancing, healing, and soothing. It’s one of the world’s richest sources of essential fatty acids, too. These are hydrating (formulated with hyaluronic acid), very lightweight, and oh-so-lovely!
These are my overall favorite! They’re not too expensive, blend in nicely, and don’t leave a greasy residue on your hands. If you’re looking for a good and basic hand cream without too many frills, this is a solid option!
You can use code ORGANICALLYBECCA for a discount 🏷️
Buy Wonder Seed Hand Creams Here
Also available here on Amazon.
UpCircle Hand Cream
$30 • Most sustainable • Vegan & Cruelty-Free • Packaging: Metal tube and cap
UpCircle is an eco-friendly brand that uses repurposed ingredients. For this hand cream, it has isolated alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) from leftover hibiscus flowers from the supplement industry! So cool. These AHAs gently stimulate skin cell renewal while marshmallow root retains moisture and shea butter provides intense nourishment. The cream also has over 10% shea butter in the formula, whereas most contain around 2-3%, so it’s suuuuper rich and luscious!
The scent is so uplifting; it smells like lemon with a hint of florals and patchouli 🍋 Lastly, the packaging is fully recyclable! ♻️
You can use code BECCA10 for a discount on this at EarthHero 🏷️
Also available here on Amazon.
Bonus! Wanna take your creams to the next level? These organic cotton gloves are made for wearing overnight after generously applying lotion. It’s an intensive treatment and helps concentrate and lock in all the moisturizing goodness—like slugging for your hands, basically!
Other hand creams with #OrganicallyBeccaApproved ingredients:
- 100% Pure Hand Buttercreams
- Detox Mode Impossible Hand Cream
- Dr. Bronner’s Organic Hand Lotions
- FitGlow Cloud Hand Cream
- Juice Beauty Green Apple Age Defy Peptide Hand Cream
- MV Skintherapy Hand Rescue
- Odacité Intensive Hand & Heel Therapy
- Osmia Hand Creams
- Pai Heavy Mettle Rescue Hand Cream
- Ranavat Sacred Rose Hand Cream
- Snow Fox Vitamin E Hand Creams
- Weleda Unscented Hand Cream (scented options available too)
Additionally, if you are looking for more of a thick, balm consistency instead of a water-based lotion, you might benefit from something more occlusive such as these Vaseline alternatives. They could be helpful for extreme dryness, cracking, rashes, itching, or inflamed skin conditions. Check ‘em out in this blog post!
Goodbye, decrepit dryness, and hello, smooth and happy skin! Yes, my hands are seriously soft after writing this post hehe. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or any other brands you’d add to this list. Thanks for reading 💚
