Best Hand Lotions & Creams For Men With Dry, Cracked Hands

A hand lotion specifically designed for men can help bring your skincare game to the next level.

A quality hand lotion should not only be able to make your hands feel much smoother, but it should also be designed to prevent future moisture loss, not feel greasy or sticky after application, work with your skin type, and evoke a balanced scent that isn’t overbearing – such as the Duke Cannon hand balm

Not only will we review all the best hand creams for men currently available, but we also go over key considerations you will want to keep in mind when buying your next hand lotion.

Let’s get started:

4 Tips on Buying Hand Lotion

When buying a hand lotion, consider the following:

1. Ingredients to look for

What makes a hand lotion perform better (or worse) than others will, of course, be the ingredients.  During our research, we found that many top-rated hand creams rely on just a few ingredients to achieve strong results; they were as follows:

  • Shea butter – A key moisturizer found in various skin care products, shea butter is a fat extracted from an African shea tree and helps to soften skin.
  • Cocoa butter – Derived from a cocoa bean, this unique butter has a very low melting point allowing it to liquify when rubbed onto your hands. In addition, cocoa butter exhibits key emollient properties to soften both dry and cracked skin.
  • Carrier oils – Typically derived from seeds and nuts, carrier oils double as both a moisturizing agent and several homeopathic remedies. Typically muted in smell, they are great for men who want a low-key scent.  Varieties include coconut oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, etc.
  • Fatty Alcohols – Often found in many widely distributed hand lotions, fatty alcohols such as Cetearyl, Lauryl, and Stearyl alcohols act as a stabilizer for the ingredients while also being an emollient. Don’t be scared by the alcohol in the name; fatty alcohols are fundamentally different from short-chain alcohols (such as rubbing alcohol) and will not dry out your skin.
  • Essential oils – Like carrier oils, essential oils are found in several homeopathic remedies. Their role in hand lotions is more for scent than anything else.  If you want masculine-smelling hand cream, go with an essential oil that has pine, cedarwood, or sandalwood contained within.

2. Ingredients to avoid

As we eluded to earlier, there are certain ingredients that you will want to avoid when buying a hand lotion.  They are as follows:

  • Short-chain alcohols – Fundamentally different from fatty alcohols described above, short-chain alcohols (sometimes referred to as simple alcohols) will do damage to your hand and often make your situation worse. Short-chain alcohols to avoid include SD alcohol, Isopropyl alcohol, Ethanol, Propanol, and several others.
  • Synthetic colors and fragrances – Often a catch-all for several ingredients, artificial colorants and fragrances often contain hazardous ingredients that can cause flareups for those with sensitive skin. These ingredients are best to be avoided if possible.
  • Triclosan – Found in studies to decrease the levels of some thyroid hormones (source). Triclosan is closely being looked at as a factor in diminishing the effectiveness of antibiotics.
  • Parabens – Typically found in mass-produced hand creams as they act as a preservative, parabens are another ingredient that is closely being studied by the FDA (source). Some have claimed a link to breast cancer and other health problems; however, this has yet to be proven.

3. Scent

Scents, especially when it comes to hand creams, are often a polarizing decision.  You either want your hands smelling, or you don’t.

Should you want your hands to evoke a manly scent after application, we recommend getting a hand lotion that matches the other fragrances you wear, such as a body spray or cologne.  This will ensure that your overall scent doesn’t clash.

4. Size

Are you buying a hand lotion for home use, or perhaps one you can take with you?  Some popular brands make their hand lotions in various sizes to complement your busy lifestyle.

Best Hand Lotions & Creams For Men

1. Best Overall: Duke Cannon Hand Balm

duke cannon hand balm

Highly sought after for their wide variety of men’s grooming products including both their bar soap and lip balm, Duke Cannon provides another well-rounded product in their Bloody Knuckles hand balm.

Designed for men who use their hands heavily including, fighters, workers, nurses, and more, once applied, this hand balm won’t leave your skin feeling greasy, sticky, or oily.

This unscented hand balm relies primarily on both lanolin and shea butter as the heavy lifting ingredients.

The reviews on this product by other men were outstanding.

Many of them really liked that it had no scent whatsoever and that it was able to repair intensely dry and cracked hands.

Like all Duke Cannon products, with each purchase, a portion of the proceeds go towards U.S. Veterans (learn more about the initiative here).

Pros

  • Will repair hands that see heavy duty activity
  • Won’t feel greasy, sticky, or oily after application
  • Made in USA and supports U.S. Veterans

Cons

  • Expensive

What You Need To Know

If you are looking for a hand balm that can withstand a tough environment, then you simply can’t go wrong with this offering by Duke Cannon. It’s unscented and does a great job of moisturizing your dry and cracked hands.

2. Luxury Pick: Anthony Hand Cream

Anthony Hand Cream, 3 Fl Oz. Contains AHA's,...

Perfect for men who are starting to show the signs of aging, this hand cream by Anthony relies on a unique mixture of an Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) along with wheat protein that will work to not only reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles but to also even complexion and tighten your skin on your hands allowing them to feel and appear healthy.

Marketed as a premium skincare product for men, Anthony is regularly found at high-end barbershops as they deliver uncompromising performance and a price tag to match.

While this bottle of hand cream still is affordable, considering the quality of ingredients and the premium name that it’s associated with, the small 3oz size is perfect to take with you in your favorite messenger bag or when traveling via airplane as it adheres to the TSA size restrictions.

Men who used this hand cream, particularly those with dry cracked hands, got great results with repeated application.  The biggest standout feature that men loved about this cream, beyond the rich ingredients, was the light non-greasy feeling after application.

Pros

  • Designer cream at an affordable price
  • Repairs dry skin
  • Travel friendly
  • Non-greasy after application

Cons

  • Smaller size will require constant restocking

What You Need To Know

This is a premium hand cream that does a great job at resolving dry and cracked hands. Perfect for men who are a bit older in years, this hand cream will also reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

3. All Natural: Jack Black Industrial Strength Hand Cream

Jack Black Industrial Strength Hand Healer, 3 Fl...

Jack Black’s Industrial Strength Hand Healer is a well-like name and powerful healer of sore, heavy-worked hands. The people at Jack Black have tested their product with golfers, carpenters, and the like proving its effectiveness in relieving calloused skin and cuticles.

Vitamins A & E provide healthy conditioning, Macadamia nut oil comes in to further moisturize and it is finished with the cooling relief of Eucalyptus. The ingredients are organic and non-greasy, where the scent is light and refreshingly cool. Golfers rejoice, now you can stretch your 18 into 36 with the popular, yet modestly priced 3oz bottle of Hand Healer.

Pros

  • Contains Vitamins A&E for better results
  • Non-greasy
  • All natural ingredients
  • Fast absorbing

Cons

  • Expensive

What You Need To Know

Men absolutely love this hand lotion by Jack Black. Containing a plethora of natural ingredients that deliver vital moisture to your skin, expect any dry or chapped hands to get better immediately.

4. For Deep Cracked Hands: O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream

O'Keeffe's Working Hands Hand Cream for Extremely...

O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream is just as the title says; a hand cream for those blue-collar, tough hands that see endless work. Typically, the working man’s hand is tough-skinned, yet dry and susceptible to cracking and bleeding.

Whether you work with your hands or just suffer from dry hands, O’Keeffe’s will be your saving/soothing grace as it gives deep moisture to even the toughest skin and its non-greasy formula will get you back to work quickly.

It is unscented and hypoallergenic so everyone can use it, but what’s more, is that the fine folks at O’Keeffe’s stand behind their product with a 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee.

If there was any compromise on this hand cream, it would be around the ingredients contained within. Containing glycerin, silicone, etc., it doesn’t contain any organic or natural ingredients, extracts, vitamins, etc. like others on our list.

Pros

  • Unscented
  • Non-greasy
  • Targets deep cracked hands

Cons

  • Few compromises on ingredients (glycerin, silicone, etc.)

What You Need To Know

If your hands are severely cracked and in need of instant repair, then O’keeffe’s is a trusted brand that delivers strong results. A few compromises on ingredients may turn off the men who desire a more natural product.

5. Brickell Hand Balm

Brickell Men's Maximum Strength Hand Lotion for...

Containing 99% natural and 80% organic ingredients (coconut oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, etc.), this hand balm by Brickell was one of the most highly reviewed hand lotions for men currently available.

Absorbing into your hands incredibly fast, this no-nonsense hand balm allows you to quickly moisturize and hydrate to give you soft hands immediately.

Evoking a sweet peppermint scent from essential oils, while not for everyone, is invigorating.

Available in two sizes (2oz and 4oz) the smaller option is perfect for testing and traveling.  Adhering to the strict liquid rules enforced by the TSA, you don’t have to worry about throwing out or checking your bags should you bring this with you on your next business trip.

The larger 4oz option is perfect for home and office use when you need a quick hit of hydration, especially during the winter months.

Pros

  • Smells invigorating
  • Works for men of all ages
  • Packed with moisturizers
  • Absorbs quickly

Cons

  • Expensive

What You Need To Know

If you want a high-performing hand balm and don’t mind spending a few extra bucks, then this is a great pick. While the smell might not be favored by those men looking for a low-key moisturizer, the reliance on natural ingredients allows for some added health benefits as well.

6. AHAVA Hand Cream for Men

AHAVA Men's Mineral Hand Cream, 100 m l

AHAVA’s mineral hand cream comes with glowing reviews because it is packed with ingredients that work in various ways to improve skin and fight dryness. Witch Hazel is present as a sort of astringent to reduce inflammation, while Dead Sea minerals, ginger root extract, jojoba oil, and ginkgo biobla work to restore skin health and build a foundation for your fresh, repaired skin.

Even with all of the beneficial ingredients, the scent remains masculine and clean, and the formula moisturizes without leaving your hands greasy.  The 3.4 oz bottle is priced right considering its benefits and popularity.

Pros

  • Absorbs instantly
  • Scented in a masculine fragrance
  • Won’t leave a residue
  • Contains Dead Sea minerals

Cons

  • Expensive

What You Need To Know

This is a premium hand cream that will get your hands feeling soft while delivering an even complexion. Considered a luxury item, it is priced a bit high but delivers strong results.

7. Man Hand Lotion

Man Lotion - Hand, Face and Body Lotion for Men- 8...

The creators at Man Lotion boast that “this is not your wife’s lotion,” meaning just because your skin needs moisture does not mean you need to smell like a field of lavender and lilacs. Man Lotion is, obviously, designed for men, with a light clean scent derived from natural products like coconut, sweet almond, and grapefruit seed oils.

The lotion is fortified with vitamins A, D and hydrolyzed wheat protein to build strong, healthy skin. Also, it is fast-absorbing and non-greasy so you won’t find yourself wiping your hands on your pants after application. The idea is to fight dry skin with natural moisture and keep your manhood intact with a quiet clean scent.

Pros

  • Non-greasy
  • Subtle coconut smell
  • Contains vitamins
  • Made in USA

Cons

  • Subjective scent

What You Need To Know

If you are looking for a no-nonsense masculine hand lotion, then it doesn’t get much more manly than this one. Made in the USA and relying on many natural ingredients, its a great well-rounded hand lotion. The scent of course is subjective.

8. Burt’s Bees Hand Salve For Men

Burt's Bees Hand Skin Care, Moisturing Balm, Salve...

Burt’s Bees has made its name known from popular natural products like lip balm and the trusted name brings a great salve to the table for skincare. Burt’s Hand Salve has an herbal scent and is built on natural oils that provide moisture and dryness relief – making it great for men with sensitive skin.

Burt’s, like their counterparts, is great for repair and added softness, but they depart from the norm by adding beeswax (as expected) to create a protectant that helps seal and maintain your skin’s new strength.

Burt’s 100% Natural Hand Salve comes in a small 3oz tin that easily fits in your pocket.

Pros

  • Trusted brand in skin care
  • Herbal scent is unisex
  • Penetrates deep

Cons

  • Container may be tough to manage

What You Need To Know

Mostly known for their high-performing lip balm, Burt’s Bees has another winner with this hand salve. Relying on many natural ingredients, it should be a perfect product for those with sensitive skin.

9. Pre de Provence Hand Cream

Pre de Provence No.63 Men's Collection, Hand Cream

Pre de Provence No. 63 is not only is a solid lotion, it is a hit for the playboy type that loves a hearty warm aroma. The fast-absorbing lotion formulated from glycerin, shea butter, and aloe vera will hydrate for relief of dry skin without leaving your hands greasy.

What sets this lotion apart is its scent: a masculine aromatic blend that hints citrus-cedar wood, violet, and plum, finished with a peppery base of amber and tobacco. The fancy scent will turn heads and the large 8oz bottle gets a nod of approval on stellar pricing for generous portions.

Pros

  • Warm aroma
  • Good for men of all ages
  • Soothes and softens skin

Cons

  • May stay on a bit too long

What You Need To Know

This thicker and aromatic hand cream by Pre de Provence is a rich moisturizer that will soften your hands. The warm scent is welcoming.

Adam Williams

As the lead editor of Tools of Men, Adam loves men's grooming products. Particularly of interest is managing facial hair and perfecting the art of the modern man's skincare routine. His work has been featured or quoted in several publications, including New York Magazine, Vice, Sharpologist, MIC, Elite Daily, and more. When Adam isn't working, he enjoys spending time with his two little kids who keep him both on his toes and young at heart.

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