Where most of us make sure we hydrate our face on a daily basis, our hands tend to be forgotten. But with all the hand washing we do these days, the thin skin on our hands has a hard time staying conditioned. The result? Dry and cracked skin aka hands that look older than you really are.
Luckily, there is hand cream to deliver that much-needed TLC, turning hands into the smooth and baby soft they once were.
There are a lot of hand creams on the market. For all animal lovers that want their hands to look their absolute best, we went on the hunt for the best cruelty-free hand creams of this very moment. Below, our top 11 (including 4 vegan options).
Index
- Mrs. Meyer’s – Clean Day Hand Lotion Lavender
- Skinfix – Eczema Hand Repair Cream
- Supergoop – Forever Young Hand Cream with Sea Buckthorn SPF 40
- Aveda – Hand Relief Moisturizing Cream (VEGAN)
- Weleda – Pomegranate Hand Cream (VEGAN)
- Glossier – Hand Cream
- Mario Badescu – Special Hand Cream With Vitamin E (VEGAN)
- Deborah Lippmann – Rich Girl Hand Cream
- Aesop – Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm
- Hand Chemistry – Youth Intense Complex
- Tatcha – Indigo Soothing Silk Hand Cream
The 11 Best Cruelty-Free Hand Creams
All products featured on beauty.beyond.cruelty are independently selected. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission (at no additional cost to you). See our affiliate disclosure for more information.
1/11
Mrs. Meyer’s* – Clean Day Hand Lotion Lavender
Shop at Amazon | $
With this relatively easy on the pocket hand lotion on your sink your hands will stay moist and scented all day long. Made with Shea Butter and Sweet Almond Oil to soften dry hands. The kind of watery lotion soaks in almost immediately and is not sticky at all. The aromatic scent is on the stronger side and will linger for a while. If lavender is not your thing, it also comes in the scents Basil, Lemon Verbena, Geranium and Honeysuckle.
Free of: Paraben, Phthalates
Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Potassium Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Isopropyl Palmitate , Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Cetostearyl Alcohol, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil,Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Fragrance (Parfum), Ethoxylated Sorbitan Ester, Sodium Benzoate,Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
*Note: Mrs. Meyer’s is owned by S.C. Johnson, a company that is not cruelty-free.
2/11
Skinfix – Eczema Hand Repair Cream
Shop at Amazon | $$
If your hands are extremely dry or suffer from eczema, give this award-winning hand cream a try. Formulated with loads of soothing and restoring ingredients such as Colloidal Oatmeal Sweet Almond Oil and Shea Butter, this ultra-rich hand cream leaves hands moisturized and looking healthy. What’s more? It is fragrance free, non-greasy and only takes a minute to sink in.
Free of: Sulfates SLS and SLES, Paraben, Phthalates, Fragrance, Gluten
Ingredients: Active ingredients: Colloidal Oatmeal 1%, Inactive Ingredients: Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl-Caprylate/Caprate, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Petrolatum, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Potassium Sorbate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Stearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Water/Aqua, Xanthan Gum
3/11
Supergoop – Forever Young Hand Cream with Sea Buckthorn SPF 40
Shop at Amazon | $$$
Although frequently hand washing can make our hands look older than we are, let’s not forget the number 1 cause of aging skin: the sun. The 2 in 1 hand cream of Supergoop hydrates your hands while at the same time protects them from UV rays with SPF 40. Note for the really dry handed among us, this might not be as moisturizing as you would like.
Free of: Sulfates SLS and SLES, Paraben, Phthalates, Alcohol, Synthetic fragrance
Ingredients: Active Ingredients: Avobenzone 3%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 10%, Inactive Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Butyloctyl Salicylate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cocoglycerides, Isododecane, Cetyl Esters, Cetyl Phosphate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Lauryl Lactate, Arginine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Raphanus Sativus (Radish) Seed Oil, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Chlorphenesin, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Tocopherol, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Leaf Oil, Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil, Vanillin, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Grosso Herb Oil
4/11
Aveda* – Hand Relief Moisturizing Cream (vegan)
Shop at Amazon | $$
The internet is loosing it over this hand cream, and we 100% agree: this hand cream is one of the best – if not the best – there is.
The thick-ish consistency is insanely moisturizing without being greasy at all. Soaks in so fast and leaves hands soothed and renewed with the first apply. Due to the consistency this vegan hand cream will stay on your hands throughout three hand washes. Subtle Aveda-like aromatic scent with a hint of orange. Also available in travel size, which will last longer than you would think, as a pea size is enough to do the job.
Free of: Paraben, Animal ingredients
Ingredients: Aqueous (Water\aqua\eau) Extracts\extraits Aqueux:Echinacea Purpurea (Coneflower) Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-6 Dioleate, Coco-caprylate/Caprate, Lactic Acid, Peg-100 Stearate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Carapa Guaianensis (Andiroba) Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Maltodextrin, Magnesium Sulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance (Parfum), Linalool, Citral, Limonene, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
*Note: Aveda is owned by Estée Lauder, a company that is not cruelty-free.
5/11
Weleda – Pomegranate Hand Cream (vegan)
Shop at Amazon | $
This vegan option is a blend of Pomegranate Seed Oil, Sesame Oil and Shea Butter. It helps reduce the appearance of dry, cracked skin and even age spots. A dot amount is enough to fully wrap your hands in much-needed hydration. It only takes 2 zen minutes for the cream to be completely absorbed into the skin. Bonus points for the natural scent of pomegranate.
Free of: Sulfates SLS and SLES, Paraben, Animal ingredients, Gluten
Ingredients: Water, Sesame Seed Oil, Glycerin, Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Shea Butter, Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Sunflower Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Pomegranate Seed Oil, Millet Seed Extract, Ruscus Aculeatus Root Extract, Sunflower Petal Extract, Avocado Oil, Xanthan Gum, Fragrance, Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, Benzyl Benzoate, Geraniol, Citral, Eugenol, Coumarin
6/11
Glossier – Hand Cream
Shop at Glossier | $$$
And Glossier strikes again. This time with the launch of their long awaited for Hand Cream, and what a timing. First of all, it comes in the cutest pod packaging we have ever seen and we can only imagine how perfect this is for on-the-go. Its scent is similar to Glossier’s haloed perfume You, musky and clean and lasts throughout the day. The cream is formulated with Meadowfoam Seed Oil and Coconut Fruit Extract to nourish and make hands so so soft.
Free of: Gluten
Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Glycerin, Propanediol, Potassium Olivoyl Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Tapioca Starch, Undecane, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Lactobacillus, Fragrance/Parfum, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Laurate, Triethylhexanoin, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Root Extract, Echinacea Angustifolia Root Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Tridecane, Glyceryl Oleate, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Farnesol, Hydroxycitronellal
7/11
Mario Badescu – Special Hand Cream With Vitamin E (vegan)
Shop at Amazon | $
This hand cream is packed with pampering ingredients such as vitamin E, which is known for its moisturizing and healing benefits. It is a top selling product of the popular mid-range brand Mario Badescu. The body lotion kind of consistency is very rich, though somehow manages to completely melt into the skin while you rub it in. The fragrance is sweet and quite strong. Also available in travel size.
Free of: Sulfates SLS and SLES, Alcohol, Animal Ingredients
Ingredients: Aqua (Water, Eau), Glyceryl Stearate, Paraffinum Liquidum (Mineral Oil, Huile Minérale), Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Retinyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Parfum (Fragrance), Triethanolamine, Propylparaben, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol, Citronellol, Eugenol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Isoeugenol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Limonene, Linalool, Methyl 2-Octynoate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide)
8/11
Deborah Lippmann – Rich Girl Hand Cream
Shop at Amazon | $$
The rich formula made with Shea butter, Avocado and Jojoba Oil does an excellent job on delivering moisture to the skin, while the SPF in this cream ensures that your hands are protected from both UVA and UVB rays. All this without any greasiness. Does contain perfume, but isn’t too overpowering.
Free of: Sulfates SLS and SLES, Paraben
Ingredients: Water, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycerin, Steareth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Ceteth-20, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Carbomer, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance, O-Cymen-5-ol, Sodium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Algae Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Morus Nigra Root Extract, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract, Disodium EDTA
9/11
Aesop – Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm
Shop at Amazon | $$$
For an instant upscale feeling, put this tube in your handbag. It contains a very rich formula made of Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter and Sweet Almond Oil providing maximum hydration without leaving hands feeling greasy or sticky. It turns dry cracked skin into silky smooth to the touch. Another bonus is that it does miracles for the cuticles too. It has a unisex woodsy scent with a hint of citrus.
Free of: Sulfates SLS and SLES, Paraben, Alcohol
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Cedrus Atlantica (Cedarwood) Bark Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Beta-Carotene, d-Limonene, Linalool. Contains nut derivatives
10/11
Hand Chemistry – Youth Intense Complex
Shop at Amazon | $$
Did all the hand washing cause your hands to look older than you really are? Hand Chemistry of the company Deciem (well known for the haloed skin care of The Ordinary) has got your back. Besides doing an excellent job on the hydrating part, this highly concentrated hand lotion targets the signs of aging. With daily use, expect firmer, smoother, younger looking hands in two weeks. If you are sensitive to fragrance, this might be too much for you as this comes with a pretty sweet, strong fragrance.
Free of: Sulfates SLS and SLES, Paraben, Alcohol, Silicones
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Cellulose, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Alanine, Proline, Serine, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Menthol, Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Ethyl Menthane Carboxamide, Hydroxypropylcellulose, Menthyl Lactate, Propylene Glycol, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance (Parfum), Citral, Coumarin, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool
11/11
Tatcha* – Indigo Soothing Silk Hand Cream
Shop at Amazon | $$$$
If you have some room in your budget, this ultra chic blue tube, contains key ingredients Glycerin, Squalane and Petrolatum and turns your hands soft as silk. Does wonders on dry patches, mild rashes and cracked cuticles too. Dries fairly quickly without leaving a greasy feeling. With signature Tatcha (natural) fragrance, which smells like a spa, isn’t too overpowering and dissipates after a few minutes.
Free of: Sulfates SLS and SLES, Paraben, Phthalates, Synthetic fragrance
Ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Cyclopentasiloxane, Propanediol, Xylitol, Behenyl Alcohol, Diisostearyl Malate, Myristyl Myristate, Squalane, Microcrystalline Wax, Parfum/Fragrance, Sodium Acrylate/Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Dimethylacrylamide Crosspolymer, Colloidal Oatmeal, Polygonum Tinctorium (Japanese Indigo) Leaf/Stem Extract, Indigofera Tinctoria Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Germ Oil, Inositol, Sericin, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Algae Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Sorbitan Tristearate, Calcium Carbonate, Beheneth-20, Disodium Edta, Ethylhexylglycerin, Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Tin Oxide (Ci 77861), Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Mica (Ci 77019)
*Note: Tatcha is owned by Unilever, a company that is not cruelty-free.
