The best hand creams to rescue dry, cracked palms

If there's one thing to know about L'Occitane, it's that it does body care well. This hand cream is deliciously rich, and melts almost into a soft balm when rubbed into the skin.

For a formula that nips dryness in the bud so effectively (thanks to its high shea butter content), this doesn't leave any residue in its wake: just smoother, happier hands. Plus, it smells like baby powder.

With winter comes dry lips and hands, so why not tackle both with this multi-purpose balm from E45. It’s made from sealing lanolin and enriching beeswax to help keep the cracks at bay.

Like the entire E45 range, the fuss-free formula contains no fragrance or parabens, so it’s a great option for those with sensitive skin. It’s not harsh on the bank balance either, coming in under £10. Plus, this one took the crown in our lip balm tests for its ability to restore softness to hands, feet and lips.

Quench your dry skin and fill your home with the warming scents of cardamom, cedar and sandalwood with this lotion from Marks and Spencer.

We recently tested this formula at the Good Housekeeping Institute (it scored 77/100), and it went down well with our testers for improving both the look and feel of dry hands. The orange bottle will look great in your bathroom next to the posh soap too.

You can count on CeraVe to make fuss-free, effective skincare at affordable prices. This contains the brand's signature three ceramides – lipids that keep the skin strong and feeling soft – as well as hydrating hyaluronic acid.

There's no fragrance in this cream so don't expect a really sensorial experience, but do expect softening results after the first use. A real workhorse.

This hydrating and fast-absorbing hand cream from Aesop will leave your hands looking good and smelling even better. Expect a luxurious, rich cream and a citrus, herbaceous scent, with ingredients including mandarin rind, rosemary leaf and cedar.

Not only does it work for dry and dehydrated hands, but the brand also says it can be used to soothe sunburn or wind-burnt skin.

Shea butter is known for its hydrating and soothing properties, which makes it a popular moisturiser ingredient. The Body Shop has popped it in a handy tube, ready for slathering onto your hands to keep them soft and protected.

The hand cream is made with 97% naturally sourced ingredients, and the shea butter is vegan and Fair Trade-sourced, while the tube is made from 100% recycled aluminium, making this an all-round feel-good treat for your hands.

Another budget friendly option on our list that’s no stranger to drugstore shelves, is this nourishing cream from Aveeno. Like all products from the brand, the formula is enriched with colloidal oatmeal –oats that have been ground down to a fine powder to create an emollient. When in this form, they have strong soothing and moisturising properties, making them great for relieving dry skin.

The brand also claims its cream offers 24h moisturisation and is suitable for sensitive skin.

If you want a simple, straightforward hand cream that’s low on price but still pampering, then look no further than this Intense Repair Cream from Neutrogena.

The formula contains hydrating ingredients such as glycerine and panthenol, both humectants that help to bind and hold water in the skin to leave it hydrated and soft. This cream also works to relieve any itchiness caused by dryness. There’s a miniature 50ml version too, which is perfect for throwing in your bag and using on-the-go.

If you want to deliver a dose of luxury to your palms, look no further than Chanel’s La Crème. The rich formula promises to leave your hands feeling nourished and soft. The base consists of a camellia oil, which works alongside ceramides to boost hydration and lock in moisture.

Like everything from Chanel, the packaging is elegant and premium, and the 50ml bottle is designed with travel in mind. It will also look rather eye-catching next to your toothpaste...

Thanks to the hydrating ingredients in this hand cream, according to Clarins, you can expect soft, rejuvenated hands, with a reduction in fine lines.

It’s enriched with Harungara extract, a plant said to have powerful regenerating properties, which is often found in anti-ageing serums.

For those who work in jobs such as healthcare that require strict and frequent hand washing, it can have a really drying effect on the hands. Nursem founder Antonia Philp, who is also a paediatric nurse, knows this all too well, which is how the brand was born.

This caring hand cream uses manuka honey and white willow extract to sooth inflammation and soreness, along with added glycerine, which helps to restore the protective barrier and improve moisture retention. It’s also naturally fragranced with bergamot, petitgrain and grapefruit, although there is a fragrance-free option for those with sensitive skin (or noses).

Nursem will also supply a nurse or midwife with a month's worth of hand cream with each product purchased.

Like Nursem, the founders at O’Keefe recognised the impact everyday life can have on your hands. Designed with builders, hairdressers, parents and many more in mind, its Working Hands cream was developed to provide extreme hydration to dry, cracked skin.

Known for its luxurious candles and indulgent skincare, Jo Malone has taken one of its signature scents and popped it in a tube. Expect long-lasting notes of fragrant basil and zesty lime, perfectly balanced with the sweetness of mandarin.

But not only does it smell good, this ultra-hydrating cream is enriched with shea butter and vitamin E, both great for adding moisture to your palms and leave them feeling uber-soft.

Not only does this hand cream nourish skin, but it also uses aromatherapy to help calm the mind and reduce stress. Created using a blend of pure essential oils, the scent combines soothing lavender, sweet jasmine and Brazilian rosewood.

One to stash in your bag to encourage you to take a time out during busy days in the office.

A reported favourite of Queen Elizabeth II, Clarins' hand cream is one of the brand's most loved products. Its balmy texture melts on contact with warm fingers, and helps to soothe chapped skin.

For a balm, it feels quite lightweight, so it can be reapplied throughout the day without pilling. Don't forget to massage it into cuticles and nails, too; it hydrates and gives them a beautiful, natural sheen.

Caudalie remains a firm favourite on the GH beauty desk; its formulas are always so hardworking and feel more expensive than they are.

This is a great size for your handbag, and is perfect for on-the-go applications. Its nourishing cream texture also helps to relieve feelings of tightness and leaves hand feeling softer to the touch.

Lanolin is a rich, waxy substance that provides a protective barrier for skin. It sits front and centre of this brilliant formula, along with other stellar hydrators such as shea butter and rose oil. It gets to work quickly, and a little goes a long way. It also works brilliantly as a foot cream, too.

Not a hand cream, per se, but beauty insiders have been using Cicaplast Baume on their hands for years. It's a deeply fortifying product that can be used on scrapes, grazes and tattoos, so hydrating dry hands is light work for this cream.

This one also boasts SPF50 to help protect hands from harmful UV rays, which can cause pigmentation and premature ageing.