Our hands work hard. Washing, cleaning, cold weather, central heating and everyday exposure can all leave the skin feeling dry, while nails and cuticles can become brittle or rough when they're repeatedly exposed to water and detergents.
A good hand and nail routine doesn't need to involve half a dozen specialist products. For most of us, the priorities are straightforward: cleanse without unnecessarily stripping the skin, replace moisture after washing, protect hands when they're exposed to water or cleaning products, and keep the skin around the nails comfortably moisturised.
Natural hand care is particularly well suited to this job. Plant oils and butters can provide useful combinations of fatty acids and other naturally occurring constituents, while ingredients such as glycerin help attract water to the outer layers of the skin.
What's Inside
What do dry hands actually need?
If your hands regularly feel dry or tight, concentrate on three things: gentle cleansing, regular moisturising and reducing unnecessary exposure to water and detergents.
Look for hand creams combining humectants such as glycerin with emollient plant oils and richer ingredients such as shea or cocoa butter. Apply after washing when you can, and use a more generous layer before bed if your hands need extra moisture.
Why do hands become so dry?
Hands are unusually exposed compared with most of the rest of our skin. We wash them frequently, use soaps and sanitisers, handle household cleaning products and expose them to wind, cold and changing temperatures.
Repeated contact with water and cleansing products can remove some of the lipids from the outermost layer of skin. As the skin barrier becomes drier, hands can begin to feel tight, rough or uncomfortable.
This is why hand cream often seems to disappear remarkably quickly from the bathroom shelf: unlike many other areas of skincare, we repeatedly wash off what we've just applied.
Moisturise after washing, not just when your hands already feel dry
Keeping a hand cream beside the sink, on your desk or in your bag makes regular application much easier. You don't necessarily need a thick layer every time – consistency can be more useful than waiting until your hands feel particularly dry.
Natural hand-care ingredients worth looking for
There isn't one botanical ingredient that every hand cream needs. A well-formulated product normally combines several types of ingredients that perform different jobs.
Shea butter
A rich plant butter containing fatty acids including oleic and stearic acids. It works well in hand creams where a more substantial, emollient texture is wanted.
Plant oils
Sunflower, grape seed, sweet almond, jojoba and other plant oils have different fatty-acid profiles and can help soften the skin and supplement the lipid-rich outer barrier.
Glycerin
Glycerin is a well-established humectant. It helps attract and retain water in the outer layers of the skin and works particularly well alongside oils, butters and other emollients.
Botanical extracts
Aloe, hibiscus, calendula and other botanical extracts can bring additional plant compounds into a formulation. Their role depends on the particular extract and the finished formula.
Why combine humectants, oils and butters?
This is where good formulation becomes more interesting than simply looking for a fashionable hero ingredient.
A humectant such as glycerin helps support hydration, while plant oils and butters soften the skin and help reduce moisture loss. A hand cream can then combine these with botanical extracts and other ingredients to create the texture, finish and level of richness the formulator wants.
For us, that's one of the attractions of natural hand care. Plant-derived ingredients don't all do the same thing: different oils, butters and extracts bring different properties to a formula, giving formulators plenty to work with.
How to choose the right natural hand cream
The best hand cream isn't necessarily the richest one. It's the one that gives your hands enough moisture while having a texture you'll actually use regularly.
| Texture | Best suited to | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Light lotion | Normal to mildly dry hands and anyone who dislikes a rich finish | Throughout the day, particularly after hand washing |
| Hand cream | Dry hands needing more emollience without an excessively heavy feel | After washing, throughout the day and before bed |
| Rich cream or balm | Very dry, rough-feeling hands or people frequently exposed to cold and water | At night or whenever a richer protective layer is useful |
| Plant oil | Dry cuticles and the skin surrounding the nails | Massage a small amount around the nail and cuticle as needed |
Do you need a separate daytime and night hand cream?
Not necessarily. If your everyday hand cream provides enough moisture, you can simply apply a little more before bed.
A separate richer product can be useful if you prefer something that absorbs quickly during the day but want a more substantial layer overnight. It's a matter of texture and preference rather than an essential two-product routine.
What about fragrance and essential oils?
Scent can make hand cream much more enjoyable to use, and many natural formulas use essential oils to create their fragrance.
If your skin is particularly reactive, however, fragrance may be something you prefer to minimise. “Natural fragrance” doesn't automatically mean that every skin type will tolerate it, so check the ingredient list if you already know fragrance or particular essential oils cause problems for you.
What about natural nail and cuticle care?
Nails are made primarily from keratin. Moisturising won't fundamentally change the structure of the nail that's already grown, but keeping the nail plate, cuticle and surrounding skin conditioned can help them feel less dry and brittle.
You don't necessarily need a specialist cuticle oil. A suitable plant oil, balm or even your hand cream can be massaged around the nail and cuticle area.
- Keep the skin around your nails moisturised.
- Avoid repeatedly soaking nails in water where possible.
- Wear gloves for washing up and household cleaning.
- File snagged or rough edges rather than picking or tearing them.
- Be gentle with cuticles rather than aggressively cutting or removing them.
Not every nail problem is a cosmetic problem
Persistent changes in nail colour, shape or texture, or changes affecting only one nail, aren't something a hand cream or cuticle oil can necessarily solve. If you're concerned about an unexplained or persistent nail change, ask a pharmacist, GP or other appropriate healthcare professional.
A simple natural hand and nail care routine
You can build an effective routine around just a few repeatable habits.
Wash gently
Use comfortably warm rather than very hot water and choose a cleanser you find comfortable for regular hand washing.
Dry properly
Pat your hands dry, including between the fingers. You don't need to leave the skin damp for hand cream to work.
Apply hand cream
Massage a small amount over the backs and palms of your hands. Reapply after washing when practical or whenever the skin begins to feel dry.
Don't forget your cuticles
Work a little of your hand cream or a suitable plant oil around the nails and cuticles, particularly if the surrounding skin feels dry.
Go richer at night if needed
If your hands are particularly dry, apply a more generous layer of cream or balm before bed when it has longer to remain on the skin without being washed away.
A natural hand cream worth trying
UpCircle Hand Cream with Hibiscus Flowers
If you want a dedicated natural hand cream rather than a general-purpose body lotion, UpCircle Hand Cream with Hibiscus Flowers is an interesting formula.
Shea butter makes up more than 10% of the formula and is joined by glycerin, grape seed oil and sunflower seed oil. UpCircle also uses upcycled hibiscus flower extract, alongside marshmallow root extract.
That combination is a good example of the formulation approach we've discussed above: a humectant for hydration alongside richer plant-derived emollients and botanical extracts.
The formula also contains lemon, lavender, lemongrass and patchouli oils, so bear that in mind if you specifically prefer fragrance-free hand care.
Explore UpCircle Hand CreamUpCircle also makes hand and body washes and lotions if you'd prefer to use products from the same range. You can explore UpCircle at MyPure, or browse our wider natural and organic hand care collection.
Protecting your hands can matter as much as moisturising them
Hand cream replaces some of what repeated washing and exposure takes away, but reducing unnecessary exposure can make a considerable difference too.
- Wear suitable household gloves when washing dishes or using cleaning products.
- Avoid unnecessarily hot water when washing your hands.
- Keep hand cream somewhere you'll remember to use it.
- Apply a richer layer before bed if your hands feel particularly dry.
- Remember the backs of your hands when applying daytime sun protection.
Should you use SPF on your hands?
Yes, when your hands are exposed to daylight. The backs of the hands receive cumulative UV exposure just like other uncovered skin.
You don't necessarily need a separate hand sunscreen. Your usual broad-spectrum sunscreen can be applied to the backs of the hands, remembering that frequent hand washing means it may need to be reapplied.
A simple at-home manicure
If you enjoy wearing nail polish, a home manicure doesn't need to involve aggressive buffing, cutting or complicated treatments.
Clean and shape
Start with clean, dry nails and gently file them into your preferred shape.
Tidy the cuticle area
Apply a little cream or oil around the nails to soften dry skin. Avoid aggressively cutting or digging around the cuticle.
Apply your polish
If you're using nail colour, follow the individual product instructions. Thin coats generally dry more evenly than one very thick coat.
Finish with hand cream
Once your polish is fully dry, massage hand cream over the hands and around the cuticles.
Give hardworking hands a little more attention
Explore natural hand and body care from UpCircle, Evolve Beauty, MÁDARA, Living Nature and other brands selected by MyPure.
Shop Natural Hand CareNatural hand and nail care FAQs
How often should I apply hand cream?
There isn't a fixed number of times that suits everyone. If your hands are dry, applying cream after washing and whenever the skin begins to feel tight or uncomfortable is a useful approach. A more generous application before bed can also be helpful because the product has longer to remain on the skin.
What ingredients should I look for in a natural hand cream?
Look at the whole formula rather than relying on one hero ingredient. Useful combinations can include humectants such as glycerin alongside plant oils, shea or cocoa butter and botanical extracts. Different combinations create different textures and levels of richness.
Is shea butter good for dry hands?
Shea butter is a useful emollient in hand-care products. Its fatty-acid-rich composition helps soften the skin and gives creams a richer texture, which can be particularly appealing when hands feel dry or rough.
Can I use facial oil on my hands and cuticles?
Yes. If you already have a facial oil that suits your skin, a small amount can also be massaged into dry cuticles and the surrounding skin. You don't necessarily need to buy a separate cuticle oil.
Do I need a special cream for my nails?
Not necessarily. Regular hand cream can also be massaged around the nails and cuticles. A separate oil or balm can be useful if you enjoy using one or want something richer around particularly dry cuticles.
Why do my nails keep splitting?
Repeated wetting and drying, detergents and everyday mechanical damage can all contribute to brittle or splitting nails. Keeping nails moisturised and wearing gloves for wet household work may help reduce those stresses. Persistent or unexplained nail changes should be discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional.
Is natural hand cream suitable for sensitive skin?
It depends on the individual formula and your own sensitivities. Natural hand creams can contain essential oils and fragrance allergens as well as plant oils and botanical extracts. If you know your skin reacts to fragrance or particular ingredients, check the full ingredient list before buying.
Should I put sunscreen on my hands?
Yes, when they're exposed to daylight. Apply your usual broad-spectrum sunscreen to the backs of your hands as part of your daytime sun protection, and remember that washing can remove it.
The bottom line
Good hand and nail care is mostly about consistency rather than complexity. Wash gently, moisturise regularly, protect your hands from unnecessary exposure to water and detergents, and give dry cuticles the same attention as the rest of your skin.
Natural formulations give you plenty of useful ingredients to choose from. Plant oils and butters bring different fatty-acid profiles and textures, botanical extracts add their own naturally occurring constituents, and established moisturising ingredients such as glycerin can bring everything together in a well-balanced formula.
Choose the texture you'll actually use. A lighter cream applied regularly will usually earn its place in your routine more successfully than an elaborate treatment that stays in the cupboard.
Please note: This article provides general skincare and nail-care information rather than medical advice. Always follow individual product instructions. Persistent cracking, inflammation, pain, nail discolouration or unexplained changes to the nails or surrounding skin should be discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional.