.jpg)
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Quick: How many bottles of hand cream would you guess are within 20 feet of you at this very moment? There’s the travel-size tube stashed in your purse, the jumbo pump on the edge of the bathtub, the lavender-scented salve in your nightstand that helps lull you to sleep…. Shall we go on? If smooth, supple skin is a priority, you probably have at least half a dozen half-used tubes, bottles, and pots floating around. And with the bright summer sun now shining, we’re going to recommend adding one more to your collection: a hand cream with SPF. Because unless you’re diligent about applying sunscreen to your hands daily (and reapplying every two hours) they’re likely being left exposed to the elements, including damaging UV rays.
“You can get a lot of what we call ‘cumulative UV exposure’ just from day-to-day activities, like driving,” Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology and clinical assistant professor at Cornell University in New York City, tells SELF. “The skin on the [back of the] hands is a bit thinner than the skin on the rest of the body, so it’s more delicate and susceptible to developing the signs of skin aging.” Increased risk of skin cancer from UV exposure is another reason to protect your hands.
Of course, if you intend to be outside for a while, slathering traditional sunscreen on your hands (along with the rest of your body) is your best bet for top-notch protection. But remembering to apply (and reapply) sunscreen to your mitts each day isn’t always practical. Enter hand creams with SPF.
“Hand cream has traditionally targeted dryness and irritation that is common from the wear and tear our hands are subjected to,” Adam Mamelak, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology in Austin, tells SELF. “Nowadays, new hand creams are designed not only to heal dry, irritated, and cracked skin, but also to prevent sun damage with effective UV filters.” That’s the kind of two-for-one special we can get behind.
Our top picks
- Highest SPF: Supergoop Hand Screen With SPF 40
- Best Drugstore Pick: Eucerin Daily Hydration Hand Cream With SPF 30
- Most Luxe: RéVive Fermitif Hand Renewal Cream With SPF 15
- Best for Dry Skin: Deborah Lippmann Rich Girl Hand Cream With SPF 25
- Quick Absorbing: Gold Bond Age Renew Hand Cream With SPF 20
- Best Water-Resistant Pick: Unsun Emollient Rich Hand Cream With SPF 15
- Best Moisturizing Sunscreen: Hello Sundays The One For Your Hands With SPF 30 and Hyaluronic Acid
In this article
The best hand creams with SPF
Below, dermatologists share their top picks for sun-protective hand creams from top brands like Supergoop, Eucerin, Gold Bond, and more.
- Pros: High SPF, absorbs easily
- Cons: Distinctive scent, can feel oily, may irritate sensitive skin
All of the dermatologists we spoke with recommended this broad-spectrum staple from Supergoop, thanks to its high sun-protection factor (SPF 40!). Though Dr. Garshick describes it as a “sunscreen-first product,” she adds that it boasts plenty of moisturizing ingredients—including argan oil, meadowfoam seed oil, sea buckthorn fruit, and glycerin—to soothe and soften hands. Plus, it contains antioxidants to protect against free radicals that can lead to dark spots and discoloration.
- Pros: High SPF
- Cons: May pill
A dermatologist and drugstore fave (even Padma Lakshmi loves the brand), Eucerin’s hand cream delivers the brand’s tried-and-true active ingredients with the added benefit of SPF 30, placing it squarely among Dr. Mamelak’s top picks. Licochalcone A, derived from licorice root, is thought to have anti-inflammatory properties, while glycerin helps hydrate the skin.
- Pros: Improves skin texture
- Cons: Pricey, low SPF
If you’re looking to splurge on a multitasking hand cream, this one from RéVive is worth investing in, says Dr. Garshick, who adds that the product’s purpose, first and foremost, is to improve the appearance of the skin. “This is a nice option for somebody who’s already noticing signs of aging on their hands,” she says. In addition to moisturizing, this lotion contains ingredients that help firm and brighten skin while providing a modest level of sun protection to help avoid future damage.
- Pros: Non-greasy, great for dry skin
- Cons: Thick consistency
Despite its name, you won’t have to pilfer your 401(k) to pay for this creamy Deborah Lippmann formula. Dr. Mamelak gives it top marks because it includes softening ingredients like shea butter, avocado, and jojoba oil in addition to its SPF 25.
- Pros: Absorbs quickly
- Cons: SPF could be higher
Gold Bond has been in business for over a century, so it’s safe to say the brand knows a thing or two about skin care. Its Age Renew Hand Cream is a solid pick for Jenny Liu, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and assistant professor at the University of Minnesota. “It’s a great moisturizer with decent SPF protection,” she says. (“Decent” meaning SPF 20, so not the lowest on this list, but also not the highest.) But with a quick-absorbing formula, you won’t need to worry about your water bottle or phone sliding out of slick hands.
- Pros: Water-resistant for up to 80 minutes, mineral-based
- Cons: Low SPF
This mineral-based hand cream from Unsun provides water-resistant protection for up to 80 minutes, meaning you’ll leave the pool in search of a sparkling beverage long before you’ll need to hop out to reapply. While it also falls on the low end of the SPF spectrum, Dr. Mamelak likes its moisturizing and soothing ingredients, including coconut oil, shea butter, and chamomile.
- Pros: Non-greasy
- Cons: Strong smell, according to some reviewers
The cheekily named The One For Your Hands is packed with all the soft-skin essentials your hands could ask for, including hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, vitamin B5, and aloe vera. And it’s got a nice texture to boot! As one reviewer noted it’s “sun cream that doesn’t feel like sun cream.” High praise, indeed.
What should you look for in a hand cream with SPF?
Dr. Garshick advises shopping for a cream or lotion that offers broad spectrum coverage (meaning it blocks both UVA and UVB rays) and has an SPF of at least 30. UVA rays cause long-term skin damage and may also contribute to skin cancers, while UVB rays damage the DNA in skin cells, cause sunburns, and likely cause most forms of skin cancer. An SPF of 30 means the sunscreen blocks 97% of UVB radiation from the sun. (By contrast, SPF 15 only blocks 93%of UVB radiation.) Unfortunately, many hand creams with SPF on the market fall short of the SPF 30 standard, but Dr. Garshick says any amount of protection is always better than nothing.
While shopping, you may also run into terms like “mineral” or “chemical” sunscreen. Mineral (also known as physical) sunscreen uses ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to create a physical barrier between your skin and the sun, blocking harmful rays. Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, contain ingredients like aminobenzoic acid, avobenzone, octisalate, and octocrylene that absorb harmful UV rays. Mineral sunscreens are often considered better for sensitive skin because the ingredients are less likely to cause irritation than those in chemical sunscreens. The downside, however, is that mineral sunscreens can leave a white cast, especially on darker complexions.
“Typically, chemical sunscreens don’t leave as much of a white cast,” Regine Mathieu, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at Behr Laser and Skin Care Center in Fresno, California, tells SELF. “That being said, many companies are striving to create mineral-based sunscreens that are more inclusive.”
Whichever cream or lotion you choose should also contain moisturizing ingredients. (That’s kind of the point of hand balms, right?) Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and glycerin, as they smooth and soften the skin.
Related:
