Every time autumn and winter roll around, everybody starts clambering for the best product to moisturize their hands. Why? Because humidity drops substantially during colder parts of the year. As a result, your skin is far more likely to become dry and cracked. The hands are often hit the hardest, as regularly washing your hands actually strips the skin of the oils and fatty compounds that retain moisture and protect your skin. The result is chapped hands that often look and feel worse than they do during other parts of the year.
However, this doesn’t mean you should only break out the hand cream when it gets cold. While dry, cracked, and old-looking hands are more common in the wintertime, you can experience dry skin on your hands during any part of the year. Consequently, it’s important to have a good hand cream for men nearby at all times.
If you’re relatively new to skincare or don’t know how to evaluate the best hand creams for men, we’re here to help. In today’s guide, we’re going to answer important questions like: what does hand cream do? Should men use hand cream every day? What are the benefits of hand cream? Finally, where can you find the absolute best hand cream for men?
Keep reading to learn the answers to these questions and find the top solution for dry, cracked, or aging skin!
What Is Hand Cream?
Hand cream or hand lotion refers to most kinds of moisturizers or treatments specifically developed for the skin on the hands. Not only is the skin on the hands unique, but it also serves different functions than the skin on other parts of the body. In fact, the skin on the palms of your hands and fingers is even different from the skin on the backs of your hands. As a result, hand cream must be formulated to account for multiple skin types.
How you use your hands also impacts the function and formulation of skin cream. For example, you use your hands for hundreds of different tasks each day — from picking up a pencil to raking the leaves. From an evolutionary standpoint, human skin has evolved to make these tasks easier. More specifically, the skin on your fingers and palms is better able to grip items.
This doesn’t even factor in the effect of hand-washing. On average, adults wash their hands upwards of 5 times per day. Since most people take showers far less often, it stands to reason that the skin of your hands is going to be more affected by washing than the skin on your face or the rest of your body. Regular exposure to water and soaps that lift protective oils make your hands more susceptible to dryness, which, as discussed earlier, only worsens when humidity drops in winter.
All of this is to say that hand cream is specifically designed to meet the unique needs of your hands. When comparing hand cream to body lotions, you’ll often find that hand cream is much stronger, as it needs to penetrate the thick layers of skin on your hands. Additionally, hand cream often has a thicker consistency than body lotion because it contains more natural oils.
Benefits Of Men's Hand Cream
As a man, there’s a good chance that your hands take a beating on a regular basis. Whether you engage in manual labor or are frequently exposed to suboptimal weather conditions, you need hand cream to ensure that your hands can look and feel their best. Here are just a few of the top benefits of hand cream for men:
- Heavy-duty Moisturization - Hand creams designed for men are often better able to penetrate thick layers of skin to provide the best possible hydration. Since moisturizing is one of the main functions of hand cream, it is especially important to ensure that men’s hand cream can break through the tough outer layers and deliver adequate moisture to the skin underneath.
- Anti-Aging - They often say that age is most evident in the hands. If you want to keep your hands looking young, a solid hand cream is one of the best tools you can have at your disposal. Various ingredients in hand creams can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, while also minimizing age spots and discoloration.
- Protective Components - You want the skin of your hands to be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, UV rays, and even extreme temperatures. While a hand cream cannot provide complete protection from every potential stressor in your environment, it can add a protective barrier that can help prevent unnecessary skin damage or premature aging.
- Softening Effect - Who doesn’t love the feeling of silky smooth skin? Men’s skin is naturally rough, and this is often doubly true of the skin on the hands. Fortunately, a good hand cream can smooth out roughness, reduce callouses, and generally maintain a soft, smooth texture.
- Nail Protection - One aspect of hand cream that often gets overlooked is the protection it offers to your nails. Hand cream can strengthen your nails and provide moisture to the cuticles, which prevents brittleness and can even make your nails easier on the eyes.
- Pleasant Aroma - Each hand cream is a bit different when it comes to scent. However, hand creams with good-smelling ingredients like coconut oil can give your hands a very pleasant and alluring aroma.
- Enhanced Hand Health - If you’ve ever had severely dry hands, you know that it can get to the point that your hands are literally bleeding from deep, dry cracks. Cracked hands don’t feel or look good, but they can also be a hazard to your health. Open wounds on your hands are more likely to get infected. If you’re predisposed to having dry skin or you frequently experience cracked skin in the wintertime, your best defense is a good moisturizing hand cream. Keeping your hands hydrated and free of cracks can greatly reduce the risk of infection and even provide your hands with much-needed vitamins and antioxidants.
How Often Should You Use Hand Cream?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. In general, you should try to use hand cream every day. How many times you should apply hand cream per day depends on a few different factors. Some things to consider include:
- The time of year (based on the temperature and humidity)
- Genetics (if you have naturally dry or oily skin)
- Hand-washing habits (more water exposure = greater need for hydration)
Most men can get by with moisturizing their hands 1 or 2 times per day (often once in the morning and once before bed). That said, you may choose to apply hand cream every time you wash your hands or every few hours throughout the day.
The Best Hand Cream For Men
If you’re looking for the best hand cream for men, you can’t go wrong with Anthony’s Signature Hand Cream. Our specialized formula targets dry, chapped, aging skin and will leave your hands feeling silky smooth. Plus, ingredients like coconut oil and wheat protein can help enhance the effects of the underlying moisturizers while making your hands look, feel, and smell amazing. In short, if you’re looking for an USA-made hand lotion that offers the absolute best results for your skin, you’ve found the answer with Anthony’s Hand Cream.
Want to learn even more about hand cream for men? If so, be sure to check out the great products and solutions available at Anthony today!
