Dry, chapped hands that “tight” even after a few minutes after washing? It’s not just the cold’s fault. The skin on the hands is naturally thicker but also less rich in sebaceous glands than the rest of the body, and therefore dehydrates more easily. Water, aggressive detergents, temperature changes and frequent washing put it constantly under stress, especially in winter.
The solution seems simple: use a hand cream. But are all creams really effective in the same way? And is price really an indicator of quality?
To answer these questions, Altroconsumo tested 8 of the most popular hand creams, purchased in pharmacies, supermarkets and perfumeries, subjecting them to rigorous laboratory tests and daily use tests.
The results reserve some surprises, even if all the creams tested were found to be effective and safe. Altroconsumo writes:
They do their job, they hydrate and protect the hands, almost all with good ratings, only two do not go beyond satisfactory. They also have safe formulas: none contain substances that we do not recommend in cosmetics, such as potential endocrine disruptors. Given the good results of the test we can say that the best cream is the one used since it is precisely daily use (at least morning and evening) that makes the difference for the health of the hands.
The ranking of hand creams
Taking first place as “Best of the test” was the Bottega Verde cream – Peony & Hyaluronic Acid Hand Cream of excellent quality with a score of 84/100 and an average price of around 14 euros.
It is the cream that demonstrated the best overall effectiveness in terms of hydration and protection of the skin barrier, but it must be said that the price per liter (€186.67/litre) is among the highest in the test.
However, if you look at the quality/price ratio, the verdict changes and what stands out is the good quality Glicemille – Nourishing Hand Cream with a score of 70/100 and an average price of only 2.39 euros (23.39 €/litre) which obtains the recognition of best purchase. A simple but effective cream, which demonstrates how you don’t need to spend a lot to take care of your hands.
Below is the complete ranking of the hand creams tested, from highest to lowest score:
This test confirms to us once again that the most expensive products are not necessarily the best, and some “historic” formulations compare well with more premium brands.
Furthermore, the analysis shows that almost all hand creams contain perfume or potentially allergenic fragrances: the only exception is Rilastil Xerolact, a relevant element for those with particularly sensitive skin.
In addition to the effectiveness on the skin, the environmental impact of the products was also evaluated, penalizing unnecessarily complex or unsustainable packaging. Overall, the results show that simple formulas and basic packaging work better than aggressive marketing.
How the hand cream test was conducted
The test involved 8 hand creams of different price ranges, purchased from pharmacies, supermarkets and perfumeries. The products underwent double-blind laboratory tests, which lasted two weeks, on 20 women for each cream, with application twice a day: hydration was measured with the corneometer, while the ability to protect the skin barrier was assessed using the tewameter.
At the same time, the creams were also tested in daily use by ordinary consumers, who expressed opinions on consistency, scent, absorption and ease of application. The final judgment also took into account the environmental impact of the packaging and the correctness of the information on the label, with greater weight assigned to the hydrating and protective efficacy, which accounts for 60% of the overall score.
