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Years of hand sanitising has done us no favours, but these salves will solve everything

Following the past two years or so of alcohol-laced sanitising and anxiety-fuelled hand washing, it’s safe to say your hands probably aren’t in their softest state right now. Those cracked cuticles are screaming at you, aren’t they? And sure, you can grab any old hand cream but – plot twist – a lot of them don’t actually work when it comes to repairing your skin. Sad, but true.

The solution? Eschew the scented salves and flowery formulas lining the shelves, and pick up one of these expertly formulated iterations instead. The best hand creams out there might not have heaps of shelf appeal, but they’ll sort out dryness and brittle nails in an instant.

This one contains probiotics, which essentially means it’s really good for your skin barrier (which you’ve been annihilating with overzealous washing over the past for years). It’s rich, but gel-like – meaning it won’t make your hands clammy – and even contains a touch of lactic acid to gradually slough away rough bits.

This one is formulated for chronically dry hands, but that doesn’t mean it’ll leave greasy fingerprints all over that computer keyboard you’ve just deep-cleaned with anti-bac. Incredibly gentle, it’s the best choice for eczema sufferers.

For three travel-sized tubes, this is an absolute steal. Not to mention the fact that it’s easily one of the best hand creams we’ve tried: instantly rich and soothing (thanks to the shea and glycerin) with no lingering smell or claggy residue.

This is the posh one that really works. Unlike many heavily scented yet ultimately useless luxury buys, this one is thoughtfully formulated with vitamin B5 – the ultimate skin-saver – alongside good old shea butter for intensive hydration that lasts for hours. A rapid absorber, it’s perfect for anyone who can’t bear lingering residue.

Legendary New York apothecary C.O. Bigelow is still a strong contender when it comes to formulas that really work. This classic hand cream feels light and cooling on application, yet softens dry and cracking skin while delivering a verdant green scent.

You might (and should) recoil at the thought of a two-in-one shampoo and conditioner, but this use-it-everywhere balm is an exception to the multi-use rule. It's a bit of a rogue choice, as there's an actual hand cream in the collection, but we reckon this extra-thick cream does a better job at saving critically knackered cuticles.

Formulated with vitamin E and shea butter, this is a great one for counteracting the drying effects of a hand sanitiser. Not just an effective skin-soother, it contains a blend of essential oils – lavender, ylang ylang and neroli – to help slow a racing mind, too.

This balm-textured hand cream sinks into skin in mere seconds, delivering a nourishing dose of vitamins alongside moisture-magnet glycerin. Made with natural essential oils, it smells pretty great too.

Aesop is always a strong gifting move, but you'll want to bag one of these deeply restorative hand creams for yourself, too. It's rich in calming, protective sweet almond oil, and has a balm-like texture that never feels greasy – no matter how often you slather it on. And of course this being Aesop, it smells incredible.

File this one under: boring but brilliant. It's unscented and lacking any kind of luxury appeal, but works astonishingly well at repairing extreme dryness. There's a reason dermatologists love it.