The 5 best hand creams you need to survive the winter

We can't talk about hand creams and not mention L'occitane. Formulated with 25% shea butter, the balm's rich texture melts into your hands and provides a nourishing protective film around your skin. If your hands are in need of more intensive care, apply a thicker layer to your hands and leave it on for 10 minutes before massaging the excess into your skin.

This Australian brand needs no further introduction. Known for their natural-based hand creams and signature rose scent, Jurlique's elegantly packaged hand cream is packed with botanical extracts and antioxidant properties. Apart from their best-selling rose scent, there are also other scents available such as lavender, and our favourite, citrus, made with essential oils from tangerine, mandarin, and lemon.

Inspired by the historical phenomenon known as the Tulip Fever, Byredo's range of hand care products, Tulipmania, features not just hand creams, but also everything from rinse-free hand wash to hand scrub. Despite tulips being favoured mostly for its appearance rather than smell, Tulipmania reinvents this idea with a floral scent made from a persistent base note of blonde woods, accentuated by notes of freesia. This one is definitely on the pricier side, but boy is it worth every penny.

Although the craze for Korean beauty products has certainly died down a little over the past few years, there's no denying the wonders these magical formulas do to our skin feel. A perfect example is Korea's number one body care brand (as voted by Korea Customers Council in 2019), Duft & Doft. Keeping the polka dot trend alive with their colourful and vibrant packaging, not only does the brand's nourishing hand cream contains shea butter and vitamin E – the perfect recipe for baby-soft hands – but it also comes in a range of fun, fragrant scents such as Sophy Soapy, Stockholm Rose, and Honey Blossom! 

Aesop is another obvious go-to when it comes to hand care, although the scent of their signature cream may not be for everyone. You only need about a small dollop (their website suggests half a teaspoon but we reckon a quarter will do) as the balm's texture is slightly heavy, but don't let that put you off as you'll find that it is very absorbent, which leaves your hands feeling fully nourished.