Best moisturising hand washes suitable for sensitive skin

Years from now, historians will look back at the early 2020s and remember it as the year of the pandemic, protests and… handwashing.

Yes, the once-simple act of washing your hands has become one of many, many surprising headlines of the year.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock in the moon’s Sea of Tranquility (in which case, lucky you), you’ll know that in the ongoing battle against Covid, it's never been more pressing to keep our paws clean. But all that soap, water and lather can leave the skin on your hands sore and red raw.

That’s why you should pick a hand wash with hydrating properties. Packed with nourishing ingredients like Shea butter, hyaluronic acid and Aloe Vera, they’ll not only keep your hands cleansed and crack-free, but moisturised and supple too.

From gently scented liquid soaps to rub in as you count seconds at the sink, to refillable designs to cut back your plastic consumption, it’s time to give your skin a helping hand.

See our favourites below

Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash, 500ml

Gentle and nourishing, Aesop’s products have a cult following and with good reason. The Aussie brand is famed for expertly caring for skin without drying it out.

Case in point? Their Resurrection Aromatique hand wash, which contains a mix of healing and hydrating mandarin, rosemary and lavender oils to leave hands clean, fragrant and healthy. The invigorating, herby-woody scent is a delight too. Extra points for the bumper 500ml size and gender-neutral packaging which makes it a great gift option as well as a blow-out treat for yourself.

At just shy of £30, it’s not a bargain buy but a little goes a long way: the large size should see you through many washes. Display it in your guest bathroom to treat visitors or hide it in your bathroom to keep it all to yourself. Refills available.

Buy now £29.00, Aesop

INEOS Hand Wash

You may be familiar with INEOS. They are one of the UK’s largest hygiene solutions providers and donated millions of bottles of sanitiser to the NHS during the shortages at the beginning of the pandemic - and now the label has ventured into hand washes.

As a sponsor of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team, the campaign is fronted by seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton who is unveiling the label’s first foray into this category.

There are three products available, which are formulated with soothing and kind-to-skin ingredients like cucumber and aloe vera to give your digits the best possible hydration, and nourishment - in trials by the brand, 80 per cent of people found that their skin felt extremely moisturised after using the high-performing hand wash.

You’ll also find sea minerals as well as white rose and neroli that offers a pampering treat. The components have antioxidant benefits as well as work as effective bacteria banishing.

Ideal for busy households, the INEOS hand washes will remove dust, dirt and allergens while also wrapping them in a cloak of moisture.

Price is for a pack of six.

Buy now £5.70, Amazon

Diptyque Softening Hand Wash

Fancy splashing out on an indulgent treat? It doesn’t get much more bouji than Diptyque’s luxurious hand wash. Filled with ingredients designed to soften and condition skin, the liquid soap contains Provençal true lavender as well as notes of rosemary, amber and a gentle fragrance of ylang ylang. Your hands will feel like they’re on a spa mini-break with every use.

Best of all you can refill the beautifully embossed glass dispenser with a matching Comforting Hand Wash Refill, 350ml.

Buy now £48.00, Diptyque

REN Skincare Atlantic Kelp And Magnesium Energising Hand Wash

Harnessing the power and cleansing properties of the sea, REN’s vegan Atlantic Kelp range uses microalga extract to protect epidermis from stress as well as lowering the release of cortisol, which leaves skin feeling more refreshed. Bag the hand lotion too, and wave goodbye to dry skin.

Buy now £22.00, Space NK

Neal’s Yard Remedies Geranium & Orange Hand Wash

Transport yourself to a sunny meadow while washing your hands with this citrus scented hand wash from Neal’s Yard. The organic hand wash not only smells amazing, but the non-drying formula works wonders on your skin too, leaving hands thoroughly clean and refreshed. The brand also runs a scheme where you can bring clean bottles for a refill at a small discount in participating stores.

The Bee Lovely hand wash (also £12.50) is another great option for people who prefer slightly sweeter scents: it’s made from Fairtrade organic honey from Mexico and features orange and mandarin oils for a hydrating and beautifully scented wash. What’s more they’ll donate to causes supporting bees from the sales of this wash.

Buy now £12.50, Neal’s Yard Remedies

Molton Brown Orange & Bergamot Liquid Hand Wash

Enriched with the scent of Sevillian orange, mandarin and neroli, this zingy citrus hand wash makes cleaning hands a total pleasure. It offers a rich foamy lather with just a couple of drops, so it will last for ages. If you love the scent as much as we do, you’ll love the fact that there are matching hand creams and other body products available, allowing you to deepen the scent by layering.

Buy now £22.00, John Lewis

Dove Purely Pampering Shea Butter Beauty Cream hand wash

Find instant relief for dry and sore hands in Dove’s hand wash, filled to the brim with nourishing Shea butter. There’s a warm vanilla scent which adds to the rich, pampering feeling of the hand wash. If your hands are feeling particularly rough due to constant washing, wash with this then slather on cream before bed to wake up with youthful-looking hands.

Buy now £1.13, Superdrug

Rituals of Sakura Hand Wash

As Covid makes hand washing a more frequent ritual, it’s important to take care of the skin on our hands to keep them feeling and looking good. This hand wash from Rituals is inspired by Japan, and is enriched with rice milk and cherry blossom to both hydrate and protect. The soap-free formulation also comes in a refill option, helping you do your bit for the environment.

Buy now £11.50, Rituals

Baylis & Harding Sweet Mandarin & Grapefruit Hand Wash and Lotion Set

Proving that you don’t always have to make a big splash for luxurious hand wash, Baylis & Harding’s Sweet Mandarin & Grapefruit hand wash offers a silky lather and lightly scented finish. Meanwhile vitamin A, B and C work to nourish and protect your skin.

We really can’t praise the scent enough, sweet yet fresh all at once. Make it last longer by applying the matching lotion after every wash - at the moment you can get both for just £5 on Amazon, a whopping 50 per cent saving on the regular price *adds straight to basket*.

Buy now £5.00, Sainsbury's

Gloved Active-Hydrate Hand Wash

Made with Virginian cedarwood oil, this luxury oil offers a restorative treat for thirsty and tired hands. It’s also got hyaluronic acid in it, a wonder ingredient that can hold 1,000 times its weight in water. What does this mean for your skin? Better hydration instantly and a feeling of deep moisturisation afterwards. This is a great one for keeping in the kitchen, helping neutralise odours like garlic and onions. Refills available.

Buy now £23.00, gloved

Von Norten Lavender & Bergamot Hand Wash

Proudly made in England, Van Norten’s hand cleanser offers a bouquet of bergamot and lavender-scented nourishment to soothe and clean hands. There’s Sweet Almond Oil, Avocado Oil, Vitamin E, Aloe Vera and Honey - so much TLC you’ll want to give it a round of applause. Eco-friendly and paraben and sulphate-free.

Buy now £18.00, Von Norten

Faith in Nature Aloe Vera and Tea Tree

This 400ml bottle is perfect for kitchens and bathrooms of busy households. The formula is made with active organic Aloe Vera and Tea Tree, offering hands a deeply cleansing and antibacterial wash. Like all the products from Faith in Nature, it’s vegan and cruelty-free.

Buy now £3.30, Holland & Barrett

Moisturising Hand and Body Wash

Double up with a hydrating two-in-one hand and body wash.

L’Occitane Ultra Rich Hand & Body Wash, 300ml

Famed for its moisturising properties, Shea is a great ingredient to look out for in skincare. There’s spades of it in L’Occitane’s Ultra Rich cleansing soap, which you can use on your body as well as your hands.

Just like all of the brand’s products, it’s made in France and comes in 300ml and 500ml with a refill pouch also available for topping up once you’ve finished your original purchase.

Buy now £22.00, L’Occitane

Malin + Goetz Bergamot Hand + Body Wash

Stop your skin from drying out with a cleansing gel like Malin + Goetz’s. It lathers up to a pleasingly rich foam with just a few drops, washing skin clean without stripping the natural oils. The dreamy bergamot scent is pure holiday vibes (if only for the 20 seconds you’re at the sink), making the price tag completely worth it. Contains amino acid-based cleansing agents and hydrating glycerin.

Buy now £21.00, Space NK

Aveda Cherry Almond hand and body wash

Keeping wrists, palms and fingers nourished with a blend of cherry blossom and sweet almond oil, Aveda’s liquid soap is perfect for the entire household. It doesn’t hurt that the light scent smells divine either. Comes in a generous 250ml bottle.

Buy now £23.00, Aveda

Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Body & Hand Wash, 250ml

A refreshing, clean scent, Jo Malone’s Wood Sage & Sea Salt Body & Hand Wash offers an ocean-fresh clean. The delicately scented cleanser also leaves skin conditioned and feeling soft, which you can heighten by slathering on a hand cream in the same scent.

Buy now £35.00, John Lewis

Verdict

If you’re looking for luxury, Aesop’s Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash gets the thumbs up from us.