Stiftung Warentest had hand creams tested in the laboratory. The positive result: many products keep their promises. A cream with hemp oil in particular stands out among the tested products. Nevertheless, there is also a lot to criticize.
Many hand creams care for dry skin well – but only a few are quickly absorbed. This is the conclusion drawn by Stiftung Warentest from a study of 17 creams. 11 of them achieved the overall grade “good”, 6 were “satisfactory”, according to the Stiftung Warentest.
For the care properties, the testers measured the moisture accumulation and protection against drying out after using the creams. In this category they give the grade “very good” twice. 10 creams scored “good” and 5 “satisfactory”.
It was also examined how annoying the greasy film on the skin after applying cream is and how it hinders various activities, such as drinking a glass of water or using a tablet. Because hand creams are particularly rich, many products only achieved the grade “satisfactory”. However, the testers only found the critical fragrance Lilial, which may impair reproduction or alter the genetic material, in one product.
The best hand creams in the test
With regard to the care effect, the creams “Hemp Schutzende Handcreme Hard-Working Hand Protector” from The Body Shop and Kiehl’s “Hand Salve Hand Care Balm for Extremely Dry Hands” rank at the top – but they are also among the most expensive products in the test.
The cheapest creams that are still rated “good” include Ombia Olive Hand Cream from Aldi Süd, Balea Urea Hand Cream from dm and Isana Chamomile Hand Cream from Rossmann.
According to the magazine, Ombia and Balea also achieved good marks in terms of greasy film, as did Kamill Hand&Nagelcreme, Nivea Hand Creme intensivecare and Shiseido Advanced Essential Energy.
The top 6 creams in a quick overview:
- The Body Shop – Hemp Protective Hand Cream Hard-Working Hand Protector (view at Amazon)
Aldi Süd Ombia – Olive hand cream
dm Balea – hand cream urea (view at Amazon)
Kamill – Hand & Nail Cream (view at Amazon)
Nivea – Hand Cream intensive care (view at Amazon)
Shiseido – Advanced Essential Energy Rich Hand Care Cream (view at Amazon)
Stiftung Warentest: Test winner of the hand creams
Source: Image: The Body Shop 1st place: The Body Shop Hemp Protective Hand Cream
The test winner from Stiftung Warentest received an overall grade of 1.9 (good). The care properties in particular scored very well.
approx. 16.99 euros
View at Amazon
The losers in the test
No hand cream did really badly. Even the losers in the test environment still achieve a “satisfactory” in terms of care properties. However, the already mentioned critical substance Lilial (butylphenyl methylpropional), which is suspected of having a toxic effect on reproduction, is contained in “Florena Olive Oil Hand Cream”. The cream was devalued accordingly, but still received an overall grade of 2.9 (satisfactory).
Note: Stiftung Warentest tested the creams back in 2018, but provided the manufacturers have not changed their recipes, the results are still valid. Since adequate care is particularly important in autumn and winter to protect your hands, we have updated the news for you again.