15 Must-Buy Japanese Hand Creams

Discover the key benefits and functions of hand creams

Frequent hand washing and the use of alcohol-based sanitizers can lead to dry, uncomfortable skin. During winter, the drop in temperature and humidity can make hands even more prone to chapping and roughness. This is when hand cream becomes a lifesaver.

Hand creams provide moisture and increase skin hydration. Different ingredients offer various benefits—for example, vitamin E improves blood circulation, while urea provides moisturizing and keratolytic effects.

When and how to apply hand cream for best results

Many people only apply hand cream when their hands feel dry. However, just like facial skincare, your hands need regular attention too. Ideal times for application include after washing your hands, finishing housework, wrapping up the workday, or before bed.

If your hands are cold, the cream may not spread as easily. Warm them up slightly, then squeeze some cream onto your palm. Rub your palms together, spreading the cream to your fingertips and the back of your hands. Be sure to cover areas between the fingers, around the nails, and the joints for thorough care.

4 Japanese-style hand creams perfect for gifting

When traveling to Japan and looking for small gifts for friends and family, hand creams are an excellent choice. Here are four hand creams with a uniquely Japanese touch that are sure to show your thoughtfulness.

Yuskin Hana: High moisture with a fresh floral scent

Japanese family skincare brand Yuskin offers not only their reputable yellow cream for repairing chapped skin, but also the Yuskin Hana floral series.

With their proprietary deep-penetration emulsification technology and a high-moisture formula enriched with vitamins E and B6, these hand creams are free of mineral oil, alcohol, paraffin, and animal-derived ingredients, making them suitable for sensitive skin.

The Yuskin Hana series features plant-based fragrances, such as yuzu citrus, cherry blossom, refreshing noble rose, and soothing lavender scents. The creams spread easily without feeling sticky.

Kesen Tsubaki Hand Cream: For moisture infused with camellia seed oil

Hollywood Cosmetics was established in 1925, known for bringing beauty trends from Hollywood to Japan. They offer popular products like orchid enzyme masks and soy protein powder.

For those who love floral scented hand creams, consider the Kesen Tsubaki Hand Cream. Infused with camellia seed oil from Japan's Tohoku Region and honey, it provides deep moisture and helps prevent dryness. With added cypress leaf essential oil from Aomori Prefecture, it offers a soothing, therapeutic scent. The series also includes a Kesen Tsubaki Body Cream if you enjoy the fragrance.

Setouchi Lemon Hand Cream: Enjoy a fresh citrus scent

The Setouchi Lemon Hand Cream by fragrance brand Daily Aroma Japan uses mainly natural ingredients, such as lemon essential oil from Japan's Setouchi Region and lemon fruit extract, lemon peel oil, and lemon fruit water for skin benefits.

Enriched with moisturizing ingredients like shea butter and olive oil, the hand creams glide on effortlessly without leaving a sticky residue. Their light, refreshing lemon scent turns the application into a therapeutic experience.

Kiku-Masamune Masamunejirushi Hand Cream Serum: The secret to beautiful hands thanks to rice koji extract

With over 300 years of history, the Japanese sake brewery Kiku-Masamune not only produces sake but also its Masamunejirushi Hand Cream Serum, made with rice koji, a key ingredient in sake brewing.

Containing white koji extract, five vitamins, and twelve amino acids, it acts like a beauty serum for your hands, providing long-lasting moisture and improving skin texture.

4 moisturizing hand creams perfect for water exposure

If you're often doing household chores or tasks that involve water, like laundry or dishwashing, your hands need some extra care. Here are four practical moisturizing hand creams to keep them soft and hydrated.

Yuskin Yellow Hand Cream: Essential for chapped, rough hands

The long-established Japanese skincare brand Yuskin is known for its best-selling yellow medicated hand cream. Developed for areas prone to chapping, roughness, and chilblains on hands and knees, it contains water-soluble vitamin B2, giving it a golden color.

The hand cream features the brand's proprietary deep-penetrating emulsification technology, and is both fragrance-free and colorless. It has a rich texture that glides on smoothly without feeling sticky and offers a natural camphor scent.

It’s perfect for use after household chores or as part of your post-shower skincare routine. In addition to tubes and larger containers, it's also available in an adorable Miffy packaging.

Yakushido Sonbahyu Horse Oil Hand Cream: Easily absorbed by the skin

Among various horse oil products in Japan, Yakushido's Sonbahyu was the first to receive approval from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as a horse oil-based skincare product. The production process is complex, taking two years just for the natural separation of solid and liquid components in the horse oil.

Horse oil has a fatty acid composition that closely resembles human sebum, allowing it to be easily absorbed by the skin. Sonbahyu is colorless, odorless, and perfect for moisturizing the face, lips, body, and hair, with some products even designed for oral and nasal care. 

Available in a convenient 30-milliliter tube as well as a 75-milliliter bottle , it comes in both an unscented basic version and a variety of scented options, including gardenia, pine and cypress, musk, vanilla, and rose.

Kiss Me Medicated Hand Cream: Prevents dry rough skin

The Kiss Me Medicated Hand Cream contains high-potency vitamin E and 28 percent glycerin, providing up to eight hours of moisture protection for your hands. This formula effectively prevents dryness and peeling, earning rave reviews from users. It's especially recommended for anyone who frequently washes dishes, does laundry, or other works related to water.

The slightly thick texture is highly moisturizing, and you only need a small amount to cover both hands. It comes in convenient 30-gram and 65-gram tubes for easy portability, as well as a 75-gram bottle for home use.

Shiseido Medicated More Deep Hand Cream: Improves blood circulation

Shiseido’s Medicated More Deep Hand Cream contains moisturizing ingredients like urea, xylitol, and vitamin E. It effectively replenishes moisture, making it a lifesaver for dry hands. The cream contains orange massage particles that stimulate blood circulation and penetrate the stratum corneum through hand massage. It feels refreshing and non-greasy on the skin.

This hand cream is not only fragrance-free and colorless, but it also comes in a generous 100-gram container at an affordable price.

4 hand creams for nighttime care

In addition to using hand creams during the day, nighttime is an excellent opportunity for extra hand care. Applying a thick layer before bed allows for more intensive hydration while you sleep. We've also picked products that are great for areas prone to dead skin buildup. Read on to discover more.

Shiseido Urea 10% Cream: Softens calluses and rough skin patches

For areas prone to cracking and dead skin buildup, like fingers and heels, Shiseido's Urea 10% Cream contains 10 percent urea and vitamin E. It helps soften calluses and rough skin patches, quickly penetrating to improve skin texture.

As this cream is more moisturizing compared to Shiseido's previously mentioned Medicated More Deep Hand Cream, it's recommended for use on heels, knees, and other areas besides hands.

The Urea 10% Cream comes also in a bigger container, perfect for post-shower care.

Shiro Savon Hand Serum: Soothing handcare from Hokkaido

Shiro, a natural skincare brand from Hokkaido, is known for its best selling hand cream, Savon Hand Serum. It contains jojoba seed oil, kelp, and shea butter to intensively repair dry skin. Its light texture absorbs quickly and features the brand's signature soap scent with a fresh and natural citrus aroma.

Shiro products are not only made from natural ingredients but also feature an elegant, minimalist packaging, making them perfect gifts. In addition to the soap scent, they offer fragrances like white tea, lily, osmanthus, and Earl Grey tea.

Atrix Beauty Charge Hand Cream Night Superior: Apply before bed for additional hydration

Atrix’s Beauty Charge Hand Cream Night Superior contains plant-based collagen, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and other beauty ingredients. It also includes moisturizing components like shea butter, making it an all-in-one skincare product combining beauty essence and cream.

Apply an appropriate amount to massage your hands and fingertips before bed. The refreshing floral pear scent helps you sleep peacefully. For better absorption overnight, consider wearing gloves after application.

Kosé Coen Rich Q10 Night Renew Moist Repair Capsule In Cream: Essential for nighttime care

The Coen Rich series from Japanese cosmetics company Kosé features high-purity coenzyme Q10 to help maintain skin elasticity and radiance. The Coen Rich Q10 Night Renew Moist Repair Capsule In Cream emphasizes nighttime repair and care. It contains hyaluronic acid, collagen, petroleum jelly, three types of stratum corneum oils, and glycerin for deep moisturization. Clinical tests have shown it helps reduce fine lines caused by dryness.

Apply a generous layer of this hand cream before bed. It contains vitamin-enriched capsules that gradually penetrate the skin during a soothing massage, delivering moisture and enhancing radiance.

3 hand creams with SPF and makeup benefits

In addition to their basic moisturizing and nourishing properties, some hand creams provide extra benefits like sun protection and makeup benefits. Here are three recommended products for those seeking comprehensive hand care solutions.

Shiseido Prior Hand Cream: Conceals like face powder

Shiseido Prior's Hand Cream not only provides high moisturization but also helps conceal wrinkles, capillaries, and age spots. It brightens your skin tone, giving your hands a youthful appearance. It has a texture that’s reminiscent of liquid foundation.

Its light floral scent lifts your mood, and it offers SPF20, and PA+++ sun protection. A proprietary formula creates a moisturizing barrier when in contact with water.

Atrix Beauty Charge Premium Hand Cream: Covers fine lines and brightens your skin tone

The Beauty Charge Premium Hand Cream brightens your skin tone and makes fine lines less noticeable when applied. This effect is due to its light-diffusing powder. The subtle cherry blossom fragrance is enhanced with Yoshino cherry extract, collagen, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and coenzyme Q10, all known for their anti-aging benefits.

Additionally, this hand cream offers SPF20 and PA+ sun protection to shield against UV rays. It's a high-value product combining moisturizing, makeup, and sun protection effects in one.

Hacci Hand Cream Mademoiselle: Enhanced nourishment with royal jelly

Japanese skincare brand Hacci is dedicated to producing honey-based cosmetics and skincare products. Their Hacci Hand Cream Mademoiselle uses honey, beeswax, and royal jelly extract from their own Mizutani apiary to provide moisture and nourishment for hands.

What makes this cream special is the addition of keratin to strengthen nails and squalane oil to boost skin moisture, ensuring your hands look beautiful all around. Its lightweight texture spreads easily, and it features a delicate scent of white flowers like lily, daisy, and lily of the valley.

Buy hand creams tax-free on WAmazing Shop

Time is precious when traveling in Japan, and running around drugstores just to find a hand cream can be a hassle. To make your shopping spree more convenient, head straight to WAmazing Shop. Here, you’ll find a comprehensive selection of hand creams, all available for tax-free purchase, including popular brands mentioned above like Atrix, Shiseido, Shiro, Kosé, and Yuskin.

Moreover, the site offers a wide range of other products including cosmetics, medications (*,) and souvenirs. You can place your order before or during your trip, and collect the items from special lockers at designated airports and major train stations across Japan.

(*) Medications sold on WAmazing Shop are not eligible for tax-free purchases, and all prices shown include tax. However, at checkout, the tax is deducted, resulting in a final purchase price equivalent to the tax-free price.

*The information in this article, such as prices and business hours, was accurate at the time of publication but is subject to change. Please refer to the official website(s) for the latest information.