Best Hand Lotions, Creams, and Salves for Construction Workers

Best Hand Lotions, Creams, and Salves for Construction Workers

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Article updated: April 26, 2023
  

Dry

Cracked

Worn

Irritated

Weathered

Do any of these words describe the look and feel of your hands?

If you are a construction worker, or simply someone who often works with your hands, there is a good chance your mitts are in need of some serious moisture and hydration.

The fact is construction work can be incredibly unforgiving on the hands. If you do a quick Google image search of “construction worker hands”, you will see some seriously ugly, worn, weathered, and gnarled mitts.

While most of those images are pretty extreme examples, it’s a glimpse into how badly a construction worker’s hands can become without the regular use of a good hand lotion or cream.

A dry, cracked, peeling hand

Whether you’re a construction worker, electrician, brick layer, carpenter, mechanic, or warehouse worker — your hands are the most important tool in your arsenal.

That’s why it’s important to treat your hands right and give them everything they need to stay hydrated and healthy.

In order to help you do that I compiled this list of best hand lotions and creams for construction workers. Each one of these products is specifically designed to soften and smooth dry hands and even help promote healing.

The Lineup:

Best Hand Lotions, Creams, and Salves for Construction Workers Reviewed



Jack Black – Industrial Strength Hand Healer

Top pick banner award for best hand lotion or cream for construction workers
Bottle of Jack Black Industrial Strength Hand Healer

If you’re a construction worker with some seriously dry, cracked hands, I highly recommend you check out this Industrial Strength Hand Healer from Jack Black. Known for their premium men’s grooming products, Jack Black has become one of my personal favorite brands due to the quality and effectiveness of their products.

Their Industrial Strength Hand Healer is specifically designed to soften, smooth, and heal hands that are frequently subjected to extreme wear and tear. Full of moisturizers and conditioners, this lotion helps soften and diminish tough calluses, heal cuticles, and eliminate painful cracks and rough patches. I also really like the fact that it doesn’t leave the hands feeling greasy or oily. It also has a light masculine scent that isn’t too strong or overbearing.

Here’s a look at some of this lotion’s key ingredients: Vitamin A, vitamin E, glycerin, macadamia nut oil, sunflower seed oil, white tea extract, pomegranate extract, linseed extract, eucalyptus oil, allantoin.

Bottom line: Jack Black Industrial Strength Hand Healer lives up to it’s name and provides excellent moisture, hydration, and healing for even the most abused construction worker’s hands. It’s also lightweight, non-greasy, and it smells great too. Two thumbs up.


Ahava – Mineral Hand Cream

Bottle of Ahava Mineral Hand Cream

Powered by all-natural minerals and extracts, Ahava Mineral Hand Cream for Men is simply one of the best hand lotions for healing and repair. Formulated with 21 essential minerals, this hand cream quickly penetrates dry skin and immediately goes to work softening, smoothing, hydrating, and healing dry, irritated hands.

One of things that is really unique about Ahava Mineral Hand Cream is that it contains nutrient-rich Dead Sea water which has long been known to treat a variety of skin conditions, including: Psoriasis, eczema, acne, dermatitis, and dry skin. Another great thing about Ahava Hand Cream is that it’s very lightweight and non-greasy, so you don’t have to worry about it leaving any residue behind when it dries.

Bottom line: Ahava Mineral Hand Cream is excellent for construction worker’s hands do to it’s moisturizing and healing properties.


Bag Balm – Hand & Body Ointment

Tin of Bag Balm hand ointment

Originally designed to hydrate and moisturize cow udders (yes, really), Bag Balm is now one of the most effective ointments for treating dry human skin on the market.

First formulated in 1899, Bag Balm was intended to treat dry, cracked cow’s udders located on farms all throughout Northeast Kingdom, Vermont. It quickly grew beyond it’s intended purpose once locals realized that it also did a damn good job of moisturizing and hydrating human skin as well.

Since it’s inception, Bag Balm has become the go-to skin moisturizer for numerous momentous occasions in human history. In 1937, Admiral Richard Byrd took Bag Balm on his expedition to the North Pole due to the extremely cold, dry climate. And in 2001, Bag Balm was used to heal and protect the paws of 9/11 rescue dogs as they searched through rubble for survivors.

Bottom line: When it comes to the best hand lotion or cream for construction workers, Bag Balm is definitely worth checking out.


Brickell – Max Strength Hand Balm

Bottle of Brickell Maximum Strength Hand Balm

If all-natural and organic ingredients are important to you, Brickell Maximum Strength Hand Balm is the lotion for you. If you are unfamiliar with Brickell, they produce all-natural and organic grooming products designed specifically for men. Their Maximum Strength Hand Balm is perfect for construction workers due to it’s ability to moisturize, repair, and protect dry, cracked hands. It’s also very lightweight, non-greasy, and dries quickly without any oily residue left behind.

Another great thing about Brickell Hand Balm is that it’s available in a scented and unscented version, making it one of the few hand lotions on the market that actually offers scent options.

Here’s a look at Brickell Hand Balm’s key ingredients: Aloe leaf, coconut oil, vitamin E, jojoba oil, glycerin, olive oil, shea butter, green tea extract, willow bark extract, carrot.

Bottom line: Packed full of moisturizing and skin healing ingredients, Brickell Maximum Strength Hand Balm is simply one of the best moisturing and healing lotions for construcktion workers hands. It’s also formulated with all-natural (99%) and organic (80%) ingredients which is a big plus.


Kiehl’s – Ultimate Strength Hand Salve

Bottle of Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve

Kiehl’s was founded all the way back in 1851 and is known for producing some of the best performing skincare products for both men and women. Their Ultimate Strength Hand Salve is designed for hands of the working man and is intended to help moisturize, hydrate, heal, and protect.

With a thick, creamy texture, this lotion leaves hands feeling soft, hydrated, and moisturized without the greasy feeling commonly found with other hand creams. It’s also packed full of skin beneficial ingredients that are chosen for their ability to soften, soothe, and even help promote healing.

Here’s a look at some of the key ingredients: Avocado oil, glycerin, sesame oil, allantoin, eucalyptus oil.

Bottom line: Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve provides immediate moisture, hydration, and relief to extremely dry hands. The thick texture of this lotion goes a long way (you don’t need much), which is great because a bottle of this stuff is kind of pricey (my one negative).


Marlowe – No. 023 Hand Cream

Bottle of Marlowe Hand Cream

If you’re looking for an excellent performing hand cream but don’t want to spend a small fortune, I highly recommend you check out Marlowe No. 023. This hand cream for men is formulated with a bunch of skin beneficial ingredients that are designed to soften, smooth, moisturize, and alleviate dry, cracked hands.

The non-greasy formula contains Marlowe’s propriety ingredient list that can be found in all of their men’s care products, including: Green tea extract, willow bark extract, passionflower extract, deep sea algae extract.

Bottom line: Marlowe is known for offering premium performing products at very reasonable prices, and this hand cream is no different. It does an excellent job of moisturizing dry, cracked hands, and even helps promote healing. It also has an awesome woodsy scent that is very rugged and masculine.


O’Keeffe’s – Working Hands Cream

Jar of O'Keeffe's Woking Hands Cream

When it comes to dry, cracked hands, O’Keeffe’s Working Hands has become one of the most popular choices of Hand Creams available on the market.

O’Keeffe’s was founded over 25 years ago by a pharmacist named Tara O’Keeffe, in an effort to help alleviate her father’s badly dry, cracked hands. The product worked so well that word quickly began to spread.

Fast forward to today and O’Keeffe’s is regularly used by construction workers, mechanics, electricians, carpenters, nurses, postal workers, warehouse workers, and even teachers. It’s also commonly used by people with skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

O’Keeffe’s is very smooth, creamy, it absorbs quickly, and best of all it doesn’t leave any oily residue behind when it dries. It’s simply one of the best hand creams for alleviating extremely dry hands and promoting healing.


Anthony – Hand Cream

Bottle of Anthony Hand Cream

When it comes to premium quality products for men, Anthony never disappoints. Just like all of Anthony skincare products, their Hand Cream is formulated using premium ingredients that not only work, but work really well.

Intended for the tough, rugged, working hands of men, this hand cream is designed to soften, smooth, and help eliminate cracks, rough patches, and wrinkles.

It’s formulated with glycolic acid which helps exfoliate the outermost layer of skin from the hands — helping to expose the smooth, soft layer of skin underneath.

Here’s some of the key ingredients: Shea butter, coconut oil, hydrolyzed wheat protein, licorice root extract, lemon extract, glycerin, vitamin E, glycolic acid.

Bottom line: Anthony Hand Cream does an excellent job of eliminating dry, rough patches from the hands thanks to the help of glycolic acid. It’s tough enough for the rough hands of construction workers, while still being safe for men with sensitive skin. It also has a masculine scent that smells really good.


Workman’s Friend – Healing Hand Cream

Jar of Workman's Friend Healing Hand Cream

Working with dry, cracked, painful hands is no fun. That’s why it’s important to use a hand cream like Workman’s Friend. Not only does this hand cream help moisturize and hydrate the skin, but it also helps soothe, heal, and protect.

Formulated with safe, natural ingredients, Workman’s Friend is specifically designed for the abused hand’s of the working man. The non-greasy, fragrance free formula is perfect for everyday use to help restore dry, painful, damaged hands. It’s also packed with natural herbs and extracts that are known for their healing, soothing, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Here’s a look at some of the key ingredients: Vitamin E, glycerin, sunflower seed oil, calendula, comfrey, allantoin, aloe vera, rhizome root extract, vitamin E (tocopherol).

Bottom line: If you’re looking for the best lotion or cream for construction worker’s hands, you can’t go wrong with Workman’s Friend Healing Hand Cream. Not only does it perform exceptionally well, but it’s also very reasonably priced.


How to Combat and Prevent Dry Hands

Using a good hand lotion or cream is great for alleviating dry, cracked skin, but there are plenty of steps you can take to help prevent dry hands from occurring in the first place.

Below are a few basic tips and tricks you can use to help prevent your hands from becoming dry, cracked, and irritated while on the job.

A construction worker working with a grinder

1. Wear gloves

If you’re a construction worker or manual laborer, protecting your hands at work is the single most important step you can take to keep your hands soft, smooth, and hydrated. Investing in a good pair of work gloves will not only help protect your hands from injury, but they will also help keep them protected from chemicals and materials that can strip away the skin’s natural oils.

2. Treat your hands overnight

Slathering your hands in a good petroleum based moisturizer, such as Aquaphor, before bed is a great way to keep your hands moisturized and hydrated. You can even cover your hands in a pair of socks or gloves while you sleep to help lock in the moisture. It might sound kind of ridiculous to wear socks or gloves on your hands while you sleep, but trapping the petroleum based moisturizer will help it absorb deeper into the skin.

3. Moisturize after washing your hands

Washing your hands is great for removing germs and bacteria, but the problem is that it also strips away the skin’s natural oils. That’s why it’s important to always apply a little bit of lotion after washing your hands. This will help keep your hands moisturized throughout the day, greatly reducing the chances of them becoming dry, cracked, and irritated while working.


Thanks for checking out my list of best hand lotions, creams, and salves for construction workers. If you found this article helpful, check out my list of best ball and body powders for men. As always, if you have any comments or questions, feel free to drop me a line in the comment section below.