Best Hand Soap for Eczema-Prone Skin: What to Look For

When someone in your house has eczema-prone skin, hand washing can feel like a trade-off: clean hands, or comfortable hands. Here's what we look for in the best hand soap for eczema-prone skin, what we skip, and the routine we use with our kids.

What makes a hand soap gentle for eczema-prone skin?

• Fragrance-free and dye-free. Fragrance is one of the most common irritants for sensitive skin. "Unscented" doesn't always mean fragrance-free, so read the label.
• A mild cleanser. Traditional bar soaps and harsh sulfates can strip the skin's natural oils. Gentle, plant-based non-ionic cleansers such as decyl glucoside clean without that squeaky, tight feeling. If you prefer a bar in the shower, see our guide to the best soap for eczema-prone skin.
• Built-in hydrators. Look for glycerin, aloe, honey or oat to help hands feel soft after rinsing.
• Nothing you don't need. Skip triclosan, phthalates and long lists of extras.

Why a foaming hand soap?

A foaming pump mixes soap with air, so each wash uses less cleanser and rinses off quickly with no residue. Kids also love foam, which makes thorough hand washing easier.

Our pick: Eczema Honey Gentle Foaming Hand Soap

We made our Gentle Foaming Hand Soap for our own family. It's fragrance-free and dye-free, cleanses with decyl glucoside, and adds aloe vera, honey, oat extract, and coconut and olive oils. It's rated 4.6 stars by more than 300 customers, and the most common words in the reviews are "gentle" and "non-drying."

To save money and plastic, pick up the 16 oz Gentle Foaming Hand Soap Refill. It's nearly double the size of the pump bottle and rated 4.8 stars.

A hand-washing routine for eczema-prone hands

1. Use lukewarm water, not hot.
2. Lather with a gentle, fragrance-free foaming hand soap for about 20 seconds.
3. Rinse well and pat dry; don't rub.
4. Moisturize right away, while skin is still slightly damp. We keep our Oatmeal Hand Cream next to the sink.

Want more? Read eczema from hand washing and choosing soap for eczema-prone skin.

FAQ

What is the best hand soap for eczema-prone skin?

Look for a fragrance-free, dye-free soap with a mild cleanser like decyl glucoside and hydrators like glycerin or aloe. Our Gentle Foaming Hand Soap checks all of those boxes.

Is foaming hand soap better for sensitive skin?

Foaming soaps use less cleanser per pump and rinse off easily, which many people with sensitive skin prefer.

Is it gentle enough for kids?

Yes. We use it with our kids every day. As with any new product, patch-test first.

This article is for general information and isn't medical advice. Talk to your doctor or dermatologist about persistent skin concerns.