Between sun exposure and frequent hand washing, the skin on your hands goes through a lot. Just like you’ve created a skin care routine for your face, using hand-specific formulas is essential to keeping this area soft, healthy and resilient. One beneficial ingredient many experts point to may be one you’re already familiar with: retinol.

“The skin on our hands is prone to roughness and thinning,” says Dr. Arash Akhavan, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. “Retinol promotes faster skin cell renewal and collagen generation, leading to smoother, firmer-looking skin with consistent use.”

To help you find the right retinol hand creams, I talked to skin experts about what to look for in a quality formula, and included their recommendations for the best ones to shop.

The best retinol hand creams are hydrating without being irritating, according to our experts. Here’s what they recommend I keep in mind when curating this list:

Ingredient lists: Retinol goes well with certain ingredients when it comes to the skin on the hands, one of them being hyaluronic acid. “Hyaluronic acid is ideal to pair with retinol, which can be drying, because it can help hydrate and plump the look of skin,” says Yadav. Peptides, the building blocks of protein, are another ingredient to look for in a retinol hand cream. Peptides support retinol’s effects and counteract the dryness that often comes along with its use, says Yadav. Finally, shea butter, a natural substance derived from the seeds of the shea plant, has emollient properties that prevent water from escaping the skin, according to Yadav, who says that it also helps keep skin soft, comfortable and less reactive to retinol’s drying effects.