5 Best Hand Soaps That Wash Away Germs Without Drying Out Your Hands

I wash my hands constantly, but after a while I noticed my hands started chapping. Hand soaps leave my hands feeling so dry and tight afterward that I immediately need hand lotion, and sometimes even that doesn’t help.

I don’t think we should have to choose between clean hands and hydrated skin. Which is why we bought and tested the most popular hand soaps to find one that doesn’t strip skin but still removes all the gunk.

After testing 37 brands, we finally found the 5 best.

SPOILER: Revive’s Foaming Hand Soap was our favorite by FAR. My hands are clean and they feel so soft, plus you can’t beat the price.

1. REVIVE FOAMING HAND SOAP

REVIVE earned our #1 spot because it checks basically every box I want in everyday hand soap.

It gives you that satisfying foamy lather and leaves your hands feeling really clean, but unlike so many soaps we tried, my hands didn’t feel tight or stripped afterward. Its formula is specifically designed to help prevent the drying feeling that foaming hand soaps can leave behind, and I can attest, it works.

Thanks to the aloe and glycerin, it keeps my hands feeling soft and it smells SO good. Since it’s fall time I’m a sucker for Pumpkin anything so I now have their Pumpkin Pie Hand Soap all over my house.

The best part is it’s scented with 100% pure essential oils instead of any artificial or synthetic fragrances, and I no longer need to pair my soap with a lotion anymore.

And you can’t beat the price. It’s $12 for one or $20 for two, which was SO refreshing since some of the “luxury” soaps we tested cost nearly four times as much without leaving my hands feeling any better.

UPDATE: I just found a SECRET REVIVE SALE! Right now you can get 15% OFF everything if you use code SECRET15 at checkout.

2. Molly’s Suds Foaming Hand Soap

I already knew Molly’s Suds from their laundry products, so I was excited to see they also make hand soap.

Their foaming soap is made to be gentle on sensitive skin and uses moisturizing aloe and coconut oil, so it didn’t strip my hands after washing. It also did a great job actually cleaning them.

My only complaint is that the scents and overall experience weren’t quite as good as REVIVE’s, I love seasonal scents and I can’t verify if the blends used here are 100% pure.

Though my hands felt soft, they weren’t as soft as when I used Revive, so it’s coming in at 2nd.

3. Homecourt Hand Wash

Homecourt is Courteney Cox’s home-care brand, and this definitely feels like the “luxury” soap of the group. It cleans well and is specifically formulated to clean without stripping away moisture.

My hands felt great afterward, so in terms of performance I really don’t have many complaints.

Let’s talk about the scent. Sure it smells great, but it uses added fragrance, which is not something I prefer. If you don’t have an issue with fragrance, though, I wouldn’t consider it a deal breaker.

But the price might be… One bottle is $36. I liked it, but I just can’t justify spending that much on something my family goes through so quickly when REVIVE performed just as well for a fraction of the price.

4. Bath & Body Works Gentle & Clean Foaming Hand Soap

I’m pretty sure almost everyone has had a Bath & Body Works soap sitting next to their sink at some point.

And I understand why.

Nobody does FUN scents quite like Bath & Body Works, so naturally I had to try their Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin. It smells exactly like fall and gives you that classic foamy lather Bath & Body Works is known for.

Their newer Gentle & Clean formula is also much better than I expected. It’s made with aloe, shea extract and vitamin E and left my hands still feeling soft after washing.

But Bath & Body Works is VERY fragrance-forward, to a point where it felt suffocating after some time. After using REVIVE I realized I could get a soap that smells great without drowning in the scent itself. Plus it uses added fragrance, which is a huge deal breaker for me.

5. Softsoap

Softsoap is the classic drugstore option. It’s affordable, easy to find, and it definitely gets your hands clean.

Here’s what made it last on my list: the formula. It contains sulfates, dyes, and added fragrances.

It works, but after comparing it side-by-side with the other soaps on this list, I preferred the feel and formulas of the brands above it.

And the winner is…

The winner is REVIVE Foaming Hand Soap! It was the only one that checked every box for me: my hands felt genuinely clean, they stayed soft even after washing throughout the day, the essential-oil scents smell amazing, and it’s reasonably priced. That’s why it earned the #1 spot.

Best of all: Get 15% OFF with code SECRET15!

In Summary:

#1: REVIVE Foaming Hand Soap – Buy it here.

#2: Molly’s Suds Foaming Hand Soap – Buy It Here

#3: Homecourt Hand Wash – Buy It Here

#4: Bath & Body Works – Buy It Here

#5: Softsoap – Buy It Here