"Hands to Myself" was recognized by music critics who praised the versatile vocal performance of Gomez, and also positively noted the atypical sound and lyrics of the composition.
The song was released as the third single from the Revival album.
The single took the seventh place in the American Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Brittany Spanos from Rolling Stone praised the cheerful and coquettish sound of the song, explaining: "Her brand of sexuality has modesty, an elusive quality that is never too intrusive."
Ed Masley from The Arizona Republic praised Gomez's new musical style and called it "a diamond", proclaiming "Hands to Myself" the sexiest track in the singer's career. Masli praised the sound of the song, finding it uncharacteristic for Max Martin, referring this work to the work of The Neptunes of the 90s.