I think part of the "dry, cracked hands" thing is age. Up until about 3 years ago, I never had this problem in winter. Then all of a sudden, my hands dry out in winter, and my fingertips crack. It fucking hurts and it's no joke. I also work in a manufacturing plant now and have to wash my hands any time I go out on the plant floor, so that just adds to it.
So I started using some kind of Vaseline Brand "men's lotion" and it worked all right, but I still got the cracked finger tips. Then a guy at work gave me some of this stuff:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XOO52xm6b0o/TZHOquHJk-I/AAAAAAAAAa0/tWkTVA0Dhnw/s1600/Avon+intense+therapy+crema.jpg
Works like a champ. No dry hands, no cracked fingertips, doesn't smell like something a woman would use (well, not too bad ), etc. I put it on a few times a day, and you don't need a whole lot. This is the first winter I've had zero problems, and I'm basing on the fact that I'm using this stuff... :nod: