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I used to work in a coffee shop, and this was a perpetual problem. If things got really bad, the skin at my knuckles would crack, too, making it even worse.

I used a heavy lotion before bed, and occasionally slept with cotton gloves on if things were getting really bad. The gloves keep the lotion on your hands, not your sheets. If you notice cracking, mix a pea sized dab of antibacterial ointment (not the cream) in with your lotion and wear your gloves for a couple of days until the cracks close; it helps prevent infection and further irritation of the cracks.

Badger Balm and a thick lotion from L'Occitane do the trick for me !

I second the L'Occitane recommendation - I use their shea butter hand cream and it's the only thing that keeps my hands soft. I use it all winter long.

I wash my hands using lukewarm water, which is much less irritating than hot (it's a myth that you need to use hot water to kill germs when you wash your hands: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/13/health/13real.html).

I also always wear rubber gloves to wash dishes. And I'm usually too forgetful to wear cotton gloves at night but, when I do remember, it really does seem to help the moisturizer sink in.

I am constantly putting lotion on during the workday-everytime after I wash my hands. When washing dishes, I use gloves and I think that helps quite a bit. And of course, like the author of the post, lubing up at night is a given.

Neutrogena stuff is the best! I've had skin problems for years, and this is the only stuff I've found that works. And yes, it lasts a long time. Totally worth the money.

Washing dishes was my household chore when I was a teenager, and I worked in restaurants in my late teens/20's. I never wore dishwashing gloves for about 20 years, and now I have irreparable damage on my hands - they look older than the rest of my body. :( Wear dish gloves! And moisturize often!

I used to work in at Hancock Fabrics and discovered the all might Udder Cream. http://www.uddercream.com/ You can find it many places. I love it because not only does it lock moisture in and work well, but it doesn't have that oily feeling most lotions do. This is why you find it in fabric stores. Touching all that fabric sucks the moisture out of your hands, and if you put greasy lotion on you can stain the fabrics you are sewing.

I've had this same issue lately- and found that using my 'gardeners' soap helps alot. It's far more moisturizing than any of the creamy soaps (it's a bar) and my hands feel both clean and softer after washing.

i second kathryn's suggestion above - wearing gloves to wash the dishes makes a huge difference. i have friends & family who think i'm crazy for wearing them, but i'll never give it up.

I keep a tube of Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve in my bag. It sounds a lot like the Neutrogena product you mentioned. Just a dab 'll do ya!

I finally, after all these years, started wearing gloves to wash dishes and guess what? It works! But even so, winter is brutal to the skin. I use Avon Intensive Moisture Therapy:

http://shop.avon.com/shop/product.aspx?pf_id=5905&from=search&find_spec=handcream&camp=200902&dir_delivery=1&rep_delivery=1

It goes on very thick, which is why it works. None of that thin, runny stuff for me.

1. Buy more tongs! (You can use tongs a lot to cut down on the amount your hands touch raw meat, and therefore reduce handwashing. I have several pairs, always at the ready)

2. Quit using purell. The alcohol in that stuff will dry out your skin. And really, its better to stop touching your face and mouth than to constantly sanitize your hands after any exposure to germs.

3. Lotion at night - L'Occitane has some amazing ones... I once scrubbed years of burnt oil off the bottom of a grill pan using brillo and baking soda... my hands were a mess when i later went to the mall. I popped into there store, their clerk led me to the shea butter, and I was able to function again.

4. Go to the dermatologist. If your skin is so dry it is cracking, you have a serious problem. You skin is part of your immune system and any breakdowns in your protection system should be recognized as needing medical attention. Particularly during swine flu season when handling pork products ;-).

5. Get your hubby/significant other/children to help with the dishes. Cut down on harsh chemical exposure by outsourcing the dishwashing. My favorite strategy!

Aveeno makes a great hand cream that stays on through handwashing. Vaseline used to make one too, but I haven't seen it in a while. I use the Aveeno one all the time in the winter, especially at night before I go to bed. Both are easy to find at any drugstore and not too expensive.

Qtica cuticle cream is what I use (massage therapist, CONSTANT hand washing) because it is what the nail techs use.

Lanolin is also great.

In addition to hand cream, I apply CND Solar Oil to my cuticles every few days or whenever they feel a bit dry. The oil is really helpful especially since I wash my hands often.

I third using rubber gloves for washing up. It really does save your hands from drying out from hot water and strong dish soap.

Also, if your hands are so dry that they're cracking and painful no matter how much moisturizer you use, try a lotion with urea or alpha hydroxy acids in it for a few nights in a row. It'll help slough off the dead, dry skin and heal the cracks. Then you can go back to using your regular hand cream.

I agree with the gloves (and the Burt's lemon cuticle cream.. now I'm excited to try the Lush version!). I'm totally in love with these Casabella gloves: http://www.casabella.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=C&Product_Code=46001_2&Category_Code=0400

They have a little cuff to keep all of the water out and so far they're the longest lasting gloves I've ever had. Even when these wear out, I'm definitely getting another pair.

When things get really bad, I give my hands a good generous coating of A D ointment (found with diaper rash stuff usually, but it's an all-purpose ointment) and throw some socks on my hands before bed. It soaks in and totally cures cracky dryness overnight, and the socks keep me from getting my sheets all greasy.

Three things I've converted to that help immensely:
- Gloves, ALWAYS, for dishwashing.
- Use cold water to wash your hands. Or as cool as you can get adjusted to.
- Moisturize immediately while skin is still quite damp. Moisturizer soaks in better, no greasy hands this way, plus locks in the moisture. Half the battle is lost if you wait until your hands have dried off. (I use Eucerin Original Moisturizing Cream and it's a miracle worker.)

Working in food service, I find that my hands get chapped even in the summertime. The best thing I've found is to put on body oil just after leaving the shower (a blend is good, or just use shea oil/butter, sweet almond oil, or jojoba). It's cheaper to buy them at health food stores than getting the stuff from fancier shops (and you can scent them w/ a drop of essential oil, if you want).

also i am a big fan of alba's unscented very emollient body lotion. it absorbs nicely.

Try Zim's Crack Creme. It's the best for hands and heels.

Surprised nobody mentioned Aquaphor. It's really a lifesaver - good for chapped lips too.

Sisero- I was just going to post that.

I have super-dry skin. This time of year, aquaphor goes on my lips, on my hands, and all over my face every night!

It is truly miracle goo.....

You should absolutely try Bag Balm. http://www.bagbalm.com/ This stuff rocks! It is quite greasy going on, but if you put it on your hands (and feet) with gloves and socks before going to bed, they are completely soft the next morning. And it has antiseptic qualities if your skin is cracking. It was originally developed for cow udders. :)

If I really have a problem with dry skin, and I do since I moved to New England with the winters they have here. I agree that Nivea and Neutrogena brands are wonderful, but I have had success with a product called "Hell Of Approval" from Bath and Body works...just a small amount on ANY area of dry skin really helps.

Wow, I had quite a few errors in the comment. Not if I have a problem, I *REALLY have one with dry skin since moving....and the product is called HEEL of approval. I'm so sorry for the typos!

@juju: hee-hee... I thought that was a funny name for B&BW to use! It's for bikers & comes in a little leather jacket.

I can always tell when winter is coming because my hands start getting excessively dry seemingly overnight. A lotion I've had decent luck with is Restoration Hardware No-Crack Super Hand Cream. It's a nice thick consistency and not too greasy. I put it on at night before I go to bed, all winter long. The Lemongrass scent is nice and light; some of the others are a bit overpowering. Hopefully adding a humidifier into the mix will help keep my hands smooth this winter.

Coconut Oil. Absorbs quickly and not surprisingly not greasy.

Don't use harsh soaps to wash your hands. I started using Cetaphil Hand cleanser because I saw that my pediatritians office used it. There are generic versions at CVS and Walmart that are cheaper.It's much gentler on your hands.

I also use the Aveeno hand creme that lasts through hand washing. Rubber gloves should be used for dishwashing and house cleaning.

Hemp Hand Protector from the Body Shop, hands down. It is amazing... It took me a couple weeks to break the hand lotion application after every washing, but with this stuff, I'm now down to once in the morning and once at night!

Drink a lot of water to moisturize from within.

I love the Vitamin E and Tea Tree Oil lotion (Derma-E brand, available on amazon). It is antiseptic and antibacterial which makes it great for dry, itchy areas, bug bites, scrapes and small cuts (like paper cuts). It is also gentle enough to use on my face without causing breakouts.

My father swears by it- his hands are very damaged from years of factory work and harsh conditions and would crack and bleed every winter (even with dishwashing gloves) but not with tea tree oil lotion.

My sister is prone to horribly dry hands--they become scaly & leathery and crack. She's used bag balm (overnight, with kid gloves!) and body butter and hemp lotion from The Body Shop and all of the other heavy duty hand/body creams we could lay our hands on. My hands don't get that bad--but I'm much better about using lotions than she's ever been; I keep them all over my house for quick and easy reminders and applications. My favorites are from The Body Shop--Hemp Hand Protector and Almond Oil Intensive Hand Rescue, but those aren't quickly absorbed and are best used before you go to bed (or watch a movie or TV, as long as you won't be touching anything).