Also you know that skin that starts peeling away around your nails, what can you do to lessen that? Hand cream again?
As far as products go, Vaseline (petroleum jelly) is really good for moisturizing although it is a bit greasy. However, the best thing would be to treat the problem and not the symptom. I'm not saying dry skin is not something many healthy people suffer from, but I can't help but think that part of the problem doesn't stem from the fact that you are eating so little so your body can't care for your skin as it should. Please, take care of yourself and nourish your body as it needs. If you're willing to do something to care for your skin, please also be willing to take care of all of you.
I was going to say drink more, because hydration plays a big role in how dry or not our skin is.
But given the post above and a quick check of your profile (which suggests you are underweight/ in recovery) I say eat more as well.
Your body won't waste precious and scarce calories on keeping your skin looking fresh and supple if you are not eating enough for survival. Hand cream, however fabulous it may be, will not fix the continuing damage from under eating.
However, if you increase your calorie intake and your hydration levels consistently and still have dry hands, I like to use vitamin E oil on mine (that is, anytime I am not slathering myself with sunscreen). It soaks in surprisingly fast and works really well for me.
I didn't look into your profile, but I have asthma, allergies, etc. and suffer from dry, cracked skin, and drink water, eat properly, etc.
The best things I can recommend are to use a moisturizing soap, and I use Burt's Bees cuticle cream for the peeling skin around my nails, and Burt's Bees hand salve for my dry dry hands. It's a bit pricey, but it feels good, and definitely helps.
For everything else, virgin coconut oil works wonders, and absorbs into the skin without any pain.
The best hand cream I have ever come across is Neutrogena Concentrated Hand Cream (the unscented one). You can get it from most supermarkets and boots/superdrug. I use this every night because my hands are prone to dryness due to my OCD, and it leaves my hands super soft ALL DAY.
