I have suffered through this ever since I started doing daycare 4 years ago. My hands would end up bloody by February and washing my hands would be agony because water would get in the cracks.
I have tried everything from Glysomed to Moroccan oil to Udderly Smooth.
THis year I bought a container of Goldbond SOS hand lotion and also Goldbond Ultimate Restoring and a big club size container of Vaseline.
So far my system seems to work relatively well. Here is how I use them -->
I lather up at bedtime (really well) with Vaseline and leave it on all night (without gloves).
When I wake up in the morning, I get ready and then rub on some Goldbond SOS cream.
Then I go about my day.
When all the kids are sleeping at nap time I put on Goldbond again
Then once they go home I put on Goldbond again.
And then comes bedtime again with the Vaseline.
So far it has worked - barely any skin tears/cracks/blood this winter even though it has been colder than ever.
I find some lotions really hurt to put on when your hands are irritated/cracked so be weary of that.