cracked skin on finger

It is very true that many soaps and lotions can contain chemicals which actually can be absorbed by the body and can do more harm than good. Even some "natural" products contain chemicals which really are not natural, but tend to lead to body damage or organ/endocrine suppression in some way. Symptoms of chemical toxins in the body could show up with the cracking or any number of body ailments. An example here is to not use any product that has a "propyl alcohol".

Here are some little things which you may want to try:

You may want to experiment by eliminating for a week certain cosmetic or body care products, or curtail exposing yourself to certain possible toxins around the house or work or even chlorinated water, or substituting borax for your laundry detergent, etc. Experiment by removing from your environment different possible body polluters.

You may want to take some MSM and Vitamin C (or plenty of foods rich in Vitamin C). Biotin as a supplement may also help. These can help skin.

Simple Olive Oil, (cold pressed, extra virgin), rubbed on your hands and also eaten may help some.

Soaking your hands in corn meal and water will help to soften the skin nicely. It also helps to fight off unwanted fungus. Take some warm water and corn meal (preferably something that is not too processed), mix it about 50/50 or what consistency you prefer. Let it stand for an hour or so, then soak your hands in it. After a few days, the solution will get "ripe" with odor. Throw it outside on the soil of your lawn or in your garden or near a tree. It will help with the health of the tree or plants.

Also, doing "finger exercises" may help improve the circulation. Stretch and wiggle and bend and just a general finger workout repeatedly throughout the day. Massaging one hand with another, or lightly stroking alternate hands, or pressing points with one finger on the other hand can help with the muscles and nerves and general tone of the hands. [It actually can assist other parts of the body by putting attention on points in the hands in this way.]

Anyway, these are a few other things which may be worth a shot.

If you live in a very dry climate, the best way to prevent that dryness is to drink LOTS of water. However, you should probably see a dermatologist to be sure you don't have a medical condition that is causing your skin to crack. Another thing you can try is one that mom used to use... she would slather her hands with cold cream (ya gotta be old to remember cold cream, but it's still out there) or vaseline or hand lotion and then put on those little white cotton gloves you can get at the drug store. Looks dopey, but it worked for her. Lastly, try soaking them about every week in that stuff that people use for soaking their feet. Avon makes a good one as well as a product called Cracked Heel Relief Cream that has a pain killer in it as well as a super softener that you can use on your hands. Hope some of this helps.

Believe it or not, you can give yourself a regular treatment while hand-washing delicate items. Go to your local drugstore and buy a pair of latex gloves in a size that is comfortably loose for you. Every time you need to rinse something out, first wash your hands in warm NOT HOT water and cover them with a good quality hand lotion, preferably one with aloe or lanolin or both. Put on the gloves and wash your delicates. The warmth of the water in which you are working helps to open the pores in your skin and assists the lotion to penetrate. (This also works when hand-washing dishes.)
Years ago, when our office was being fingerprinted for some defense work, one of the girls had to do this because her fingerprints were so bad due to cracks in the skin. It worked so well I've done it ever since.

I have the same problem and have had for many years. I've tried lots of lotions and cremes and they didn't work for me until I made several changes at once. I think it's just a more complicated problem for some of us. Here's what works for me: I use a salve called "Baby your skin balm" after bathing, at night and before I garden (it protects and keeps the dirt from staining my skin) I also found I can't use any shampoo, hand soap or dish soap that's not a natural product. When I do, my skin cracks the first day. I also need to wear gloves when I work with any chemical-like product such as cleaners or solvents. Works great for me-good luck!