Behold: The Cure For Dry, Cracked Winter Hands

Certain beauty products — think NARS blush in Orgasm or Clinique's Black Honey lipstick — are so good, they're practically famous and have devoted, loyal followings. While we love many of these, we've been wondering why others have been quietly flying under the radar. With that in mind, meet our series, Cult Classics, in which we'll introduce you to the products you should really, truly know about (and try, like, right now). They're not brand-new, but trust us: They've got staying power.

A while ago, I realized that my habit of picking at my dry cuticles had gotten really out of control. I pick until they bleed and then — once they stop bleeding — I pick again. So far, I’ve found that the best and only way to prevent the aforementioned habit is by removing the source of the problem (a.k.a. protecting my hands against drying and cracking in the first place). I can say without a doubt that the only reason my fingers aren’t bleeding as I type is because of the tube of Jack Black’s Industrial Strength Hand Healer I keep at my desk.
The past few weeks have been especially hard (dry winter weather combined with long, hot showers are not a good combo), and I’ve found myself aggressively struggling to keep my hands looking human. But, while I typically resent hand lotions because they’re greasy and floral and expensive, Jack Black is the opposite.

The product absorbs into my skin almost immediately, which is important because I spend most of my day typing and touching stuff and do not have the patience for greasy hands. It also heals with surprising speed, softening existing dry patches and preventing other ones from creeping up.

I can’t put my finger on exactly what the fragrance is, but I love it. It’s a mix of eucalyptus and maybe something minty? Definitely mildly masculine, but in a clean way that smells borderline clinical.

Bottom line: It's a heavy-duty lotion that smells great and keeps my dry hands soft all winter long. At this time of year, there's nothing on my wish list that I wouldn't trade in for that.

Jack Black Industrial Strength Hand Healer, $15, available at Sephora

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