Dry and chapped hands can be caused by cold, dry weather, lack of humidity in the hair, excess exposure to water and even using hot water. Sometimes, lotions and moisturizers aren’t enough to heal dry, cracked hands. Look in your refrigerator and you’ll likely find a product you can use to get some relief -- milk. The lactic acid found in milk helps to slough off dead, dry skin, while the fat content provides moisture. Soak your dry, cracked hands in milk about once a week to help restore moisture and heal the dryness.

Pour two cups of milk into a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds until warm. Use whole milk rather than low-fat or skim milk. Full-fat milk will provide more moisture.

Place both hands in the bowl so the dry and cracked skin is completely submerged. Let your hands soak in the milk for 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove hands from the milk and rinse in cool water. Pat them dry with a soft hand towel, then liberally apply moisturizer to the skin.