Helping Hands Cream

Small, wide-mouth jars are ideal for this hand cream.

I usually only make small batches because it doesn't take much and lasts awhile.

Feel free to fill the jar for gift giving.

Just be aware that essential oils might dissipate before the cream is gone.

 

Ah, the poor hands! Even if you’re not a Project Queen (or King), they can take a beating. Winter, alone, takes a terrible toll – shoveling snow, chipping ice off the car, trying to run errands in below-freezing temps. When spring finally appears, there may be the whole-house cleaning you’ve been putting off, or lots of yard work. Even year-round chores and time in the kitchen can make the hands dry and chapped. There may be at least 1-2 days a week I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I usually tend to wash my hands frequently when I do.

I can’t speak for anyone else, but I can’t stand to have dry, chapped skin. Especially my hands. This hand cream is my favorite way to pamper them. It’s very similar in feel to the hand cream found in grocery and drug stores, without a long list of unpronounceable ingredients. The best part? It’s customizable.

This is the basic, unscented formula. (Except for a hint of coconut)

1 tbsp. Sweet Almond Oil

1 tbsp. Apricot Kernel Oil

1 tbsp. Organic Coconut Oil (I like extra-virgin)

1 tsp. Beeswax

Put the ingredients in a small glass bowl. I use a 4” heavy Pryrex bowl which is safe to use on the stove. (My stove is electric with a smooth ceramic top.) The heat is put on the lowest setting, and the ingredients remain on the burner only until the wax is melted. Remove from the heat. Stir until the wax is blended with the oils. Essential oils of your choice can be added. Just wait until the cream cools, or the scent and oil properties will be destroyed. I used lavender, lemongrass, palmarosa, and peppermint for the batch kept in the kitchen (Just a couple of drops each). These oils have healing properties such as anti-microbial. I also like the way they smell together.

For the achy hands I often have at the end of the day, a hand cream with eucalyptus, wintergreen and niaouli sounds like heaven. I think I’ll go make some now.

The Project Queen