One of the coolest things about homemade products is that you are absolutely sure of everything that goes into it. This way, you can make sure that it is the perfect mixture or scent, whether it’s a treat for yourself or a gift to your family or friends. Hand lotion is a daily essential that can actually be made in the comfort of your own home as a fun activity!
If you are a hard worker with tough, dried-out hands from long hours of work, then you’d quickly find that the mass-produced hand creams may not provide the exact effects that you would like. Even by spending plenty of time doing the dishes, keeping the house clean, and gardening, you can cause your hands to dry and harden.
However, by combining natural, non-toxic, hypoallergenic ingredients, you can make a DIY hand cream all by yourself! A major benefit of making your own moisturising hand cream is that you can infuse essential oils that will revitalise your hands and make them smooth and gentle once again.
In this article, we will dive into how to make hand cream so that you can experiment with all sorts of different recipes and oil combinations!
Why Do You Need a Moisturising Hand Cream?
Our hands are constantly moving throughout the day. From lifting to touching and dragging, these limbs don’t know how to sit still. No matter what you use your hands for, they are always exposed to the elements, especially if you are not wearing gloves at work (hence why they can get quite dry in winter).
Even at home, when you consider all the soap, detergents and washing agents that you use to clean the house regularly, it is easy to see where all the skin dryness comes from. This can be annoying as you go about your day.
Some of the benefits that you get from a moisturising hand cream include:
Enhances the Appearance of Skin
Regular use of DIY hand cream can give your skin a smoother and more refined look, which is particularly noticeable on dry or rough hands.
Soft Hands
Many hand creams are formulated to leave your skin feeling comfortable, relieving any dryness or discomfort you may experience. Your hands will give off the appearance of soft, supple skin.
Different Scents
With lotion, especially with homemade hand cream recipes, you can experiment and play around with all sorts of scent variations! This allows you to discover what scents truly appeal to you and which of those you would prefer to avoid.
What Equipment Do You Need to Make DIY Hand Cream?
To make DIY hand cream, you'll need a few basic equipment and supplies. Here's a list of what you'll typically require:
- Mixing bowl
- Double boiler or microwave
- Whisk or hand mixer
- Containers or jars
- Measuring tools
- Spatula or spoon
- Safety gear, such as eye goggles
What Are Some Ingredients You Need to Make Your Own Moisturising Hand Cream?
Homemade moisturising hand cream is most effective when the ingredients are natural, environmentally friendly and sustainably sourced. N-essentials is your one-stop shop for everything you need to make a quality, effective moisturising hand cream for your friends and family.
Making hand cream is easy, and an informed choice of quality ingredients will result in a cream that is not greasy and is pleasant to use. Here are some of the ingredients you need:
- Beeswax: Known to be a naturally occurring humectant, beeswax can draw water from the air unto your skin to keep you moisturised for long. It also reduces the amount of grease in your hand cream. If you want your hand cream to look creamy instead of whitish, a nice tip is to use yellow golden wax.
- Carrier oils: Sweet almond oil is an excellent choice of oil to mix into your moisturising hand cream recipe. It is an effective moisturiser that also provides your hands with vitamins that soothe the skin.
- Essential oils: A popular essential oil to consider is lavender because it has anti-inflammatory properties that will nurture your skin. [KL1] There is a wide selection here to choose from, each with its own benefits and you can mix in your favourite too!
- Shea butter: Here is another powerful skin moisturiser that will help keep your skin feeling fresh. If you like your hand cream less greasy, replace half of the shea butter with coconut oil or cocoa butter.
- Optiphen Plus: Most homemade hand creams use water so you may want to add a preservative to prevent mould and bacteria growth. Optiphen Plus is a broad-spectrum preservative that is paraben-free and is gentle for a safe, effective hand cream.
Homemade Hand Cream Recipe
For an enjoyable hand cream, here’s what you need:
For a nice healing hand cream for your dry hands, here’s what you need:
- ¼ cup of shea butter
- 1/8 cup of sweet almond oil or coconut oil RBD
- 1 tablespoon of beeswax
- 10-15 drops of essential oils (you can pick two of your favourites)
Homemade Hand Cream Step-By-Step Guide
Step 1
Put the shea butter, beeswax and coconut or sweet almond oil all into a double boiler. Alternatively, you can do a water bath with a pot filled to 1/3 capacity with water and simmer gently. Put the bowl containing the mixture inside and let everything melt. Make sure that it is not boiling so that you don’t destroy any of the ingredients.
Step 2
Remove it from the heat source and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
Step 3
Once the temperature has reduced, you can then add in your essential oils and stir them in gently. Keep whipping the mixture until it begins to harden.
Step 4
Transfer to a glass container or a shallow jar and allow for some hours for it to cool and thicken into a cream.
There you go! You can apply some on your hands and rub into both hands in continuous circular motions to get the cream on all the corners of your hands and knuckles. Massage into your skin until the cream disappears completely.
How long does homemade hand cream usually last?
The answer to this question varies depending on a number of factors, such as how the hand cream is sealed and if preservatives were added. Generally, if stored in a sealed container and kept in a cool, dry place, it can last up to three months. Adding natural preservatives can extend its longevity significantly.
Final words
For the best, high-quality selection of essential oils in Australia, shop online at N-Essentials today. You can buy all the ingredients you need for your hand creams, diffusing, and so much more at the best prices, whether in retail or wholesale quantities. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.