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How to Make Shea Butter Hand Cream: Your Guide to Soft, Silky Hands

How to Make Shea Butter Hand Cream: Your Guide to Soft, Silky Hands

Published by N-essentials Team on 6th Dec 2023

Do your hands tend to feel dry and rough, no matter how much hand cream you apply? Or perhaps, you're looking for a fun DIY skincare project that will be super functional and great for your skin - If so, you should consider making your own hand cream! Not only are hand creams great to use for yourself but make a lovely gift for any occasion, particularly birthdays and mother's day.

In today's post, we're sharing a super useful post on how to make your own hand cream using an amazing ingredient: shea butter. You've probably seen shea butter used in many different types of moisturisers and it's used often in skincare for a reason.

Why Shea Butter?

Shea butter is a fat that is derived from the African shea tree and it's incredibly nourishing for the skin. It's rich in vitamins A, E, and F, which makes it an excellent choice for dry or sensitive skin. Shea butter is also non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores or cause any irritation on the skin.

When used topically, shea butter can help to reduce inflammation, improve skin elasticity, and soothe dry skin. All of these properties make shea butter an ideal ingredient for a hand cream!

Now that we've gone over some of the benefits of using shea butter in your skincare routine, let's get into the nitty-gritty of how to make a shea butter hand cream. You will be amazed at how easy it is to make your own hand cream, and how great it feels on your skin!

Ingredients You'll Need

  • ¼ cup of shea butter
  • 1/8 cup of sweet almond oil or coconut oil RBD or extra virgin
  • 1 tablespoon of beeswax
  • 10-15 drops of essential oils (you can have two of your favourites)

Instructions:

Start by melting the shea butter, coconut oil, and beeswax in a double boiler or a glass bowl placed over a pot of heated water. You'll want to make sure that it's not boiling the ingredients as this can destroy them and it won't create the hand cream consistency and will lose its effectiveness.

Once the ingredients have melted, remove them from heat and let them reduce in heat.

When the mixture has lowered in temperature, mix in any of the essential oils you'd like and continue to whip the mixture until it hardens.

Put the mixture into a clean jar or container and allow it to cool completely before screwing on the lid.

How long will it last?

When stored in a cool, dry, dark place, this shea butter hand cream can last for approximately three months. Something you can add to this recipe to increase its shelf life is Optiphen Plus.

Optiphen Plus is a preservative that will help to extend the life of your hand cream and prevent any bacteria from growing through its antimicrobial capabilities. Free from parabens and formaldehyde, this ingredient is a great way to keep your hand cream lasting longer without any nasties that can irritate or bother your skin. You can purchase this from N-essentials today to add it to your next recipe - you can use it for all sorts of skincare and body care products such as lotions, shampoos, cleansers and more.

Customise the scent with essential oils

A great way to make your shea butter hand cream unique is to try out different blends of essential oils to give your hand cream a lovely scent. Not to mention, each essential oil has different benefits that can be beneficial for the skin.

Here are some essential oil combinations that we love:

  • Lavender and chamomile: This blend is perfect for the bedroom. It's also incredibly soothing for the skin.
  • Cedarwood, rosemary, and sage: This blend is perfect for mornings and workplaces. It's also great for the skin as it can help to reduce inflammation.
  • Grapefruit, lemon, and bergamot: This refreshing blend is perfect for bringing energy into an otherwise chilled out space. These citrus oils are also great for brightening the skin.
  • Peppermint and eucalyptus: This cooling blend is giving your skin that menthol hot/cold buzz.

Now that you know how to make a shea butter hand cream, go ahead and give it a try! We know that you'll love how soft and silky your hands feel after using it.

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