John Myers
Whether water and soap, icy temperatures, or dry heating air: hands are exposed to a lot of hardships every day that put a strain on the skin over the long term. But don’t worry: Homemade hand cream cares for the tissue in no time at all. Natural cosmetics are easy with our tips.
The benefits of homemade hand cream
Packaged finished cream often contains chemical ingredients such as silicones, parabens, preservatives, or even fragrances. The problem: the additives can irritate sensitive skin. With your self-mixed hand cream, you only choose which ingredients are added to the mixture, and you also rely on natural active ingredients. This reduces the risk of intolerance. Another advantage: With DIY hand cream you also reduce plastic. Finally, fill your finished ointment into reusable jars. As you can see, this skincare is doubly worthwhile.
Crafting tips
The basics first: For the production of your individual hand cream, only select high-quality natural products from health food stores or pharmacies. This ensures you get the best possible end product. The so-called base oil is particularly important in the production of your hand cream. This forms the basis of the product. A whole range of nourishing natural vegetable oils are suitable for this. The contained fatty acids strengthen the lipid film of the skin and counteract dehydration – for supple, protected, and healthy tissue. For unproblematic normal skin, it is best to choose coconut, almond, apricot kernel, or jojoba oil. Dry and mature tissue, on the other hand, is happy about richer olive or avocado oil.
To give the hand cream a firmer consistency and moisturizing properties, combine this base oil with nourishing shea, cocoa or mango butter, or anti-inflammatory beeswax.
The last important component of your DIY cosmetics is an essential oil or fragrance oil of your choice. This ingredient rounds off the product with a wellness component. For example, lavender oil has a calming effect when applied, while citrus fruit extracts have an invigorating effect.
Tip: For the best natural hand care, try our instructions on how to make your own soap! And if you’re already in DIY fever: Here you will find instructions for knitting dishcloths.
The basic recipe for sustainable hand cream
The following basic recipe – like our recipe for making soap yourself – can be modified endlessly according to skin type and personal preference. The rule here is: experiment until you find your ideal recipe.
What exactly do you need for your first homemade hand cream? Very simple: 25 grams of coconut oil, 15 grams of beeswax, 25 grams of almond oil, 25 grams of shea butter, and a few drops of essential oil of your choice.
First melt the solid ingredients coconut oil and beeswax in a water bath. Then add almond oil and shea butter. Stir the mixture until it becomes thick. Finally, add a few drops of essential oil. Now pour the mix into hot washed, sterile screw-top jars – done! Your nourishing cream will keep for a few months in the refrigerator. By the way: It is best to always apply the product to damp hands. In this way, the nutrients contained are better absorbed. Of course, cream isn’t your only DIY grooming option. Also, learn how to make toothpaste yourself.
