We use our hands in almost every task we complete as part of our busy lifestyles. We also put our hands through a lot of wear and tear, with frequent washing and hand sanitiser, which strips the natural oils from our skin. To soothe dry, chapped hands, the best remedy is a rich, nourishing hand cream. And because you are using it every day on your skin, it is best that the cream you use is natural.

There are a lot of hand creams on the market these days, however, these often contain unnatural scents and unnecessary chemicals. It is for this reason that we are sharing a completely natural, chemical-free recipe to make your own homemade hand cream. You can get creative with the natural essential oils that you use. Our favourite is a mix of peppermint and orange oils for a refreshing, lively scent.

Simple Homemade Hand Cream

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup shea butter - available at EW
• 30mL sweet almond oil - available at EW
• 1 tablespoon beeswax - available at EW
• 20 drops of essential oil (combine several to total 20 drops to make a blend.)

Instructions:

1. Melt the shea butter, beeswax, and sweet almond oil together in a double boiler. (I just use a Pyrex measuring cup and place it in a pot of simmering water). Stir the mixture as it melts.
2. Once everything is melted, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes.
3. Stir in the essential oils, and pour the liquid hand cream into a small glass container. Allow it to harden completely (this usually takes several hours). Apply this homemade hand cream recipe to your dry hands as often as needed.

Recipe Notes:

• Why shea butter?

Shea butter is known to provide powerful moisturizing and nourishing benefits for the skin. You could also substitute half of the shea butter for 1/8 cup cocoa butter or coconut oil.

• Why sweet almond oil?

Sweet almond oil is a wonderful moisturizer that also contains vitamins that nourish and soothe the skin. If you don’t have sweet almond, you can substitute jojoba oil, olive oil, etc.

• Why beeswax?

The beeswax in this recipe helps the hand butter to set and stay firm. It also coats the skin and protects it. If you want your hand butter to be softer, try reducing the beeswax.