118 Comments | Jill Winger | Last Updated: December 22, 2021
This homemade hand cream recipe is perfect for hard working hands, especially after working in the garden. It nourishes and soothes your skin and is made with non-toxic (and easy to find) ingredients.
Hands belonging to a homesteadertake a lot of abuse…
Especially when said homesteader is not a fan ofwearing gloves.
Like me.
I mean, yeah, I do wear gloves when it’s really cold, or when I’m doing something really rough (like rolling up barbed wire), but otherwise, I like to be able to feel and touch what I’m doing. And gloves just hamper my style.
As a result, I’ve been told several times that my hands look rather “old” for my age.
But you know what? I rather likemy “old” looking hands.And these hands have done a lot of stuff in their 30+ years…
- They’ve held the reins of the hundreds of different horses that I’ve ridden.
- They’ve kneaded countless loaves of bread (especially my favorite versatile bread dough recipe).
- They’ve assisted with all sorts of different surgeries (back when I was a Vet Tech)
- They’ve rocked my babies.
- They’ve torn down/built/and fixed a whole lot of fence.
- They’ve played piano music for church services, weddings, and funerals.
- They’ve milked cows. And goats.
- They’ve shook the hands of some really amazing people.
- And they’ve shoveled manure, cleared brush, weeded, and planted…
So, if my hands want to look a little “well-used,” well, I’m totally fine with that. 😉
I’ve found that spring time is especially hard on my hands. I usually jump right into digging, planting, and weeding, which results in crusty, chapped skin. (Playing in the dirt really dries my skin out quickly–has anyone else noticed that?)
Sometimes regular hand lotions/hand creams just don’t cut it–especially if they are the cheapo kind.
That’s where this amazing homemade hand cream recipe comes in. I use a variation of this homemade lotion on my cow’s udder, but I tweaked the recipe a bit to make it more suited for hands that are sandpapery and rough after days spent out in the garden. Here’s how you can whip up a batch of homemade hand cream for yourself:
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Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup shea butter(where to buy)
- 1/8 cup sweet almond oil(where to buy)
- 1 tablespoon beeswax(where to buy)
- 10 drops myrrh essential oil (how to get the best prices on my favorite essential oils)
- 10 drops cedarwood essential oil
Instructions:
Melt theshea 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.
Once everything is melted, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Stir in the essential oils, and pour the liquid hand creaminto a small glass container. Allow it to harden completely (this usually takes several hours).
Apply thishomemade hand creamrecipe to your dry hands as often as needed–especially after a long day working outside or playing in the dirt.
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 up and stay firm. It also coats the skin and protects it. If you want your homemade hand cream texture to be softer, try reducing the beeswax. If you would like it firmer, increase the amount of beeswax. I like to use the small beeswax pellets when I make DIY salves/balms since they are easier to melt and measure.
- Why myrrh and cedarwood essential oils? These are two essential oils that are known for their ability to soothe and nourish skin. However, there are many other essential oils that work well in skincare too, so feel free to substitute/play around a bit. My other suggestions would be: lavender, geranium, frankincense, and sandalwood.
- If you use the essential oils I mentioned in the recipe, the finished product has a earthy, woodsy smell which I love. If you are wanting a bit more of a feminine scent, trying adding in 2-3 drops of lavender essential oil.
- Looking for the most cost-effective way to purchase high-quality essential oils? Learn how to purchase essential oils here.
- Feel free to double the recipe if you like– as written, it makes a fairly small amount, but a little bit goes a long way.
- If your house is very hot in the summer, this hand butter might get a little runny. If that’s a problem, you can store it in the fridge.
- I like to apply my hand butter at night, right before bed. This allows the butter to soak in (without me accidentally washing it off).
- For a fluffier, more decadent hand cream, try my whipped body butter recipe. BONUS = it smells like chocolate….
Looking for more DIY skin recipes and essential oil tips? Here ya go:
- DIY Bug Bite Relief Stick
- Coffee Sugar Scrub Recipe
- DIY Sunburn Spray Recipe
- 20 Must-Try Essential Oil Recipes for Your Diffuser
- Homemade Air Freshener Recipes
Want more DIY recipes that use natural ingredients for you and your homestead? Check out my ebook The Natural Homestead for my best tips and recipes.
