All-Natural Nourishing Winter Hand Cream – DIY Recipe

While the cold of the winter months can be invigorating, it is not very friendly to our temperamental human skin, especially if you’re a hands-on kind of person like I am. I wish I could hibernate for all six (or so) of the cold months of the year, like a bear or the distant ancestors of humans. Still, despite my affinity for extra downtime in the winter, I am not exempt from the daily business of cooking, cleaning, working, etcetera. If anything, the cracks, roughness, and hypersensitivity of my skin in the winter remind me how frequently I use my hands, and how I take their health and quick healing for granted in the warmer months!

I was intrigued by some ideas for homemade hand creams that I stumbled upon in books, pamphlets, and social media posts related to herbalism and natural healing, so I decided to come up with my own recipe, which maximizes healing potential for our winter-worn hands. Having been experimenting almost endlessly with “homestead-y” projects the past few years, I felt confident I could make something work. I browsed through a few different recipes for hand creams and researched the healing benefits of the ingredients that were common to many, and then, of course, I added a few extra essential oils that possess various skin-healing benefits.

I made about twelve 4-ounce containers of this particular hand cream and gifted them to everyone at my workplace, and the reviews were all enthusiastically positive (my coworkers like me, but they are reliably honest for better or worse, which I wholeheartedly appreciate). This particular group was the perfect sample for this product too, since they have been valiantly busy working in a dry environment exclusively with their winter-worn hands rifling through papers all day! My coworker friend who owns a farm and works outside with her animals daily in addition to shuffling through papers was especially appreciative, and I think her testament to this hand cream was all I could wish for.

Let’s dive into the nitty gritty! – Or smooth and buttery, to be more accurate. This recipe is pretty simple once you’ve acquired the ingredients!

RECIPE: Nourishing Winter Hand Cream (Makes 5 oz.)

Ingredients:
-½ cup Shea Butter
-¼ cup Jojoba Oil
-10 drops Vitamin E Oil
-20 drops Lavender Essential Oil
-10 drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil
-8 drops Rosemary Essential Oil
-10 drops Frankincense Essential Oil
-8 drops Yarrow Essential Oil
-8 drops Lemon Essential Oil

*Note: You can adjust the amounts and types of essential oils used if you have an affinity for particular smells or know something I don’t about the healing benefits of any others! Just be careful not to create a dilution that’s too concentrated, or it can irritate your skin (or your eyes if you accidentally touch them).

**Note: This hand cream takes about 5 minutes to absorb into the skin since it’s made of oils similar to those naturally produced by our skin.

• Step 1: Melt shea butter and jojoba oil over low heat or in a double boiler.
• Step 2: Remove from heat, then let cool for about 5 minutes at room temperature or in the fridge.
• Step 3: Add vitamin E and essential oils. Mix well.
• Step 4: Put in fridge for 1 hour.
• Step 5: Beat well with a hand mixer or whisk until hand cream reaches the desired consistency.
• Step 6: Scoop into jars or containers, and enjoy! If you want a more aesthetic look, use frosting-dispensing tools or cut the corner off of a Ziploc bag to dispense into jars.

I also enjoyed using this product as a lip balm. Enjoy your nourishing winter hand cream, and give a few away as gifts to make the cold months a little easier for your friends, family, or coworkers!

If you tried this recipe, comment with your experience so we can all experiment and learn together! Happy homesteading,

Josh