The most amazing DIY hand cream EVER

January 22, 2015 1 Comment

My Young Living oils addiction grows every time I make anything homemade and throw out more of my processed store bought products. Ever since my youngest was born with severe eczema from head to toe I have had to be really careful about basically everything that touches his skin. Gone were my delicious laundry soaps, dryer sheets, smelly lotions, luxurious shampoos, and bath soaps. It was hello to a world of bland, boring, plain, non delicious smelling EVERYTHING. And I am a sniffer - so this was a tragedy.

One of my oldest friends in the world, Amanda Swopes introduced me to Young Living this past year - and it has revolutionized our home and the way we clean, deal with sicknesses, do laundry, and even our skincare. Hence this amazing skin cream recipe that I am sharing with you today! I am rationing this tiny jar of goodness, and my kids BEG for just a dab on their hands. It smells like chocolate and feels like silky creamy frosting! It has saved my dry winter skin from cracking and itching and driving me crazy. Best of all - it is SO SIMPLE to make. And makes a perfectly adorable and economical gift.

Amanda has created an amazing website to share her knowledge of integrating essential oils into your life called Amandas Apothecary. This recipe and commentary is pulled directly off her site (because she explains it better than I can!)

Ingredients
Use equal amounts of: (at least 1/4 cup of each works best for mixing)

organic coconut oil (I like the Nutiva brand from Costco)
organic shea butter (I buy here)
organic cocoa butter (I buy here)

Optional - essential oils *see below for amounts (Why we use Young Living)

Directions

Combine ingredients together and gently heat until everything melts and the mixture is completely liquid. You can do this with a double boiler, or I put everything in my stand mixer bowl and then place in a warm oven that is turned off (heat oven to 100 or so, turn off, then place bowl inside for few minutes). Place ingredients in a mixing bowl if not already, and chill until mixture is set but not necessarily hard. Then whip in stand mixer for 5-10 minutes. Add optional essential oils if you like. I use small glass jars to make different blends and then keep the remainder in a larger glass container.

Adding Essential Oils:

1% = 5-6 drops per oz

2% = 10-12 drops per oz

3% = 15-18 drops per oz

Use 1% for babies and children, 2% for general use, and 3% for medicinal/therapeutic use for a particular reason.

Lavender is always nice, as is any citrus combination. I mix equal amounts of lavender, cedarwood and Peace & Calming for a sleep cream.

I recommend glass containers and avoiding plastic, particularly if any citrus oils are used. They can pull toxic chemicals from the plastic into your product. The cream will lose the whipped texture at temperatures over 75-76. It still works just the same, but you may not have the nice texture you started with. You can always rewhip if you wish or you can store in the fridge if it's warm inside. This is a homemade product and does not have any preservatives, though the base ingredients are relatively stable. Use in a reasonable amount of time, and avoid contaminating.

So avoid the Hot Mess Express of winter skin and give this moisturizer a try! I wish I could send you all a dab to help you feel its amazingness!! Have questions about essential oils? Want to know how to get your hands on your own kit? Leave a comment and Ill get in touch with you!

xoxo

Christy