Taylor's Intense Hand Cream - Day 1

Finished Hand Cream

It is a new year and I am ready to learn something new. I recently signed up for a Ceramics 101 class. While I am loving it and discovering a profound respect for potters, I have found to my dismay that my hands are drying out horribly. My skin is so dry, I feel as if I am turning into a lizard! This week I wanted to play around with some recipes that will keep my hands soft and smooth, no matter what conditions are thrown at them. Come join for some intense creams designed to reestablish your good relationship with your skin!

Recipe:

Measuring Aloe Powder into mixing vessel

Weigh everything but your preservative into a microwave safe container. (Here is a helpful hint. Weigh your Aloe Powder and water first. This makes is easier to incorporate and prevents clumps from forming.) Heat gently until everything is fully melted. If you don’t fully melt your materials, they can cause a grainy lotion. Once everything is fully melted, use an immersion blender to mix everything together.

Weighing Water and Oils

If you are not sure if your mixture is emulsified, let your mixture sit still for a minute or two. If an oil slick develops on the top, keep mixing. If no oil slick develops, let the material cool below 120 F before adding your preservative. If you desire, you can also add a fragrance oil. I have chosen not to because I am intending to use this cream on irritated skin. Fragrance and essential oils can cause further irritation.

Weighing Oils

Once the cream has fully cooled, put into jars. I like to scoop the lotion into a plastic bag and pipe it into jar like frosting. It gives clean edges and makes for speedy filling.

Hot out of the microwave

Notes: The first time I applied this cream, I loved how creamy it was on the skin. It feels a little waxy while applying but once you stop rubbing it in and let it sit for a minute, your skin develops this velvety and dewy feeling. It is also durable and long lasting without being overwhelmingly greasy. I wore this lotion for over three hours without reapplication. (Considering the number of times I wash my hands, this is quite a feat.) I felt comfortable handling my papers without leaving greasy prints.

Hot, mixed lotion

This formulation was a lot closer to what I had in mind but it isn’t quite there. I think tomorrow I will make a small adjustment to reduce the waxiness. Come join me tomorrow!