Good Hand Cream recipe/blend please

[aredsailjunk]

Hi,

This is not a section of the forum that I frequent but I have a question and hope you don't mind. I did do a search on this section but it did not answer my question.

My sister is doing glass fusing (amongst a lot of other hobbies/crafts). She often washes her hands to get rid of all sorts of materials etc. while busy. On top of this because she is working with and cutting glass she gets little cuts and grazes on her hands. With all of this it also seems that her nails are suffering and are becoming brittle and cracking. We were discussing a good cream for her to use and I thought you guys might be able to help (as neither of us so aromatherapy but both have a healthy supply of oils for own use).

I thought that to a basecream it would probably be wise to add some tea tree oil for it's antiseptic properties, maybe some wheat germ or vit e (or both) for dry skin. After that I am stuck - and hense the cry of help here. Just a simple something that will feed, nourish and have some healing/antiseptic properties. Probably I can then make a batch for myself as gardening season is now well and truely on it's way and I can't keep my fingers out the dirt!

Look forward to any advice you guys have,

 

[Sandralynn]

For the cuts etc to the hands, Iwould use a mix of 6 drops lavender for the skin healing, 5 dropspeppermintfor soothing and cooling, and either 8 drops tea tree or 8 drops any citrus oil for its antiseptic properties, ( i.e. lemon, orange,bergamot, grapefruit, mandarin, whichever is your favourite).
For base dilute to a minimum of 50:50. Wheat germ and vit e would work pretty well.

For strengthening the nailsuse a blend of 4 drops wheat germ, 4 drops lemon, 4 drops myrrh and 4 drops frankinsense. Put 1 drop onto the cuticle 3 times a week.
(You can use any of these essential oils as a single oil if prefferred to blending)

 

[tprsejgi]

I have a hand cream which i use at night before bed which contains sandalwood and benzoin, i made it for all my friends at christmas as it smells so yummy! the benzoin needs warming through before adding to the cream base or it will form little clumps

 

[T.F.C]

I'm not an aromatherapist, but I AM a gardener! Years ago I bought a pot of 'gardeners hand cream' at a country fair, and it was the most wonderful stuff. I don't exactly recall the name, but it could be this one, from an online search:

[link=http://www.naturesgiftuk.co.uk/gardenershc?gclid=CNCi5OyTuIsCFQ3llAodalZIvw]http://www.naturesgiftuk.co.uk/gardenershc?gclid=CNCi5OyTuIsCFQ3llAodalZIvw[/link]

Certainly I recall mine contained beeswax and comfrey. More recently I have bought comfrey balm from health stores, and it is the healing property of this herb that is so miraculous. Otherwise known as 'knitbone'. It works on those nasty cracks one can get on the sides of thumbs in cold winter months ... virtually overnight. Recommended

Holistic

 

[Shannon B]

Thanks a lot - I think with this advise we will both get much further along to having beautiful soft hand and better nails! Will report what we have done and how well it worked.

Holistic - my hobby is encaustic art - which means I paint with beeswax - I get pure beeswax from a farmer and mix it with resin - going to check out your link now as I quite fancy something with beeswax!

Regards

 

[SEAJamie]

Is it ok to jump on board here with a query for a friend of mine?

SHe has started rowing (9 months ago) and has blisters on her hands which never really heal. She wanted me to make something to 'toughen up' her hands, but I'm really not sure I can do that??

All I was thinking I would be able to do, would be to make something that would heal her hands. Do you think the suggestions on this thread would apply or is there anything else someone can think of?

Sometimes she wears gloves, and all that happens is she gets blisters in a different place.

Could I make some sort of barrier cream? and if so, what would I use as a base for that?

Many thanks
Amethyst x

 

[Riddler]

The cream to which I referred Jobelle ... the website states that it can be used as a barrier cream.

However, my understanding of a barrier cream is that it serves to protect from eg chemicals or harsh detergents, ie through contact. I'm not sure it would work to prevent the friction I guess is occcurring from the rowing.

A cream containing comfreycould well be helpful for helping to heal damage already done. As towhat to use for a home made base, I'll leave that to the experts!

Holistic