Homemade Hand Cream/Body Butter - Simple Gifts

I saw this recipe for homemade hand cream/body butter on Pinterest.  (When haven't you heard that phrase?)  However, I have seen it pinned many times with rave reviews and just had to try it for myself.  I followed the pin to the original blog post on Patchwork Times HERE and decided to give it a try.  Except I modified it just a bit to add some things. 

The original recipe called for:

16 oz. baby lotion

8 oz. petroleum jelly (2 of the petroleum jelly jars shown below; this one is 4 oz.)

8 oz. vitamin E cream (again 2 of the jars shown below, as this one is 4 oz.)

Those are great, but I also knew that glycerin would add an extra protective element, and olive oil is very healthy for our skin.  I added those to my recipe.  

For my recipe I used:  

• 16 oz. generic baby lotion
• 8 oz petroleum jelly 
• 8 oz. vitamin E cream
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 Tablespoons glycerin (found near the pharmacy at Walmart)

Place all the ingredients into a 5 quart bowl and whip at high speed until the mixture has the appearance and consistency of frosting or whipped cream.  This makes about 3-4 quarts of hand cream!! (The photo below is of the bowl from my 5 quart mixer to show just how much this makes!)

Spoon into individual pots or jars and then keep in a cool area.  This will stay in it's wonderfully whipped state unless it is exposed to warm temperatures, and then it will lose its consistency.  However, it can be mixed again into a whipped consistency.  

This is wonderful for hands, feet, and your entire body, especially if you are prone to dry skin.  I've heard it does wonders on dry, cracked feet.  Everyone in my family suffers from dry skin in the wintertime, and this is a blissfully soothing, rich yet light cream that can be applied from head to toe.  It's also wonderful to apply to your hands right after hand washing or doing dishes.  You can also apply it to your entire body straight out of the bath or shower to seal in moisture.  

Put this rich cream into small plastic pots (I found mine at Dollar Tree, my favorite store!) and give as teacher gifts, stocking stuffers, or place in different spots in your home for easy access to hand cream.  Everyone that I've given this to has absolutely loved it!

Homemade Soothing Facial Cream

You can buy many types of soothing facial creams in stores, but this one is very easy, works well, and is as close as your medicine cabinet.  This is another tip passed to me by my eldest brother, who was a stylist and cosmetologist.  It has two simple ingredients:  Unscented lotion and aspirin.

To make this wondrous lotion, crush one aspirin until it is a fine powder.  Mix the powder into 1 tablespoon of your choice of lotion.  I used Palmer's Olive Oil lotion for the batch I made in the photo. Mix well, and store in a covered container.  I usually make a couple of batches at a time. Apply at night, before going to bed, and then wash off the next morning.  Your skin will be smooth and soft. 

This is especially wonderful for reducing facial redness, relieving discomfort from blemishes, and it also helps smooth lines in your face.  Use it approximately 1-2 times a week, no more, and you'll find your skin tone to be more even and have fewer blemishes. 

Aspirin contains acetyl salicylic acid, which is a mild exfoliant.  Many skin-clearing creams, lotions, and makeup sold in department stores contain salicylic acid, which is a close relative to aspirin.  Salicylic acid originally came from willow tree bark but was bitter and was known to cause irritation, especially of the gastric lining.  By modifying it slightly to acetyl salicylic acid, it is buffered and more gentle and more easily tolerable in the body.  

**PLEASE, if you are allergic to aspirin in any form, do not use this lotion.  If you're allergic to it on the inside, you'll be allergic to it on the outside, as well.**