Wash, rinse, repeat… Mama hands get a lot of wear and tear and this can cause
your hands get rough, dried out, itchy and in some cases break out in a rash!
Your Mom hands need special care and a little extra love.
From dishes to laundry, cleaning to gardening our poor hands are constantly being
stripped of their natural oils. These oils are our body’s way of moisturizing and
protecting our hands (skin) from dehydration and harmful bacteria.
This is especially true for cloth diaper/ nappy moms who are constantly rinsing, washing
and folding high absorbent fabrics. While these fabrics are great for absorbing moisture (pee)
they are not for our already dried out hands as I’m sure you can relate.
HERE’S THE SOLUTION,
YOUR VERY OWN MAMA HAND SALVE!
This salve/cream recipe is not only very simple and easy to make but one
of the best remedies for extremely dried out hands. It’s amazing!
It is so effective in not only protecting your hands in the first place from drying out
but also in helping them to rehydrate and heal once they are rough and dry.
IT'S SIMPLE INGREDIENTS THAT PACK A PUNCH INCLUDE:
CALENDULA OIL
Calendula oil is made by infusing calendula (calendula officinalis) flowers in a carrier oil.
It is used to treat various skin conditions as well as improve the quality and appearance
of the skin. It is also packed with antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
BEESWAX
Beeswax is an all natural product made by honeybees.
It is full of moisturizing components that lock in moisture and help the skin to stay hydrated
as well as having soothing, anti-allergenic and anti-inflammatory properties.
It can also act as a layer of protection for the skin from external irritants and extreme conditions.
CASTOR OIL
Castor oil is a multi purpose vegetable oil that people have been using for hundreds of years.
It’s made by extracting the oil from the seeds of the (Ricinus Communus)Castor plant.
Being rich in ricinoleic acid, (a monounsaturated fatty acid) it helps the skin to retain
moisture and prevent water loss through the outer layer of the skin.
It promotes wound healing, stimulates tissue growth, has anti-inflammatory properties
and helps relieve pain.
LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OIL
Not only does it smell amazing and soothing but is also fantastic for our skin.
Lavender essential oil is derived from the lavender plant.
It is packed with antifungal, anti-inflammatory properties which help to cleanse your skin
and lessen redness and irritation. It also speeds up the wound-healing process
if you have a burn, cut or scrape.
OTHER ITEMS YOU’LL NEED:
· A cute mama approved sealable container, these are super cute
· A double boiler or a small pan and bowl
· Food grater (if you don’t use beeswax pellets)
· A tool for mixing (I use a handy little spatula like this)
PREP TIME 15 mins
COOK TIME 20 mins
TOTAL TIME 35 mins
SERVINGS 4 Small Containers
INGREDIENTS
· 3 TBSP Unrefined Beezwax (Grated) or 2-2 1/2 TBSP Beezwax Pellets
· 3 TBSP Calendula Infused Oil
· 1 TSP Organic Castor Oil
· 5 - 10 Drops Lavendar Essential Oil Or Other Essential Oil of Choice
INSTRUCTIONS
1. First off gather all your ingredients and needed items together and have your containers open and ready. Fill your doubleboiler/little pan half full with water and put it on medium high.
2. While you’re waiting for your water to heat up and come to a soft low boil, grab your all natural beeswax and grate it up nice and small, this helps it to melt quickly and not cause your oils to get too hot later on. Another option is to use beeswax pellets here instead or a vegan wax of some kind. If you do just skip this grating step.
Measure out your beeswax and pop it into the top of your double boiler or a small glass, ceramic or metal bowl that fits on top of the small pan. Place your bowl on top of your now softly boiling water and turn the burner down to a simmer and let it melt. This shouldn’t take long. Once your wax is melted add in your calendula oil and castor oil. Continue to stir until they are fully combined and mixed in.
3. When the oils are all well combined turn off the heat and let it cool just a little and then add in your lavender essential oil while continuing to stir it. Note: Don’t let it cool too much or the wax will set/harden, you just want it to drop a few degrees so the essential oil doesn’t get too hot and lose some of it’s goodness.
4. At this point your containers should be ready, open and nearby. Quickly but carefully (it’s still hot oil) pour your mixture into your containers. Let your filled containers sit until the finished salve is completely set and hardened.
5. Once your salve is all set and in it’s container don’t forget to pop a cute little label on it stating what it is and the days date for future reference.
More Options
Another option is to make this salve into a whipped cream if you have a stick mixer handy or are super good with a hand mixer. Instead of pouring the hot mixture straight into the containers, let it cool down just a little and grab your stick mixer and give it a good mix until it is smooth and has a creamy consistency. Once again be careful, it’s hot oil.
Transfer your creamed salve into your containers and your down.
NOTES
This Recipe can easily be adapted if you would like to use a different base oil such as Grapeseed oil or Olive oil for example
You can also swap out the Lavendar Essential oil for another essential oil of your choice.Tea Tree oil is another great option
SHELF LIFE
This salve/ cream doesn’t need to be kept refrigerated but keep in mind that the recipe
doesn’t contain a preservative so it’s shelf life will be
approximately 3 to 6 months, if it lasts that long!
CLEAN UP
As this recipe contains both wax and oil, clean up can be a little tricky.
Boiling water and a good dish soap is the answer.
Pour boiling water slowly over your tools and bowl until all the wax is gone.
Finish them off with a nice, hot soapy wash and rinse.
A great option if you use a block of beeswax and have to grate it is to have a special grater
set aside for non-food uses. They are fairly inexpensive but a great idea if you make
your own all natural personal care/ cleaning products.
HOW TO USE IT
A great idea is to pop some on first thing in the morning when you’re getting ready for the day.
Give your hands a nice rub and massage while putting it on,
this not only helps it to penetrate deeper into the skin and absorb faster but also feels so good.
Then simply apply it before you start a job that is drying or hard on your hands or
any time you feel they need a little love and rejuvenation.
That’s it for this Recipe/Tutorial, I hope you love it as much as I do, well my hands anyway!
When you do make up your very own batch, pretty please share your experience
with me in the comments or by tagging me on Instagram @_siberianmama.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Till next time,
Neit <3
Oh and why not let's be friends, I'd love to see you over on my
