Use home remedies for severely dry cracked hands to soothe and repair dry hands with a homemade remedy.
Dry skin during the winter months is a dreaded yearly occurrence for many. Winter dry skin is not only unsightly, it’s itchy, painful and can even be dangerous: If you develop very dry skin that cracks or bleeds, you’re more prone to infection.
Unfortunately, many over-the-counter skin creams and moisturizers contain toxic endocrine disruptors that can make you more prone to numerous health maladies–everything from weight gain to heart disease to cancer. And, the over-the-counter lotions that are organic and paraben-free can be very expensive. Instead, use this DIY lotion made from organic ingredients as a natural dry, cracked hands remedy. It’s very cost effective as each batch makes enough to last all winter long.
Ingredients:
- 1/8 cup grated beeswax
- 1/3 cup organic coconut oil
- 1/4 cup organic sweet almond oil or avocado oil
- 1 cup organic, unrefined shea butter or organic cocoa butter (The refinery process removes many of the nutrients from the shea butter that make it so good for your skin.)
- A few drops of the essential oil of your choice, such as lavender or lemon.
If you plan to add an aromatherapy essential oil, use shea butter instead of cocoa butter. The essential oil is better absorbed in shea butter. Plus, the cocoa butter already has its own scent; the essential oil aroma may clash with the cocoa butter scent if you combine the two.
Already Cracked or Bleeding Hands?
If your hands are already cracked and/or bleeding, use the cocoa butter instead of shea butter and add one or more of the following ingredients to promote faster healing:
- 1 tablespoon organic honey
- 1 tablespoon aloe vera gel
A few drops of lavender essential oil (There may be a peculiar scent when you combine the lavender oil and cocoa butter, but both of these will promote quick healing. Plus, lavender is an antiseptic and analgesic, so it will help eliminate the pain and prevent infection.)
Beeswax can be found on various online shops including Amazon. The coconut oil, almond oil, avocado oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, essential oils, honey and aloe vera can be found at most health food stores or online vitamin stores.
Directions
- Add all the ingredients except essential oils, honey and/or aloe vera in a double boiler on the stove over medium heat until the beeswax, coconut oil and shea butter (or cocoa butter) melt. Make sure to heat the mixture until there are no solid particles remaining.
- Add the essential oils, honey and/or aloe vera and heat until completely dissolved in the mixture. Be sure to stir while heating so the ingredients are well-dispersed throughout the mixture.
- Let the mixture cool to room temperature; then, store it in the fridge until it chills and hardens. (It takes about 3 hours to harden.)
- Whip the mixture in a blender for approximately 5 minutes (until it looks like runny whipped cream).
- Store in a mason jar for 3 to 4 hours at room temperature; this will allow it to solidify.
- Keep lotion stored in the fridge to remain spoilage-free.
What DIY lotion has worked well for your family’s winter dry skin?
If you have a remedy to heal dry, cracked hands, share it with us in the comments section (link below). Let’s help each other fight the dreaded winter dry skin!
Contributing editor, Jami Cooley, RN, CNWC , is a registered nurse and nutritionist in the Dallas area where she conducts natural health research and writes for Natural Health Advisory Institute. She has also written a free e-Book, Natural Health 101: Living a Healthy Lifestyle.
