ali-s Posted December 28, 2005 Share Posted December 28, 2005 Does any one have a receipe for homemade hand cream? My hands suffer in this cold and frosty weather, even though I try to remember gloves when out and cleaning. I have tried lots of different creams, bodyshop, Neutrogena etc, but my hands still remain sore and cracked. Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 28, 2005 Share Posted December 28, 2005 If there is not one on the green cleaning topics page - a sticky - then Super Kate is sure to have one. She is absolutely brilliant at things like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted December 28, 2005 Share Posted December 28, 2005 (edited) There is a recipe over on the other forum - I'll look for it and put a link. edit - I found this - don't know if it's much help? Edited December 28, 2005 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 28, 2005 Share Posted December 28, 2005 You are clever being able to do that Lesley - I wish I could! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted December 28, 2005 Share Posted December 28, 2005 I've got several recipes, Ali but have never tried any myself so can't vouch for their quality, I'm afraid. I swear by Neutrogena or Vaseline for my cracked hands and avoid household chemicals which just make matters worse. Classic Hand Lotion 3/4 cup rosewater 1/4 cup glycerine 1/3 tsp grapefruit extract. Combine rosewater and glycerine in a glass jar and add the grapefruit seed extract. Shake to blend and store for up to 6 months in the fridge. Lanolin Lotion 1/4 cup anhydrous lanolin 1/8 cup honey 1/8 cup almond oil 30 drops lavender essential oil Mix ingredients with a whisk until well blended. Dab some onto fingers and massage into hands. Keep in fridge for up to 6 months. Rich Lotion for Chapped Hands 2½ oz apricot kernel and avocado oil 1½ oz shea butter 1/4 oz beeswax 4 oz rosewater 1 tsp pure glycerine 1/3 tsp grapefruit seed extract 20 drops essential oil of choice Combine oils, shea butter and beeswax in a double boiler over medium heat and cook until wax has melted. Remove from heat and stir in rose water, glycerine, grapefruit seed extract and essential oil. Mix with electric mixer until creamy. Store in fridge and discard after 6 months. All these recipes come from a fantastic book called "Better Basics for the Home" by Annie Berthold-Bond (ISBN 0-609-80325-5) which is one of my favourite green household manuals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted December 28, 2005 Author Share Posted December 28, 2005 Thanks folks I will be gathering the ingredients as soon as possible. Kate I will be looking out for the book. I printed off the green cleaning reciepes this afternoon. My shopping list gets longer and longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted December 28, 2005 Share Posted December 28, 2005 You'll probably find your hands improve if you use the green cleaning recipes as they're not so drying and harsh on your skin as commercial cleaning products. Mine used to be dreadful when I was using bleach and flash etc which was why I decided to change a couple of years ago to the ones I posted. I just get cracks along the edges of my thumbs now - if I didn't pick at them as they're healing, they'd be better by now though ! Hope the recipes are useful to you Ali. Good luck with the hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted December 28, 2005 Author Share Posted December 28, 2005 I can't wait to get started on them. Wish I could do the same at work. We have to use some very nasty chemical cleaners, all bactacidal and with warnings not to tip into rivers etc as they will kill anything living in them, and some we have to wear protective goggles and masks. We have to dilute them but even then when they are sprayed on the chefs tables and other areas around the kitchen I always ending up coughing and frequently get a sore throat. I always wear rubber gloves at work with cotton gloves inside them as I am allergic to the rubber gloves. But sometimes the gloves rip and the cleaners seep inside. I have been on holiday for a week now and the sore throat and coughing has gone. My hands have improved as well. Makes you think doesn't it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted December 28, 2005 Share Posted December 28, 2005 It certainly does, Ali. Another thing I noticed from changing to green cleaners instead was that I didn't feel lethargic and exhausted all the time! I used to feel like I was wading through treacle all the time but as soon as I started using vinegar and bicarb, I started feeling much better! I swear it was the cocktail of chemicals I was inflicting on us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted December 28, 2005 Share Posted December 28, 2005 Wear gloves!! My hands are rubbish, I was given small fingers and stubby thmbs that all get dry but try to protect at all times! BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted December 28, 2005 Share Posted December 28, 2005 Our hands are twins, Buffie !! My thumbs are only half as big as they should be!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted December 29, 2005 Author Share Posted December 29, 2005 I have ordered the Better Basics For The Home book this morning from Amazon Off to Boots later (maybe if I can get the car defrosted) to see if they have Borax. Probably not knowing my luck and the Boots in Elgin is not very good. Not sure where to get Beeswax or real Turpentine There is a small hardware shop down the coast which might sell it. If I could remember the name of the shop I would give them a ring first. The roads are bad here today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 My old fashioned hardware store sells little blocks of beeswax and bottles of real turpentine so you might be in luck. It must be real turpentine and not substitute though or it won't work and will smell foul! If you're not able to get any, let me know and I'll pick you some up from my shop and post it to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Oh, by the way, there's another really fab book which gave me most of my recipes called "Clean House, Clean Planet" by Karen Logan (ISBN - 0-671-53595-1) which is really cheap (approx £5 or so) and is fantastic. Not that I'm spending your money, Ali ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted December 29, 2005 Author Share Posted December 29, 2005 Remembered the name of the shop so I gave them a call. They can order the real Turpentine, but I have to go in to order it I will do that tomorrow. I think I saw the other book when I was browsing the Amazon site, such a lot to choose from. You get used to ordering things mail order etc when you live up here. The shops are at least 10 years behind the rest of the UK, when we moved here 14 years ago they where 20 years behind We do have Monsoon now the latest shop to arrive, great (i think not). Its ok if you can get to Aberdeen, 2.5 hours drive and the road is dodgy even for an A road and definately not this time of year. Saying that I have to go there in 2 weeks as Jack is Swimming in a competion all weekend. I am so not looking forward to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 I like Neutrogena too, Kate, but with this and the last tube I've found that the screw on top breaks when I'm only half way through the tube! Have you found this too, or am I being to rough with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Oh dear Christine, no I haven't. I wonder why that's happening. I use the little tubes of Norwegian Formula Neutrogena - very thick and you don't need to use much but it works wonders. Is that the one you use? When my hands were really bad, my doctor prescribed me Unguentum Merck which was fantastic and really worked wonders but it's expensive to get it prescribed but the Neutrogena usually sorts me out and is far cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Our hands are twins, Buffie !! My thumbs are only half as big as they should be!! I noticed your thumbs Buffie, and meant to mention them - but in nice way - my aunt has the same thumbs; she uses them well, as she's a physio. They were inherited from my Italian great grandma. I get bad eczema on my hands from using detergents, so always wear gloves to do housework, and then badger healing balm use on them, which works wonders. The place that i get it from (see link above) also stocks Zambuk Oil - a real old fashioned recipe for healing just about everything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Last Christmas I got 6 tubes of various types of hand cream as pressies, so made it a resolution to "do" my hands at least once a day. I must say that my hands are softer a year on.....& I only got 4 lots of cream this year so others must be noticing an improvement too The hubby uses Badger Balm (he calls it Badgers Bum!) as he gets deep cracks on his thumbs from working out in the cold.It is great stuff.....all the local builders swear by it You can get it in my local Tesco & Boots now too, the lip balm they do is fab also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 I've just called to Carl in the kitchen and asked him to write 'Badger's Bum' on the shopping list - so he did - no questions asked. He's obviously accepted that I'm totally mad and so is everyone else on here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 I use the little tubes of Norwegian Formula Neutrogena - very thick and you don't need to use much but it works wonders. Is that the one you use? Yes - same one. I use it every night and really like it, but the screw bit on the cap has detached itself from the rest of the cap twice running now. Maybe I'm just screwing too tight. Oh well - as long as it doesnt dry up.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 Neutrogena is great for your feet too. it stops your heels getting all dried up & nasty looking. I slather it on once a week really thick & pop a pair of cotton socks on before bedtime. Works a treat ,but is a bit of a passion killer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 Maybe I'm just screwing too tight. Oh well - as long as it doesnt dry up.... What with that and Lesley's Badger's Bum Oooo eeer missus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 I haven't got Badger's Bum - Sarah*'s OH has Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 1, 2006 Share Posted January 1, 2006 Got a bit confused there! Enjoy it when you find it. It didn't used to be available in the shops, despite press coverage saying that it was available in Boots. That's why I got it from The Boxtree Gallery - they do free postage too - I have since seen it in Boots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
