Yesterday we made a sugar scrub to exfoliate the hands, making any subsequent treatments more effective. Today I wanted to make a product that would be applied to the hands, then the hands are covered with gloves and wrapped in warm towels. This is often done for pedicures and manicures, and I find I really like that. It is relaxing and calming.
Come join me for this wonderful hand treatment! I wanted a product that would hydrate and soften the hands. I thought that Hydrovance would do the job spectacularly. After recently getting a burn on my hand that blistered beautifully, I can say that hydration and protection of the skin help it heal quickly. While we aren’t looking to heal, we are looking to protect and hydrate the skin, keeping it soft and supple.
I also wanted a little lanolin in this formulation to create a barrier. This barrier is intended to retain the water that is already in the skin and to prevent the skin from drying out. I love how much of a difference the addition of a little lanolin makes when you want to hydrate and protect skin.
In this formulation, I also included a little beeswax to create a little drag. This would allow the cream to be slowly and deliberately massaged into the skin. I think a formulation with a little drag makes me slow down and enjoy the moment of self care. That is the part that I find so absolutely soothing.
SUPPLIES
IngredientsLanolin |
Equipment |
RECIPE
Percentages
2.5% Lanolin
0.5% Beeswax
6% Sunflower Oil
4% Sweet Almond Oil
5% Veggie Wax
5% Hydrovance
74% Water
1% Optiphen
2% Stearic Acid
| 100 Grams 2.5 grams Lanolin 0.5 grams Beeswax 6 grams Sunflower Oil 4 grams Sweet Almond Oil 5 grams Veggie Wax 5 grams Hydrovance 74 grams Water 1 gram Optiphen 2 grams Stearic Acid |
8 Ounces 0.2 oz Lanolin 0.04 oz Beeswax 0.48 oz Sunflower Oil 0.32 oz Sweet Almond Oil 0.4 oz Veggie Wax 0.4 oz Hydrovance 5.92 oz Water 0.08 oz Optiphen 0.16 oz Stearic Acid |
INSTRUCTIONS
Weigh everything except the preservative into a microwave safe container. Heat gently until everything is liquid. Mix well. I prefer to use an immersion blender. After letting the cream cool, add the preservative. If you desire, you can also add fragrance at this time.
Finished Cream on Fingers
Weighing Oils
Weighing Water
Cooled Cream
Finished Cream in Jars
Warm Cream Hand Treatment,
Hi Taylor – can you please tell me what the Honeyquat and Optiphen do and what they are made of?
andrea,
Honeyquat is a humectant. Honeyquat is a naturally derived quaternized conditioning agent made from honey. Honeyquat is made by reacting the pendent hydroxyl groups (on the disaccharide) of a “light” deodorized grade of honey with a chlorohydroxytrimethylammonium derivative. You can use other humectants like Liquid Glycerin as a substitute for Honeyquat.
Optiphen is a preservative that is used in many formulations for lotions, creams and other products that need a preservative. It is paraben and formaldehyde free as well as compatible with most cosmetic ingredients. Optiphen is a mixture of Phenoxyethanol and Caprylyl Glycol.
Thank you 🙂
Taylor, what would you suggest subbing for the lanolin, since I am allergic, maybe a butter of some kind?
We recommend replacing lanolin with a mixture of beeswax and jojoba to attempt mimicking the texture of lanolin. Make up just the jojoba with beeswax mixture first to test the consistency before adding it to the lip balm recipe. I might try 90 grams jojoba and 10 grams beeswax as a first trial.
Any idea what I could use in place of lanolin? I love the look of this recipe, but I can’t use lanolin, and I have several customers who can’t use it either!
LuAnn, I would recommend replacing lanolin with a mixture of beeswax and jojoba to attempt mimicking the texture of lanolin.
I wouldn’t have thought of that, Thanks! Could I also use any other wax, like sunflower or candelilla?
Yes. If you are using a harder vegetable wax like canelilla, then I would recommend reducing the wax amount by half.