I’ve received a whole mountain of requests for our Quick Gifts from Your Cupboard blog post! Today I decided to tackle several requests for various hand lotions and creams to help you make your Christmas gifts before it was too late. Let’s go take a peek at the recipes I’ve come up with!
Cindy’s Idaho Winter Hand Lotion
Cindy e-mailed in with a request for a hand lotion. She said, “I want to make a lotion for my fingertips that peel during the harsh winter months. Our Idaho weather is harsh and cold in the winter and I want to make a moisturizing lotion that has a nice slip, not a draggy or oily feeling, but stays on the skin.”
Cindy has a very comprehensive cupboard that filled with a variety of ingredients, so I formulated a simple recipe that would fulfill her request and also allow for any changes that might be desired. Why did I choose the ingredients in this recipe? Let’s take a look at my notes!
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69% Water 18% Hemp Oil, Natural or Refined 5% Conditioning Emulsifier 3% Hydrovance, HoneyQuat, or Sodium Lactate 2% Isopropyl Myristate 2% Cyclomethicone 0.5% Liquid Germall Plus 0.5% Fragrance of Choice |
Hemp Oil was used since it behaves like a dry oil and does not feel greasy in finished products.
Conditioning Emulsifier is used for the soft, powdery feel that it gives to products. I recommended Hydrovance, HoneyQuat, or Sodium Lactate as humectants for their long term moisturization which is preferred over short term Liquid Glycerin in the winter. I’m using Isopropyl Myristate to help reduce the greasy feel and give the lotion an extra boost of skin pampering. Cyclomethicone was used for the soft powdery feel and quick spreadability that it contributes to lotions. |
Madea’s Hand Lotion for the Purse
Madea commented that she too was looking for a hand lotion. Madea told me “Iād love some kind of thin hand lotion that I can put into a squeeze bottle for carrying in the purse. Something people could put on before they put on gloves and not have a lotion take a long time to soak in.”
Well, I thought that a modification to Granny’s Favorite Lotion would fit Madea’s simple request and her cupboard. I made a few changes to the ingredients and the percentages of the recipe, but left the overall concept of the recipe the same. I have shared the changes that I made as well as the reasons for my changes.
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75% Water 15% Rice Bran Oil 3% Emulsifying Wax 3% Hydrovance, HoneyQuat, or Sodium Lactate 1.5% Optiphen 1% Stearic Acid 0.5% Fragrance of Choice |
I used the Rice Bran Oil instead of the Jojoba that the lotion originally contained.
As I wasn’t sure which humectants Madea has in her cupboard, I am giving my recommendations for humectants that contribute long term moisturizing to a lotion. I reduced the Stearic Acid to keep the lotion fluid and easily dispensable. |
Linda’s Christmassy Hand Lotion
Linda sent in two requests and I’ll start with her simpler request. She wrote “Over the summer, I bought some new oils that I love, and a few that didnt work out for my testers. I was hoping to develop a hand lotion with the Cherry Oil and Rose Hip Oil… just sounds Christmassy.”
I decided that the best recipe for Linda would be also a variation of Granny’s Favorite Lotion. I made some minor changes to the ingredients by using both Cherry Oil and Rose Hip Oil instead of Jojoba and using a different humectant, but otherwise left the recipe the same.
75% Water
7.5% Cherry Oil
7.5% Rose Hip Oil
3% Hydrovance or HoneyQuat
3% Stearic Acid
3% Emulsifying Wax
0.5% Germall Plus
0.5% Fragrance of Choice
Linda’s Hand Cream
Linda’s other request was for a hand cream containing Babassu, Argan and Black Currant Oils. After thinking about this request, I was inspired to formulate a hand cream that will feel fantastic! I used the requested oils and worked to keep this a simple cream.
67% Water
12% Babassu Oil
6% Argan Oil
5% Emulsifying Wax
3% Stearic Acid
3% Hydrovance, HoneyQuat, or Sodium Lactate
3% Black Currant Oil
0.5% Germall Plus
0.5% Fragrance Of Choice
Well, I have more formulas to share with you tomorrow! I should even have some pictures of formulas that I’ve gotten a chance to test. If you make one of these formulas, I would love to hear your opinion about it!
See you tomorrow!
Perfect! I’m planning to make some lotions and creams. I hope to be ordering supplies today!
These all sound great. I’m inspired to dig through my cabnits š
I’d like to see a minty foot cream recipe that is all natural, no chemicals at all added. š
Anne,
I released your recipe today! Please let me know if you have any questions!
I rec’d a jar of cream made with your cream base. I love the feel, weight and texture (incredibly smooth). I want to make a body cream similar. I just (yesterday) ordered stearic acid, Stearic Acid, Veggie Emulsifier, Liquid Germall Plus, Allantoin, Sodium Lactate, Hydrovance, Dimethicone. I already have a good selection of oils (avocado, apricot kernel, coconut, palm, shea butter, mango butter, grapeseed, and a few more, and fragrances. I make lot’s of soap) Ideas?
Karen,
I released your recipe today! Please let me know if you have any questions!
I enjoyed reading the recipes and I’m going to try some the next couple of days and see how I like them. Having a farily good arsenal of oils at hand, I can certainly experiment and see what I like the best. Thanks so much for the recipes!
I just made the Idaho Winter Hand Lotion. Instead of water, I used Lavender Hydrosol, because I have lots of lavender in my yard, and I love the hydrosol from these flowers. I also like the smell of baby powder, so I added some baby powder fragrance oil ( I love MMS the best). It is cooling down and it feels really nice! Thanks again for the recipe suggestions. Cindy
That sounds wonderful! I’m glad you are liking the lotion. I’d love to hear how your hands feel in a week!
I am having trouble getting my soap out of the molds. Some pieces of the
pattern are always left in the mold. I put them in the freezer for about 30 minutes,
which helps a little.
I would recommend coating the mold with a light coating of mineral oil, petroleum jelly or a silicone spray (like food grade sprays that are used for meat grinding machines.) These unsaponifyable silicone oils will help the soap come out of the mold much more easily and reducing the likelihood of needing to freeze the soaps.