Dish Pan Hands

Like most of you, I wash an inordinate amount of dishes. My hands are in a sink full of soapy water at least three times a day, if not more. Combined with handwashing and the harsh desert air, my hands are looking mighty rough. My fingertips are sandpapery and my cuticles are embarassing. I keep a small bottle of lotion under the sink to slather on after each dunk in the drink, but it's just not doing it anymore. I have a full on case of (dun dun duuuuuun!) DISH PAN HANDS! EEEK!

While the ad above says I can solve my problems with Ivory Soap, I have a sneaking suspicion that probably won't work. So I broke out my fabulous new aqua pot and tried my hand at making my own moisturizing hand salve. It was easier than I imagined and everything in it is pure, natural and organic. Recipes like this are highly individualized. Use what you have or what you like. Here's how I made mine:

You will need...

-Four Tablespoons of beeswax grated (or pastilles)
-Two Tablespoons of organic raw shea butter
-Four Tablespoons of organic coconut oil
-Four Tablespoons of organic olive oil
-Organic Lavender Oil

Melt the wax and the butter on low heat. Just FYI...raw shea butter does NOT smell good. But don't worry! The yummy nutty coconut oil and lavender will cover it up!

Once melted, add the oil and stir until smooth. Remove from the heat and add 15 drops of lavender oil. Pour into tins to harden.

While the salve cools, label your lids. Because this is a natural product with zero preservatives it will not last as long as store bought lotions and creams. Typically, your salve will be good for six months. I wrote the date on the underside of the lid as reminder for myself and for those who receive these as gifts.

Once the salve is cooled and hardend it is ready to use. Mine is next to the sink, ready to combat my dish pan hands!

A couple of tips and tricks:

-This was my first go round with homemade salve. The smell of this particular recipe isn't what I hoped. It doesn't smell bad by any means, but the nuttiness of the coconut sort of overpowered the lavender. Next time I will add more lavender or use a different oil to get the scent I want.

-I really like the feel and consistency of this ratio. I scrape up a little of the hardened salve from the tin with my fingernail and rub it in. It's a little greasy at first but once it soaks in my hands are certainly happy. I think this would be great for dry, cracked feet as well. If you are looking for a softer salve, use less beeswax.

(This post is linked to the Green Resource. Check it out every Thursday for great green tips and ideas!)