Heavy Duty Hand Cream

You can tell a gardener by their hands – I am yet to meet a gardener who has the silky soft hands of a banker!  Not that this is a problem, but our hands could do with some love on a regular basis.

Whenever I plan to garden I have every good intention of using gloves but invariably I take them off within the first half hour, and enjoy the pleasure of soil on my hands.

And then of course, there are the times that I am not actually planning on gardening, but see a stray weed in the wrong place, or seeds that are ready to collect, or something else that grabs my attention.  Who can go inside and fetch gloves at times like that?

If your hands are anything like mine, they definitely deserve some love and attention, and this is a cream that you can use on a daily basis.

There are four powerful healing herbs in this remedy.  Calendula is healing and will clear up any potential infections from small cuts, the elderflowers are softening and soothing, comfrey is a fantastic healing herb that will quickly heal any scratches, and lavender is one of the best skin herbs around.  Honey and Myrrh serve double duty as preservatives and healing agents.

After a bath, rub it into your feet and hands, put your feet up and relax while it absorbs.  If you would prefer a less greasy cream, either make this with aqueous or try the  lavender hand cream

Print

Heavy Duty Hand-cream

By the end of winter my hands are so dry they are absorbing moisture as soon as I apply it. This hand-cream is Vaseline based so also forms a barrier for my skin. Elderflowers are anti-inflammatory and traditionally used to treat chilblains. Calendula is another anti-inflammatory herb which is also excellent for dry skin and eczema. Lavender is super soothing and healing, and Comfrey promotes cell growth, so quickly heals any little cuts or scratches. The honey and myrrh are preservatives.

If you prefer a less greasy cream, use a good quality aqueous

Prep Time45 minutes mins

Materials

• 1 cup Elderflowers - fresh and dry
• 1 cup Calendula flowers - fresh and dry
• 1 cup Comfrey leaves - fresh and dry
• 1 cup Lavender flowers - fresh and dry
• 1 cup Vaseline
• 4 Tbsp Honey
• 2 tsp Myrrh tincture

Instructions

• Place the Vaseline and flowers in a double boiler
• Heat until the Vaseline has melted, place a lid over the mixture and cook for 45 minutes
• Strain through a plastic sieve
• Strain again through coarse cheesecloth. Reheat if it is too thick
• Pour into a small jar and label
• Use regularly

Notes

If you do not have a double boiler place a basin over a pot of boiling water.  The basin should be larger than the top of the pot to prevent condensation getting into your cream.  Use the pot lid to cover the basin.