Is anyone else tired of washing their hands a hundred times a day? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends regular hand washing as a preventative measure against COVID-19, but it can be tedious and annoying. Dry skin that you’ve never witnessed in your life has come about as a result of all this hand washing. Obviously, staying safe is necessary, but you need an effective moisturizer to counteract the dryness.
When the skin starts to dry out, it becomes prone to cracking, peeling, or premature signs of aging. If you don’t address the dryness, it becomes harder and harder to repair the damaged, dry skin. Additionally, open wounds like cracked skin can increase your risk of contracting the virus. Don’t let your skin crack when you can easily use natural ingredients to help it retain moisture.
Shea Butter For Moisture
Shea butter comes from the seeds of the Shea or Karite tree. The butter is rich in essential fatty acids and nutrients that enhance collagen production and offer mild protection against UV rays. Due to the high concentration of natural vitamins, Shea butter has risen to popularity for its moisturizing properties. When you apply Shea butter to the skin, it helps protect the natural oils, and the linolenic, palmitic, oleic, and stearic acids help to prevent drying.
Sweet Almond Oil For Moisture
Almond oil comes in both sweet and bitter varieties, but sweet almond oil is popular in DIY beauty regimens. Considered to be an emollient, sweet almond oil helps the skin retain moisture as opposed to adding more moisture. Moisturizers supply the skin with water and hold it in with an oil-like substance, whereas emollients fill in the gaps and soothe dry skin. This is why people with dermatitis and eczema commonly use sweet almond oil.
Beeswax For Moisture
Beehives produce beeswax, but that is an oversimplification of the process. Worker bees produce the wax and hive workers collect it to form cells that store honey. Beeswax has many uses in skin care regimens because it contains anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that soothe, protect, and moisturize the skin. When applied to the skin, beeswax holds moisture to help you avoid dry skin. It is also a humectant, meaning it attracts water to help your skin remain soft and hydrated.
Homemade Hand Cream Recipe
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup Shea butter
- 1/8 cup sweet almond oil
- 1 tablespoon beeswax
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 10 drops cedarwood essential oil
Instructions:
- Add the Shea butter, sweet almond oil, and beeswax to a double boiler. Stir gently until thoroughly melted and mix well.
- Remove from the heat and let it cool for five to ten minutes. Drop in the essential oils and mix well.
- Quickly pour the mixture into a clean jar or container and allow it to harden (this should only take two to three hours).
- Use the hand cream as needed, especially before bedtime.
