Homemade Hand Lotion

Edited 2/11/09: After I posted this on Saturday, I realized that it would make a great WFMW tip, so I'm bumping this post up today and linking it up there. Check out Works for Me Wednesday for more great tips!

I've read about it online various places, and it's been on my to-try list forever, so this week I finally did it-- I made hand lotion! Now, for you purists, I didn't exactly make it from scratch, it's just a matter of a combining of pre-made products. Happily, those simple ingredients combine to create a super hydrating potion that is working wonders on my so-dry-they-bleed fingers.

There are variations on this recipe all over the internet (in a thread at SCS, a similar one posted on RecipeZaar, etc). The basic recipe I used here is in bold, with notes I how I actually did it in italics.

Homemade Hand Lotion: Amy's Way

• 2 9oz. bottles baby lotion Instead, I used one 16oz. bottle of store-brand night time baby lotion, because I love lavender and wanted that scent.
• 1 jar vaseline I used about half of the large size, store-brand jar. I softened it in the microwave for about 20 seconds to make it easier to blend.
• 1 16oz. jar Vitamin E cream Try as I might, I couldn't find the cream anywhere in my local stores. So, I subbed about 2/3 of a container of Vitamin E Oil , found in the vitamin aisle.
  

Combine ingredients with mixer in a metal bowl. Do not use plastic as it will absorb the scent and foods prepared in those plastic containers will taste like lotion. I actually used an old warehouse sized sour cream container, with the intent to recycle it afterwards, so I wasn't concerned about the lingering scent. I used my hand mixer to combine it, and washed the beaters immediately afterwards.

The results? A great lotion that really hydrates dry skin!

Two notes: first, I had a few lumps of petroleum jelly in my final product, so next time I'll make sure it's blended better. Second, it's a little sticky, and it takes a minute or two to completely soak into your skin. I just apply it at bedtime, so it doesn't bother me, but it might bother some people. Since I used Vitamin E Oil rather than cream, that might account for the sticky factor.

I spooned samples of this lotion into tiny square containers that I found 10/$1 at the Dollar Tree and passed them out to co-workers. Everyone seemed to enjoy the lotion, and I still have plenty to use myself. I'll definitely be making this again!