Pamper your hands with hand lotion

Just like the skin on your face, your hands get the most abused and explosed. They are subjected to frequent soap and water or detergent dips.

The following creams are ultrarich, moisturizing abd protective, so for repeated daily applications, a little is all you need each time.

If you need serious treatment, hands are luckily respond very well to overnight conditioning. First get a pair of inexpensive cotton gloves. Then just before you get into bed, smooth your hands with one of the follwoing creams or lotions, put the gloves on, and let the moisturizers do their wonder-work the whole night through. You'll will notice the lovely results thevery next morning. This same treatment can be used for calloused feet with cotton socks.

Alternatively, you can give yourself a treatment during the day, too. If you clean house or wash dishes with rubber gloves, rub some vegetable oil into yur hands before donning the gloves. The heat and persipiration inside the gloves help the oil penetrate and soften your hands.

Lanolin Hand Cream

4 tbsp anhydrous lanolin
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp safflower oil
1 1/2 tsp rose water
1/2 tsp oil of bergamot

Melt lanolin and beat in warmed safflower oil. Heat rose water and beat into mixture, pouring very slowly, until cool. Beat in oil of bergamot and put in jar. Don’t worry if it doesn’t seem thick enough; it will thicken further in the jar. Makes about 3 oz.


Glycerin and Rose Water Hand Cream

2 tbsp anhydrous lanolin
1 oz glycerin
1/2 oz light mineral oil
1 1/2 tsp soy oil
1 oz rose water
1 tbsp oil of roses (or other floral oil)

Melt lanolin over heat. Warm next three ingredients together and beat into lanolin. Heat rose water slightly and beat into mixture until it thickens and cools. Beat in scented oil and put in jar. Makes a little over 3 oz.


Orange Hand Cream

2 tbsp anhydrous lanolin
2 tbsp petroleum jelly
1 tbsp glycerin
1/2 tsp boric acid
1 tbsp orange extract

Melt lanolin and petroleum jelly over low heat. Heat glycerin and boric acid slightly and beat into mixture. Slightly warm orange extract and beat into mixture until cool. Makes 3 oz.


Lemon Hand Cream

3 oz anhydrous lanolin
1 oz soy oil (do not substitute)
1 tbsp glycerin
1 tbsp cocoa butter
1 tsp zinc oxide ointment
2 tsp lemon oil

Melt lanolin. Warm soy oil, glycerin, and cocoa butter together and beat into lanolin. Beat in zinc oxide and lemon oil until cool. Makes 4 oz.


Almond Hand Cream

4 oz anhydrous lanolin
2 oz almond oil
2 oz almond extract
2 tbsp glycerin
2 tsp zinc oxide ointment
1 tsp boric acid

Melt lanolin over low heat. Warm glycerin and oil and beat into lanolin. Dissolve boric acid in almond extract and beat into mixture until cool. Beat in zinc oxide. Makes 4 oz.



Your Favorite Scent Hand and Body Lotion

2 tbsp anhydrous lanolin
3 oz sesame oil
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp favorite extract, perfume or cologne (strongly scented)
1/4 tsp borax

Melt lanolin over low heat. Warm oil and beat into lanolin. Dissolve borax in heated extract or perfume and, pouring slowly, beat into mixture. Beat for at least 5 minutes until cool and creamy. It smells heavenly, penetrates quickly and softens beautifully. Put in dispenser bottle. Makes 5 oz.


Glycerin and Rose Water and Body Lotion

3 oz rose water
3 oz glycerin
1/4 oz borax
2 drops red food coloring

Warm glycerin. Dissolve borax in heated rose water and beat into glycerin until cool. Beat in food coloring and put in bottle and shake before each use. Makes 6 oz.