Homespun Things...make your own luxurious hand cream.

On my Tray of Bliss today is a method for the easiest ever home made hand cream.

Now I hate to rain on your parade, but Christmas is just 18 short weeks away and the clock is ticking!

This is a real favourite as it's inexpensive, simple, and just oozes luxury. Make it top of your list for home made gifts this year.

Now you don't need many ingredients. The main one is Emulsifying Wax, which I ordered through my local pharmacy. It was $13 for a 500gm tub, which will yield up to 20 batches of 500mls of thick scented lotion.

So your list of ingredients is:

1/4 cup Emulsifying Wax

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1 1/4 cups water

One or Two drops Food colouring (optional)

2 teaspoons Scented or few drops Essential Oil

4 drops or one pierced capsuleVitamin E Oil (optional)

Equipment requirements:

2 cup capacity microwave safe glass jug

Spoon

1/4 cup and 1 cup capacity measuring cups

Microwave

Bowls or Jars to hold your finished lotion

Method:

Put the emulsifying wax and olive oil into the microwave safe jug. Microwave for between one minute and one minute, twenty seconds, until the beads have melted.

...add the Vitamin E Oil if using it...

...then the scented oil....this is a $2 rose scented one from a discount store. I prefer essential oils, but frankly for everyday use, it's a little cost-prohibitive. It's up to you....

....then the food colouring, just a drop at a time, if you want it prettily tinted.

Heat the water for one minute to one minute, twenty seconds, and add it to the stuff in the jug. Give it a good stir.

It should be looking like a jug of flavoured milk at this point.

Give it another good stir, and carefully pour it into your waiting decanters of choice. I tend to snap up these pretty cut glass sugar bowls at thrift shops. They're my favourites and usually set me back no more than $1 each. Alternatively, use sterilised and recycled wide mouthed jars. Here in Australia, the commercial Salsa jars are perfect.

SUPER MONEY SAVER TIP:     If you can be bothered, whipping this in a bowl with electric beaters as if you were whipping edible cream, almost doubles your yield and gives a fluffy light souffle style cream :D

ALERT:    If, once your hand cream has cooled, the oil congeals on the surface, simply stir well with a fork or a tiny whisk, until it is emulsified back into the cream.

And you're done!

Add some pretty ribbon or whatever you fancy to doll them up. Ballet Pink double satin ribbon is my favourite.

For gift giving, I usually wrap them in swathes of clear cellophane or bridal tulle with more ribbon gathering the corners into a topknot. Bridal tulle is particularly pretty, and although a bit of an outlay initially, is totally reuseable! Most recipients simply return it to me on the spot.

That's it.  A gorgeous gift, under $5, and under 5 minutes to make.

Enjoy!

What's on your Tray of Bliss today?