The skin is an important organ that fulfils many functions: for example, it allows us to sense weather conditions touch, and feel objects and regulate our body temperature. It separates the body from the outside and protects muscles and blood vessels. The hydrolipid coating of fat and water keeps the skin taut. This shields the skin from germs, allergens, and toxic chemicals.
However, there are a number of factors that attack the hydrolipid film on the skin. Washing your hands too often, using harsh cleaning products, moisture or pressure can put a strain on the skin barrier. The skin on the hands in particular loses a lot of moisture and becomes dry and sensitive. In the worst case, it becomes sore and can develop eczema . Regular skin care helps to protect the skin barrier and keep the skin supple. A hand cream is often needed for this.
What makes a good hand cream?
To avoid dry, cracked skin or even hand eczema, it is important to care for the skin with a hand cream regularly. Hand creams contain fats and moisturising factors that rebuild the skin’s barrier function. Moisturising factors include certain fatty acids, for example. The skin gets fats from the oils contained in hand creams. These are either vegetable oils, which are pressed from avocados, olives, nuts or seeds, for example, or mineral oils, which are obtained from petroleum. Vaseline is the best-known mineral oil product used in cosmetics. The advantage of mineral oils is that they are relatively easy and inexpensive to obtain and are generally well tolerated. However, some experts complain that mineral fat providers do not fit so well into the balance of the skin.
DIY recipe: How to make hand cream yourself
Grab a mixing spoon to check the hand cream’s components. You may manufacture your new favourite hand cream using grocery, drugstore, or pharmaceutical products. Another benefit is that everyone may choose their favourite ingredients.Hand creams created at home include vegetable fats or waxes and nutritious oils. You may fragrance with a few drops of essential oil.
For example, try this recipe for a homemade hand cream with shea butter and beeswax :
You need:
- 40 grams of shea butter
- 20 grams of cocoa butter
- 15 grams of beeswax
- 2 tablespoons of care oil
This is how it works:
Heat the beeswax and cocoa butter together with the nourishing oil in a water bath. When the mixture has melted, carefully stir in the shea butter with a whisk. Then pour the hand cream into a jar that you can screw on and leave it to cool.