Teach Soap

As soon as the weather turns cold (into the 50s), my hands suffer terribly. In one week of cooler weather my knuckles are chapped, cracked and even bleeding when I flex my fingers.

My hands are in and out of water all day long. I wear heavy-duty latex gloves to wash my jars and other tools at the end of each day. And although I hate them, I wear thin vinyl gloves to protect my hands while I'm cutting and pouring M&P when my hands are particularly bad. With both types of gloves, my hands sweat, locking in the moisture.

I moisturize my hands several times a day, with a variety of products (some of my own and some commercial). I use plain white vaseline at night with cotton gloves while I sleep when it gets really bad.

Other suggestions?

Thanks -

Connie

Have you tried just plain lanolin?

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

There are a few herbs that are great for this issue. Try infusing some dandelion and some chickweed (you could also add comfrey, but only use if the wounds are not infected since it heals quite quickly and you don't want to scab over and block an infection under the skin) into your favorite oil and make a salve. You can add a few drops of lavender and rosemary to help boost the healing as well.
I would stay away from the vaseline since that has chemicals in it and stick with an all herbal/oil/butter salve remedy instead.

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

Thanks, Tammy. Better tonight after applying the lanolin. I'll head to my favorite herb store tomorrow and take your suggestions. I'd rather go "natural" if I can.

Connie

Yes, lanolin is great. I have some, but I also have many Vegan clients, so sadly, I don't get to drag it out often. But the herbal remedies I have work VERY well and I sell a ton of salves and ointments for cracking, bleeding and other such skin issues. I think you will be quite happy with a few of these. In addition to those already mentioned, you can also add calendula, burdock root, mullein, plantain, myrrh gum, golden seal root, St John's wort, yarrow, Soloman's wort, echinacea or chamomile as well. * Do not use arnica on open wounds.

Simply cover your choice of herb(s) with your choice of oil(s) and heat. Leave heat at a low, simmering temp for several hours. You do not want to fry your herbs! Strain through cheesecloth or panty hose and use to make your slave. If you want to limit the herbs, I'd start with calendula, dandelion and plantain. If this combo doesn't work as well as you need, then I'd add lavender and rosemary eo's or some myrrh gum, golden seal and/or St John's root herbs to your infusion. I like comfrey for this too, but since you have open wounds and I can't see your hands to evaluate the infection potential, I don't know whether to recommend that or not. Just know that it is a great healer, but you don't want it to cover any underlying infection.

Much luck and good healing to you!

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

I always use calendula, chamomile and burdock root for salves to help with cracked skin. I use jojoba oil in a decently high percentage (around 15%) to help with absorption. Try not to make the salve too heavy, as air exposure speeds healing time!

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

Lanolin is okay, but a salve of shea butter, beeswax and jojoba infused with calendula and lemon essential oil has worked for our customers in the winter. I call it Lemon Btter. Try using use one part each Shea Butter, Beeswax and Jojoba. Slowly melt these items and add the EO to your desired scent ( we no more than 2% of the EO. Lemon smells good and if you use EO it has antibiotic properties)
.

Thanks, everyone. Great suggestions. I have a closet stocked, now, with all the herbs suggested.

Connie

just as an fyi, if you wanted to use lemon eo you could use a max of 5% in your cream/salve. This would not, however, be my choice of an eo for use on cracked or abraded skin. It could sting and further irritate the skin, which would be quite unpleasant. In fact, when adding an eo in a product for abraded skin you really need to be cautious in what you choose to add so that you do not aggravate the issue(s) already present. This is the main reason I usually stick to herbal infusions to begin with and, if I add an eo, add only a small amount of a healing or antibacterial one. There is a big difference in adding eo's mainly for scent and/or aromatherapy and adding them into products used when there are skin issues.

Lots of luck with your salve and your hands. I think you received many workable recommendations, I just hope you find the best combination for your skin so you can be comfortable this Winter! Now, make sure you invest in some great gloves to keep the weather away too and you'll be set!

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy