Hand care set: mild liquid soap and nourishing cream

Because your hands deserve the best

Treat your mitts to ultra-hydrating care with this super pair: a DIY liquid hand soap and nourishing cream. Formulated with high quality ingredients, our liquid soap cleans your hands without stripping them of their natural oils, while our nourishing cream protects them and provides relief for dry skin. This perfect pair promises to leave you with clean, soft, hydrated hands! 

Recipe 1: How to make liquid hand soap 

Ingredients

Phase A

• 36 g (15%) orange blossom (neroli) hydrosol or demineralized water
• 14.4 g (6%) vegetable glycerin
• 4 g (1.5%) xanthan gum

Phase B

• 96 g (40%) decyl glucoside

Phase C

• 13 g (5.5%) castor oil
• 4.8 g (2%) elderberry extract
• 7.2 g (3%) honey aromatic essence
• 7.2 g (3%) almond aromatic essence
• 2.4 g (1%) vitamin E

Phase D

• 55 g (23%) coco betaine

Additional ingredient to adjust pH

• Citric acid (variable, approximately 0.5%)

Tools

• Components to make a double boiler
• Scale, accurate to 0.1 g
• Four small stainless steel bowls
• Ramekin
• A few pipettes
• Small silicone spatula
• Tablespoon
• Funnel
• Thermometer
• A few strips of pH paper
• Glass pump bottle (240 ml)

Good to know!

• You can replace the honey and almond aromatic essences with other aromatic essences of your choosing or essential oils. For the latter, please keep in mind that some essential oils are dermocaustic. They must make up no more than 0.5% of the total weight of your recipe or they may irritate—or even burn—your skin. For a full list of dermocaustic essential oils and guidance on using them in your recipes, please see our article on the topic.

Steps to follow

1. Prepare and disinfect your equipment and workspace.
2. Weigh the orange blossom hydrosol in a small stainless steel bowl. Gently heat it on the double boiler. 
3. Weigh the glycerin and xanthan gum in a ramekin. Set aside. 
4. When the hydrosol reaches about 50°C, remove it from the heat and add the glycerin and xanthan gum mixture.
5. Gently mix with the spatula until the mixture gels. Your phase A is now ready!
6. Weigh the phase B, C, and D ingredients in three separate bowls. Set aside. 
7. Pour phase B (decyl glucoside) into phase A. Gently stir with a spoon to prevent the mixture from foaming up.
8. Now add phase C to the mixture. Stir gently.
9. Add phase D (coco betaine). Stir gently.
10. Check the pH of the mixture using pH paper; it should be between 5 and 7. If the pH is above 7, dust a half teaspoon of citric acid over the mixture, stir gently but thoroughly, and check the pH again. Repeat until the pH is between 5 and 7.
11. Pour the mixture into the pump bottle using a funnel and a spatula. Your liquid hand soap is ready to use!

Recipe 2: How to make your own hand cream  

Ingredients

Phase A

• 144 g (60%) orange blossom (neroli) hydrosol or demineralized water

Phase B

• 24 g (10%) NF emulsifying wax
• 24 g (10%) castor oil
• 12 g (5%) Golden Wax 415 soy wax
• 9.6 g (4%) deodorized shea butter
• 7.2 g (3%) cocoa butter

Phase C

• 6 g (2.5%) honey aromatic essence
• 6 g (2.5%) almond aromatic essence
• 4.8 g (2%) elderberry extract
• 2.4 g (1%) vitamin E

Tools

• Components to make a double boiler
• Basin filled with water (to make a cold-water bath)
• Scale, accurate to 0.1 g
• Two small stainless steel bowls
• Ramekin
• Mini-mixer with frothing attachment (the small wheel)
• A few pipettes
• Small silicone spatula
• Funnel
• Thermometer
• Glass pump bottle (240 ml)

Good to know!

• We chose the vegetable butters for this hand cream recipe to make it very protective and nourishing for the driest of hands. You can, however, replace the shea and cocoa butter with the butters of your choosing. 
• You can replace the honey and almond aromatic essences with other aromatic essences of your choosing or essential oils. For the latter, please keep in mind that some essential oils are dermocaustic or photosensitizing: these essential oils must be used with caution. For a full list of dermocaustic and photosensitizing essential oils and guidance on using them in your recipes, please see our article on the topic.

Steps to follow

1. Prepare and disinfect your equipment and workspace.
2. Weigh your phase A (hydrosol or demineralized water) in the first small bowl. Heat it on the double boiler until it reaches 70 to 80°C.
3. In the second small bowl, weigh the phase B ingredients (oil, butters, and waxes). Heat it on the double boiler until the mixture reaches 70 to 80°C and the butters and waxes have melted.
4. Weigh the phase C ingredients (aromatic essences, elderberry extract, and vitamin E) in a ramekin. Set aside. 
5. When phases A and B have both reached a temperature of 70 to 80 °C, remove them from the heat and pour phase A into phase B. Mix with the mini-mixer until homogeneous.
6. Place the bowl in a cold water bath and continue to mix with the mini-mixer until the mixture takes on a creamy texture.
7. Add phase C. Mix well.
8. Pour the mixture into the pump bottle using a funnel and a spatula. Your homemade hand cream is ready!

Use and conservation

These recipes are formulated for all skin types but offer unique benefits for dry hands. When used in combination, they’ll provide your hands with complete care, leaving them clean and nourished. We recommend washing your hands with the liquid soap, rinsing off, and drying them thoroughly before applying your DIY hand cream. You can of course use each product individually.

When made in optimal sanitary conditions, both products should keep for at least six months.