Christmas and New Year's Eve are coming so it’s just a time to think about presents. Hand and feet cream is a perfect gift for almost anyone, especially, if it’s made by you… especially, if it doesn’t take much money or time to make one… and especially, because it’s a greener gift option, then something in the same price range that will end up in a landfill in no time (adding to the environmental garbage problem).
Plus, it’s completely natural and will suit as a gift for babies and expecting moms too (just be sure to choose mom and baby-friendly essential oils).
Glass containers are the best for storing anything that will be in contact with your skin, as you don’t want nasty chemicals to leach into the cream. The downside of glass cream jars is the price. It ranges from 2$ to 8$ for one jar, which can substantially add to the price of your gift.
On the other hand, empty baby food jars sitting in your cupboard are just perfect for this purpose. Though, they need some prep work before they will look good enough for a gift.
How to Prepare You Baby Food Jar
Supplies list for a jar preparation:
- Empty washed baby food jar(s)
- White spray primer (can be bought here, but available at any hardware store)
- Newspaper
- Color spray paint of your choice (optional)
- Polyurethane spray sealant (optional)
Instructions:
- Wash it thoroughly (make sure you removed all glue where the label was attached; the easiest way is to scrap it with a knife followed with baking soda)
- If lids have stains from food on the inside, soak them in bleach and rinse
- Spray paint clean and dry lids with white primer. To do that put lids on newspaper and spray outer side with thin layer of primer. Repeat two more times or until no letters visible through letting it dry for 15 minutes in between paint applications. If you plan on paint it in another color one layer of primer will be enough.
- In 24h your lids will be completely dry. Spray them with a clear sealant if you want scratch resistant lids. Now you can start to make your cream. When you finish your lids will be dry enough to put on.
How to Prepare Natural Hand and Feet Cream
I used this recipe.
To make one 4oz jar of cream (the most standard size of baby food jar) you will need roughly:
Ingredients:
- 4 Tbsp Raw Shea Butter
- 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (I buy mine at Sam's club)
- 1 tsp Almond oil (or other liquid oil used in cosmetics like jojoba or castor oil)
- 10-20 drops Essential oils of your choice
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients except essential oils to a bowl and put it in a water bath
- For the water bath, put a pan with some water on a stove set on low heat. Pan should be large enough so you can put the bowl with ingredients in it. You can melt everything without water bath: on the burner or in the oven but be sure to set on the lowest possible temperature and stir often.
- Remove from the water bath or another source of heat and let it cool a little bit, so it’s still liquid but not hot anymore
- Add essential oils to taste. Use therapeutic grade essential oils only. Some popular choices are lavender, ylang-ylang, mint, and citrus oils.
- Pour into the prepared jar and put a lid on. If you make more than one jar and with different scents, add essential oils straight into the jar and stir carefully.
Your gift is ready. But it will look much nicer if you decorate it, and the sky's the limit. But it can be as simple as some stickers and a little bow.
If you want to experiment with paints, read this tutorial about glass jars painting.
And what is your ultimate gift idea this season? Share below.