How to Make Homemade Moisturizing Cream for Severely Dry Skin

Severely dry skin not only damages your appearance, it can be painful to live with as well. Store-bought moisturizers that contain chemicals and fragrance can often cause further damage to already irritated skin. By making your own homemade moisturizing cream, you can make sure your lotion contains only natural ingredients that will help nourish the skin and make it smooth and supple once again.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1/4 cup unscented solid cocoa butter, grated
• 1/4 cup sweet almond oil
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 5 drops essential oil (optional)
• Large frying pan or skillet
• Medium-size stainless steel bowl
• Stainless steel spoon
• Decorative storage container

1. Place a large frying pan onto your stove burner. Fill the pan with water until it is about half full. Turn the burner on medium to high heat and allow the water to warm. You do not want the water so hot that it begins to boil.

2. In a medium-size stainless steel bowl place grated cocoa butter, olive oil, sweet almond oil and a few drops of essential oil if desired. Place the bowl into the frying pan of hot water to create a double-boiler.

3. Use a stainless steel spoon to stir the mixture as it heats. Continue heating until the cocoa butter flakes are completely dissolved and blended with the oils.

4. Remove the bowl from the pan. Stir the mixture continuously while it cools. Once the mixture has cooled and begins to gel, stop stirring and allow the moisturizing cream to finish cooling and set. The moisturizer will be smooth and creamy when fully set and ready.

5. Spoon the moisturizing cream into a container with a lid that will close securely and store in a cool place. Use twice daily for severely dry and cracked skin, then once daily to keep skin moisturized and smooth.

Tips & Warnings

• If the moisturizer begins to separate after cooling, use a handheld mixer to blend the lotion until it is smooth and well blended.
• Do not store the moisturizer in rooms with warm temperatures, as it will cause the lotion to separate. Likewise, avoid storing in very cold areas as the lotion will harden and need to be reheated before it can be applied.
• Purchase unscented cocoa butter if you plan to add fragrant essential oils. Cocoa butter has a natural cocoa scent which can mask the fragrance of additional oils.
• The cooling process can take quite some time. To speed the cooling process while stirring, place a fan nearby to help cool the air around the bowl.
• Do not add essential oils to the moisturizer if you have very cracked and broken skin, as they may cause irritation.