Velvet Hand & Body Cream

Velvet Hand & Body Cream

I make this cream fairly often and have just sent a jar down to my mom as a pre-Mother's Day gift, and she loves it! The secret to the velvety feel on the skin is the addition of arrowroot powder, which soaks up any excess oiliness and provides a smooth glide. As well as being velvety, the xanthan gum gives the cream a light, mousse-like feel too. This cream is fairly rich and thick and you only need a small amount to spread a long way. It can be used on body, hands and face and is a guaranteed winner.

Velvet Hand & Body Cream

Ingredients:

Method:

  1. Melt the avo butter, coconut oil and emulsifying wax together.
  2. In a separate container, mix 1 teaspoon of the xanthan gum with the vegetable glycerine.
  3. Blend in the water, preservative and aloe vera gel together. It will thicken as you blend.
  4. Add this aloe mixture gradually to the melted oils, stirring continuously.
  5. Trickle in more water, whisking vigorously. Now you can begin to blend with an emulsion/stick blender. Add in more water as required.
  6. Sprinkle the last teaspoon of xanthan gum directly into the cream emulsion and blend.
  7. Add in the arrowroot powder now.
  8. I find the cream improves as it cools, so keep blending until cooled completely.
  9. Test the cream every now and then on a patch of your skin. When the cream is ready, it should readily absorb into the skin, with no greasy feeling. The consistency will be thick and peaky (like whipped cream), and it should appear glossy.
  10. When your cream is done add in your essential oils one by one, blending after each addition.
  11. Decant the cream into a jar and store in a cool place.

Apply generously to skin.

Variations:

You can use different oils such as shea butter, mango or cocoa butter, but the end result may differ slightly. You may need to just add in some extra liquid.

You can use a floral water instead of distilled water. Try frankincense, orange blossom, geranium or rose water to match your essential oil scent.

Natural Fragrance Oils

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Juliette van der Meer

Fascinated with all things Nature, Science, Chemistry and Cosmetic Formulation; slave to four cats; my sweet tooth fuels my sweet nature.

I like to constantly learn new things. I also love crime series, which is totally not a red flag :)

I graduated from Rhodes University with a Degree in Geology but later switched to Cosmetic Science and haven't looked back - proof that flipping your life around can lead to much happiness.

BSc Hons, Adv. Dip. Cosmetic Science


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8 comments

Hi Nikita, it’s quite a thick cream but you might be able to get it through a pump bottle. Best will be to make a batch and see. You can always adjust the recipe if you want it to be thinner

Juliette

hi, can i use a pump dispenser bottle instead of a jar to store the cream in or could the cream be to thick for the bottle?

Nikita

Hi Abigail, yes you can try a 1 for 1 substitute for the guar gum.
Don’t use clay as a substitute as it may interfere with the recipe. If you don’t have arrowroot powder you can try something like cornstarch.

Juliette

Can I use guar gum in this recipe instead of xanthan gum? And how much would I use? Also, what could I use in place of the arrowroot powder? Would a clay work instead?

Abigail

Hi Ash, it’s been a while since I made this recipe but it made roughly 250ml

Juliette

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