Hand care for makers

During the Covid-19 pandemic, I decided to start taking really good care of my skin. I learned about natural ingredients, what comedogenic means (won't clog pores), how different types of butters and oils feel as I use them, and I created what I think is a pretty fantastic hand balm.

I use it every single day.

It's my perfect blend of how it feels (silky), how it smells (slightly citrus and slightly earthy), and how it works (deeply moisturizing and penetrates rough areas like knees and delicate enough to use on my face).

This is a body butter, so there is no water whatsoever (and thus doesn't need preservatives). It is:

• made in my sunny San Francisco kitchen, primarily out of pure avocado butter
• 4 ounce jar
• pale green in color (because, avocado)
• smells of matcha green tea and citrus essential oils
• super rich, so you need just a dab to thoroughly massage your hands, but it's also great to slather on your feet and then put your socks on, for a deep moisturizing foot treatment

How to use it: Rub about a teaspoon's worth of the balm into your hands. Take a minute to give your hands a good massage. It will coat your hands, but don't wipe it off: just start working with your yarn and it will gradually soak in and soften your skin.

Ingredients: Avocado butter, tea tree oil, matcha powder, arrowroot, rose hip oil, cucumber seed oil, jojoba oil, sweet orange essential oil.

This little pot of oil-infused sugar scrub is especially good for nourishing hands that get dry after knitting or crocheting.

• Delicious peppermint & citrus scent
• Made for me by a small herbalist in Michigan
• Softens and nourishes winter-dry hands

How to use it: Scoop out a pea-sized amount and rub it in your palms and on the back of your hands and fingers to gently remove dead, dry skin and keep your hands fresh, supple and ready to work with yarn and fiber.

Ingredients: Sugar, aloe butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil, almond Oil, lemon essential oils (peppermint, orange and grapefruit).

Whether you put stock in herbal remedies or not, this lovely little muscle balm will feel soothing to your maker's hands.

It's made by a small herbalist in Michigan and contains wonderful plant remedies like coconut oil, shea butter, almond and other oils, plus a tiny bit of arnica, which is a homeopathic remedy for sore muscles.

• Chock full of natural oils and butters
• Contains well-known herbal remedies for muscle soreness (Arnica and St. John's Wort)
• Perfect for soothing sore wrists and hands

How to use it: Rub the balm onto the fronts and backs of your wrists to show them a bit of extra love. I think you'll love this balm as much as I do!

Ingredients: beeswax, coconut oil, shea butter, aloe butter, cocoa butter, almond oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, lanolin, vitamin E oil, St. John’s Wort oil, Arnica oil, jojoba oil, hemp oil, essential oils (lavender, cassio, peppermint, menthol, bitter almond, eucalyptus and rosemary)

This is a nail polish-sized bottle filled with sweet almond oil (and a few steel beads because I like the sound they make when I shake them!).

• Almond oil to nourish the cuticles on your fingers
• Hand-poured and packaged by me
• Perfect for softening fingertips that work with yarn

How to use it: Swipe a little bit onto the edges of your fingernails and hands before and rub in. It helps prevent hangnails and keeps your fingertips smooth and gliding over the yarn.

Ingredients: contains 100% organic almond oil plus a very small amount (4-6 drops) of synthetic fragrance oil.