Gardener's Hand Cream
(PHOTO: RYAN BENYI)

Use a microplane to grate a beeswax candle or buy grated wax at craft stores.

1 cup grated beeswax
1/2 cup jojoba oil
2 tablespoons aloe vera gel
2 tablespoons vitamin E oil
1/2 cup sweet almond oil
9 drops peppermint essential oil
9 drops orange essential oil
Combine grated beeswax, jojoba oil and aloe vera gel in the top of a double boiler or in a glass measure in the microwave. Melt (about 45 seconds in the microwave or up to 3 minutes in a double boiler). Remove from heat and whisk until cool, adding vitamin E oil, almond oil and essential oils as mixture begins to thicken. Spoon cream into a jar, cover and store 1 to 2 days in a cool, dark place.

Note: The beeswax mixture can be sticky when it cools. To minimize cleanup time, try this disposable version of a double boiler: Put the ingredients you need to melt into a clean, empty aluminum can. Place the can in a water bath inside a heavy saucepan, then bring the water to a simmer and melt the ingredients as you normally would. When you're done, simply dispose of the can.