Well, I wouldn't use tea tree oil.. might dry your skin more.
here is my recipe, and you could add more emusifying wax with bees wax for a thicker cream.

1.25 Emulsifying wax and Bees wax at least half Ewax.
3/4 oz Steric or Cocoa Butter (hard oils)
16 oz water
3-4 oz oils and soft butters (cocoa butter, shea butter,olive oil etc.)

Instead of shea butter (and the smell might be due to it being unrefined shea) try infused olive oils of comfrey and calendula, then make it into your salve with the beeswax and vitamin E. I make this and it is wonderfully healing to the skin and works even on cracked heels. I grow the herbs myself so I know they are organic and lovingly tended.

A very simple solution is to drink more water!

You should also check the soaps and detergents you are using.

If you have an aloe vera plant, it is a very effective moisturiser and will heal the skin too. Test a small area first to make sure you aren't allergic to it, but it you're not - slather it (the gel inside the leaves) on as often as you think about it.

BASIC SKIN LOTION
30g beeswax or lanolin or cocoa butter or mixture ((More lanolin makes the cream thicker and tackier. More cocoa butter makes the cream thicker and oilier. Variations should not extend to more than 20ml either way.)
90ml natural oil, including 10ml wheatgerm oil
60ml herbal infusion, decoction of flower water
3-6 drops essential oil

Melt the lanolin and/or beeswax in the top of a double boiler. Add the oil, beating steadily with a wooden spoon, then the water in a slow trickle. Remove from heat and stir steadily until the lotion has cooled to blood heat. Add essential oil. Stir in thoroughly and decant the lotion into a 300ml bottle. Screw on the cap and shake gently until the lotion has completely cooled.

Dry Skin: patchouli, carrot, sandalwood, lavender, geranium, chamomile.

Troubled/Sensitive Skin: thyme, clary sage, geranium, chamomile, red clover.

Melt 2 teaspoons beeswax, lanolin and 4 teaspoons almond oil over very gentle heat. Remove from heat Stir a pinch of borax into 2 teaspoons boiling water and add it to the lanolin mixture. Add 1 teaspoon wheatgerm oil and 2 drops lavender oil and beat well. Kept in a cool, dark place it should last for years.

RICH LAVENDER MOISTURISING CREAM: (this stuff is brilliant!)
2 teaspoons beeswax
2 teaspoons lanolin
4 teaspoons almond oil
1 teaspoon wheatgerm oil
1/2 teaspoon Vitamin E oil (from capsules)
2 drops lavender oil
pinch borax
2 teaspoons boiling water

Melt beeswax and almond oil over very gentle heat, remove from heat. Stir borax into boiling water, then add to the lanolin mixture. Add remaining ingredients and beat well. Store in a cool, dark place. Keeps for years.

FOR CHAPPED HANDS:
Render down 250g suet, and strain into a basin. Mix in one cake of camphor, crushed, and a small bottle of glycerine. Store in a jar, and rub into the hands as often as possible, especially before going to bed at night.
OR
Use zinc and castor oil ointment, or petroleum jelly.
OR
Mix some olive oil into some cold mashed potato. Massage into the hands, leave for 10 minutes, then rinse off.

CALENDULA TREATMENT FOR ROUGHENED HANDS [this is excellent, too]:
Put 30g calendula petals into a screwtop jar with 250ml sweet almond oil. Leave on a sunny windowsill for 3-4 weeks, shaking the jar once a day. Heat the oil until the petals become crisp, strain and pour the oil into jars. Rub into the hands as often as required.

Thanks for all the info! I will plan on doing a small batch of something soon.

I do drink enough water probably...3 liters a day...more if it is hot and I work outside. The detergent is natural homemade. The problem arises when I work in dirt. It seems like the dirt sucks all the moisture out of my hands even when it is moist dirt. Oh well...I enjoy working with plants so....

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