Consider first the lowly lemon, one of my favourite fruits. Its place in natural cosmetics is paramount. The lemon serves as a whitener, skin softener, cuticle softener and remover, nail cleaner, smell and stain remover, and skin toner, restoring the acid coating the skin needs.

Once you have used lemon juice in cooking, save the squeezed halves. Dig your nails into it and rub the pulp and skin all over your hands, or feet, paying particular attention to rough heels. You can use up every bit of its goodness.

Massage your feet with the skin, and rub the inner white pith over your nails, softening the cuticles.

Herbal Beauty

Lemon Brandy Hand Lotion

This is a very old softening and soothing lotion for rough, chapped hands. It keeps well, too, as the brandy preserves it.

125 ml (1/2 cup)freshly squeezed lemon juice.

125 ml (1/2 cup) white wine vinegar in which afew sprigs of basil have been steeped

250 ml (1 cup) brandy

Shake all the ingredients together in a screw-top jar. Keep beside the basin in the bathroom and apply frequently to hands after washing.

Protective Barrier Cream

This is an excellent cream to use before gardening or any manual work. Make a fresh batch each time and you will find it very effective.

1 dessertspoon kaolin (white powdered clay, or
Fuller’s earth, available from chemists)

10 ml (2 tsp) almond oil

1 egg yolk

Whisk up all ingredients and rub into the hands, working under the nails and massaging deep into the skin. Allow to dry. When you come in from the garden, wash it off, and you’ll be amazed at how soft your skin is. It is also excellent for feet, particularly if you are gardening barefoot or in sandals.

Glove Treatment

This is the most softening and conditioning of all treatments, but as you are supposed to wear them overnight, the sight of gloves oozing herbs and oatmeal could be grounds for divorce! Buy a pair of cotton gloves, a size or two too big for you. You will also need a large pair of plastic disposable gloves to fit over your paste-filled cotton gloves to protect the sheets. Make up the `pomade’ as follows:

125 ml (1/2 cup) almonds 250 ml (1 cup) boiling water 1 egg, beaten

12,5 ml (1 tbsp) honey

Few drops almond oil

Pour the water over the almonds to loosen the skin. Stand for a few minutes, then drain off the water, skin the almonds and pulverise. Add egg, honey and a few drops of almond oil.

Spread the mixture all over your hands and ask someone to help you put on your gloves. Tie at the wrists, not too tightly but enough to prevent the plastic gloves from sliding off. Sleep with the gloves on and you will be astounded at how beautiful your skin feels in the morning once you’ve washed off the paste.

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Herbal Body Beauty, Herbal Protection Cream for Hands