My hands are so rough and dry at the moment that I put runs in my own sheer silk stockings. That is a joke! When was the last time you saw me in black stockings and heels! But my working hands are pretty rough. One way to have soft hands is to work with raw wool. The lanolin in the wool is the best thing for your hands. However I do have an alternative as well! More of that in a minute.
Mama’s fleece has been washed. Sara the Crazy Sheep Lady over at Punkins Patch has done all the dirty work. Her hands will be very soft. You will remember the fleece laid out before I shipped it. All filthy. Well pop over to Punkins Patch and look at the difference. It is fantastic. Mama is hiding a snow white fleece under all that.
Don’t tell Sara what I used to do with the wool! She is going to blog each step for us right through to the spinning so that we can learn the process too. I will link it in each time.
Now because most of you do not have access to this lanolin laden wool, how about this! I was reading Heidi’s post over at Lightly Crunchy and came across her lemon oil hand wash.
It reminded me of the sugar scrub I used to make. Thank you Heidi.
I was at the old folks home the other day telling an old dairy farmer that I was going to milk a cow soon. He looked at my little black jacket and my skinny jeans tucked into my long boots and my slightly too bright red lipstick and all that blonde hair tied up in a pony tail and dubiously said, “Well, show me your hands then”
Surprised, I did. He visibly relaxed when he held and inspected my worn and battered hands, with the scars and the healing burns , the skinned bit where Daisy leaned on me as she walked past not realising she was dragging the top of my hand along the fence post, the uneven nails that I can never quite get clean. He nodded as he handed me back my hands. “You’ll do good.” Hmm.
So yesterday I made a batch of my lemon honey hand scrub, incorporating Heidi’s recipe, and it will sit on the windowsill above the sink so I can be a clean girl again and my working hands will be soft.
Sugar Scrub for farmers and gardeners hands. (And your legs!)
- 1/3 cup grapeseed or olive oil for the moisturising (I use grapeseed)
- just over 1/2 cup of granulated sugar for the scrub
- juice of half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon of honey to help heal all those nicks and scratches
- 2 Vitamin E capsules (these are optional)
- Take your time scrubbing with this. Then rinse thoroughly.
I was rummaging about amongst the oils, looking for the grapeseed oil, and saw that the coconut oil had melted in its jar. It was that hot yesterday. So I poured some of it on my head and massaged it through my hair. Well, you would, wouldn’t you? It is great for blonde hair. An excellent natural hair conditioner. My blonde headed friend in NZ used to say that “it was blondes like me who give the real blondes like her a bad name!” I have told you that before. But it always makes me laugh! Mean!! Anyway for shiny healthy hair (do I sound like a commercial?) leave the coconut oil in your hair, on a hot day, for an hour -then wash out. Not a cold day. The oil will go solid in your hair on a cold day and look really funny!
Anyway, while the wind blew, and the bendy trees bent, I sat on my sheltered verandah with my scrub, my moisturising hair and a big bowl of water and I had a solitary spa moment! The wind was terrible yesterday. Hot and howling. 
Important to note, do not go out and work with bees after using the sugar scrub!! Worse, do not go out and hose down the pig sty, having your newly scrubbed legs nibbled at by a snuffling pig is most unsettling! Yes I know. Scrubbing the skin then scrubbing the pig sty is the wrong was around. But I can’t stay clean more than five minutes anyway!!
Good morning. How does Friday come so fast? Friday morning is my rest morning. The chores are done at double time thenTon and I drive to the retirement home to see The Old Codger and his friends and lay about chatting for a few hours while TonTon gets his cuddles. Which reminds me- that dog needs a shower before we go! I had better get a wriggle on!
Have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
64 responses to “How to have Soft Working Hands”
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morning to your turtles! c
They say they can definitely use some skin softeners.
That is a lovely tip. Now that garden season is in full gear it is hard to have clean nails and soft hands between now and the first frost!
It is .. If I am in a restaurant i keep my hands out of sight when the waitress is hovering, they are clean! just grubby looking! c
Fabulous recipe, C!
If I remember, the vitamin E helps keep it from spoiling, if you don’t use it all at one go…I could be wrong – it’s been a long time since I made any cosmetics…
Enjoy your time with the Folks…how much longer will the Old Codger be a resident? Is his rehab going well?
AH, well that makes sense now, Maybe I should take out the optional.. I have always added a cap of Vit E to my beeswax lip balm. I guess it is also a moisturiser! the old Codger told me on the phone yesterday that he would “be getting out of here” soon. I will find out more today. Though last week he was still not allowed to put full weight on his leg.. so we will see.. c
Well that’s another reason not to wear silly tights! 🙂
I know.. where have those days gone!! c
I never had them. 😉
wise girl! c
I’m happy you took the time to give yourself a spa moment! We all need those every now and then. I just happen to have all of the ingredients for the sugar scrub. I’m going to make some today!
I loved reading through Punkins Patch’s blog to see how Mama’s wool was cleaned. I learn something new every day from your blog!
Have a great day! ~ April
the wool is wonderful isn’t it. I look forward to seeing the nest step! c
I like the idea of adding in the honey – I’ll try that next time! It’s been hot here too lately, almost 30C, which is a little unusual for May in Ontario. My coconut oil has been liquid all week. I should try it out in my hair sometime. Ive got curly hair – right now, with the humidity, I swear that even the love child of Phyllis Diller and Richard Simmons would point at me and say, “At least I don’t look like her!”.
I will bet you anything you like that my hair is curlier! I straighten it if there is going to be a camera near by!! So the oil is lovely! Phyllis did have the hair though! c
Sounds great. I used to make all sorts of stuff like this for myself and my family. Now I only do face oils for myself. I need something to soften my hands so I’ll try this when I get home. I prefer to use ‘natural’ things on my body.
I would love to hear about your face oils! c
How interesting about the wool! Makes sense!
Morning Ksenia! It is a fab process.. more to come! c
Hands do tell it all. Glad you passed the test.
The wind up here has been unbelievable also. When my husband was driving into town the other night, he saw a tree fall onto the roadway a block ahead of him on a side street. He says it would have smooshed a vehicle. I’ve had to keep windows closed, otherwise half of Iowa is blown into my house.
Oh i know that feeling. Our windows were closed on that side yesterday as well and still the dust piled up on the table in front of my eyes! c
How lovely that in all your chores you have been able to find a little “pamper me” time.
I am easily distracted! c
I am always glad when I hear that you have a moment to take care of yourself, Celi, since you are so busy with the animals and farm tasks. Enjoy your visit today.
Morning Sharyn I hope you are having a lovely day too! c
This is definitely one I can make and use! I recall one of my sisters using olive oil on her hair the same way you used coconut oil. Natural things are best 🙂 t
Morning Miss T! c
I remember that when Baki was just born we put a little puff of wool on his umbilical cord stump to help it heal. Amazing stuff, wool.
Now, that is an interesting idea, wool certainly is lovely! We need to wear more wool. c
That makes me itch just thinking about it!!
Just what I needed to hear today…my calf has finally started drinking straight from the bucket and I have had my hands in the milk encouraging her these past days…my hands are so dry and chapped. Thank you!! Question though…does working your hands in wool fleece work as well when the fleece is still on the sheep?
Oh yeah!! I am sure! Though you might want to ask Sara. And isn’t it a relief when they will drink from the bucket. It is just all over so much faster!! c
Before I retired as a Midwife, I had a heck of a time getting my nails scrubbed clean! Hurray for ‘latex’ gloves !!
I can imagine! Morning! c