Zestful summer August 2018

We are experiencing the one of the hottest UK summers on record this 2018.  My recipes are in slight peril with this weather wanting to melt the body butters to oils!  I have presented at 2 outdoor events in the past 10 days which have been as different as chalk and cheese in terms of weather and audience, thus sales. But I want to go into the weather a bit more.

Our skin behaves differently with seasonal changes.  Some people produce more sebum oils in their skin and prefer something lighter and less buttery, whilst others find that their skin dries out and needs deep moisturising.

For the summer season I've created Zestful, a simple mixture of shea butter with some other body oils and a dash of Lemongrass essential oil.  Inspired by my mum, this recipe really provides a sense of nostalgia and hope, especially during a time when young children are being separated from their parents or carers for no real reason.  With the technology available to us these days, it is hard not to be a long-distance parent or bond with your child via an 'app' or on the phone.  To ignore these opportunities, or to find this process deliberately disrupted, can lead to trauma or behaviourial issues down the line.

When I massage Zestful into my skin, I think of my mum and the challenges she faced as a single mum, and of the hope she instills when I run a catch 22 scenario past her in order to find a resolution or few.