Making a Rose & Mallow Cream

Many people ask me how I actually make a cream so here's one I made earlier in pictorial form!

1. Infuse marshmallow root in boiling water.

2. Leave for half an hour and then strain. Weigh infusion and other ingredients (see my recipe below).

3. Place both beakers in a bain marie and bring to 75 degrees

4. Combine infusion with oils and plunge beaker into bowl of cold water so that it cools quite rapidly.

5. Whisk to combine (I use a coffee frothing whisk) and when the temperature reduces to 35 degrees I add a small amount of Vitamin E oil, a useful anti-oxidant with many other benefits for skin care.

6. After cooling further to approximately 30 degrees I add my essential oil - in this case the wonderful rose absolute (rosa damascena) - perfect for dry, mature skin..like mine!

7. By this time the mixture has thickened and is ready to pour into my sterilised pots, with a small amount into a tester. 

8. So there we have it, two 50g pots of glorious rose mallow moisturiser which will continue to thicken as it cools.  

The joy of lavender!

Now we finally have some Summer sunshine I headed off yesterday to the glorious Mayfield Lavender Farm in Carshalton, Surrey. It could not have been a more perfect day, the temperature was soaring, the sky Grecian and I stood in wonderment looking over the 25 acres of blooming lavender.

I contemplated how lucky I am to have this wonderful place practically on my doorstep.

Needless to say, the smell is heavenly and I came away with a bottle of their essential oil, one of three varieties that they process and sell - Lavendula x Intermedia - Grosso. Just fabulous.

Of course I couldn't wait to try it out in a hand cream and made a small batch of the mini tins which have become so popular at craft fairs.

It's a really good cream, intensive but non-greasy and leaves your hands beautifully soft! I'll be making some more for my online shop later today.
Can't wait!