Sunday 20 September 2015

The Coconut Connection...

Sometimes I think I'm a bit slow off the mark.

For some time I've been wondering why my nails are particularly good at this time of year. When I say good I mean they seem strong, they don't split and I actually find myself having to cut them to keep them to a reasonable length. At other times of the year my nails are soft and tend to split very easily.

Today the penny dropped. This is the time of year that my soap making is at its height. I'm preparing batches daily for the Craft Fairs that lead up to Christmas and every day the first thing I do it to dip my hands into my supply of coconut oil.



Coconut oil is one of the few oils that is solid at room temperature so rather than pour it I have to cut it up into small pieces - rather as if I was making pastry. Hence each morning I wipe a fair amount of coconut oil from my hands. So there you have it...coconut oil is the reason my nails are so good. Not rocket science is it!

I realise that come December when I've stopped making soap for a while that my nails will revert to their previous poor state so this morning I decided I'd make a balm to treat my nails throughout the non-soap months. Of course I could continue to dip my fingers in coconut oil but I want something that is a little harder, more penetrating and with essential oils to soften my cuticles and excite my senses.

So this morniing I've formulated my Nail & Cuticle Repair Balm using beeswax, aloe vera butter and, of course, heaps of coconut oil. I've added a drop of Vitamin E for good measure and essential oils of red mandarin and neroli so the balm, I hope, will be an absolute joy to use.


Two small tins to test...


Almost ready...


Why has it taken me so long? Maybe I have a coconut for a brain!