Howdy Y’all,

How are you? Or is that a crass question at this particular time? I don’t know, I feel that my usual calm measured approach is inappropriate given the fighting I witnessed in the canned goods aisle of my grocery store today, or that they have extended my daughter’s Spring Break another week. I am unsure what it says about me that I found the usual mundain trip to the grocery store fascinating, and not simply because people were fighting over toilet roll (I didn’t think issues with your innards were a consequence of the dreaded Covid, but alas a lady stopped me to say there was not a roll to be seen in a 15 mile radius, imagine how they coped in the World Wars.) I was more struck by what people deem to be essential goods worth fighting for in times of panic; and to my delight/ relief and then later perplexment, I found all I needed. Rest assured, if like my family you eat pasta of the whole wheat variety, the shelves were well stocked. Similarly, if you prefer organic chicken come to my local store you will not go hungry.

One consequence of this now-pandemic Corona virus is the new phenomenon of…. wait for it… WASHING YOUR HANDS. The hysteria in the hand wash aisle does make me consider what the hell did people do before? Then I quickly think it is best not to ponder. I did blow a young couples’ mind today when I politely suggested they look in their underwear drawer for that old bar of soap your granny gave you for Christmas, which someone told you makes your undies smell good. Why not fish that out to use, or alternatively use washing up liquid/dish soap, shampoo, or body wash? That’s when I saw the lights go off. I do wonder if millennials know what soap is for? My daughter always looks bewildered when we visit my parents and finds bars of soap instead of liquid dispensers. Less plastic waste I remind myself. This brings me to the end of my ramble and the point of the post. Let’s pretend that we are not new to the handwashing experience but we are simply increasing the amount of times we are washing, I definitely am. If, like me, you buy your handwash for the fragrance and the beauty of the bottle, then of course you have to buy the accompanying hand cream, and in the natural way the wash finishes and maybe only one third of the hand cream has gone. With variety being the spice of life I seldom want to buy the same handwash again and of course I cannot have a mismatch of wash and cream, which Mr L does not understand and I think is bloody obvious. Please let me know if you are one of the poeple who uses the handcream everytime their hands hit water? In all seriousness the handcreams are usually rubbish and find themselves in the garbage.

I have suffered with eczema and other delightful skin conditions all my life and changes in the environment bother it most. Increased washing casuses dryness and red patches especially under your rings where product and water tend to sit. My mother was only complaining of said issue this week and my lightbulb went off to share with y’all TLL essential hand items to get us through the next months:-

TLL BEST HAND CREAM

Eucerin Advanced Repair Hand Cream

Chanel LA CRÈME MAIN TEXTURE RICHE

Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Skin Protectant

So there we go, something for everyone. Please don’t let your hands get sore, give one of these a try, you won’t regret it. Here I am just helping the war effort. Please keep as well as you can and remember WASH YOUR HANDS! (and moisturize afterwards)

Kate x