Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,And summers lease hath all too short a date
Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare
The harbingers of Autumn are, for me, riotously colored leaves, my fancy turning to Shakespeares meditations on aging (and eternal youth), Brachs Candy Corn and the scent of a bees posterior.
You see, as the brisk winds pick up and the humidity plummets, Chris and I pull out our favorite hand-care treatments to stave off chapped knuckles and cracked, bleeding fingers. Burts Bees Hand Salve has been Chris’ go-to product. It really does work, but it is redolent.
I don’t want to smell like Chris or the hind part of a honey bee, so I swear by LOccitanes 100% shea butter. It has a pleasant and mild nutty fragrance. But my is it expensive ( for 147 grams). Bob and Glen have good skin genes, so they don’t need to apply hand treatments regularly. Chris and I might be just wusses.
But now we have a new favorite OKeeffes Working Hands (and I also like the companys Healthy Feet product). From OKeeffes (very good) web site, one can order three 96 grams jars of Working Hands for plus shipping far less than what Ive been paying for 147 grams of shea butter. It is also very light in smell, which is great. However, I now have to be careful with my mouth. Chris is behind me in the shop and I cannot tell by my nose.
Whats different about Working Hands? You’d be surprised at what I can tell you. The product website states that it contains high levels of Glycerin, which draws in and retains water. This is essential for skin healing. Another key component is Allantoin, an odorless, non-toxic and non-allergenic skin-protectant derived from the Comfrey plant. It removes dead skin cells to allow for better penetration and absorption of moisture and moisturizing ingredients. And, its concentrated, so you need only a little dollop to fully treat both hands.
Honestly, after years of fighting with dry, split fingers every fall and winter (and even sometimes in the spring and summer), I really dont care whats in it; I just care that it works, and at a reasonable cost. If Working Hands could only get rid of wrinkles, I would pay a lot more.
