We made a very simple balm using only three ingredients -coconut oil, gorse and dandelions (you could, of course, omit the gorse if this doesn’t grow nearby -I’m sure dandelions grow everywhere though!)

Gorse is said to heal chronic conditions, bring hope and to enable a person to harness their inner resources. It is said that the dandelion balances emotions, bringing joy and releasing tension in the muscles. The delicate scent of coconut from the gorse and the honey-like  tones of the dandelion form a soothing combination.

First we harvested some dandelion flowers and gorse petals. I think this is best done on a sunny day to capture some of that beautiful sunshine in the finished product and we will be reminded of that energy each time we use it. On a more practical level, it ensures the petals dry more easily and quickly.

Once the flowers had dried for a couple of days we were ready to begin. We melted a dollop of coconut oil (big enough to fill the jar I had for the balm) in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water and then added the petals. We left them to infuse in the oil over a very low heat for a couple of hours (making sure to check the water so that the pan didn’t boil dry).

The mixture was then sieved and we were left with a wonderful yellow sunshine liquid. Once cooled to allow the oil to firm up a little, we whisked it up until it resembled butter icing.

We spooned the lemon-coloured mixture into the little jar (and couldn’t resist smoothing it on our hands in the process!)

This balm will be perfect on chapped lips and sore noses as well as getting feet flip-flop-ready! It would make a lovely little present for a gardener too I think, to soothe those hard-working hands.