Being of a ‘certain age’, I tend to look after myself a bit more than I did when I was a young man. Truth is, if I’d done so as a young man, it probably wouldn’t be so necessary now, but you can’t turn back time!
I’ve written before on Anglers’ Net about things such as comfortable shoes, sock, etc. Feet are something I look after, especially as I’m a keen walker and cyclist. Well, as with most people, my hands are equally important, if not more so.
There are various different types of fishing methods available to us all, but most involve getting your hands filthy and generally abusing them. Groundbait, salt water, fish slime, sunshine, wind….there are a whole host of things that give your skin a pounding.
When I was younger, a quick rinse in the lake would do me. Nowadays, with increased awareness of Weil’s Disease, I wouldn’t recommend that. The self-drying alcohol soaps work as a quick clean, but boy do they dry your skin out
The best thing to do after a hard day’s fishing is to have a good wash and then put some hand cream on. Something like this Lavender & Chamomile Barrier Cream from Amphora Aromatics is ideal. Containing lavender and chamomile essential oils, it rehydrates and moisturises, without turning your hands into five-fingered slippery eels. The fragrance is ‘there’, but not too overpowering. Most of you will know what lavender smells like, so it’s pointless me trying to explain it.
According to the information from the supplier, lavender oil is anti-bacterial and can treat a host of physical conditions, from sunburn to insect stings. I’ve forgotten what the sun looks like and am not getting stung by a wasp just to test this, so I’ll take their word for it!
I’ve used a number of creams over the years and this one is a good one. You don’t need a lot, so a 60ml pot goes a long way.
This actually works as a barrier cream, too. However, most anglers would be wary of putting on a cream of any sort before fishing, due to the possibility of tainting the bait.
As well as fishing, I like to tinker with cars. My hands get covered in all sorts of nasty stuff and the Amphora Lavender & Chamomile Barrier Cream comes in very useful. It’s an everyday product.
A 60ml tub is quite large and costs £5.95. You can find more details and buy this product at www.amphora-aromatics.com. They also sell a range of essential oils, so some of the bait-makers out there may well be interested in taking a look!
Elton Murphy, April 2013
