Ice cube aftersun

Not for your G&T but to apply to sunburnt skin, these clever DIY cubes are natural coolers

The soothing anti-inflammatory properties of chickweed and aloe mean these cubes are also good for easing the symptoms of rashes or bites, too.

Chickweed & aloe cooling cubes

100g fresh aloe vera gel (see method) or pre-mixed aloe vera gel
2 handfuls of fresh chickweed (see below)

1 If you’re making fresh, slice the gel from the inner aloe leaves, taking care to discard the inner green and yellow leaf lining. Measure the gel (you need 100g).

2 Put the gel into a blender with the chickweed and blitz until combined.

3 Spoon into ice cube trays and freeze until solid (the cubes will keep for up to a year in
the freezer).

4 To use, apply a frozen cube to the affected area as and when required.

Notes about chickweed: The plant has numerous tiny white flowers and is recognisable by a single line of hairs that grows up the stem between each leaf node and swaps over to a different side after each leaf. Chickweed works wonders for itchy or inflamed skin. Simply squeeze the fresh juice from the plant directly onto the skin to soothe nettle stings, skin rashes and eczema.

Recipe from Handmade Apothecary by Vicky Chown & Kim Walker (Kyle Books).

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View the sampler here.

More from the August issue:

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Simple style | Sandals

Summer hasn’t really arrived until you’ve worn your sandals for at least three days in a row. Those odd days when you optimistically whip them out only to have regrettably chilly toes by evening don’t count. The constant wearing of sandals is a surer indicator of summer than the arrival of the first swallow.

Like autumn boots and winter coats, sandals are a key seasonal item. As such, they benefit from a refresh each year: slipping freshly pedicured feet into a brand new pair will put a bounce in anybody’s step. (Providing they don’t rub, of course.) As with any other item of clothing, however, sandals are subject to the vagaries of fashion. We’ve all padded around in Birkenstocks and clopped about in wooden-soled Hasbeens. And which one of us hasn’t got a pair of gladiators, all leather straps and buckles, tucked away at the back of the wardrobe? Salt-water sandals, originally developed for post-war American children in the 1940s from leather scraps, have been the sandal de choix for the past couple of years, and show no sign of disappearing. Neither, unfortunately, do Crocs.

The popularity of flat sandals (high-heeled versions are also available, but do not concern us here) is due to the simple fact that they suit hot weather. By leaving most of the foot exposed, they keep it cool and dry. Feet confined by leather and without ventilation run the risk of Athlete’s Foot or simply becoming unbearably hot. Which is why sandals have always been with us – a pair discovered in Oregon, America, were estimated to be 10,000 years old, the earliest recorded footwear. It is why they were appreciated by Ancient Greeks of high rank who fashioned sandals from willow leaves that fastened up the leg, and by the Ancient Egyptians whose secured theirs with palm leaves and papyrus.

The only downside to wearing a pair of sandals is the state of the feet within. There is nowhere to hide calloused or grubby feet, and wearing socks with sandals although fashionable, is still best avoided. Fortunately, a cheery nail polish combined with a stylish sandal will distract most eyes away from any foot flaws. Nothing should come between you and summer’s essential shoe.

More from the June issue:

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Simple style | Sunglasses

That moment when the sun shines brightly enough to justify wearing a favourite pair of sunglasses is a moment to lift the heart. Snap open the case, slip them on and it’s like saying hello to an old friend.

Of course they offer welcome protection from harmful UV rays but that’s just the start and, to be totally honest, comes quite a long way down the list of priorities when choosing a pair. The right pair of sunglasses provides an instant and easy way to lift your look from normal to almost glamorous. Take a cue from Jackie Kennedy Onassis, whose over-sized pair not only shielded her from public and paparazzi scrutiny but helped to endow her with iconic fashion status. 

Sunglasses also have great concealing powers: whether it’s to hide a lack of make- up, laughter lines or baggy and bloodshot eyes. Wear a pair and you can pretend that you are a wasted rock legend or a jet-lagged film star rather than someone who had a little too much prosecco the night before.

Safe behind the tinted lenses and the cheekbone-flattering frames, you can be anyone you choose, or at least a boosted version of yourself. Bono, that inveterate wearer of tinted, wrap-around shades (Emporio Armani, if you’re curious) knows this only too well: without them, he confesses, he would look like “an ordinary little Irish man”.

Read more on the history of eye protection on page 22 of July’s The Simple Things.

THE CLASSIC
Ally Aviator sunglasses | £10
A little bit Top Gun, a little bit Wag, but the teardrop shape is always cool. 
topshop.com

TWO GREAT TWISTS
Gracie sunglasses | £59
Brushed stainless steel and pink enamel. Lightweight and with 100% UV protection. 
jigsaw-online.com

Rectangular wrap over-sized sunglasses | £9.50
Channel the spirit of Jackie O in these. 
marksandspencer.com

More from the July issue:

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