Brown Sugar in Body Scrubs: A Deeper Dive When it comes to making body scrubs, some people like to use sugar for drier skin, and salt for more oily skin… My favorite ingredient to use in body scrubs – for all skin types – is dark brown sugar. I find that it makes a scrub that feels moister on the skin… and it’s very good, especially for sensitve skin. There’s a well known brand that makes a brown sugar scrub especially for people with eczema (“) When you read the reviews, people love how effective yet gentle it is. Here’s another brown sugar scrub sold in Sephora, it’s pricey – and the ma ..read more

Balm/Salve BASE Recipe Balms and salves are very old, traditional household remedies. They’re so useful and effective, you’ll find some sort of balm or salve in most homes today. And they’re simple to make! Before we dive into making, let’s connect on the terms and differences between a balm and salve. Definition and Differences Balms and salves are semi-solid ointments. Both are made from the same base ingredients, oil and wax, but the ratio of oil-to-wax is different. Balms contain more wax. It’s firmer, more solid in texture. It’s more of an occlusive, which means it sits on the skin ..read more

I thought it would be fun to share the botanicals that I’ve been especially interested in lately, when it comes to making DIY skincare. I’d love to know, what’s been on your radar at the moment? GOLDENROD I moved to North Carolina at the start of goldenrod season. It grows like a weed here, and it blew my mind to see the outdoors lit up with the brightest color yellow. Back in herbal school, I was taught about goldenrod, mostly as an anti-allergen remedy. Especially when you have a runny nose. You can infuse the flowers and petals into brandy or vinegar, and take it throughout allergy season ..read more

Joint pain is one of the most common complaints that people ask about. Wether its a general achy-ness, or concentrated in one area… joint pain can make it hard to do the things that you want to enjoy. Why do my joints ache? Topical treatments can go a long way to help ease the discomfort of joint pain, and even help to support the healing of joint pain. But for healing to occur, it’s important to understand what’s at the root of the pain. There are hundreds of joints in the body, and different reason why they can start to hurt… Osteoarthritis This is a degenerative condition, caused by wear-a ..read more

kitchen skincare People have used whole food ingredients to make skincare remedies for as long as we know. The most tried-and-true remedies are made with simple ingredients, like grains, herbs, oils… It just takes getting to know these ingredients, and having a go at making the recipes. From your kitchen pantry, you can make salves to soothe aches, baths to ease itching… you can make the best scrubs, haircare… everything you need!  If you’re interested in making skincare recipes at home, these are (in my opinion) the best ingredients to have, and to learn more about: Table ..read more

I came up with this herbal blend at the supermarket the bright, warm colors of the carrots, ginger, and grapefruit called out to me! Orange foods are rich in carotenoids, which have been shown to “accumulate mostly in the epidermis and act as a protective barrier.” (source) They make an incredible tonic for the skin and infuse very well into oil. Herbal Skincare Benefits: Carrots are antioxidant-rich, protect the skin from damage, and give the skin a real glow. Ginger is warming (boosting circulation) and anti-inflammatory. Grapefruit is stimulating, it promotes flow and moves accumulation i ..read more

I came up with this herbal blend at the supermarket – the bright orange colors called to me! Orange foods are rich in carotenoids, which have been shown to “accumulate mostly in the epidermis and act as a protective barrier.” (source) Herbal Benefits: Carrots are antioxidant-rich, protect the skin from damage, and give the skin a real glow. Ginger is warming (boosting circulation) and anti-inflammatory. Grapefruit is stimulating, it promotes flow and moves accumulation in the tissues. Use it daily as a therapeutic body oil, to moisturize your skin – and – feel in balance during darker, cold ..read more

In herbalism, we call it a “macerated oil.” In the skincare world, it’s called an “oil extract” Essentially, it’s all the same thing. And we’ve been making them for a long time! Herbal oils are one of the oldest, tried-and-true herbal remedies, used for beauty and health. They’re made by infusing whole, medicinal herbs and botanicals into the oil. During the infusion time, the oil takes on the active (oil-soluble) nutrients of the plant —which goes onto the skin, and permeates into the tissues within.  This guide will teach you exact step-by-step methods to infuse herb ..read more

A scalp scrub does wonders for your hair. Scrubbing the scalp helps to remove buildup, exfoliate, and promote healthy hair growth. You can make a scalp scrub by adding salt to your regular shampoo. It can be that simple.I tried infusing herbal ingredients into the salt to see what happens – and the results have been amazing! It’s such a great recipe to make – and you can make this using simple kitchen ingredients! Previous Next Making Infused Salt Salt is the base, the physical exfoliant. We’re going to saturate it with an herbal vinegar, and then dehydrate it. It’s just like ..read more

A scalp scrub does wonders for your hair. Scrubbing the scalp helps to remove buildup, exfoliate, and promote healthy hair growth. You can make a scalp scrub by adding salt to your regular shampoo. It can be that simple.I tried infusing herbal ingredients into the salt to see what happens – and the results have been amazing! It’s such a great recipe to make – and you can make this using simple kitchen ingredients! Previous Next Making Infused Salt Salt is the base, the physical exfoliant. We’re going to saturate it with an herbal vinegar, and then dehydrate it. It’s just like ..read more