Roughly every 24 hours, we roll out of bed and ready ourselves to take on another round of life. We call this “facing the day,” and with good reason. We experience a huge portion of our lives face-first—the sun, wind, and wet of the weather; the scents, textures, and flavors of our daily meals; the touch of a loved one’s kiss on our cheek; the critical informational exchanges conveyed through our expressions—and each of these encounters leaves its mark of experience behind. That’s A LOT of responsibility for one small part of the body to handle, so it’s important to give your complexion the nutrients it needs to repair and fortify itself for the storms, sensations, and smiles ahead!

Hydrosols are pure botanical extracts produced by distilling fresh leaves, fruits, flowers, and other plant material to create aromatic waters. Although they have similar properties to their essential oil counterparts, they are more delicately scented. These high-quality flower waters are loved for their ease of use and versatility in aromatherapy and body care formulations. Recently, we had the opportunity to speak with the husband-wife team who craft our certified organic hydrosols. During a brief lull in the harvest season, they graciously took a moment to tell us more about how they create these delightfully fragrant waters.

Each spring as another camping season draws near, I find myself on the hunt for new gear deals, trail spots, and of course, trail food recipes! My ideal camping fare is healthy, filling, shelf-stable, and simple to make (after all, preparing to hit the trail requires enough prep already!). Homemade energy balls already tick all those boxes, but I was recently inspired to pack even MORE goodness into each tasty bite—with a little turmeric and chai spice.

Many a parent will vow that the arrival of their child was the greatest gift they’ve ever received—and also the most demanding! As the proud keeper of a tiny new human myself, I am deeply immersed in the difficult but rewarding work of merging pre-baby life with parenthood, and one truth that’s never been clearer to me is that families need the support of their village to thrive. Since we can’t always be there physically for the ones we love, we often look for ways to pass on that love and assistance through a thoughtful gift, be it lovingly selected or lovingly made.

When seasonal shifts and everyday stressors take their toll on our vitality, we often look to herbalism to support our well-being. And while we love coming up with creative new formulations to keep us in good form, we frequently find ourselves turning to a few tried-and-true folk remedies to see us through times when our wellness is threatened. If you're looking to enlist your herbal allies to bolster your defenses, these three recipes are an excellent place to start!

Throughout spring and summer, I crave the fresh, creamy texture and flavor of a nourishing matcha latte—first hot, then iced, and then in cooling dessert form. When I discovered homemade matcha ice cream, I wasn’t sure I could take my green obsession any further. But when my friend suggested a mid-July home spa day, and we started brainstorming ideas for herbal tea facials, I found myself thinking about matcha in a whole new way.

Experience the 100+ years of history behind our organic hops from a third-generation Oregon farming family, from harvest through processing!

When embarking on an adventure, whether backpacking through the back-country or taking off on a long flight or road trip, nothing helps keep your spirits and energy up like the right snacks—and few things will knock you out of sorts more quickly than the wrong ones! Unfortunately, with all the other bustle of preparing for your adventure, nutrition is often left to the last minute, forcing us to opt for items that aren’t great for our health, our wallet, or the environment. However, with just a bit of planning, you can bring along delicious and nutritious goodies that will power you up instead of slowing you down.

We visit the small and secluded valley where Mountain Rose Herbs farm partner Alan grows and collects the organic ingredients for our fresh herbal tinctures (like the shepherd's purse pictured above).

For many of us, summer is a time of outdoor events and celebrations. It's also a season of abundant botanical splendor, when sweet-scented air wafts through our windows, colorful flowers dance freely in the breeze, and rich green foliage offers cooling shade during the hottest days. So what better way to embrace the spirit of the season than by infusing floral flavors into freshly made ice cream? 

Summer sunshine heralds the heyday of fun outdoor play for little ones, but these warm days can also bring heat and humidity that can be hard on soft baby skin. Thankfully, making your own baby powder is affordable, easy, and allows total control over the ingredients to which you expose those sensitive little bottoms—and as a mom-to-be, all three of these factors are presently of keen interest to me. Since many conventional ready-made baby powders contain synthetic chemicals and artificial perfumes that I wouldn’t care to cart around on my own skin, I’m definitely interested in finding natural baby care alternatives for keeping my little sprout fresh and clean!