Each year, when I make my holiday gift list, I aim to meet a set of criteria. Offerings that are thoughtful, personal, and useful are amongst the most important to me. I have generally found that homemade gifts are more appreciated than things I can find in mass quantities at any big box store. Small-batch DIY gifts also allow customization, making them personalized for your beloved recipient. It can also help to keep waste out of landfills.

We have all at one time or another, had the feeling of being stuck in our heads and emotions. This kind of stagnation is a human experience that often results from a trauma; past, present, or anticipated. During the holiday season, this can manifest more easily, so having some herbal allies “on call” can empower us with supportive tools for these times of need.

Compound butter is believed to be of French origin, though there is no doubt in my mind that herbs have been incorporated into butter and fats long before they were first attributed to fine French cuisine. While butter gets a bad rap for its high fat content, fat is essential for our bodies and like all things in life, it’s about moderation! With compound butter, not only are you adding herbs and spices for flavor, but you are also incorporating the beneficial constituents of those plants into your culinary preparations. Am I insinuating that this is a health-food recipe?Not at all. But I do believe that a balanced diet that includes herbs and spices at every turn is important.

Each fall, I add a fresh batch of fire cider to my wellness cabinet. For years, I have (loosely) followed the classic recipe with excellent results, but I wanted more—more vitamins, more minerals, more health benefits! Fire cider is generally an herbal preparation that is used to support the immune system, but since so much of our immune system is affected by diet, I decided to explore the idea of adding more vitamins and minerals to the recipe.

Each year around this time, I create a new wax melt and candle recipe to celebrate the season. I love the smells of fall, but I often yearn for something other than the stereotypical cinnamon or pumpkin spice “flavors” you find most anywhere. Last year, I made an Autumn Breeze Blend, that was meant to bring fresh autumn air into my home. This year, I went all out on a new concept that brought me deeper into the woods to replicate the essence of an autumn hike.

The older I get, the less often I seem to want alcohol. Over the last couple of years, I have been better at listening to my body, and have leaned into the low-alcohol lifestyle. The biggest conundrum for me was not wanting to miss out on hosting or attending social events that were drink-focused. It was for this reason that I decided to get good at crafting tasty and unique zero-proof cocktails. Giving myself and others the option to skip the booze is a great way to still enjoy the act of sipping and chatting with friends and family without the negative effects of alcohol. Plus, it opens up a new way to bring herbs into everyday life. (Who doesn’t want that?)

This nourishing facial serum is a very special one in my recipe book. Made with four of my favorite skin care oils, this blend is deeply hydrating and yields a lovely bronzing hue that can be tailored to many skin tones. The star of this recipe is sea buckthorn oil, which in my opinion, is an underutilized oil that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. While most skin care oils are pressed from the seeds of a given plant, sea buckthorn oil is pressed from the seeds and berries which yields a vibrant golden hue and contains abundant antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids. Sea buckthorn oil also contains linoleic acid which has been shown to support the skin’s lipid barrier,  helping to reduce overall moisture loss. For all of these reasons, it remains high on my list of favorite skin care ingredients.

Skincare is all about balance. This is the basis of each natural skin care class that I teach. We should never be in battle with our skin, but rather, aim to help it maintain the balance it seeks. The cosmetics industry tells us the opposite. It tells us to use this cream for "anti-aging" or that treatment to "fight acne". They also push us into using harsh, drying soaps for our skin, especially oily skin. But did you know that oily skin is most commonly the skin’s natural defense to being too dry skin? In other words, the cleansers used to get rid of oil are actually perpetuating the problem.  
 

Seaweeds are one of the best foods to keep stocked in your pantry. Not only are they incredibly shelf-stable, but they add complex flavors to many kinds of meals, including soups, savory breakfasts, and stir-fries. Their nutrient density, however, is really where they shine. Seaweed is packed with necessary vitamins and minerals. In fact, they contain almost all of the essential amino acids, minerals, and trace elements the human body needs.

When it comes to lip balm, I’m a girl who likes to have options. Different aromas and hydration levels enhance my self-care in different ways. When I am going camping or will be spending a lot of time in the sun, I reach for a summer lip gloss recipe that gives me light coverage, but won’t melt in the sun. When I’m still feeling the summer vibes but want some more hydration than the gloss can offer, I craft ones that are more hydrating and that have longer staying power.