Welcome to a new year! What are you calling in and saying yes to? What are you letting go of and saying no to? The beginning of the year is always a great time to take stock of what’s working for you (and not working) individually and collectively. As I look back on 2023, I think about the choices I made throughout the year and the impact that resulted from my actions. I understand that every decision—no matter how small—truly matters, and our actions create a ripple effect in our interconnected world.

2023 was quite a year! While we worked hard to ensure access to pure, organic ingredients to support health and wellness, the Mountain Rose Herbs team also completed some exciting goals. As we reflect on the last year, we want to share our most notable accomplishments and extend our gratitude to you. We could not have accomplished these things without your incredible support. Here are some of our favorite initiatives from 2023 and a peek at what’s coming up in 2024.

Many of us associate certain smells with the holiday season—from the sweet smells of spiced cookies to minty diffuser blends, to the most characteristic winter aroma: evergreens! Even for those who don’t celebrate Christmas, the bright woodland scents are welcomed by many this time of year. One of the questions most often asked of Mountain Rose Herbs this time of year is the difference between evergreen essential oils. We pride ourselves on our wide selection of organic essential oils, but so many options can make it harder to choose.

The winter holidays are such a feast for the senses: not just our tastebuds, but also our eyes, ears, and olfactory system. This time of year, our public spaces are full of bright lights, festive music, and perfumed everything. Unfortunately, those expensive store-bought candles, diffuser oils, and room sprays are often made with synthetic ingredients that aren’t a healthy choice, no matter how much they promise to imbue us with the spirit of evergreen forests, candy canes, and homemade pumpkin pie. Diffusing natural essential oils—at home, at work, or in your car—is a wonderful alternative to scent your space with seasonal aromas. We love these three time-tested, holiday-inspired, DIY essential oil blends!

If I had a quarter for every time I’ve found myself guiltily staring down at the seed-speckled mushy remnants of a squash I freshly gutted, I’d be retired and roaming somewhere around the Oregon Coast by now. “What in the world am I supposed to do with all these seeds?,” I’d grumble to myself as the seeds seemingly stared back up at me with a desperate look of maybe, just maybe, this will be the day I use them to their full potential. Repurposing seeds that would otherwise be destined for the compost bin can feel intimidating, time-consuming, and messy (full disclosure – the messy part is true!).

I’m a sucker for seasonal scents. As soon as fall arrives, I begin making homemade wax melts, diffuser blends, roll-on perfumes, and natural skincare recipes to match the seasonal shift. I was recently inspired by my dear colleague Heidi’s autumn spice lotion recipe and I thought a foaming hand soap would make a great compliment.

Irradiation of food is a topic that is increasingly showing up as a point of concern for Mountain Rose customers, so I want to take a minute to talk about this timely subject. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of food irradiation in 1963 to kill bacteria, molds, insects, etc. in wheat and flour. Today, the FDA has approved irradiation for fruits, vegetables, eggs in the shell, spices and seasonings, sprouting seeds, poultry, crustaceans and shellfish, and red meats. Food irradiation involves exposing foods to one of three different types of ionizing radiation: gamma rays from cobalt-60, x-rays, or electron beams. The FDA uses this technology to improve food safety and extend storage and shelf life. Meanwhile, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organics Program (NOP), which oversees the nation’s organics labeling, prohibits the use of irradiation to treat organic products because the process alters the natural state of food. These two opposing views present consumers with something of a conundrum.

A good shaving cream can make all the difference in both the quality and comfort of a shave. It’s no wonder then that this homemade shaving cream recipe has been such a longtime favorite of the Mountain Rose Herbs community. Whether you’re working on your beard, your head, or a full-body cleanup, the rich texture of this cream feels wonderful on the skin as it nourishes, hydrates, and makes a perfect surface to safely and comfortably shave away unwanted hair.

Summer being what it is—with all the extra sunshine and outdoor fun—our deodorant choices start to matter in a bigger way. Consumers have become increasingly aware of the potential issues that can come with using deodorants with ingredients like propylene glycol, aluminum, and triclosan, and have been turning more and more to natural deodorants. Unfortunately, while over-the-counter natural deodorants are a safer and more earth-friendly option than those loaded with parabens and chemicals, they are still packaged in mostly non-recyclable plastics that millions of Americans throw away every year. Happily, it’s an easy task to make your own natural, herbal, roll-on deodorant.

Slime—that strange substance that defies Newton’s laws of viscosity—has been a staple in store toy aisles for almost 50 years and the DIY versions have been around almost as long. The typical school-science-project slime recipe involves mixing either borax or contact lens solution with PVA glue and water. The science behind it is a chemical reaction between the polyvinyl acetate in the glue and the borate ions in the contact solution or borax, an action called cross-linking that results in a logic-defying substance that is a whole lot of fun to play with. However, fascinating DIY science aside, too much exposure to boron—which is the base of borax, boric acid, and also, ironically, that contact lens solution—can cause respiratory, skin, and eye irritation, and when ingested can lead to nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Note the caution on the front of a box of borax detergent: Caution: Eye irritant, may be harmful if swallowed. Needless to say, that DIY slime hack is not ideal for small children, particularly those who tend to taste-test things. Fortunately for the child in all of us, you can make slime from psyllium husk!

When I say “herbal hair,” what is the first thing that comes to mind? Confusion? An image of someone who rarely takes care of their locks? Or maybe even a slight understanding of the magick of apple cider vinegar as a rinse? To me, herbal hair is the alchemy between humans and the earth. The delicate dance between caretaker, gardener, and healer. Beauty rituals that comfort our souls and release our grip and dependence on man-made products. At the root of it all, herbal hair care can nourish our scalps and color our locks, simply by using flowers, leaves, roots, and seeds. This can be in the form of a hydrosol mist, a leave-in spray, or an infusion of jojoba oil and rosemary for scalp nutrients.