The last time I picked up a bottle of generic mouthwash, I couldn’t pronounce most of the ingredients listed. That’s a serious red flag for me. I always tried to take care of my teeth and even though I brush twice a day and floss a few times a week, I felt like something was missing. So, I decided that I didn’t want to skip the swish and spit part of my dental hygiene routine. Natural, homemade mouthwash to the rescue! Organic extracts and teas are wonderful ingredients to help you avoid artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, and sweeteners often found in commercial mouthwash products. There are more than a few herbs you can use as a base to both flavor your mouthwash and lend their herbal superpowers to your DIY creation.

Have you ever asked yourself, “What herbs and spices would I bring to a desert island?” It’s a fun exercise to think about what you can’t live without. Salt, nettles, and ginger root top my list! Ginger root’s warm, spicy flavor makes the perfect addition to Thai and Indian dishes. It also uplifts healthful tea and drink recipes, like this Turmeric Ginger Tea. Ginger root (Zingiber officinale) supports healthy digestion and helps relieve occasional upset stomach and nausea.* Making a simple ginger root tea when I was pregnant really helped me stay grounded. I think of ginger as this wonderous plant ally, but it wasn’t until recently that I researched the history and cultivation of it. Now I have a renewed love of ginger!

I have to admit that, while I love crafting, I’m best at the practical crafts. If you need a salve, or a syrup, or an infused oil, I’ve got you. But if we’re talking about decorative, pretty sorts of crafting, I rely on my friends. I don’t know if it’s a lack of patience or a dislike of finicky details, but I find things like hand-forming perfectly round bath bombs to be an exercise in frustration and I live in a small home without space for lots of fancy soap-molds and gadgets to help me along. This is why I really like projects like homemade potpourri and this fizzing lavender bath powder for winter crafting projects—because I can easily and happily produce a wonderfully packaged and fully appreciated gift of herbal goodness.

Baby bath time can be a wonderful bonding experience that offers both parent and child the opportunity to relax and focus on the circle of love between them. Adding gentle, skin-nourishing herbs to baby’s bathwater is a beautiful way to bring not just the soothing comfort of warm hydrotherapy to bath time but can also add scents that your child will come to associate with safety and peace. Organic calendula and chamomile are gentle and skin-nourishing, and when combined with the aromatics of soothing, calming lavender or roses, they make a perfect herbal bath for your precious child.

There is great intention behind the drawing and taking of a bath. The sound of water filling the basin sets the scene for the softening of energy that is about to happen. These moments of anticipated tranquility build for me as the tone of the filling tub changes pitch, declaring it’s time for my first toe-dip into the inviting warmth. Slipping into the water has a way of melting away tension and initiating a sigh of relief, which seems to be more of an involuntary reflex than something I ever mean to do. After a few moments of settling in, I call on one of my favorite bath enhancements to create an even deeper therapeutic experience. Bath bombs are helpful vehicles for aromatherapy and because they are crafted in advance, they are easy to enjoy after a long day.

Healthy hair comes from a healthy scalp. This body part is often overlooked as we wash our face or shampoo our hair. Taking good care of your scalp by keeping it clean and full of moisture will benefit hair growth, eliminate dry skin issues such as dandruff, and prevent hair loss. Your scalp is an extension of your face so using products such as masks, scrubs, and conditioners that you can easily create at home should be part of your healthy hair and skin regime.

Taking care of your mouth does a lot more for your health than simply preserving your bright smile—a healthy mouth is an important part of a healthy body! There are more and more studies showing how good oral hygiene helps to improve your overall wellness, yet the majority of mainstream oral care products contain a slew of synthetic, and sometimes even harmful, ingredients.

Nail fungus is a common condition and people who struggle with it know that it is difficult to treat and requires consistency and perseverance to manage. Many medications will seem to clear it up, only to have it come back shortly after. I wish I could say there was a miracle cure. However, since I am obligated to tell the truth here, what I can say is that by committing to some simple daily nail care that involves a good fungus-fighting nail oil, you can make steady progress and, if you stick to your daily care, you can ultimately keep nail fungus at bay. This DIY nail oil recipe brings the fungus-fighting powers of roses and essential oils to the battle and simultaneously delivers vitamins and essential fatty acids to strengthen and moisturize your nails and cuticles.

If you ask herbalists, botanists, and body care enthusiasts, most say that building a library of reference and recipe books is one of the most important steps in becoming an expert. Gathering books from professionals who offer their experiences, philosophies, and expertise gives you a strong foundation on which to build your practice.  Here are some of our favorite books on herbal education, aromatherapy, healthy eating, skincare, and growing and foraging plants. 

In my travels as an herbalist, I have witnessed plants used in many ceremonies. One of the first that I learned early in my path was spiritual bathing. Spiritual bathing is using the plants and the elements (fire, water, earth, sound, air, nature) to facilitate wellness on an energetic level. From birth to death, spiritual bathing ceremonies use elements such as incense, sacred water, decocted plants, sound, and even “forest bathing'' to bring balance. In my own practice, I have found it to be one of the most powerful modalities for times of transition and transformation.