How to Clean and Upcycle Bottles, Jars, & Other Empty Containers

If you’re anything like me, you don’t like to waste. When you enjoy herbal preparations as part of your daily routine, you are bound to wind up with a stockpile of perfectly good containers that can still be used. But how can you make sure they are cleaned well enough to reuse, and how can you continue to put them to use time and time again? Here are some tips and tricks to help you keep those bottles in circulation.

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Posted by Jessicka

Natural Shampoo Recipe With Herbs

Many people want to get away from conventional hair and skin care products for two important reasons; they are full of unpronounceable synthetic ingredients that make it nearly impossible to know what we’re rubbing all over our bodies, and those over-the-counter products are packaged in materials that often can’t be reused or recycled. A lot of us first came to herbalism looking for natural, DIY alternatives. But in regard to skin and hair care formulations, it’s often not so simple.

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Posted by Jessicka

Tips for Labeling Your Herbal Formulations + FREE Label Template!

At Mountain Rose Herbs, we talk a lot about the importance of labeling homemade herbal remedies, essential oil blends, and the other handcrafted goods that we put in our apothecaries and gift to our loved ones. Proper labeling makes at-a-glance identification easy, ensures we have appropriate dosage information, and helps us keep track of the age of our formulations. On a purely practical level, it also makes it easier to avoid having a cupboard full of unused mystery bottles. We may think we will never forget what we put in that tincture, tea, or aromatherapy blend, or we may have the best intentions of making a label and writing helpful notes later. But then life happens, and we put it off. So there we are weeks or months after, realizing we can no longer remember the exact proportions or even which tincture is which. We have all been there and done that.

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Posted by Heidi

Sultry Essential Oil Perfume Recipe With Tonka Beans



Alcohol-based perfumes never sounded attractive to me. I always thought using them would make me smell like I just came from the bar, which is generally not the vibe I am going for. This aversion persisted until I discovered tonka beans (Dipteryx odorata) and learned that alcohol extraction is the best way to bring out their dreamy aroma! Tonka beans are an excellent alternative to vanilla beans in aromatherapy creations and are roughly five times less expensive than vanilla, so you can save your true vanilla for cooking and use tonka beans to get those highly coveted notes for perfumery.

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Posted by Jessicka

Hot Oil Treatment for Hair


When it comes to hair care, a routine of deep conditioning can make a huge difference in the health and appearance of your hair and scalp. Choosing the right oils is one of the key parts of this process, so I have broken down some of my favorite oils for hair care and shared a luscious hot oil treatment that I formulated for weekly use. 

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Posted by Jessicka

Gentle Floral Skin Cream Recipe

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What Are Polysaccharides & How to Extract Them

In our continuing study of phytochemistry, let’s advance further with Polysaccharides. Studies show the many benefits of polysaccharides. They are immune modulating which means they help the immune system to regulate itself, whether stimulating or suppressing its actions. Polysaccharides stimulate the parasympathetic action to produce mucous, our body’s natural demulcent, to soothe dry, irritated tissues and assist in elimination. Contained in the primary cell walls of plants, polysaccharides act as a prebiotic, as most fiber does, to support beneficial bacteria and decrease non-beneficial bacteria. Serving as a soluble fiber, polysaccharides slow the release of glucose into the bloodstream as they enter the gut and bind bile acids. Bile acids then leave the body through the digestive system. Polysaccharides also prevent the absorption of cholesterol from food in the gastrointestinal tract and relieve constipation. 

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How to Upcycle Herbs After Making Infusions, Oils, Tinctures, and More

If you’re like me, you aim to not waste any of your herbal ingredients—you understand that hard-working pollinators and farmers put a lot of love and care into getting the finest organic botanicals into your cupboard. This is why I began exploring ways to reuse my herbs after making herbal preparations. Through years of making tea, infused oils, tinctures, vinegars, and honeys, I’ve tinkered up some fun ways to upcycle the remaining plant material, often called the “marc,” into other fine uses and crafts.

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Posted by Jessicka

10 Zero-Waste Wedding and Party Favors

When you are planning an event, especially one as large as a wedding, there are many things to consider: budget, theme, comfort and, hopefully, sustainability. When it comes to party favors, I’m a big fan of gifting homemade things that are clean, green, and most importantly, useful!

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Posted by Jessicka

2 DIY Natural Deodorant Spray Recipes

Distilled from the twigs and bark of the witch hazel tree, high quality, organic witch hazel extract is a lovely, time-tested ingredient in DIY and natural deodorant sprays. Witch hazel lowers the skin’s pH, so odor-causing bacteria cannot thrive. It is gentle enough to be used alone, or can be combined with herbs and essential oils. It also does double-duty as a toner, which is why you see it show up so often in the finest facial toner recipes. These Mountain Rose Herbs deodorant spray recipes bring together the superpowers of witch hazel with balanced blends of aromatic essential oils—it’s no wonder they have been favorite go-to recipes for more than a decade! And, once you have the hang of these easy homemade sprays, you can customize the recipe to create a perfectly blended scent for yourself or your loved ones.

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Posted by Heidi

8 Best Herbs for Natural Skin Care

Our skin is literally our first line of defense, not only against the outdoor elements, but also things we don’t often think about like the detergents we use in our laundry, the chemicals in swimming pools and hot tubs, and the daily ravages of air pollution. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the air in our homes and other buildings “can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities.” Air pollutants hurt the skin in a variety of ways; they can activate cell metabolism and inflammatory processes, they can induce oxidative stress that causes free-radical damage and breaks down healthy collagen, etc., all of which ultimately throws off the balance of the skin’s natural microbiome. When that microbiome gets out of whack, some people experience sensitive acne, rashes, hives, and redness. Others struggle with dry, itchy skin and an uneven complexion. All day every day, our skin acts as a shield between us and the world. That’s why it’s important to give it all the support we can.

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Posted by Heidi

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We offer one of the most thorough selections of certified organic herbs, spices, and botanical products and are commited to responsible sourcing.

How to Clean and Upcycle Bottles, Jars, & Other Empty Containers

Put that stockpile of empty containers back in action with these tips for cleaning and upcycling glass, metal, and plastic containers!
WRITTEN BY Jessicka

March 8, 2023

Natural Shampoo Recipe With Herbs

The issue with making water-based body and hair care products is that they can breed harmful bacteria. This herbal shampoo concentrate is a great way to go natural without the use of preservatives.
WRITTEN BY Jessicka

March 2, 2023

Tips for Labeling Your Herbal Formulations + FREE Label Template!

It's so important to label our homemade herbal formulations and essential oil blends. Learn what you need to include on a label and get a FREE template!
WRITTEN BY Heidi

February 22, 2023

Sultry Essential Oil Perfume Recipe With Tonka Beans

This simple three-ingredient perfume recipe features the vanilla and tobacco notes of tonka beans, earthy vetiver, and sultry sandalwood.
WRITTEN BY Jessicka

February 20, 2023

Hot Oil Treatment for Hair

For those looking for natural hair care solutions, a simple hot oil hair treatment can make a huge difference in the health and appearance of your hair and scalp. This easy hot oil treatment is easy to make and uses many common oils you may already have.
WRITTEN BY Jessicka

January 27, 2023

Gentle Floral Skin Cream Recipe

This gentle floral skin cream is one of our favorite recipes for providing radiant and dewy skin while being gentle enough for those with sensitive skin. Learn how to make your own luscious herbal skin cream at home!
WRITTEN BY The Herbal Academy- Guest Writer

December 5, 2022

What Are Polysaccharides & How to Extract Them

Learn how polysaccharides can support health and wellness and some of the herbs and mushrooms that contain them. You will also find a soothing reishi mushroom skin cream recipe!
WRITTEN BY Suzanne Tabert- Guest Writer

October 11, 2022

How to Upcycle Herbs After Making Infusions, Oils, Tinctures, and More

Have you ever asked yourself what you can do with herbs after you've made tea, infused oils, tinctures, vinegars, and honeys? Here are some fun ways to upcycle the remaining plant material, often called the “marc,” into other fine uses and crafts.
WRITTEN BY Jessicka

September 12, 2022

10 Zero-Waste Wedding and Party Favors

If you are looking for some unique wedding and party favor ideas that are affordable, easy to make in bulk, and error-proof, then you will enjoy these 10 sustainable gift ideas.
WRITTEN BY Jessicka

July 30, 2022

2 DIY Natural Deodorant Spray Recipes

These two homemade deodorant recipes bring together the superpowers of witch hazel and essential oils to provide a quick and easy solution to body odor. Try the uplifting sweet orange and vetiver blend or the grounding cedarwood and juniper recipe to match your aromatic preferences.
WRITTEN BY Heidi

July 25, 2022

8 Best Herbs for Natural Skin Care

For millennia, people have turned to nature to support healthy skin. These eight herbs have proven themselves to be some of our skin’s best allies.
WRITTEN BY Heidi

July 6, 2022