Our Blog

I have to admit, it was really difficult for me to believe that soap nuts could actually work. My skepticism caused me to walk by them at my local natural grocery store for years. I liked the idea of an all-natural laundry solution, but I figured soap nuts would not be effective enough to take on the stains and scents of my active lifestyle and dirty gardening clothes.

When choosing or crafting a natural moisturizer for your face, it helps to understand the benefits and drawbacks of the different oils included in the recipe. Facial skin tends to be more delicate and sensitive than the rest of the body, and it can be a little tricky to adequately nourish your complexion without either smothering your pores or causing irritation. This is why organic rosehip seed oil is one of the most universally loved choices for gentle moisturizers. 

When spring arrives, I turn to my trusty blender and say, “Let’s do this.” As I move and shake my way out of hibernation (and try to shed some extra winter insulation), smoothies become the perfect breakfast and/or lunch for me. These nutritious drinks keep me feeling light, but still nourished and focused, and I love discovering new ingredients to add to my favorite blended recipes.

Humans have been brewing beer for millennia, and in that time, we have incorporated countless ingredients into our ferments. From bright, citrusy witbiers to rich herbal gruits, there’s a flavor profile to suit most any taste—and many of the ingredients to achieve it can be found in your home apothecary or kitchen spice rack!

In our neighboring state of Washington lies one of our organic farms—650,000 acres of herbal splendor amidst an otherwise desert landscape. Thanks to the pristine Columbia River, this region has an unlimited supply of the highest quality water any agricultural operation could desire. Here, head farmer Phil has the space and resources to grow one of our most popular herbs: stinging nettle.

In spring, buds burst with potential energy, flowers push up from under the snow, and, according to Chinese medicine, the Wind blows change, energy, and wellness disturbances hither and thither. Spring is associated with the Wood element, in its upward, outward expansion and infinite possibilities.

It’s nettle harvest time! How humans came to figure out that nettles are a powerhouse of goodness is beyond me. They contain potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and a treasure trove of other vitamins and minerals. But as a kid growing up in the Coast Range of western Oregon, my entire relationship with nettles involved trying not to get stung by those wicked trichomes while romping through the woods. So, kudos to the first brave nettle-harvesting souls, because they figured out (as I now know) that harvesting nettles without getting stung is actually easy, and this puts urtica dioica on my list as a versatile and delicious herb.

Over our 30+ years of business, we’ve helped literally tons of botanicals find their way onto our customers’ shelves. We always strive to provide consistent quality in our herbal offerings, but when it comes to superficial characteristics, Mother Nature often likes to put her own unique touches on each batch, which can result in some perceptible variation from one order to the next. However, you can trust that here at Mountain Rose Herbs, we’re always going the extra mile to make sure your ingredients are of the best possible quality, regardless of any apparent differences.

There seems to be an endless number of recipes available for body butters, skin oils, and other DIY personal care products. This variety can be inspiring, but also overwhelming at times—after all, there are only so many carrier oils any one person can keep on-hand! Furthermore, since every body is different, it is sometimes necessary to avoid a particular ingredient due to a personal sensitivity, or perhaps just a personal preference (not everyone loves the scent of raw shea butter, and to each their own!). That's why, as an avid recipe tinkerer, I'd like to offer some tips for making appropriate ingredient substitutions to adapt body care recipes to your needs.

In 400 B.C.E., in his On Regimen in Acute Diseases, Hippocrates wrote, “You will find the drink, called oxymel, often very useful…for it promotes expectoration and freedom of breathing.” It’s too bad I didn’t have that definition the first time I saw the word “oxymel,” because I came across the term right about the same time that I was reading the Harry Potter series to my daughter. This might explain why an oxymel sounds to me like something one would whip up in potions class.