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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.

I distinctly remember the first time I tried mochi. I was adorned in a kimono that was provided by the kindergarten I attended on the island of Oahu, and we were celebrating Hinamatsuri, or Girls’ Day, a spring festival that takes place every March 3 to celebrate the health and well-being of young girls. The tender, sweet, and gooey-textured mochi cake had me hooked from the very first nibble. Mochi is a traditional rice flour cake consumed year-round in Japan, but often is reserved for special occasions and holidays.

I like to think of folk herbalism as the herbal modality of the people. It is a general term encompassing plant remedies used by common “folk,” and it varies based on the traditions and local plants with which a given community has formed a relationship. One of the most accessible aspects of folk herbalism is the use of parts as measurement, which is sometimes referred to as the Simpler’s Method. This easy and universal measuring system has been used for recipes and formulations passed though many generations and continues to be used as the method of the people today.

When seasonal shifts and everyday stressors take their toll on our vitality, we often look to herbalism to support our well-being. And while we love coming up with creative new formulations to keep us in good form, we frequently find ourselves turning to a few tried-and-true folk remedies to see us through times when our wellness is threatened. If you're looking to enlist your herbal allies to bolster your defenses, these three recipes are an excellent place to start!

Gloriously green and endlessly versatile, you can look to spinach for a variety of healthful antioxidants (carotenoids, lutein, and zeaxanthin) and a veritable alphabet soup of other nutrients, from vitamin A to zinc with plenty in between (vitamins C, E, K, B2, B3, B6, and B9, plus magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and selenium, to name a few!). Unsurprisingly, studies also show that this popular green has loads of health benefits, making it a staple salad base for health enthusiasts worldwide. However, if you aren't always inspired by a bowl of raw greens, or if you happen to have a health condition that is irritated by the oxalates found in uncooked spinach, then dried spinach powder might be your perfect worry-free way to enjoy all that green goodness!

Winter can be hard on the skin, especially the complexion. If you think about it, you literally “face” the blustery temperature and winds of winter, only to come inside to be abruptly met with warm, dry heat. This cycle can create quite a bit of turmoil for your skin, and it’s times like these that your largest organ appreciates some extra love and attention. This is what sparked the inspiration to create a DIY protective balm for the face (though I actually use it for the whole body).

Miso soup is an absolute must for me during the winter months. I’ll often make a large batch of it and warm some up for breakfast, cracking an egg into the umami-packed broth. It’s a common staple served at Japanese and Korean restaurants, often simply garnished with bits of tofu and chopped green onions. The two main components to miso soup are dashi and miso paste. Dashi is typically made with preserved fish and kombu, a flavorful and nutrient-rich seaweed. I decided to try making a vegan dashi stock using dried shiitakes along with my seaweed, and was pleasantly surprised.

When the work day is done, many of us begin thinking about what to cook for ourselves and our families. On days that I’m hungry as soon as I walk through the door, I am always grateful when my meal is ready for me. It prevents me from eating things I otherwise wouldn’t or shouldn’t. With my busy lifestyle and Italian appetite, I’ve developed a real appreciation for slow cookers!

If you filled your 2019 with natural self care sessions, DIY projects, and culinary experiments, you weren't alone! Plant-lovers like you from across America and beyond trusted Mountain Rose Herbs to keep their kitchens and apothecaries stocked with the highest quality herbs, teas, oils, and more—and we couldn't be more grateful! We know you're always on the lookout for new ingredients to fuel your herbal adventures, so we're sharing the year's greatest hits from our extensive selection of organic and sustainable offerings. Here are our 11 best-selling botanicals of 2019, along with helpful reviews from real Mountain Rose Herbs customers!