Sheet masks are one of my favorite at-home spa skin care recipes to make. For those of you who may not have heard of them before, sheet masks are a skin care treatment that uses a piece of fabric soaked in a solution that is intended to bring a host of benefits to the skin. They can be found in just about any store that sells skin care products, but they come at the price of additional preservatives for shelf stability and single-use packaging. They also range in price, with the inexpensive ones including less than natural ingredients and the expensive ones being well...expensive! This is why I opt to make my own.

In a world wafting with artificial fragrance as far as the nose can smell, those of us with scent sensitivities often find it challenging to navigate the vast, perfumy sea of skin and body care products. As someone who gets a headache solely at the thought of walking through a store’s fragrance department, this challenge is nothing new to me. After spending an inordinate amount of time walking down aisle after aisle, uncapping and sniffing products, only to settle on one I found relatively tolerable, I’ve since opened myself up to a new world—custom fragrance!

Spring cleaning provides the perfect moment to refresh your home and embrace the new season's charm. This year, consider enhancing your routine with natural cleaning methods that are not only environmentally friendly but also gentler on your health, especially if you deal with sensitivities. 

These pickle-themed recipes started out as an April Fool's joke, but quickly turned into a reality when I realized how many people love ALL things pickles.  Even body care! Whether you are a pickle connoisseur, or are looking for a fun (or gag) gift for the pickle lovers in your life, these simple recipes are quick and easy to craft and are a whole lot of fun to share. 

If you are a person who finds traditional face soap to be too drying, you just may fall in love with cream cleansers! Most conventional face cleaners strip the skin of natural oils (called sebum), which can result in unbalanced skin. This can cause a host of problems, including breakouts, redness, itchiness, and ironically oily skin! What I love about cream cleansers is that they help to remove dirt and excess oil, but in a gentle and restorative way. 

Strength, Community, and Hope in a Changing Climate

As the world around us shifts, many of us are feeling a deeper awareness of our connection to nature. While change can bring uncertainty, it also sparks innovation, resilience, and a renewed commitment to caring for the planet and each other. The challenges we face today are real, but so is our ability to adapt, support one another, and create a thriving future.

 
When Mountain Rose Herbs launched its organic Thai Tea, I knew I had to craft something new and special with it. When I visited Thailand many moons ago, I enjoyed a lot of Thai iced tea, and it was very different from the kind served here in the US. It didn’t have the same added spices (or food coloring)and I have to admit, I missed the added spices, but not the coloring. When I saw the ingredients in the new Mountain Rose Herbs tea, I knew I was going to have to craft something really special with it.

Before jumping into all the amazing qualities of American ginseng, I first wanted to share a bit about my personal journey with this plant. For a long time, I did not feel comfortable working with ginseng. A big part of my herbal practice is ensuring that I’m working with herbs in a way that honors the ecological and social impacts of my choices. As you may know, ginseng is on the United Plant Savers’ At-Risk List and is also in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species list, meaning it is at risk of becoming extinct if trade is not better controlled. Ginseng has been on these lists for many years and remains a plant that continues to be overharvested and poached to the point of ecological harm. Yet over the years, several passionate industry peers have stepped up to the challenge of making ginseng sustainable and accessible while not affecting the already threatened wild stands. 

Bitters are having a viral moment, but rather than chewing on a celery stalk with a wry face while others douse themselves on the alcohol-based bitters bandwagon, I’m excited to introduce you to a zesty, alcohol-free contender. As a sober herbalist, I’ve come up with a powerful, sophisticated bitters blend that stands up to the hype, and possesses the celebrated digestive support and versatile uses like traditional bitters recipes. 

Well, it’s official folks. We’ve approached the time of year when the gloomy clouds outside aren’t the only ones feeling under the weather. “Sniffle season” has been rearing its particularly unpleasant head around the Pacific Northwest this year, and it’s beginning to feel a bit like a game of “last man standing” within my family (which I did not win). Being bogged down with a case of the sniffles during the chilly winter months can make the damp weather and shorter days feel all the more dreary. So, having a well-equipped herbal toolbelt can lend an invaluable helping hand towards making it through the germy winter season unscathed. One of my most relied on tools in my seasonally supportive toolbelt this time of year is herbal-infused syrups.

Herbal medicine is found around the world and is still used by many societies as a primary form of healthcare. Both Western Herbal Medicine and Chinese Medicine (CM) utilize herbs to maintain vitality, but their philosophies and classifications differ significantly. In Western herbal medicine, tonics are herbs used to tone and strengthen the body. In CM, however, tonic, or more accurately, "supplementing” herbs serve a broader function, working to balance the body's vital energies, including qi, blood, yin, and yang. This article will clarify the distinctions between Western tonics and CM supplementing herbs, providing a deeper understanding of their unique roles. It will also explore five key Chinese supplementing herbs.