As a child, I remember delighting in the hot days of August. My brother and I could spend an entire day in the yard leaping through the sprinkler, having rowdy water fights, and just causing general (damp) mayhem. However, the real highlight of any summer day was the moment that the sing-song tones of the ice cream truck floated to us. In my memory, the ice cream truck has an almost mythical quality to it. It would appear with a burst of song at the perfect moment, with an endless bounty of colorful, frozen treats. I recently learned that national creamsicle day is August 14 and I was immediately flooded with countless (sticky) memories from my youth. Pairing my new awareness of the upcoming occasion with the fact that our fearless leader, Shawn Donnille, is an avid Creamsicle® fan, I decided to try my hand at an herbal adaptation of this beloved summer treat that would win over even the most diehard admirers.

Slime—that strange substance that defies Newton’s laws of viscosity—has been a staple in store toy aisles for almost 50 years and the DIY versions have been around almost as long. The typical school-science-project slime recipe involves mixing either borax or contact lens solution with PVA glue and water. The science behind it is a chemical reaction between the polyvinyl acetate in the glue and the borate ions in the contact solution or borax, an action called cross-linking that results in a logic-defying substance that is a whole lot of fun to play with. However, fascinating DIY science aside, too much exposure to boron—which is the base of borax, boric acid, and also, ironically, that contact lens solution—can cause respiratory, skin, and eye irritation, and when ingested can lead to nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Note the caution on the front of a box of borax detergent: Caution: Eye irritant, may be harmful if swallowed. Needless to say, that DIY slime hack is not ideal for small children, particularly those who tend to taste-test things. Fortunately for the child in all of us, you can make slime from psyllium husk!

Organic vegetable glycerine—known as glycerol and sometimes spelled glycerin—is an effective alternative to alcohol-based tinctures for extracting and preserving many beneficial herbal constituents. Of course, infusions, decoctions, and oxymels are ideal for many herbal wellness goals that don’t involve alcohol, but glycerites—the medicinal preparations made by mixing vegetable glycerine with herbs—can open new opportunities for teetotalers, parents, and those who do not wish to have alcohol. Bonus: it tastes good! Glycerol is a clear, colorless, odorless liquid with a viscous consistency and a pleasing sweetness that makes it a good base for botanical flavors.

Cocktails and mocktails provide the perfect opportunity to put our favorite botanicals to creative use. Whether mixed with fresh garden herbs, homemade tinctures, or kitchen spices, mixed drinks are a fun and tasty way to enjoy the benefits of herbs and spices—and to apply our love of herbalism.

When I say “herbal hair,” what is the first thing that comes to mind? Confusion? An image of someone who rarely takes care of their locks? Or maybe even a slight understanding of the magick of apple cider vinegar as a rinse? To me, herbal hair is the alchemy between humans and the earth. The delicate dance between caretaker, gardener, and healer. Beauty rituals that comfort our souls and release our grip and dependence on man-made products. At the root of it all, herbal hair care can nourish our scalps and color our locks, simply by using flowers, leaves, roots, and seeds. This can be in the form of a hydrosol mist, a leave-in spray, or an infusion of jojoba oil and rosemary for scalp nutrients.

I know that washing your face with oil may sound a little odd at first, but trust me—this ancient secret is a great way to cleanse and nourish your skin! The reason oil cleansing works is basic chemistry: like-dissolves-like. Using nourishing organic oils to clean your face helps break up the grime that gets caught in your skin’s natural sebum while not harming the microbiome of the skin. Ready to get started? Let’s go!

Hydrosols are high quality, distilled botanical extracts, not to be confused with the “floral waters” you might have seen for sale that are often just water combined with essential oils. Hydrosols are beloved by the herbal community for their ease of use and versatility in aromatherapy, herbal body care formulations, therapeutic applications, cosmetics, and household recipes. They add variety and scope to our herbal practices, and we appreciate the added safety they give us when working with children, elders, and pets. Although they are made using the same distillation process as essential oils, they are more sustainable because distillers get significantly more hydrosol per distillation. But not all hydrosols are created equally. We’re excited to tell you more about these lovely plant waters.

Camellia sinensis is one of a small number of botanicals on the planet that has altered the course of history. This single precious plant—from which black, green, and white teas, among others, are made—has, for better or worse, been responsible for both the making and the fall of empires. Although it is the mother plant of a variety of teas, its power in the global marketplace is particularly potent when its leaves are fully oxidized to make black teas. Black tea is the most popular type of tea in the world, including here in the States. In 2019, the Tea Association of the U.S.A. reported that people in the U.S. consumed over 3.8 billion gallons of Camellia sinensis-based teas, 84% of which was black tea. What is it about black tea that is so alluring?

It was not until I found Ayurveda that I began to understand that the things I disliked about myself were the very things that made me perfect and were a beautiful representation of who I was meant to be—a driven, compassionate warrior goddess. Ayurveda gave me permission to love myself and teaches that we are deeply interconnected and yet so uniquely divine!

Wild lettuce is one of those “weed” herbs that is fairly common throughout North America. Its cultivation origins are from Southern Europe. The plant has a long history of use as a nervine and a bitter and, as such, is grown in a variety of places in Europe to capture the beneficial constituents in its latex, leaves, and seeds. Wild lettuce has become naturalized in the United States, where it is now regularly wildharvested.

I love the peace of knowing that I have both the skills and stock on hand to thrive in most of the situations life throws my way. I can confidently rely on my resourcefulness and forethought to help me whether I can’t get to the grocery store for a bit, need to pinch some pennies, or just ran out of laundry soap. The efforts that I put into this lifestyle are also in line with my sustainability goals and significantly reduce the waste generated from my household.