How to Make Herbal Soap Without Handling Lye {+ triple aloe melt & pour recipe}

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chamomile oatmeal soap favors and dried bundles of lavender

Learn how to incorporate herbs, flowers, essential oils, and other natural ingredients into melt and pour soap base, no handling of lye required! Possibly the most often expressed sentiment I hear when it comes to soap making, goes something like: “I want to make soap, but I’m really scared of the lye!” That is a completely justified fear and one that I shared for a very long time. It took months of research before I … Continue reading →

Drawing Salve Recipe {with charcoal & clay}

 
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This charcoal drawing salve is helpful for splinters, boils, and insect bites. Simply dab some on the offending spot, then cover with a bandaid all day or overnight. Repeat as needed. Some links on this site are affliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, I earn a small commission for sending a customer their way.    Several years ago, I mentioned on this site that I was taking online classes through … Continue reading →

How to Make a Lotion for Leg Cramps & Growing Pains

 
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cobalt blue glass jar filled with DIY magnesium lotion for growing pains, beside comfrey leaves and a bowl of beeswax pastilles

Naturally soothe leg cramps, growing pains, and restless legs with this DIY herb-infused magnesium lotion recipe. This lotion recipe first came about as a solution to the growing pains my kids develop from time to time. My son had been experiencing some back pain during a growth spurt (he was 13 and already 5’10”) and my daughter had nightly leg cramps, so our naturopath suggested magnesium oil. It worked wonders on them after only a … Continue reading →

Coffee Rose Undereye Serum (Botanical Skin Care Recipe)

 
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Moisturizing, astringent, and stimulating to circulation, this all-natural undereye serum can be helpful for dark circles and puffy skin. The recipe was discovered within the pages of the Botanical Skin Care Recipe Book. Created as a companion to the Herbal Academy’s lovely Botanical Skin Care Course, the recipe book is also sold separately on their site. It’s beautifully illustrated and filled to the brim with 194 (!!) tried and tested herbal recipes. I love that the … Continue reading →

5 Things to Make with Hollyhocks

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two shampoo bars on wooden soap dish with pink hollyhock flowers and green hollyhock leaves

Learn 5 ways to use hollyhocks – a lovely old-fashioned garden flower that’s completely edible and non-toxic! Many people don’t realize that the common garden flower, Hollyhock, is completely edible – root, leaves and blossoms – and useful for more than just its charming looks. Hollyhock is a direct relation to Marshmallow and can sometimes be used as a milder substitute for that herb; the primary exception being that Hollyhocks have woodier and tougher roots, … Continue reading →

Rose Infused Witch Hazel

 
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jar of rose infused witch hazel on a wooden pallet with fresh rose petals and leaves

Soothing roses and anti-inflammatory witch hazel combine in this beautiful rose infused witch hazel – perfect to use as a facial toner, for bug bites, acne, sunburn, varicose veins & more! My roses are in full bloom this week and I’ve been busily preserving them in all sorts of ways! I first made this lovely rose infused witch hazel several years ago and decided to include it in a gift basket for my mom. Here’s … Continue reading →

Spring Tonic Honey {with dandelions & violets}

 
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Spring has sprung around my house!  Two of my favorite plants to work with – dandelions and violets – are everywhere. By infusing them in pure honey we can enjoy the health benefits that each one offers. Today, I want to show you how I use these lovely weeds to make a Spring Tonic Honey that’s helpful for allergies, sore throats & more! We’re going to need three ingredients: raw honey (local if at all … Continue reading →

Lavender Face Cream with Lilacs & Violets {3 recipes!}

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Lavender Face Cream with Beeswax

I originally made this lovely homemade lavender face cream for my mom for Mother’s Day and she loved it! Since that time, I’ve made a few more versions of it that I wanted to share with you today! My mom loves lilacs, so I use those flowers, plus fresh violet blossoms to infuse the water portion of the cream. Unfortunately, lilacs are one of those flowers, along with gardenias, whose scent is unable to be … Continue reading →