Category: DIY & Recipes

Joint pain is one of the most common complaints that people ask about. Wether its a general achy-ness, or concentrated in one area… joint pain can make it hard to do the things that you want to enjoy.

Why do my joints ache?

Topical treatments can go a long way to help ease the discomfort of joint pain, and even help to support the healing of joint pain. But for healing to occur, it’s important to understand what’s at the root of the pain. There are hundreds of joints in the body, and different reason why they can start to hurt…

Osteoarthritis

This is a degenerative condition, caused by wear-and-tear. It tends to happen to your most used joints – often in the hand, hip or knee… Osteoarthritis is often felt more on a specific joint, rather than all over…

Drink herbs that nourish bones and joints:

• Horsetail (equisetum arvense): Rich in silica, has an “affinity” for joints. Helps to keep joints healhty, and correct swelling and inflammation. Boil horsetail as a decoction, or take tincture.
• Nettle (urtica): A tonic herb, supports the Musculoskeletal System. Rich in calcium and other minerals, nettles re-mineralize the bones. Drink as an herbal infusion: 1 oz nettle 4 cups hot water/brew 4 hours or overnight.

Rheumatoid arthritis

This is an inflammatory condition, whereby an overactive immune system attacks the joints. In this case, you might feel pain in your joints more generally all-over, or more than one joint.

Drink herbs that reduce inflammation in the body:

• Soothing Nervine: this group of herbs soothes the body’s stress response, and reduces inflammation. Drink oatstraw infusions, 1 oz oatstraw + 4 cups hot water/brew 4 hours or overnight. Make a bed-time tea with Passionflower, Skullcap and Chamomile.
• Anti-inflammatory Herbs: Ginger, Turmeric and Green Tea

Inactivity

Joint pain, and body aches can be caused by inactivity. The book Holistic Anatomy explains joint pain well, “When you move a joint, it makes fluid. When you are not moving, the joints dry up. This means our cartilage has a hard time getting the nutrients it needs to repair and replenish itself. Cartilage wearing out causes stiffness and inflammation in the joints.“

You can tell when your joints aren’t getting the lubrication they need: they make a crunchy sound when you move. They feel tender, and swollen. And eventually… feel painful because the cartilage wears down and the bones grind together.

Lubricate your joints with daily stretching and range-of-motion exercises.

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With that said, topical preparations can be incredibly helpful with joint pain. This is actually an area where external herbalism shines!

Topical Herbs & Oils for Aching Joints

These are some of the plants that I think about for joint pain.

GINGER (Zingiber officinale)

• Benefits: Warms the joints, reduces stiffness, stimulates circulation, moves stagnant fluids (swelling)
• External uses:
  • Infused ginger oil: massaged to the area
  • Ginger powder: added to a bath (combine with baking soda, magnesium salt and/or epsom salts)
  • Decoction: poured into a bath, or used for a compress
  • Ginger poultice: applied directly to the area

CAYENNE (Capsicum)

• Benefits: Temporarily desensitises local nerves and decreases the sensation of pain
• External uses:
  • Infused cayenne oil: massaged to the area
  • Herbalist David Hoffman recommends the following remedy: 1/2 cayenne tincture + 1/2 glycerine. Glycerine helps to counter the drying effect of the alcohol, and helps to drive the medicine into the deeper tissues. Apply directly to the area.
• Notes: Ginger tea is a delicious anti-inflammatory remedy!

FRANKINCENSE (Boswellia)

• Benefits: A skin-wonder! Rich in anti-inflammatory compounds.
• External uses:
  • Infused Frankincense oil: massaged to the area
• Notes: Resins have a long history of topical use for pain and arthritis. You can also use Myrrh, and Pine resins in the same way.

VIOLET LEAF (Viola)

MUSTARD SEED

KAVA (Piper methysticum):

PASSIONFLOWER (Passiflora incarnata L)

CASTOR OIL:

OMEGA 3 RICH OILS:

Aching Joints Remedies: Recipes from the blog

Here are two recipes that you can make to treat aches and pain. Include any of the herbs from the list above, to create your own special blend!

Deep Warmth, Ginger Infused Body Oil

Liniment Remedy, Achy Joints & Muscles

I came up with this herbal blend at the supermarket the bright, warm colors of the carrots, ginger, and grapefruit called out to me! Orange foods are rich in carotenoids, which have been shown to “accumulate mostly in the epidermis and act as a protective barrier.” (source) They make an incredible tonic for the skin and infuse very well into oil.

Herbal Skincare Benefits: Carrots are antioxidant-rich, protect the skin from damage, and give the skin a real glow. Ginger is warming (boosting circulation) and anti-inflammatory. Grapefruit is stimulating, it promotes flow and moves accumulation in the tissues.

Use it daily as a therapeutic body oil. The herbs are tonics for the skin – they boost vitality and strength, externally and deeper within. The warmth and stimulation help you to feel in balance during darker, colder, and heavier seasons of life.

You can use it directly on the skin (right after a shower is best) and add it to skincare recipes that call for oil.

How to make a strong herbal oil infusion:

This oil is bright orange and smells amazing. To make your oil infusion strong, there’s a little extra step that I recommend – it makes a big difference:

Once you’ve measured and combined the ingredients – blitz it all together into an “herbal oil slushie.”

Breaking down the botanicals – helps to enhance the extraction process. The oil is able to draw out more of the beneficial compounds.

You’ll notice the color comes out vibrant, the aroma is wildly aromatic – and you can feel the therapeutic, warming, stimulating actions over your skin.

Recipe: Ginger, Carrot + Grapefruit

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 carrots, dehydrated
• 1 grapefruit, dehydrated
• 1 pound ginger, dehydrated
• Carrier oil of choice: I used Apricot Kernal

*This amount made about 8 ounces of herbal oil for me

METHOD:

• Prep your ingredients. Wash everything, and then slice thinly. Set it to dehydrate. I recommend using a dehyrator, but you can use the oven set at the lowest temperature. Note: The ingredients need to be fully dry before infusing in oil, this helps prevent molding.
• Once that’s ready, you can begin the infusion process. Fill a jar 3/4 of the way with dried carrot, dried ginger, and dried grapefruit (equal parts of each)
• Pour in the carrier oil to fully cover the ingredients.
• Pour everything out into a bullet blender, and blitz for at least 5 minutes.
• Pour the “oil slushie” back into the infusion jar. Cap it and decide whether you want to do a slow, cold infusion. Or if you prefer to do a warm, quick infusion. There’s no difference in the final product – it comes down to time and preference. Both ways are amazing!
• Slow, cold method: Set the jar aside in a warm (definitely not cold) spot in the home, away from direct light. Leave it for 4 weeks to infuse, and try to give it a good shake every couple of days to help the infusion process.
• Warm, quick method: Set the jar to infuse, in your chosen heat source (sous-vide, boxed dehydrator, yogurt maker…) at 120° for
  3-10 days of continuous heat.
• Strain out the oil, and bottle it in a dark, glass container. It’s ready to use!

Hope you enjoy the recipe and feel warm and cozy using it. Here are a few more pictures from my herbal oil-making session at home. Take care, Militza.

A scalp scrub does wonders for your hair. Scrubbing the scalp helps to remove buildup, exfoliate, and promote healthy hair growth.

You can make a scalp scrub by adding salt to your regular shampoo. It can be that simple.

I tried infusing herbal ingredients into the salt to see what happens – and the results have been amazing!

It’s such a great recipe to make – and you can make this using simple kitchen ingredients!

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Making Infused Salt

Salt is the base, the physical exfoliant. We’re going to saturate it with an herbal vinegar, and then dehydrate it. It’s just like making flavored salts for cooking with! 

Vinegar is the ultimate hair care ingredient – it has a low pH, it promotes healhty scalp. It’s anti-fungal, helpful for dandruff. It’s rich in plant acids, which helps to exfoliate the scalp, remove buildup which helps hair growth.

AND it’s a vehicle for beneficial botanicals. Vinegar is a strong solvent – that can extract out water-soluble nutrients, and minerals that enhance hair health.

• Peppermint invigorates the scalp & increases circulation.
• Orange peel is cleansing.
• Hibiscus is stimulating & antioxidant rich.

Scrubbing with salt

You can add  herbal-infused salt to your favorite shampoo. I probably wouldn’t premix a whole bottle of shampoo… I would mix some up before shampooing. 

But, personally, I  like to use it just like a body scrub – straight onto the scalp… without any shampoo. 

It feels really good!

Video edited on Kapwing

Orange-Mint Scalp Scrub

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups Salt 
• 2/3 cup Water
• 1/3 Apple cider vinegar
• Peel from one orange 
• 1/4 cup or big handful of fresh mint, or 4 tbsp dried mint 
• 2 tbsp hibiscus (dried tea)
• 1 tbsp oil – coconut, grape seed, or see recommendations
• optional: 6 drops sweet orange essential oil, 4 drops peppermint essential oil

Method:

Start by making the herbal vinegar for the salt infusion
Peel an orange…

Take a handful of fresh mint, or about 3 tablespoons of dried mint… 

And two tablespoons of hibiscus tea. All of this goes into a bullet blender.

Top everything off with apple cider vinegar and water – just to the point where it covers the ingredients. 

Blend it for several minutes. 

And then strain over the salt, so that there’s no herbal pulp in the salt (otherwise it will be hard to wash out from your hair) 

This is my favorite strainer – its a super-fine mesh!

Dehydrate the salt at 120 for about an hour or two – depending on how thick it is. Spread the salt thin so it dries more quickly. 

You can do it in the oven, at the lowest setting with the door left cracked open so its not too hot. 

Once dried – add the oil, mix well and then store it in an airtight container. 

Notes

To use: wet your hair in the shower. Scoop out a handful of salt, and massage onto your scalp. Just like you would use a body scrub. If you want, use it with shampoo – find what feels good to you. Rinse off thoroughly. Scrub once per week. 

Will keep for 6 months. But make sure you don’t use wet hands to scoop out the salt. And I still recommend using it up in a month or two so that’s as fresh as possible. 

Blonde hair? I’m not sure – but the hibiscus could potentially tint your hair… might be fun. Or leave it out if that’s a concern. 

Enjoy! – Militza Xx

When it comes to cleansing, we often hear words like: removing, eliminating, and purifying.

Words like replenishing, nourishing, and restoring aren’t usually part of the conversation —but this recipe shows why they should be.

A way to transform our approach

Typical body/facial cleansers work through actions of extraction and elimination.

It helps you achieve the goal of having clean skin, but using methods that leave the skin stripped of its resources. And that’s unsustainable. There’s going to be an imbalance.

Instead we can consider a regenerative approach to cleansing – using methods that prioritize replenishment and nourishment. So that you can balance the want for clean skin, with the needs of healthy skin.

Here’s what regenerative cleansing looks like, through the lens of this recipe:

1. Being pro-biotic 
   
   “Cleansing” has come to mean removing microbes from the skin. But we are beginning to recognise, like the gut, our skin too depends on a healthy, diverse microbiome.

   Oats are a pre-biotic, which means it feeds healthy bacteria on the skin – which do the  work of cleaning by  keeping the numbers of pathogens and opportunistic bacteria in-balance. 

2.  Supporting natural exfoliation.

   Exfoliation is a natural process of renewal – but it’s about strengthening the skin barrier, not stripping it and depleting it.The lactic acid in goat’s milk removes  dead-skin cell accumulation on the surface of the skin –and–  restores moisture (milk fat) into the skin. It fortifies. the skin barrier, and the acid mantle.  because goat milk has the same pH as the skin, it supports the acid mantle. 

3. Clearing excess oils

   Soap, and certainly over-washing, can leave the skin stripped of its own natural resources: oils, microbes, acid-mantle.

   Saponin-rich herbs have a soap-like action. They clean by helping to capture and remove excess oils, dirt, and bacteria. Oats is an incredible saponin-rich herb, full of lipids, pre-biotics, nourishment. And it also acts as a  buffering agent which means it helps the skin maintain a normal pH. Oats are seriously underrated.  It cleans your skin, and at the same time moistens the skin barrier, supports the microbiome and maintains the skin’s pH.  

Oat & Goat Cleanser

A powder-to-cream cleanser that  cleans and replenishes the skin. Gentle enough to use daily, leave on as a mask.  

Ingredients: 

• 1 part full-fat goat milk powder (amazon)
• 1 part colloidal oatmeal (amazon),
  or finely ground rolled oats

  * “part” can be any unit of measure, ie: teaspoon, tablespoon, cup, ounce.

  For this recipe, it can be 1/4 cup goat milk powder, 1/4 cup colloidal oatmeal. All depending on how much or how little you want to make. 

Step 1

Combine the goat milk powder and colloidal oatmeal together and mix well. Store in a labeled container. 

Step 2

To use: scoop out 1 tbsp into a small bowl. Activate with droplets of warm water to form a creamy paste. 

If you are wearing makeup and/or sunscreen, remove that first with an oil cleanser, ie: jojoba oil + a soft damp cloth.

Massage the creamy oat & goat cleanser on your face (body) let it sit for 10-minutes and then wash off.

I like to apply it onto my skin just before getting into the shower, and then I’ll only wet/wash my face just at the end of my shower. 

Thoughts?

Cleansers are a fascinating topic because ultimately –  it’s a solution to a problem that was never well-defined.

Why do we need to clean our face with a product every day? What was the problem that facial cleansers were created to solve?

Cleansing has  become so ingrained – using a cleanser feels necessary. It’s a standard, daily practice. The only question we ask, is: what cleanser is best?

But, something that’s interesting to consider is: do I need a product to clean my face at all?

James Hamblin is a doctor and journalist who made waves back in 2016 when he took this “cleansing” question a step further and asked – why are we cleaning our body at all? He decided to embark on his own research study – and stopped showering for 5 years – to see what’s happens. 

”Because, evolutionarily, why would we be so disgusting that we need constant cleaning? And constant moisturizing and/or de-oiling? If we do more to allow our oil glands and bacteria to equilibrate, the theory goes, the skin should stop fluctuating between oily and dry.”

The shocking reveal (spoiler alert) is that… nothing happened. His face didn’t break out. His health didn’t deteriorate. Even his social status didn’t suffer. In fact, he found that once his skin rebalanced from cleanser-withdrawal, he didn’t stink. And his skin was just naturally clean, and healthy.

You know, when I was writing my book on natural homemade skin – my publishers expressed concern that some of my recipes were too simple… They wondered if “people might feel like its not enough”

Even within the natural/wellness/health space: there’s still this idea that we need to do more to our skin. It’s interesting to wonder – where did this come from? And is it true?

Certainly the beauty industry and capitalism feeds this idea of needing more. More product. More ingredients more steps…

And yet, that has’t felt good. And for a lot of us, it hasn’t worked. 

I’ll tell you this – I didn’t change my recipes. And I’m still at it… 

This Oat + Goat Milk is definitely simple. But it feels really good. And it approaches cleansing – in a nourishing way.

What about you? What do you enjoy for cleansing? Would love to hear your thoughts!

Hair products accounted for the majority of plastic-bottle-clutter in my bathroom. Shampoo, clarifying shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner… All different brands. All half-empty. Because the quest for finding the one that finally works —is never-ending.

And then you make a hair rinse. It cleans like a clarifying shampoo. It softens like a conditioner. It makes your hair feel healthier like a deep treatment… it might be the one thing you needed!

In this article, I’ll show you how to my Shampoo + Conditioning Hair rinse. It features herbs that cleanse and tonify the scalp. With a shot of vinegar to balance the pH and colloidal oatmeal to condition the strands.

Shampoo + Conditioning Hair Rinse

A hair rinse is made with cleansing botanical ingredients, that will wash your hair without stripping it of its natural oils -so that you can shampoo less at home. 

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups (16 oz) water
• 1 tsp colloidal oatmeal
• 1/2 cup (5oz) Hair Rinse Blend

S+C Hair Rinse Blend:

• 1 part rose
  (astringent, good for excess oiliness)
• 1 part helichrysum
  (cleansing, dandruff, stimulating)

It’s a good idea to make a batch of the herbal blend, and store it in a labeled jar. That way you can easily make a rinse anytime you want.

Instructions:

Start by making a strong herbal infusion. In a mason jar, or tea pot -combine the rose and helichrysum blend with 2 cups of hot water.

Time-Saving Tip: Make the rinse in the morning and let it brew on your bathroom counter all day so that it’s ready to use when you wash your hair at night. If you prefer to wash your hair in the morning, set it to brew at night.

Pour the  herbal infusion into a squeeze bottle. 
(I like to use a squeeze bottle, or you can repurpose an old sports water bottle with a squeeze top)

Add in 2 tbsp of vinegar, and 1 tsp colloidal oats. Shake well.
*colloidal oats is idea because it will disperse easily in water.

Organizational Tip: Keep a squeeze bottle in your bathroom.

How do you use it?

In the shower, wet your hair. If you prefer, you can shampoo first. 

And then very slowly, begin to squeeze the hair rinse directly on your scalp. Work it in with your fingers, massaging your scalp. Use half the bottle, saturating the whole scalp. And then all over the hair completely. Give a minute, and then rinse off under the shower.

Does this replace shampoo & conditioners

It can.
You can use this rinse as often as you normally shampoo your hair.

And, if you’ve been wanting to transition out of using commercial shampoos completely… a hair rinse is a great way to do so. Often baking soda is recommended for a no-poo method, but the pH is not ideal for the scalp. I think vinegar is a great option, it’s pH balanced for a gentle, non-irritating wash.

Give it a try, and if you feel like you still want to shampoo in the week, you might find that you don’t need much. I  use one from Trader Joe’s. It’s $4, it’s clean/cruelty-free/inexpensive. 

If thoughts of coziness and warmth sound good to you right now… you’ll love this ginger infused oil recipe. 

It’s simple, but it really packs a punch! And that’s because we’re working with ginger. This is not a shy herb – its stimulating, its warming, its pungent – and when you massage ginger oil over your body, you’ll know its there!

You can use ginger infused oil directly on your skin. It is a hot/warm herb (and super potent when you dry it from fresh) so make sure that your skin can tolerate it before slathering it on.

But don’t be afraid to use it. Ginger infused oil is very restorative, and used to treat inflammation – even eczema and acne. If you need to, you can always “dilute it” with other oils…

What is Ginger Infused Oil used for?

Ginger infused oil is a great herbal remedy to have at home – not only for warming up cold limbs in the Wintertime, but for easing menstrual cramps, nausea, inflammation, arthritic pain and body aches. It will keep for 6 months, so once you make it, you’ll have it to use over and over again! 

Warming cold limbs:
Ginger is warming because it stimulates circulation, and brings blood to the extremities and skin.
Ginger has a quality of warmth that spreads throughout the entire body. (source)
People with a cold body constitution, regardless of the season, benefit from the warmth of ginger.
It’s also good for conditions related to poor circulation like varicose veins and cellulite.
If you get cold feet at night, massage ginger oil before going to bed.
You can also increase the sensation of heat in your bath, by adding ginger to the water. (source)

And – the somatic experience of warmth, is very calming.
In a single-blind study, people reported feeling significant changes towards relaxation, emotional balance, deep and slow breathing as well as warm hands and feet after using a ginger compress on the chest. 

Nausea:
Researches found in a study that applying a solution of 5% ginger essential oil in grape seed oil nasal-cutaneously oil prevented postoperative nausea (source)
You might try applying ginger infused oil over your chest, and around your nose.
And if it doesn’t help, you can add in ginger essential oil to boost the blend and get closer to the trial results.

Pain Relieving:
Ginger has pain reducing effect, and can be used topically to relieve body pain.
Clinical studies have found topical use of ginger to be effective for muscle soreness, osteoarthritis, lower back pain and migraines. (source)
If you’re using ginger infused oil for therapeutic treatment, it’s a good idea to also consume ginger as tea and in your food, to bolster the benefits. 

The process of making ginger infused oil

GINGER INFUSED OIL RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce (weight) of dried ginger, powdered
• 7 ounces (volume) of plant oil (jojoba, sunflower, safflower…)

Drying the Ginger: 

• If you’re going to make the effort of dehydrating ginger, make lots.
• You can store it in a jar, use it to make tea. Grind it into a powder to use in cooking… its so nice to have freshly dried ginger in the pantry
• I peel my ginger. Out of habit, but I’m trying to quit.  It’s laborious, so it’s up to you. I use a spoon to peel off the skin.
• Slice the ginger evenly, and nice and thin, so that it dehydrates faster.
• Oven or dehydrator? Use what you have, but I will say the dehydrator is my top favorite kitchen tool!
• Dehydrator: 120 F – roughly 4 hours
• Oven: lowest setting, leave the door cracked open. Keep an eye on it! 

Making the Infusion:

• Once the ginger is dry, blend it into a powder.
• Why powder it? It will make a more potent oil, breaking down the plant cell walls to release the constituents.
• Weigh out 1 ounce of ginger powder, by weight.
• If you make herbal recipes, its a good idea to get a weighing scale. This one is $10
• Pour the ginger powder into a jar. And then fill the jar with 7 ounces (by volume) of oil.
• Blend well and cover with the lid.

Warmth helps the infusion process.

• And cuts down the infusion time, drastically!
• I use my boxed dehydrator for making oil infusions – its the best! 
• This is the one I have.
• Take out the trays, and place the jar right into the dehydrator.
• Set it at 120 F for 3 consecutive days.
• Shake the jar twice per day.
• Or, place the jar in a dark but warm spot in the house, and let it infuse for 6 weeks. Shake it as often as you can remember.

Decanting the Oil:

• Strain out the oil, using a very fine mesh strainer. 
• I like this one.
• Store the oil in a glass bottle.
• Label and keep away from sunlight.
• Use within 6 months.

Why do we measure in weight and volume? Herbs are measured by weight, because they vary in density. Some herbs are big and fluffly. Some herbs are small and compact. To get an equal amount of both, we need to weigh it. Whereas oil is measured, and sold, by volume.

When you make an herbal infusion and measure out your ingredients – the standard ratio of herb to oil is 1:7 (weight to volume). It makes a strong infusion, and potent, therapeutic oil.  

What’s the best oil to use for infusions?

I recommend using supermarket oil like sunflower or safflower oil, almond, grapeseed and rice bran oil. I don’t love using olive oil, simply because it has a olive aroma.

• Choose unrefined, cold-pressed, or very lightly processed like expeller pressed
  (heat degrades the nutritional value, but you are infusing herbs and nutrients back into the oil… so I think it’s okay)
• This is the type of oil that I often see in supermarketsand use for skin care: Spectrum Organics
• If you use an edible oil, that means you can also  use your ginger oil infusion in your food too! It’s seriously delicious. 

For herbal infusions, I like to use supermarket oils because they’re more accessible and less expensive than specialty skincare oils. If you go to a food store, like Whole Foods, take note of the price of grape-seed oil in the food aisle, and the grape-seed oil in the skincare aisle. There’s a big price difference! But, for your skin, they’re both the same. The difference is that oil for food goes through different regulations to be food-safe.

Just to recap…

Ginger oil is good for: 
Circulation and flow, when you feel stiff and heavy in your body. 
Easing menstrual crampsRelieving joint aches and body tension
Warming cold limbs 
Bringing energy to a tired body 
I also love ginger oil because it’s grounding, calming and just really cozy! 

Happy infusing! x

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Autumn is settling in – and with the changes in weather, we might notice changes in our skin and body too. Which, can be frustrating when those changes are unwanted and uncomfortable!

Some really common changes that you might notice in your “Autumn Skin” are:

• dryness, dehydration, and flaking
• loss of complexion, dullness

And herbs, are such amazing support systems – that you can pick and choose from to specifically help rebalance what you need.

In this article, we’ll make a dry herbal POULTICE (think herbal mask) that smells like Autumn, and will deeply hydrate and soften any dryness – with warming herbs that will bring radiance, flow, and circulation to your skin!

First, what’s a POULTICE?

In skin care terms, a poultice is essentially a mask treatment.
In herbal terms, a poultice is damp herbal material applied onto the body…

Personally, I don’t love the word “poultice” or let’s be honest, the look of a poultice… 👀 But I try to use herbal definitions for skin care because it speaks more directly to the intention and philosophy of skincare that I resonate with.

The way that a poultice works, is that the herbs are gathered fresh or dry and then moistened and mashed. This breaks open the plant’s cellular walls and release the healing constituents to interact on the skin.

A poultice can effectively treat anything from inflammation to rashes, burns, eczema, acne, and even deeper within like muscle aches, joint pain, and cramps… Traditionally they’re used for “first-aid situations, but you can make a poultice for any skincare need…”

And it doesn’t have to look like a mushy salad!

Here’s a fun video of what this poultice will look like – it’s almost bouncy – it has the most amazing consistency!

You can make a healing poultice that is creamy, aromatic, and incredibly enjoyable…
You can make a poultice for your face, scalp, and hair, or anywhere on the body…
And you can pick and choose herbs and ingredients to suit your skin and its needs.

Next, let me show you how I chose this blend of herbs, and how I prepare it into a wearable mask treatment.

A Poultice for Autumn Skin + Creating an Herbal Blend

First, let’s take care of the discomfort and dryness caused by the dry, cold air.

There’s a class of herbs called EMOLLLIENTS, which have the effect of softening and moistening dry tissues. Emollients are useful when your skin wants protection and soothing. It gives your skin the moisture it needs, and at the same time, soothes the discomfort caused by the dry, cold air.

Some great emollient herbs are aloe, comfrey, chickweed, linden, oats, and marshmallow root…

I’m going with Marshmallow root. It’s full of mucilage (another “fun” herbal word) which coats the skin, calms inflammation, and delivers tons of moisture. It’s also a very nourishing herb, it’s full of nutrients that will help to strengthen the skin barrier.

Then, we can restore vitality and glow to the skin

If ever you’re feeling dull or lackluster – exfoliation makes a big difference. It’s also helpful for dry skin conditions. Exfoliating helps to remove dead skin cells, stimulate blood circulation, and brighten your skin’s appearance.

There are herbs (and fruits) rich in plant acids, which act as a chemical exfoliator.

Hibiscus stands out for me – because it’s made up of about 20% plant acids! In a very gentle, but effective way, hibiscus exfoliates and restores vitality back to sallow skin.

To balance the blend, I’m choosing to add warming herbs

Both marshmallow root and hibiscus are cooling herbs. And that’s important to know because we don’t want to add more coolness to a cold condition.

So I want to balance out the marshmallow-hibiscus blend with a warming herb.

Calendula always jumps to mind! It’s THE herb for the skin. For any situation where you want to boost and support healing of the tissues (eczema, acne, inflammation, cracked dry skin…) – calendula is a great choice. And it has a warm constitution, which is just what cold skin craves!

I’m also adding in cardamom, for its aromatherapy and physiological benefits. It gives the most gorgeous, cozy aroma – which in aromatherapy is used to clear stagnation and fatigue. And it enhances the intention of the blend – cardamom is warming, it stimulates blood flow to the skin and promotes skin elasticity.

With the therapeutic blend complete, I want to think about consistency.

I find that adding a creamy factor gives any herbal blend a really nice consistency. My favorite ingredients to add are: colloidal oats/oat flour, clay or milk powder

To complement the intention of this blend, oats would be good for their soothing and softening qualities. And milk powders would be good for their moisturizing and exfoliating properties.

I’m choosing to add colloidal oats because there’s already some exfoliation going on with the hibiscus…

Step by step – making an herbal poultice

First, create your herbal blend and pour it into a small blender. Grind into a fine powder.

Then, pour the herbal powder through a sieve. This removes any large pieces, and helps to create a very smooth texture.

You can see what’s removed when you use a sieve! All of this plant fiber that didn’t blend finely…
When it comes to skincare, having attention to detail makes a big difference in the feel of the product you’re making and elevates the experience.

Combine the herbal powder, with an equal amount of colloidal oats (or oat flour) to give it a body and creamy texture. Mix well.

Then store the herbs in a jar and label it.

To use, scoop out about 1 tbsp of the herbal powder blend. Moisten it with warm water, and a few drops of plant oil (like jojoba or serum you’re using), and then apply it directly onto the skin.

You can use this mask daily, I recommend that you apply it before your shower, and then rinse it off just before you get out of the shower – for an easy, no-mess experience.

Happy Autumn! I hope this mask helps you feel more comfortable in your skin as you enjoy the cooler outdoors!

Autumn Skin Poultice Recipe

This dry herbal powder is non-perishable. You can keep it for 3-6 months. Keep it away from water, and only moisten it when you’re going to make a mask treatment.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp Marshmallow Root, powdered
• 2 tbsp Hibiscus, powdered
• 1 tbsp Calendula, powdered
• 3 cardamom pods, powdered
• 4-6 tbsp colloidal oats (or oat flour)

Process:

• Grind the dry herbs to a powder
• Pour through a sieve
• Combine with equal amounts of colloidal oats
• Store in a container, and label it
• To use: scoop out 1 tbsp of the herbal powder blend. Moisten with water and a few drops of oil until it forms a rich, creamy consistency. Apply onto clean skin. Leave it on for 15 minutes and then wash it off (in the shower it’s less messy!)
• Finish with a few drops of oil on your skin to lock in all the moisture.

Are you tossing and turning at night? Waking up feeling tired?

I’m excited to share a skincare herbal remedy that can help you to create a supportive routine, that will help you release stress and tension in your body. And, incorporate specific herbs that help you to get the rest you need.

And remember, there is a season for everything. You won’t feel tired  forever – trust in your body, the messages its sending you right now. And take the teachings from herbs that support and remind the body how to access more calm, balance and energy within you. 

In this article, we’ll talk about: 

• Sleep + Nervous System Connection 
• Bathing for Sleep
• External use of herbs for sleep
• Using Tinctures in the Bath

Sleep + Nervous System Connection

There’s an important connection between the state of your nervous system – the stress in your body – and your ability to get deep restorative sleep. If you are in a constant (even if low-level) state of stress, it takes a toll on the nervous system – and it shows.

Your sympathetic nervous system switches on and a whole cascade of effects sets into motion.

One of the physiological effects of stress – is that it makes the muscles contract. It’s a natural reflex, to protect the body from injury. But, when you experience prolonged stress, the body holds physical tension.

You might realize that your breathing has been shallow, not deep. Sometimes you might even realize that you’ve been holding your breath. You feel tension in your shoulders, your back…  you feel like you’ve been contracting, closed up in a protective way.

And all of these physical cues inform the brain that there is still danger… 

The body needs to feel safe to get into a state where you can access deep, restorative sleep.

So, when you’re not able to self-regulate, and bring your body back into a state of rest and restoration – it means your nervous system is stuck in this state of hyperactive awareness. It’s more sensitive, more reactive. Anxious thoughts course through your mind…

And this impacts your ability to get the sleep that you need.

There are relaxing herbs that can support the nervous system and promote relaxation. But ultimately, sleep disturbances are a signal that you need to address what’s at the root of the stress.

Self-exploration is a big part of skincare herbalism. Creating the opportunity in your daily routine – to connect with your body and notice.

• What parts of your body are asking to be nurtured right now?

• What are the things that give you energy?

• What are the things that drain your energy?

• Where do you need to create more boundaries around time and your energy?

 

Bathing for Sleep

As a skincare herbalist, I often recommend making an herbal bath soak to help with stress, and sleep disturbances. And even if you don’t have a bath – simply doing a footbath can greatly influence the way you feel in your body.

Bathing, or hydrotherapy, is a calming activity that informs the nervous system you are safe and sound. The parasympathetic system switches on – you can rest, restore and sleep.

It’s always a good idea to add herbs to your bath, because your skin, body and mind is so open and receptive to receiving the herbal benefits. In the warm water, your pores open up – and its a wonderful opportunity for deep healing. Herbs elevate the benefits of bathing – and when it comes to sleep – we can use our relaxing, sedative, soothing herbs in the bath. 

As you soak, you might also enjoy a cup of tea, or take a tincture in a glass of water –  to stack those benefits inside and out!

• Notes: Internal Recommendations
  • Herbal Tea: Make a blend at home, 1 tbsp Passionflower + 1 tbsp Blue lotus or Chamomile. Or your favorite nighttime tea blend (click link)
  • Tinctures: Passionflower by Herb Pharm (click link), Anxiety Soother and Relaxing Sleep by Herb Pharm (click link) 

External use of herbs for sleep

This bath features a blend of herbs  that work together to release tension, soothe the body and ease the nervous system into a state of rest. 

GINGER POWDER: A warming herb, that promotes circulation, flow and melts away tension. In my book, Natural Homemade Skincare, I share a recipe using mustard powder, for the same effect – but I think ginger pairs well with the other herbs in this blend. 
.
The bath salts will have a pungent, cozy, gingery aroma – especially if you use fresh ground ginger. I recommend that you dehydrate slices of fresh ginger at home. And blitz it to create you own, super potent and fresh ginger powder. It’s worth the effort. 

PASSIONFLOWER: used to relax the nerves, and promote sleep. Passionflower is a cooling herb, it relieves hot, physical and emotional inflammation. Externally, passionflower is used for its analgesic (pain relieving), antispasmodic (relieves muscle spasms),  and anti-inflammatory benefits. It’s important to remember, when the skin feels calm, and soothed – this communicates a message of wellbeing to the nervous system. 

KAVA KAVA:  A traditional drink of the islands of the South Pacific, it has a long history of use as a ceremonial drink. Kava is a mild narcotic and sedative – you feel serene and calm. It’s often recommended for those who experience social anxiety.

Externally it has been used to support skin healing. Kava Kava is my go-to in the bath for deeply relaxes muscles, aches and tension. It relaxes smooth muscles, works on nerve pain, headaches and body aches.

Kava kava is a root, which would need to be decocted. Which is why I like to use the tincture form in the bath…

• Cautions: Both Passionflower and Kava Kava are not recommend for use during pregnancy. Although, this more so refers to internal use, I also recommend the same cautions for external use. In general, when pregnant always consult your doctor before using herbs. 

Using Tinctures in the Bath

If you enjoy adding herbs to your bath, using the tinctured version of an herb – elevates the effects. Any herb that you would brew into a tea and add to the bathwater – you can use in its  tinctured form for the bath.

The first time I used tinctures in the bath, was a Kava Kava tincture (click link) to help with neck pain. And with just one tinctured bath – I felt so much relief!

What is a tincture? A tincture is a concentrate herbal preparation, most often made with alcohol as the solvent, sometimes with glycerine added. Its very potent – one dropper full of tincture equals about 3 cups of herbal tea.

You can add herbal tinctures directly into the bath water. And you can infuse tinctures into Epsom salt – which is what I’m doing in the photo above.

You simply need to add the tincture to the Epsom salt, and then dehydrate it to remove the water. Its a good idea to pre-make a big batch of salt baths, and then use it as needed. 

Good Night Tinctured Bath Salts

Makes 8 cups. Use 1 cup per bath. 

Ingredients:

• 4 dropper fulls of Kava Kava Tincture 
• 4 dropper fulls of Passionflower Tincture 
• 8 Cups Epsom Salt
• 1/4 cup dried ginger powder
• 1/4 cup dried Blue Lotus flowers (source)
• 1-2 tbsp plant oil (jojoba, sunflower, almond…)
• 80 drops Green Mandarin essential oil

Method: 

• Prepare the ginger powder: I highly recommend preparing your own  ginger powder. It will be more potent, more fragrant. Thinly slice fresh ginger, lay flat on dehydrating sheet. set to dehydrate for 3-4 hours at 120. If you do not have a dehydrator, use the oven at the lowest setting, with the door left cracked open. Once fully dry, place in the blender and blitz to a powder.
• Prepare the tinctured salt: take 1 cup of the epsom salt, and add the kava kava and passionfruit tincture. Stir well to combine. Lay the damp, tinctured salt flat on a dehydrating sheet, set to dehydrate for 1-2 hours at 120. If you do not have a dehydrator, use the oven at the lowest setting, with the door left cracked open.
• Mix the oils: In a small bowl, combine the essential oil into the carrier oil. Stir well.
• Combine ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the epsom salt, tinctured salts, and the oil. Stir very well to combine evenly. Add the ginger powder and dried petals.
• Notes:
  • The Blue Lotus petals add beauty to the bath salts. I believe strongly in the healing of beauty – especially for anger and frustration. It also has a connection to peaceful qualities. You can use lavender, or chamomile flowers. When using whole dried herbs in the bath, it’s a good idea to use a little bag (click) so it doesn’t clog up the drain.
  • 80 drops of essential oil is for 8 baths worth of salts. It’s recommended to use no more than 10 drops of essential oil per bath. 
  • I like Green Mandarin essential oil, its sweet and relaxing – fruity but grounded. Other relaxing esssential oils: lavender, clary sage, sweet orange, bergamot, frankincense