Category: Ingredient Education

Today’s spotlight is on Manuka Essential Oil. If you’re a fan of tea tree for it’s antibacterial action, you’ll be excited to discover this sweet little oil.
Manuka essential oil is distilled from the leaves of the flowering manuka bush.  Manuka honey, famous for its immunity boosting quality, comes from bees feeding on the flowers. Such an health giving plant – In New Zealand, the whole bush is used by the Maori people as an important part of their indigenous medicine (1) 

Topical:

Manuka essential oil is a potent antiseptic, its very good at keeping your skin clean and clear – especially against bacteria and fungus. (2) Its wonderful for sanitising, much like tea tree oil. 
What’s very special about Manuka, is that it has an added sweet touch of anti-inflammatory and analgesic action. Not only does it clean your skin – but it also brings calm to your skin, soothing away pain, redness and discomfort. 
This combination of cleansing + soothing  is so helpful for any inflamed conditions where the skin needs healing – where you want to sanitise to prevent infection and bring calm to promote healing: acne, dry chapped skin, burns, cuts, grazes and fungal growths.

Aromatherapy:

Manuka has a very rich, sweet, herbaceous scent. I love it – it’s like honey and flowers and fresh green herbs.
It imparts feelings of calm, clearing away worries and stress. It’s very good at calming an overactive mind. Try diffusing manuka at night, to promote peace of mind and restful sleep. 
Its antiseptic qualities makes it great for cleansing the air when you’re feeling under the weather, especially when you’re feeling stressed or worried about being sick.

Below is a printable guide, for you to reference when looking for a skincare remedy or different ways to use manuka essential oil.
For sourcing essential oils, there three brands that I buy from and recommend: 
1. Plant Therapy
2. Mountain Rose Herbs
3. Eden’s Garden

Click to download and print your Manuka Essential Oil Reference Guide

Militza xx

(1) The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, Valerie Ann Wormwood
(2) Science Direct

DID YOU TRY IT OUT? Tag #littlegreendot so we can see your natural skincare wellness journey ? ?

One of the most common pantry ingredients, salt, has an incredible history of topical use for strengthening our entire system. In this article, I’ll show you some of the ways that you can use salt in the bath for your overall wellness, to treat skin conditions, relieve aches and sores and some other fun ideas to explore!

There are many different types of salts, but I’ll go through the two most common, easy to find – so that you don’t have search for specialty (often expensive!) products.

Himalayan Pink Salt: 

Mined from a mountain system in Pakistan, where salt deposits were formed over 500 million of years ago. Geologist believe that an ancient ocean evaporated, leaving behind ocean salt, minerals and prehistoric fossils – sealed in under pressure as the mountains were formed over on top.  It created a pink salt marbling throughout the mountain, which today is still hand-minded in traditional methods.

Himalayan salt contains a lot of different trace minerals from its orgin and environment: calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium… which give it its pink color and our body essential nutrients. Although to keep things in a healhty perspective, the breakdown of Himalayan Salt  is 98% sodium chloride (regular salt) and 2% trace minerals. (3)

It’s better than table salt, but as a mineral source – you’d have to eat quite a lot – and that’s definitely not healhty. Which makes topical use a very healthy way to load up on Himalayan Pink Salt and enjoy its benefits….

How to use it as skincare: Himalayan Pink Salt is antibacterial and antiseptic –  your skin feels deeply cleansed after soaking in a salt solution (4) For any skin conditions, where bacteria and fungus are an issue – like body acne – a Himalayan salt bath can help to bring relief and balance to your skin.

Have you ever had a cut or abrasion on your body and swam in the ocean?  The wound becomes so clean and heals so much better.  That’s the salt in the water. And you can recreate that healing environment in your bath.

Salt baths are not just for cuts and wounds, it’s a wonderful way to deep cleanse your skin and pores.  Add one handful of salts to your water.

Options: Himalayan Pink Salt is a sea salt, so you could easily use any pure sea salt to receive those deep cleansing benefits.

Epsom Salt

A crystallised mineral compound, first discovered in the lake of Epsom, England – which was thought to have healing qualities. The water was boiled down, leaving the epsom salts. Today, the Epsom slats are  mined in different areas and still remain a popular wellness treatment.

The benefits of bathing in epsom salts are mostly anecdotal, passed down from generations and centuries of tried and tested use. Although there aren’t any major scientific studies proving its benefits, there also aren’t any denying it. Its really about how you feel after you come out of epsom salt bath.

How to use it as skincare: The biggest benefit is muscle tension relaxation. When you feel sore, heavy, stiff in any part of your body – an epsom salt treatment will completely loosen you up. According to WebMd, the recommended dosage is 1 -2 cups per bath. (1)

Skin inflammation, like psoriasis also benefits from epsom salts therapy. Soaking for 15 minutes, can help to soothe itching and gently loosen aways dry scaly skin. (2) For dry skin, bathe in warm water (not hot!)

Epsom salts are inexpensive and very accessible. You can find it in your pharmacy, online on Amazon. It a good idea to have epsom stocked in your pantry, to safely take care of pain, swelling and itchy dry skin any time you need!

Other uses for Epsom: Its not just us who benefits from mineral rich Epsom salts! Your household plants will thrive with a little epsom salt in their next watering. It enhances bloom and rich green leaves.  Read the packaging for suggestions, but generally 1 tablespoon in the watering can will do.

Find inspiration for your next bath on my Instagram feed. I make “bath bowls” which are such a beautiful and simple opportunity for self care and wellness!

This bath soak not only soothes and relaxes your body, but also uplifts your spirits. Do this anytime you feel like you need a little bit of a breakthrough.

When your shower is full of bottles of conditioner and deep treatments, but your hair still feels dehydrated… and you feel let down –  you may find that what you needed was actually in your pantry all along. In this article I’ll show you how to use honey as your weekly deep conditioning treatment to restore your hair, hydrate, soften and encourage healthy hair growth. 

I first learned about using honey for hair, from my herbalist friend. She used it to shampoo and condition her hair, and told me that its what kept her hair looking its best (beautiful I’d say!!) So of course I tried it straight away, and from the first use I loved the way it made my hair feel. But as things go, throughout the years, I’d hear buzz about a new hair product and fall into this mode of buying and buying… which emotionally, doesn’t make me feel good. Then I’d remember the honey trick, and think to myself – why haven’t I just been doing this the whole time?! Its such a relief to simplify, especially when it works so well! 

When we look at the properties of honey – it becomes clear why its so beneficial for topical applications, in healing and restoring healthy scalp, hydrating and softening hair (1)

top image by Kinfolk & Co

Honey is Cleansing

How can something so sticky, be cleansing? I know, it’s a mental shift to look at honey as cleansing. But that golden syrup will thoroughly cleanse your scalp, by eating away at dead skin cells that may be clogging pores (hair follicles) and preventing healthy hair growth.  

Honey is naturally anti-bacterial. Do you get dandruff? Or have an itchy scalp? A study in Shanghai found that an imbalance of bacteria and fungi on the scalp causes dandruff and  (2) Honey is antibacterial in a way that is very beneficial for your skin’s natural flora, maintaining a healthy balance, which helps to combat scalp sensitivity, itchiness and dandruff. 

Honey is Softening & Hydrating

Honey is an emollient and humectant, which means it softens your hair by drawing hydration deep within. Often, commercial conditioner give the illusion of soft hair with silicons that coat the strands, but in no way are they actually benefiting your hair. Honey softens, but also nourishes with vitamins, minerals and nutrients that work to build stronger and healthier hair.

If you have thin hair (like me) something you’ll love is that honey is a lightweight conditioner, it will now weigh down your hair!

image by: leopatronephotography

What kind of honey should I use?

The darker the honey, the more antioxidant content it has. (3) And that’s because what the bees are feeding on makes a difference in the honey that they produce. 

Right now, I have an avocado honey, which means the bees fed from avocado blooms. Its a dark color, and has a rich, molasses like flavour. Buckwheat honey, with its dark amber color, is very high in antioxidants and important nutrients.  It’s comparable to Manuka honey – and cost far less! 

Need recommendations? I this brand from my local farmer’s market in Orlando – but you can order online. The beekeeper who I buy from, tells me that she uses her dark honey for healing skin wounds!

Both types are very high in antioxidant content. Notice how dark the color is:

• Buckwheat Honey (much darker, higher in antioxidants) on Amazon
• Avocado Honey on Amazon
  

How do I apply honey on my hair?

There’s no recipe, but there is a method! Here’s your step-by-step guide:

• Wet your hair with a mist bottle and comb through. Honey is sticky, but will go on easily if your hair is damp.
• Apply honey directly onto your scalp. Massage it on, and if you have long hair, pick up your hair so that the honey goes onto all of your strands.
• If it feels to sticky, just mist a little water on your fingers and hair
• Leave the honey on for 30 minutes. More if you can!
• Wash off in the shower. The honey completely dissolves in water and rinses out clean
• Repeat once a week, or more if you’re trying to restore your hair.

Mess free application

The key to use honey without making a big mess in your bathroom – is to purchase a runny honey in a squeeze bottle. It makes it so easy to apply.

You may wan to keep a bottle of honey in your bathroom, just for your treatments.
This way you are going to see it everyday – and will be more likely to keep up the routine.

A case for using honey for your haircare, and more!

The beauty of using real food to nourish healthy skin and hair is that you benefit inside and out, in so many ways. With a single bottle of dark, raw honey  – you can soothe a sore throat, heal skin irritations, clear up breakouts, soften your skin and hair, speed  up healing and prevent infections on burns and cuts.

Those tubs of conditioners… can’t even come close to all that. 

Learning how to bring whole food skincare into your life means that you can reduce the burden of products on your body, in your home, your wallet and our Earth. 

I’m excited for you to spend some time with raw, unassuming honey. It doesn’t tell you that your hair should look different, it doesn’t damage you with unrealistic promises. It just nourishes.
xx, Militza

The Farmer’s Market is my favorite place to shop for fresh ingredients. Filling up my basket, always inspires gorgeous meals and wellness in my home. What we can do is take this experience of food and nourishment – and extend out into our skincare as well. In this article, you’ll learn how to use farmer’s market ingredients to create your own healthy skincare remedies at home.

And this idea, of using real food to care for our skin, is different – but definitely not new!  There’s rich history, beautiful traditions and time-tested remedies that we can bring into our everyday lives – and totally transform the way we feel.

Let’s look at four common ingredients that you can find in a farmer’s market – to care for your self in a way that nourishes you deeply, from the outside-in.

header photo credit: with love from Kat

Citrus, for the rinds 

Zero-waste skincare at it’s best! Use the zest of lemons, oranges, grapefruit and limes to make skincare.  The rinds contain a higher percentage of Vitamin C than the actual fruit – which is an important antioxidant that boosts collagen production. The rind also contains the essential oils – which have antibacterial and astringent properties – and aromatherapy that helps us to manage stress in a healhty way.

Before you slice the fruit open, first zest it. Add the zest to a jar of brown sugar – and continue collecting zest this way in the jar. When you are ready, you can scoop out the citrus infused brown sugar and use it to make your own body scrub.

Berries

If its the season, bring home strawberries and raspberries and blueberries to create your own natural fruit acid face masks. They work to naturally exfoliate, unblock pores, stimulate cell turnover, improve circulation and reveal fresh, glowing skin.

Wash the fruit and place in a dehydrator. Then grind into a powder – and store the powder in the freezer. It will last for up to 6 months. You can activate 1 tbsp of  berry powder with water, to create a fresh face mask as you need!

                                                                 photo credit: leo patrone photograpy

Raw Honey

Honey has such an affinity for the skin – it provides the nutrition that builds healhty skin. When you include honey into your “skincare diet” it helps to support healhty aging, and the healing of acne and inflammatory conditions like eczema. Traditionally honey was used topically to treat cuts and wounds, its very antibacterial, soothing and promotes cell-regeneration.

Because of its antiseptic qualities, honey can be used as a face wash, which is my favorite way to recommend it! Apply honey onto your skin, about 15 minutes before taking a shower and wash off in the shower.
Your skin will feel amazing!

Kefir 

Kefir is probiotic skincare, that supports the health of your skin. Its loaded with lactic acids, and in a similar way to fruit acids – it gently exfoliates. But the difference you’ll feel is that kefir’s natural fat content works to soften and moisturise your skin too. If you get congested pores, or dryness on your skin – kefir face masks will be amazing for you.

If you ever see a kefir maker at your farmer’s market, do talk to them and bring some home! Apply kefir directly to your skin, painting it on. Wear for 15 minutes and then wash off.

At the farmer’s market you get a connection with food and the people behind the food – that you just can’t get at the supermarket (or beauty counter). I’ve talked to fruit farmer’s, beekeepers, florists, people who make their own skincare products – and I always come away learning something new.

Those connections are part of what nourishes us too!

xx, Militza

Imagine drinking a water infusion, that gives your body a mineral rush of magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc –  fuels your cells with chlorophyll, soothes your system, relieves anxiety, helps you sleep and makes you feel restored. It’s called a herbal simple and it’s amazing.
You might just start replacing that $10 juice!

I was first introduced to drinking simples by Susun Weed, and my herbal mentor John Gallagher.

He said to me, walk into any convenience store and look at the drinks on offer. The majority are designed to stimulate our system. But, to feel at our best, what we need more of is nourishment!

What is a simple

In herbalism, a simple is a remedy that works with one single herb at a time.  Instead of mixing and blending different herbs, you focus on getting to know one herb: how your body responds to it and the effect that it has on your system.

A simple is specific, it’s nutrient dense and its a way of building a special relationship with that herb. Today, let’s focus on a sweet, super supportive herb that I’m feeling a lot for lately: oatstraw.
Avina Sativa.

Oat Straw Simple

Oatstraw is the stem of the oat plant, harvested when its still green. It has all the nutritive qualities that oats are well known for, but the best way to get those benefits from the stem (oatstraw) – is in a hot water infusion. That’s why we drink it!

Oatstraw is reparative. It repairs tissue in the body, repairs frazzled nerves. It’s like an anti-frizz treatment for your whole system that makes you feel totally smooth… Oats are one the best herbal treatments for stress, anxiety, nervousness that is becoming overwhelming for you.

If you feel depressed, overworked – reach for oatstraw.

It’s good for those extreme times, but it’s also good for everyday times.

Oatstraw is incredibly nutritious: vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates that nourish the body. It’s very supportive and good for long-term use.

It’s also rich in silica – which is like drinking a multivitamin for healthy skin and hair.
Also, if you’re dealing with stress-related skin issues (hives, cold sores) drinking oatstraw regularly will help to ease that.

And when I drink it, I feel SO hydrated as if my cells had been craving it. The taste is mild and it has this soft sweetness that I love – and my children like drinking it too.

So if you’re new to simples, I think oatstraw would be a good place to start, Then you can start making your way up to nettles, dandelion root, chickweed and all the other herbs that your body will get the feels for too!

The Cost of making simples

The exact recipe for a simple, is 1 ounce of herb to 1 quart of water (4 cups).

And for the full benefits, its recommended that you drink herbal simples regularly.
You can even replace your daily water intake with this mineral-rich drink.

When you buy a 4 ounce bag of oatstraw  (at $5) you get 16 cups of simple tonic.
That’s so much nourishment for the week and bang for your buck!
Once you know you like it, buy in bulk and the cost gets even better.
I buy my herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs.

The tricky part with making simples is time-management. Tricky, but not hard!

It takes four hours to brew an herbal simple, and in my personal experience – four hours is exactly right. I don’t like letting it go longer, or overnight, because I find it becomes too bitter for my taste.

A good habit might be starting the brew right after you get home from work, four hours before you go to bed. Strain it, bottle it and have it ready for the next morning.

It depends on your schedule, and that can change day by day.
But once herbal simples becomes part of your routine – trust me – you figure out how to make it work.

How do you drink a simple

I love it iced.  You can pack it in your water bottle, you can drink it all day – and if you finish the quart – good for you!!

I recommend that you learn more about simples, from the source herself Susan Weed. *read more*
It’s not her creation, but she is widely known for making it popular.

You can also look into Simples Tonics, a California based herbalist who sells her simples and shares a lot about their benefits.

For now, I’ll show you how I make my Oat Straw Simple at home.

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce dried oatstraw
• 1 quart boiling water

Directions: 

• Measure the dried herb, and place in a large glass mason jar
• Pour in the boiling water, close the lid
• Set a reminder: strain in 4 hours
• Strain out the oatstraw
• Keep the infusion in the fridge
• Drink in 1-2 days
• Consume everyday!

Natural living has become this thing, which the further I wade into the waters, the further I want to go  – because there’s just so much to know. And that’s been the fun part:  learning and putting things into practice and making sense of what makes you feel good.

Basic, whole food ingredients nourish the body in a way that I’ve never experienced from a product.
It make your skin feel really good.  These days – you can buy all your bath and body products natural and organic. But, what I’ve realised is that prepping skincare at home, is really a lot like knowing how to cook for yourself at home. It’s a skill that opens up a lot of doors – it makes healthy living affordable, accessible and there’s great satisfaction in getting hands-on with food.

Being your own skincare chef – it’s about knowing what you like, what your body needs and how to use the ingredients around you.

To give you an idea of how you can use pantry ingredients – I put together a little guide to help you  pair your skin’s needs with a plant’s benefit. I’ve also included essential oils, because they have become part of my pantry staples.

Pantry Ingredients for Skin’s Different Needs

Cleansing: Ingredients that are naturally cleansing, inhibit the growth or reproduction of bacteria, maintain a healhty skin mantle and flora. Physical exfoliation is also cleansing in removing dirt and bacteria from the skin.

• Honey (shown to be helpful with acne!)
• Apple Cider Vinegar (always diluted)
• Essential Oil: Palmarosa  (incredibly skin cleansing, and smells better than tea tree!)
• Dried Herbs: lavender, tulsi or basil in general
• Physical exfoliants: Oat flour, Almond flour, Chickpea flour, rice flour, salt and sugar

good for: Oily, acne skin. All skin

Nourishing: Ingredients that feed important minerals and nutrients to the skin, for your body to produce healthier cells and perform more optimally. Think face masks!

• Dried Seaweed
• Spirulina
• Fresh blueberries and strawberries
• Matcha
• Green Juice/Vegetable Powder
• Dried Herbs: Oatstraw

good for: Dry skin. Dehydrated skin. Maturing skin.

Soothing: Ingredients that help to calm irritate skin, reduce redness and bring down inflammation.

• Oat flour
• Dried Herbs: Lavender, Chamomile, Turmeric
• Fresh or Bottled Aloe
• Essential Oils: Lavender, German Chamomile, Roman Chamomile, Geranium (especially good for hormonal reactions)
• Itch relief (essential oil and herbs): chamomile and peppermint

good for: Irritated skin. Inflamed skin. Sensitive skin. Dry skin.

Moisturising: Ingredients that help to build a strong skin mantle that locks in moisture and hydration. A substance the softens the skin.

• Plant Oil
• Butters (Shea, Cocoa…)
• Milk powder, goat milk powder, coconut milk powder, buttermilk powder
• Fresh avocado and banana

good for: Dry skin. Maturing skin. Chapped skin. Stressed skin in need of soothing and comfort.

Hydrating: Ingredients that help to bring hydration to the skin

• Honey
• Rosewater (or hydrosols)
• Fresh juice and brewed tea

Good for: Skin that feels tight, dull. Healing winter-worn skin.

Protective: Ingredients rich in anti-oxidants that help to protect the skin from environmental stress and damage

• Beeswax
• Plant Oils and butters
• Herbs: Green tea
• Juice/Vegetable powers
• Fresh or Bottled Aloe

Good for: People with an active, out door lifestyle. Sensitive skin. Supporting skin through aging.

Yes, skin care can get more complicated than that – just like nutrition can.
But it doesn’t have to. Focus on giving yourself more whole foods, learn from the process of making and take the time to enjoy it all. You’ll be feeling amazing – and loving your skin!

I hope you found this inspiring and helpful!
Militza Xx

PS: Want to learn more? The Spring Guide will take you step-by-step into your kitchen, and whipping up the best remedies for your skin!

I just returned from the Florida Herbal Conference, and soaked up so much cool information,  from plant walks and workshops and conversations –  that I had to share with you.  Today I’d like to introduce you to Tulsi and ways to use it.  It may be a less common ingredient than Italian or Thai Basil – but with a name like  “the incomparable one”  – I’d say it’s definitely worth knowing about!

Tulsi has been used as medicine for centuries. It has rich Ayuverdic roots, and made it way into western medicine. Its super useful when you’re battling a respiratory infection or the flu – thanks to its antibacterial, antiviral properties combined with its ability to move congestion. Known as an adaptogenic, it helps to counter negative stress on the body, both physically and mentally (1). It has a calming effect on the body, but at the same time its uplifting. Like a really good friend that’s going to comfort you and then tell you to get back out there, because “you’ve got this!”

Studies show that Tusli has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help the body repair from skin tissue and DNA damage. (2)  It’s also detoxifying, and in India it was used topically for snake bites. You might soak in a Tusli bath to help soothe and heal bug bites!

The minute your body has a problem, Tulsi is on it! Antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, adaptogenic, neuroprotective, radioprotective, antioxidant, decongestant and antidepressant – it’s no wonder it’s considered the “elixir of life.”

In India – Tulsi is considered sacred, revered as household medicine. Its often planted in the courtyard of homes in a special clay pot. The Tulsi plant is integrated into daily life through rituals, placing offerings, tenderly caring for the plant, and drinking tulsi tea from its leaves and flowers.

This daily human-plant interaction creates a special relationship. Its an exchange that nourishes you physically, mentally and emotionally. I was so charmed by Tulsi, that I brought one home with me! It was one single long woody branch, flowering at the very top. So I cut it down almost half way to encourage it to bush out. The freshly cut leaves and flowers, go into a mug with hot water poured over. It’s a delicous tea!

You probably won’t find potted Tulsi at your local big box store, but these days there are so many little nurseries growing medicinal plants, and will ship them to you. Have a look online – search for herbal nurseries in your area – it would be such a fun day out to meet the grower and learn more from them! From what I’m learning, Tulsi is one of those plants that soak up toxins in its environment, so you definitely want to check that your plant was grown organically.

If you live in Florida, leave me a comment below and I’ll pass you a list of nurseries that I’ve personally gotten to know.

I also buy dried Tulsi online. Starwest Botanicals’s dried Tusli is wildly fragrant! You can find it here. The scent is green and lemon and mint…. it’s so delicous and enjoyable to use!

Here a few simple ways to use and benefit from Tusli throughout your day:

1. Drink as tea. Pick the fresh leaves and flowers from your plant. Or, order a bag of dried Tusli online. I like to mix in a few dried rosebuds with dried tulsi, it makes a really delicous drink. As the weather warms up and starts to get hot – think about drinking more herbal teas iced. Pour into your water bottle and sip throughout the day. One of my teachers, John Gallagher makes the case that herbal teas are so nourishing and strengthening for our body we should be drinking it everyday!

2. Soak in a bath. The scent alone, is so elegant. It’s refreshing and clean, and at the same time it’s calming and soothing. Scoop dried tulsi into a cloth bag (or hanker-chief all tied up) and drop it into a warm bath. You can also brew a strong infusion and then pour that into the bath – soak in all those antioxidant, vitamin rich, anti inflammatory, fragrant goodness.

3. Mask. Herbal masks are superfoods for your skin. You’l see and feel the benefits of healhty skin, so much that I love doing an herbal mask at least 3 times a week!

To make a mask: Grind up dried tulsi and blend, equal parts with ground oats.
Drop in a few drops of a plant oil (to extract the oil-soluble properties too) and pour in droplets of hot water, just until it reaches a creamy consistency. We use hot water, to “brew” your mask. Let it sit for a few minutes and then apply this herbal, creamy paste onto your skin. Leave it for 15 minutes.

4. Essential Oil. Don’t use it topically, unless you are skilled in essential oils, and only then at .5% or less.
If you have the essential oil, the best way to use it is to diffuse it in your home for it’s detoxifying, purifying, cleansing benefits.

What you really want to do is, sip on tulsi tea, while wearing a tulsi face mask, soaking in a tulsi bath, with tulsi diffusing in the air….You’ll be supercharged! I hope this little herb charms its way into your day, it’s really beautiful and such a joy to use!

Not sleeping well? Lavender
Skin’s feeling totally irritated? Lavender
Breakouts happening? Lavender
Bug bites. Sunburn. Weird rash? Lavender
Feeling stressed out (probably from any of the above) Lavender

Lavender is your first aid treatment: the go-to for almost any skincare concern. If you could only bring one ingredient to a desert island – it would have to be lavender.

Lavender is part of the mint family – take notice and you’ll feel its cooling effect. It’s like the fan blowing against your skin. And that’s what helps to alleviate any red, painful irritations and relieve itching. Lavender is a nervine – which soothes and calms our entire system. The moment you inhale its fragrance, you just want to lean your head back and breathe out a big  “ahhhhhhh….””

That same ahhhhh feeling applies to our skin as well.

Lavender alleviates stress, eczema and psoriasis and even soothes pain. Soaking tired, aching feet in lavender will bring a lot of relief.

And it’s incredibly cleansing. Lavender comes from the Latin word “lavare” which means to wash. Its antibacterial and antiseptic properties helps with cuts and sores – and keeps your skin clean and clear of breakouts.

That’s why I use lavender in my Necessary Balm – it so good for so much! 

Studies in hospitals have shown that lavender helps with skin healing, from ulcers to wounds. Bathing in lavender was found to help women post-labour to heal and reduce inflammation. Pretty neat!

How to use lavender at home (because we’re probably not actually going to a desert-island!)

Soak. Heal your skin, alleviate painful bites and sunburn, calm inflammation and irritations.
Add 1/4 cup of dried lavender into a hot bath. Avoid the clean-up by either packing it into a muslin cloth bag, or steeping it first in a tea kettle, then pouring the lavender infusion into the bath water.

Mask. Soothe and cleanse your skin with a lavender face mask. If you’re skin is feeling irritated and reactive, if you see breakouts coming up, here’s the remedy: grind 1/4  cup dried lavender until powder fine. As fine as you can get it. Then mix it with either clay, for deep cleansing. Ground oat flour for deep healing. Coconut milk powder for deep moisture.

Aromatherapy. Trouble sleeping? Pack dried lavender in a little cloth bag and keep it by your pillow. Breathe in the scent, to help yourself relax. You might want to drink lavender herbal teas at night, to boost this benefit.

Infuse. Lavender infuses so beautifully in oil, the scent really shines through. And all those healing benefits transfer into the oil. Once you have infused the oil – you can use this daily to cleanse/nourish your skin, to pour into a bath or to use in making a scrub recipe.

learn how to perfectly infuse oils in The Spring Guide. 

building your apothecary

I buy lavender in a one-pound bag from Starwest Botanicals. It costs around $25 – but you’ll have enough lavender to soak, mask, infuse and give away all year long! But, if you don’t want a giant bag, they also sell smaller 4oz sizes for around $10.

You can order online, but what’s really fun is visiting herbal supply shops. Search “herbs” in your area and see what comes up!

Once you have your lavender, store it in a tight-sealed mason jar. Label it, date it. And then keep it on a shelf for going to again and again – a sprinkle here, a sprinkle there. Any time you feel like you need soothing relief.

PS: Ready to take care of your skin more beautifully? Whole food ingredients, like lavender, are the key to healing, restoring glowing skin. Check out the Spring guide, it has a shopping list, guidebook and recipes that will make your skin so healthy and happy!

Here’s the link: Spring