“All the Lipids” Facial Oil with Sea Buckthorn
Awhile back, I was given a sample of Skin Active’s Every Lipid Serum to try out and really liked it. So of course, I immediately set out to make my own version. It started out as a pretty solid dupe, but true to form, I ended up going a bit rogue. (*squirrel!* *shiny ball!* *herbs!*)
Alcohol Intermediary Herb-infused Oils (& why understanding phytochemical solubility matters)
Are you ready to kick your oil infusion skills up a notch? An alcohol intermediary oil infusion harnessing the solvent powers of alcohol might sound a bit intimidating, but it’s surprisingly simple to do. Before we get to the hows of making an alcohol intermediary oil infusion, let’s take a quick look into the whys.
Herbal Water Infusions
One of the oldest, simplest, and some would argue, most effective ways to incorporate herbs into your daily life is in a water infusion, also known as tea. Or, if you’re fancy and drink your tea with your pinky out, a tisane.
Marshmallow Root & Green Tea Makeup Finishing Spray
jump to the recipe The more *ahem* mature I get, the more I’m realizing that setting powders, a longtime beloved makeup staple, are no longer my friend. Powder can highlight fine lines and appear cake-y on drier skin… and it boy howdy, it can really catch you off guard when glimpsed under the evil, unforgiving […]
Making Herbal Oil Infusions
Infused oils are a foundational cornerstone of herbal-powered wellness products such as salves, creams, lotions, serums and other topical formulations. Oil acts as a solvent (aka menstruum) to capture oil-soluble plant constituents such as alkaloids, gums, resins, volatile oils, and certain oil-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), allowing the plant’s therapeutic compounds to be delivered to the skin.
Balm of Gilead Salve with Tallow & Infused Honey
Cottonwood buds are bursting with a wonderful, sticky red resin that many herbalists refer to as an “herbal band-aid.” Its anti-fungal, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain relieving) properties make it a top-notch first-aid salve that deserves a place in every herbalist’s medicine cabinet (and perhaps a place in their daily skincare routine!)
Gentle Yucca Root Shaving Gel
Move over marshmallow root, I have a new herbal obsession. Meet the yucca root. It’s an herbal surfactant. How cool is that? The possibilities of projects with this stuff – from facial cleansers to scrubs to household cleaning products – are endless!
Soothing Repair Gel with Marshmallow Root & Chamomile
Continuing my love affair with the miraculous, mucila-GENIUS marshmallow root, here’s a recipe for a lovely, soothing facial gel with chamomile. Thanks to marshmallow root’s healing polysaccharides and chamomile’s soothing, anti-inflammatory properties, it also works well on sunburns and exceptionally dry, chapped skin.
The Great Gel Experiment
I wanted to make an eye gel incorporating my all-time favorite skincare ingredient, the marshmallow root, but to do that, I needed to understand more about the different natural polysaccharides at my disposal for creating a water-based gel. Which one will give me the thick, creamy, but lightweight texture I’m looking for? How much should I use? Which one feels the best on the skin? Inquiring minds want to know!
Mallow Mallow Tallow Lotion
The inspiration for this recipe came from its name. Say it with me: Mallow mallow tallow. Now a little faster: Mallowmallowtallow. It’s just so much fun to say out loud! ♥
