the Witchen Kitchen Beginner Herbal

tammy July 24th, 2008

Today is happy birthday to me! I’m celebrating with friends and family later this weekend, but today I treated myself to a spa right here in my Witchen Kitchen.

First, I whipped up some amazing, skin softening lotion. Remember that diaper rash balm I made and wrote about a few weeks ago? Well, I began using that on my elbows and feet not long after I made it, and I was so impressed with it that I soon started using it as an all over moisturizer after every bath.

It is miraculous in the way it softens my skin and makes it so fresh and dewy. At the risk of sounding like a gimmicky commercial, I have to say that my skin literally looks years younger and is exceptionally soft and smooth since I’ve been using it. We’ve also used it to heal bug bites and scrapes, as well as the original diaper rash. It is good for just about any minor skin irritation.

I’m no longer calling it diaper rash balm. It is now Mimi’s Magic Balm.

The balm was made of infused oils of yarrow, plantain, and cottonwood buds (balm of Gilead). I soon ran out of that initial batch I had made for Jelani’s bottom, so I made fresh batches of the three oils separately last week, using fresh yarrow picked from a neighbor’s field, plantain from my yard, and dried cottonwood buds I had ordered from Mountain Rose Herbs.

This morning, I mixed about a 1/4 cup of each infused oil along with about 1/2 - 3/4 ounce grated beeswax, and melted them together over a double boiler, then poured into a jar to set. As the mixture cooled, it firmed up nicely into a salve/ balm.

I also wanted to try making a lighter lotion out of these three herbal oils. Here’s what I did. I put a few tablespoons of the still warm, liquid balm into a pouring cup. Into a bowl I put about an equal amount of a strong infusion of chamomile, warmed also. Then I started whisking the chamomile infusion as I slowly dripped the oil into the bowl. By the time I had dripped and whisked in all the oil, it had emulsified into a lotion.

I, of course, tried it out right away. It is amazingly light and absorbs quickly with no greasy feeling at all, yet it feels just as nourishing and softening as the heavier balm. Seems a much better consistency for every day moisturizing, though I’ll continue to use the original balm for problem areas like heels and elbows, as well as for first aid for minor skin abrasions.

Okay, lotion ready, on with the spa treatment. Next I mixed up one of the best facial masks I’ve ever used. A nice hunk of kombu seaweed, ground to a powder using a coffee grinder to yield about a tablespoon, plus a tablespoon of cosmetic clay, and enough plain yogurt mixed in to make a nice paste.

Then I drew a nice warm bath, pouring in some rose petal vinegar to soften and balance the skin, and eased down into the delicious warmth for a nice long soak. I patted the seaweed mask all over my face and neck and put a couple cucumber slices over my eyes.

Lay head back. Go to daydreamland for almost an hour. Then rinse face to reveal radiant, baby soft skin, and nearly invisible pores. Wash, dry off, and apply Magic Lotion liberally to entire birthday suit.

Ahhh… what a nice day!

• Cosmetics, Body Care , Herbal Remedies , Wild Crafting
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tammy June 22nd, 2008

My new little grandson, barely 2 weeks old, has had his first minor diaper rash. ‘Cause he likes to poop in the middle of the night while he’s sleeping and nobody knows about it until the next morning! Here is a simple herbal balm I made that cleared it right up.

I used raw, organic coconut oil as the base, and infused some dried Balm of Gilead (poplar buds), dried yarrow, and fresh chopped plantain from the yard. Yarrow is known to be quite anti-bacterial and good for skin ailments. Plantain draws out infection or toxins and helps heals skin beautifully, and Balm of Gilead is well known as a skin healer and soother. the coconut oil itself is also anti-microbial and very nourishing to the skin. There are many, many other herbs adn oils that could have been used here, but these were the ones I had on hand and that came to mind when I started mixing.

Since I needed this balm immediately and didn’t want to wait weeks for it to infuse, I decided for the first time to use a heat infusion method. I followed Frances’ suggestion to use a crock pot set on low for a couple days.

I put the coconut oil in a small jar and immersed it in the warm water in the crock pot to melt it, then added the herbs, stirred it well, put the top on, and sat it back down in the warm water bath (along with a couple other infusing oils so as to get maximum use from having the crock pot on for so long). I let it infuse for two days, opening the cap to wipe away moisture condensation (from water in the fresh plantain) and to stir it occasionally.

When it had taken on a nice green color and I deemed it done, I strained the oil through a mesh strainer first, then strained it again through a clean cloth to get all the tiny little herb particles out.

Coconut oil will stay solid at room temperature, about 76 degrees or less. In our air conditioned homes, this makes a perfect salve. If it were going to be stored in a warmer place, I would have melted some beeswax into the mixture to keep it solid at higher temps too.

While it was still warm and liquid, I put it in a squeeze bottle to keep fingers out of the mixture to avoid introducing bacteria so it will last longer. I have no idea what the shelf life is. Since there are no preservatives, we will keep a close eye on it for spoilage.

My daughter took the filled bottle with her before I took a pic, but here is an empty one.  I picked up a bunch of these at the discount store for about $. 50 a piece.

This balm has a lovely light coconut scent and feels really nice on the skin. In addition to diaper rash, it could be used for many other purposes. It could be really great for moisturizing elbows and feet, or soothing any minor skin abrasion.

I bought the dried herbs and raw coconut oil at Mountain Rose Herbs.

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tammy June 15th, 2008

For the blog party on staying cool in the summer, hosted at Alchemille’s Garden

I spell “cool in the summer” a-i-r c-o-n-d-i-t…. oh, wait… that’s not herbal, hehe

As you probably know, there are literally hundreds of ways to use herbs and plants and food to stay cool in the summer. My favorite is just taking a lazy walk in the cool shade of big leafy trees, especially near a stream or a lake or a river or the ocean. Or better yet, taking a dip in that water or sitting and digging my toes into the cool mud or sand alongside it. Just getting close to the heartbeat of Mother Earth, where the growth is lush and the water runs free is enough all by itself.

I also like to add herbs and plants to almost every other thing I do in the course of living. I wanted to share one cooling thing I’ve been using lately that is so easy and simple. It’s a lovely rose petal toner that takes maybe 5 minutes to make, plus a couple weeks to sit before using.

I made herbal gifts for the holidays last December and had lots of dried rose petals left over. I wanted to use them before they lost their potency, so was wracking my brain for what would use up a lot of them all at once.

I decided to infuse them in witch hazel, which I also had plenty of. I just put the fragrant rose petals in a jar, poured witch hazel over them, and let them sit for a couple of weeks. The result is a heavenly scented, pink, cooling toner.

I use it on a cotton ball to cleanse my face and neck after my shower each day. I have to say that my skin has never been so soft and clear as it has since I began using this. Works better than any expensive facial product I’ve ever purchased.

I also put it in a spray bottle to spritz all over when ever I want to cool off a little. It’s nice spritzed right in the face (be careful not to get in eyes) and on the neck, arms, belly… where ever you need it. Freshens and cools instantly. And it smells soooooo good!

It’s now time to make some more with all the fresh blossoms that are blooming all over. I’m sure a fresh infusion wil be just as lovely!

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tammy April 13th, 2008

This morning my hands smell like wet spring dirt mixed with sunshine and a bit of sugar… ahhhhh!  It’s the lovely, sharp fragrance of dandelion sap.  I’ve been outside popping flowers from their springy stems all morning.  Before I began, I thanked the plant for all the help its roots and leaves gave me this past winter and asked if I could use its flower medicine (of course!).  Then I hooked my first two fingers just below the bud, pulled gently, and POP, off they snap.  I went all around the yard doing this, and gathered a quart of them to make dandelion flower oil. 

Dandelion is such an incredibly nourishing and healing herb, it is hard to figure out where to start listing its uses.  I’ve used the root and leaves extensively for things like indigestion and acid reflux, water retention, and just plain nourishment.  But I’ve not yet used the flowers specifically.  I’m making this oil to try it out as a breast massage oil, muscle tension reliever, and skin beautifier.  Here’s what a few of my favorite herbalists have to say about Dandelion flowers:

“Dandelion flowers steeped in olive oil are a wonderful moisturizer and a great tension relieving massage oil.  These beautiful golden blossoms possess the ability to help release emotions held in the muscles.”  -Gail Faith Edwards, Opening Our Wild Hearts to the Healing Herbs

“Make a dandelion flower oil and use wiz your Wise Woman touch to ease the pain and help heal those wiz stiff necks, arthritic joints, sinus headaches, back tension, and weepy, swollen skin sores.” - Susun Weed, Healing Wise (Wise Woman Herbal Series)

“The Dandelion is a plant of the sun and has been associated with the sun since very ancient times.  It’s color, disklike shape, and raylike florets resemble the sun in miniature, and the rising and setting of the sun influence the opening and closing of the flowers.” - Maida Silverman, A City Herbal

Since I carry almost all my emotional tension in the muscles of my back, shoulders, and neck I am quite anxious to see if Dandelion flower oil will be able to help me relieve some of that.  I also am attracted to the symbolism and historical lore of this plant.  In addition to being associated with the sun, the name of Dandelion means ”tooth of the lion” and its flower head has been compared to a lion’s mane.  As my sun sign is Leo the lion, I do feel a certain kinship there!

I first learned to make herbal oils by the simplers method: fill the jar with fresh herb, cover completely with olive oil, cap tightly, let sit for 6 weeks or more in a cool dark place.  I’m still following that for most of my herbal oils, however, I’m now reconsidering the “cool, dark” part of it in some cases.  I think some plants, especially those that contain sunshine medicine, like Dandelion, may be more potent if left to brew in the healing rays of the sun.  I’ve heard this over and over from different herbalists regarding St. John’s Wort (that fabulous red color of good SJW oil comes from brewing in the sunshine).  I’ve also discovered that pine oil brews best in the sunshine — the warmth helps pull out all those lovely aromatic resins into the oil much better.

So, since a big part of the medicine I am trying to capture with Dandelion is its living sunshine, I think I’ll sit this one in the window to brew.  I’ll let you know how it turns out!

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tammy February 11th, 2008

I’ve discovered yet another healthy use for vinegar — nourishing my skin in the bathtub. Yep, I’ve been taking vinegar baths lately. Sounds a little gross and stinky, doesn’t it? That’s what I thought too, until I tried it.

Soaking in a deep bath with about 1/2 cup of my lavender infused vinegar is so far doing a remarkable job of keeping away that winter scaly dry skin that I usually get.

It smells slightly vinegary when I first pour it in, but that quickly dissipates leaving only a light lavender fragrance. Then after my soak, I get out of the tub feeling squeeky clean, not oily like I would with bath oil, yet my skin is soft and smooth. It is neither oily nor dry, just balanced.

It works quite differently from the way lotions and oils work. Those add oil and moisture to the skin and/or seal it off to keep moisture in. Vinegar on the other hand, as far as I understand it, works by restoring a proper pH to the skin surface. Dry skin is a bit alkaline, where healthy skin is a bit more acidic, so the acidity of vinegar restores that natural, slightly acid pH. I believe that it also helps to slough off dead skin cells, leaving only smooth, healthy skin behind.

I’ve tried plain apple cider vinegar (acv) and my lavender infused vinegar. I have found that the plain acv is slightly irritating — dryer patches sting a little when I first get into the tub — though it does give good results for allying the dry skin.

Much nicer for me, though, is the lavendar vinegar. It is not irritating at all while bathing, and it smells nicer. Plus, the well known relaxing qualities of lavender can be very soothing just before bedtime. I also think lavender adds its own skin healing properties, and my skin feels just a tad better with this than it does with the plain acv.

Sometimes I still need a light moisturizer, and sometimes I don’t. Everybody’s skin is different and this can vary from day to day. I find I need less moisturizer when I am also well hydrated from the inside. Drink plenty, eat nourishing foods, and don’t forget your nourishing herbal infusions and teas!

Oh, and here is another benefit of vinegar baths — you’ll never have to scrub your tub again! It leaves the tub squeaky clean, not a trace of residue.

Did I mention that I also use lavender infused vinegar to clean all the surfaces in my home? Read about that here. I also use it as a fabric softener. I hear it is also great as a hair rinse, but I haven’t tried that yet.

So, get some dried lavender buds, put them in a jar and pour vinegar over them (1 or 2 large handfuls, per 1/2 gallon jar is the amount I use). Cap and let sit for a couple of days. Strain the lavender buds out and there you have your infused vinegar. So easy!

You can get lavender at Mountain Rose Herbs, or at your local health food store that sells bulk herbs. Pick up the vinegar at any grocery store.

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tammy January 6th, 2008

Boy am I glad to be done with all the holiday hoopla!  No matter how I plan, it always gets away from me before its over, leaving us all exhausted and dazed.  I was fine until I took a moment to relax — around the 31st or so – then the exhaustion hit me and I’ve been recuperating since.

I was thinking during this down time how much things have changed for me over the last few years.  Instead of grabbing the bottle of Advil for those tight sore muscles all through my shoulders and down my spine, I instead took relaxing herbal baths, massaged with golden rod oil, used my own homemade herbal pack as a heating pad, drank hot teas and infusions of anti-inflammatory herbs, and overall just made it a truly nurturing experience. Where the Advil may have relieved my muscle pain temporarily, it would have also irritated my stomach and left it aching, making my food hard to digest for a while, and the pain would have likely come back with a vengeance after a few hours.  How much better to get to the source of the pain and nourish it back to relaxation.

Same thing with the cold I just had, the one that finally got me after several weeks of fighting it off.   I want to go into more detail on that nurturing process, so more on that in my next post.

Other things I’ve been doing while enjoying my relaxing free time are reading novels and in between experimenting with a couple of different oil infusions and trying to devise my own recipe for a breast massage cream. 

I decided to reread the Earth’s Children series of novels by Jean Auel.  I just finished Clan of the Cave Bear and The Valley of the Horses, and I absolutely can’t wait to get back to the library and pick up the third in the series, The Mammoth Hunters.  These novels are the ultimate wise woman experience!  All the books in the series are huge, three or four inch thick books, but even so they just don’t last long enough for me.  I’m excited that I still have three more to go before I’ll get to the end of them.  They leave me feeling so inspired in my chosen path of the wise woman way!

Since it is now winter, I don’t have any fresh flowers to make oil infusions with, so instead I’ve been experimenting with making oils from dried red clover and calendula blossoms.  Later, when I can get fresh flowers, I’m going to make another fresh flower oil from each and compare them. 

The red clover has been calling my name lately.  I’ve been craving infusions of the blossoms, and have been putting them in a bundle to soak in my bath water, and now I want to capture its essence in an oil or cream so I can use it for breast massage. 

Breast massage, I’ve learned, is an important part of keeping the breasts healthy, especialy as we move into the wise years.  It makes those monthly self exams for lumps a more pleasant experience and it promotes circulation in the tissues and lymph glands, where a big percentage of cancers can form as women age.  And red clover can dissolve growths magically –  I’ve seen it with my own eyes!  Click here to read how I got rid of a little growth almost overnight with a poultice of red clover flowers. 

But even with no lumps, Red Clover is known to be very nourishing to breast tissues.  I’ve decided to pair it with the Calendula because it is just plain good for skin.  I don’t yet understand exactly how Calendula works, but I do know how my skin loves it.  So, I’m trying to formulate an oil blend or cream using these two flowers that I can use for breast massage.  I’ll let you know when I come up with a recipe that works well for me.

So, more on that cold I told you about next… 

Happy new calendar year to all.  May you have all the desires of your heart in 2008!

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tammy December 13th, 2007

I’m handcrafting all my holiday gifts this year. For the guys on my list (if any of my family is reading this, shhhhh…. don’t tell!) I’m making a luxurious soothing herbal aftershave. It’s so easy to make, but boy is it great for his skin!

My hubby hates to shave because every time he does his face gets extremely irritated. We have paid lots of money for some of those commercial aftershave lotions, but this recipe is pretty inexpensive and so much more soothing.

Here’s what you do.

Step 1 - Gather the herbs and materials

• Get some either fresh or dried sage and lavender blossoms/ leaves. You can use other herbs, too, but I chose these because together they smell rather “manly” and they are fairly easy to get. There are many other herbs that also smell manly or are soothing to skin, so feel free to substitute here. A good one to add is calendula blossoms — very good for skin. If you have the herbs you need growing in your garden that’s great! Just pick a few large handfuls of each. Otherwise, you can likely get what you need at any health food store that sells dried bulk herbs, or you can order them from Mountain Rose Herbs. For dried herbs you need less than fresh, maybe about a cup of each (or more for a stronger scent, it doesn’t have to be exact).
• Buy a couple of bottles of witch hazel extract from your local drug store (or order from Mountain Rose Herbs). This is a gentle toner for the skin. If your man’s skin is less sensitive and you want a more “bracing” after shave, you can substitute rubbing alcohol for the witch hazel.
• Buy some aloe vera gel. I ordered mine from Mountain Rose Herbs, but I believe you can also buy this at most health food stores as well.
• Make sure you have a little apple cider vinegar on hand (probably already in your kitchen cupboard)

Step 2 - Infuse the herbs in the witch hazel (or rubbing alcohol)

• Put the herbs in a quart size jar (canning jars work great for this). You can use a bigger or smaller jar, just adjust the amount of herb you add accordingly. None of it has to be exact.
• Pour witch hazel over to cover.
• Add 2 Tbs vinegar (this helps with the extraction of the herbal essence).
• Stir and then pour more witch hazel to cover again.
• Cap and let sit for 1-2 weeks, shaking the jar whenever you think about it.

Step 3 - Put it all together

• After it has extracted for a week or two, strain the herb out of your witch hazel.
• Add an equal amount of aloe vera gel, then stir or shake. The amount of aloe can be adjusted, using more or less, for varying degrees of moisturizing quality. For mostly toning, you would use more herbal infused witch hazel and only a little aloe, say 2 cups of witch hazel to 1/2 cup aloe. For more moisture, you could use, say, 2 cups of aloe to 1 cup of witch hazel. Or any combination in between! But half and half is a good place to start.
• Pour into bottles. You could recycle old cologne bottles for this, or you can buy those plastic travel bottles from any discount store. You can also order a variety of different sized bottles in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs.

Make sure whatever bottle you use is very clean. Pour boiling water over and in them and let dry thoroughly before filling to make sure they are sterile. Also, to prevent germs getting into the mixture after your man begins to use it, it is best to use either a pump type bottle, a spray bottle, or one with a flip type lid — this prevents germs from being introduced by hands making contact with it every day. The alcohol in the witch hazel acts as a preservative, and if you are careful of the type of bottle you use to prevent germs, it should be good until he uses it all up. This recipe makes about 2 quarts, which is a lot.  If making for just one person, I would half or quarter the recipe to be sure it stays fresh until he uses it all, then you can make up another batch.

Infusing the herbs adds a lot of subtle soothing and nourishing essence to the aftershave, but in a pinch you could skip the herbal infusion and just mix the witch hazel and aloe, which makes an even easier alternative that he will also appreciate for its soothing aftershave properties.

That’s all there is to it. That was easy!!

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tammy November 9th, 2007

I finally found a way to preserve a little piece of summer to enjoy all year long! And just in time, too. Every morning now there is frost on everything when I leave for work… I have to wear shoes and socks, when I much prefer bare feet… We’ve had our first round of colds in our house… Yep, the signs are clear — winter is on the way.

Imagine how delightful it was for me to open the bottle of Goldenrod infused oil that I made this summer and be instantly transported back to a bright sunny August day just by its heady aroma! I’m not sure I can adequately express in words what a powerful and joyful experience that was. All of a sudden it felt as though I was sitting out in the middle of a hazy, lazy August afternoon with fragrant wildflowers and buzzing bees all around. It was pure joy.

One of my favorite things to do in cold weather is to take a hot bath before bed, for the warmth more than anything else. I also usually add a little oil to the water to counter the inevitable dry skin I get during this season. For last night’s bath, I put lots of drops of my Goldenrod oil in the water and just immersed myself in it. What bliss!

In addition to its use as a bath oil, I have also found Goldenrod oil to be a wonderful oil for working out tight, spasmed muscles and relieving pain. My neck tends to spasm from an old whiplash injury, so when it starts cramping really bad, giving me a headache, I just rub the oil deeply into the tissues and I am usually pain free soon after. And the pain doesn’t return for a long while. The drops of oil in the bath water just enhance this relaxing, pain-relieving effect all through the body.

It is too late this year to harvest your own goldenrod (which tends to grow everywhere during the summer — you likely won’t have a problem finding it in the right season), but I would highly encourage everyone to put a reminder on next August’s calendar to be on the lookout for it. There are many different species of Goldenrod that often grow near one another, some more aromatic than others. Look for the kind that has a strongly pleasant fragrance, which you can sample by simply crushing some of the flower buds and leaves.

Making an infused oil of the fresh flowering tops is super easy. Just take some scissors out to your chosen patch of Goldenrod that is just beginning to open its flowers, and clip the flowering tops off. It’s okay to have some stems and leaves, too. Let them wilt for a little while to remove some of the moisture, then cut them into small pieces and fill a clean, completely dry, glass jar, pushing them down to really fill it — this takes a lot of flowers — then pour pure cold-pressed olive oil over them. Stir to remove any air bubbles and then fill to the very top with the oil. You want to make sure there is absolutely no moisture in the jar before you start and that you cover the herb completely with oil so as not have any air making contact with the herb, as either of these situations will encourage mold to grow.

Don’t forget to put on a label with the date, name of the herb, and the menstrum (olive oil). Sit in a dry place out of direct sunlight to brew for at least six weeks. Remove the cap and stir the oil everyday until no more bubbles come to the surface when you stir. When you strain the oil, put it in a clean dry jar and let it sit for a couple days to let any water settle to the bottom, then pour off the infused oil leaving the water behind. 

Also check it frequently to make sure there isn’t any mold growing. If you do find mold, you can sometimes remove it if it is just on the surface or along the sides of the jar. You would simply skim the mold off the top, or in the case of mold growing on the jar, pour off the good oil into a clean dry jar leaving the mold behind. Occasionally, mold will grow throughout the oil and you will lose the whole batch and have to throw it out. This happened to me once when I left my jar sitting in a too moist place. But for the most part, I have not had any problems with mold in my oils.

So save this post, or make a note to come back to it next August — then next year you will be able to enjoy summer even on the coldest of days all through the winter!

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tammy October 25th, 2007

My skin is picky and often irritated. It tends toward oily sometimes, and dry others. I also struggle with psoriasis and eczema in certain areas. The skin is the largest organ of our body and is very important to our overall health and wellbeing, so for a while now I’ve been looking for a way to make my own nourishing cleansers instead of the chemical laden commercial products. I finally learned how to make an all natural, nourishing cleanser that I have come to absolutely love!

My recipe (below) was inspired from Rosemary Gladstar’s “miracle grains” recipe in her book, Herbs for Natural Beauty. This mixture can be used as a daily cleanser & scrub for your face, as a body wash & scrub, or as a facial mask. I’ve used it for all of these and have been very pleased with the results.

I often run a bath and add oatmeal tied loosely in a thin kitchen cloth. As the oatmeal softens in the hot water, it adds a luxurious and milky silkiness to the water that is very moisturizing for skin. I also use the oatmeal filled cloth to rub all over my body as a nourishing wash, and then used my homemade scrub to slough off dry skin from my knees, elbows, and feet.

During these leisurely baths, I like to also use a mask on my face and neck. For this, I mix the scrub with raw honey and a little distilled rose water, smooth the mask all over my face and neck, and leave it to sit while I bathe in the oatmeal water. When I rinse the mask off, my skin is always dewy moist, radiant, and very soft. I love the way it feels. I’ve been using the scrub as a daily facial cleanser too. It’s just wonderful all around.

Here is the recipe:

• 1 cup finely ground oats ( just regular oatmeal like you would make for breakfast)
• 1/4 cup finely ground almonds (buy raw, organic if possible, available in bulk from most health food stores)
• 2 cups white clay cosmetic powder (available from www.mountainroseherbs.com)
• 1/4 cup finely ground dried rose petals (available from www.mountainroseherbs.com, or many health food stores)
• 1/4 cup finely ground dried calendula flowers (available from www.mountainroseherbs.com, or many health food stores)

Use a coffee grinder (that you do not use for grinding coffee — you don’t want coffee in your scrub) to separately grind the oats, almonds, and flowers to a very fine powder. I bought an inexpensive grinder for about $10 that I use exclusively for grinding herbs, which is very convenient. I’ve heard that you can also use a blender, but I’ve not personally tried that.

Once ground, mix everything together very well in a large bowl, then store in a clean, dry glass jar with a tight fitting lid. You don’t want to dip your wet hands into the storage jar each time you bathe, so use a large shell to scoop out the amount you need before each shower or bath.

To make a facial mask, mix with honey and just a little distilled water (or distilled rose water) to the desired consistency. You can also add other nourishing ingredients, such as mashed avacado or banana — there are many possibilities that are very good for the skin (but that’s another post!).

I also added a few drops of pure lavender essential oil to my dry mixture, but really wish I hadn’t. I think it smells a little too heavy, but some may like it. I really prefer the more earthy smell of the clay and the lighter scent of the dried roses. Next time I make it I will not add any fragrance.

I am now working on formulating a recipe for herbal shampoo that will make my fine, thin hair feel thicker and have more body. Look for a future article with the recipe, which I’ll post here as soon as I get it right!

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