Herbal Beauty LLC

I am happy to share that my Mature Skin Line is now complete! This season we added a hand and body lotion and a lip balm. Today I will be sharing a bit of information about the lotion.

Our Mature Skin Hand & Body Lotion isn't just for mature skin. It is also great for those of us who play a little bit to hard in the sun! I use it daily on my hands and love it. It has a rich and silky feel to it and leaves your skin feeling hydrated and nourished.

Key Ingredients:
Rosehip Seed Oil: A light oil with a fast absorption rate that is excellent for mature and damaged skin. It is high in essential fatty acids, vitamin A, C, E, D, & K. In fact, Rosehip is the only vegetable oil to naturally contain tretinoin (a form of vitamin A)
These vitamins, combined with its content of omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acids make it an excellent choice for anti-aging skincare. Rosehip Seed oil is known for its  ability to assist with skin cell regeneration, reduce the appearance of scars and wrinkles, improve skin color and tone, and has been known to delay the onset of skin aging. Rosehip seed oil creates a lipid protective barrier that supports, nourishes, and hydrates the skin. 

MSM: "Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a white, powderized sulfur compound. Its the third largest nutrient found inside the human body.  We obtain this compound by eating foods such as milk, fish, and green leafy vegetables." (Organic Creations)
If MSM supplies are depleted in the skin, skin may become dry, cracked, damaged, and wrinkled. MSM is an easily absorbed nutrient and can improve the health of skin in many ways. It strengthens, regenerates, and improves elasticity.

Allantoin: A naturally occurring substance found in many plants, most notably Comfrey. Allantoin is known for its healing, calming, and soothing properties and can help protect skin from external factors. It is believed to aid in the healing of damaged skin by stimulating new tissue growth. 

Calendula: Calendula makes its way in just about every Herbal Beauty product. It is easy to grow and so fun to work with. I infuse the dried flowers in sunflower and use this oil in my skincare products and we also use calendula hydrosol in our water based formulations. Calendula is high in vitamin A & C as well as many skin-beneficial minerals. It is anti-inflammatory, soothing, and moisturizing making it ideal for mature and/or damaged skin. (Look out for an entire post on Calendula!)

Essential oil Blend:
Carrot seed: Contains up to 40% carotel which gives rise to its skin rejuvenation, firming, and toning qualities. Rich in vitamin A, C, and E which helps to repair the signs of aging and moisturizes
Geranium: Anti-inflammatory, improves circulation, astringent; It has the power to minimize the look wrinkles of because it tightens facial skin and slows down the effects of aging. Balances sebum production, cleansing.
Frankincense: Tightens and tones the skin tissue, cleanses the skin, cleans the pores, stimulates skin cell regeneration, promotes healthy skin growth. Smooths wrinkles and fine lines.

This is just a few of the beneficial ingredients in our Mature Hand & Body Lotion. A lot of care and research goes into our formulations because we only want to bring you the best! 

Purchase here

Resources: 
Power of the Seed by Susan M. Parker
The Herbarium @ Herbal Academy
Skin Care & Cosmetic Ingredients Dictionary By Natalia Michalun

For educational purposes only.

Nettles have always been one of my favorite plants to use and learn about. Once you accept their strong personality and learn how to be around them without getting stung, they will also be one of your favorites!
One of the first ways we used nettle was as a base for pesto! We combined it with basil to make a wonderful green and very nutritious paste. We made a bunch, froze it in ice cubes trays and used as needed. The kids loved it!
While my daughter and I harvested nettles, we chatted about her plans for her new projects, school life, and the best harvesting technique to avoid getting stung. 

Nettle
Urtica dioica
Family: Urticaceae
Parts Used: Stalks and leaves, rhizomes, seeds
Harvesting Guidelines: Harvest top six inches of plants in spring and early summer before flowering. Harvest seeds in fall once the bundles of tiny flowers look fluffy and are drooping down toward the stem. Harvest rhizomes when ground is diggable in spring or after first frost in autumn. (https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com)
While harvesting stinging nettle, you have to be mindful and intentional. If you are not paying attention and rub up gently on the plant, that is when you get stung! I love harvesting nettle for this reason. It keeps me in the present moment.

Safety: Nettle is considered nutritive and safe, although some allergic reactions have been reported. Nettle stings may cause discomfort, of course. Internal use may decrease the efficacy of anticoagulant drugs (Hoffmann, 2003).
The stinging sensation is caused by the formic acid and histamine contained in tiny hairs that cover the stems and leaves. When they touch skin, the sharp hairs penetrate the skin, break off, and release their chemicals (Foster, 1993).
If the plant is dried, cooked, or left to wilt for a day or two, the sting disappears. Unfortunately, if one is stung, the discomfort often lingers for several hours or more. Plantain, jewelweed,  rosemary, and sage are purported to ease the pain of a nettle sting, as can (ironically) nettle leaf juice or nettle infusion. 
(https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/)

*Wildcrafted from our land

Melissa's favorite things about Nettle

Nettles are extremely nutritious. Cup for cup, strong nettle tea has more calcium than milk and contains easily absorbed magnesium, silica, potassium, protein, iron, zinc, chlorophyll, vitamin K, vitamin A, and B vitamins. Per ounce, nettle supplies approximately 100% of your recommended daily intake of calcium and 60% of the magnesium you need.
The best way to extract the goodness from nettle is to make a super infusion with the dry plant material (see below) or eat the leaves fresh. A regular cup of nettle tea has approximately 40-80 mg of calcium and a super infusion contains approximately 500 mg of calcium a cup!
"Because of its rich mineral content, nettle is a favorite for strengthening bones, hair, nails, and teeth. It’s high in nutrients needed for a strong integumentary (skin) system, such as calcium and magnesium." (herbmentor.com)
Drinking nettle tea is a great way to take care of your skin from the inside out. That is why Herbal Beauty often recommends it for skin health and why we include it in many of our formulations.
The large amount of vitamins and minerals in nettles support healthy energy levels and makes a great afternoon pick me up. 
Nettle is known as a nourishing herbal tonic, and can be drunk or eaten daily. Nettles nourishes, supports and energizes the whole body, and is richly nourishing to the blood. Good-bye daily multivitamin and hello daily nettle infusion!

Nettle Super Infusion
1 oz dry nettle
32 oz boiling water
Steep for 4-8 hours, strain and enjoy!
Every time I drink a Nettle Super Infusion, I can feel my body become instantly nourished and replenished. 

-Nettle is commonly used to decrease seasonal allergic responses, such as hay fever. The astringent action of nettle also contributes to the action of reducing a runny nose and the histamine content reduces the inflammatory response.

-Used externally, Nettle is a great choice for dandruff, acne, and itchy inflamed skin conditions. It is included in many hair care formulations to improve scalp circulation and to stimulate hair growth. Nettle extracts in hair care can improve the health, quality, and appearance of hair. They will also bring out lowlights and darken hair slowly. Nettle infused oil are also great for dry and itchy skin.

-Nettle is known as a rubefacient aka counterirritant. The tiny hairs of fresh nettle release formic acid when brushed against the skin, causing an uncomfortable rash, which can be used therapeutically. The use of fresh nettles topically is known as urtication. This type of application increases blood flow and circulation to the area affected. Through increasing the blood flow to a local area, you bring fresh oxygenated blood loaded with nutrients, which not only benefits the tissues nutritionally, but also enables stagnated waste products and such to be purged from the tissues to ultimately be eliminated. The rubefacient action is typically used for stiff, tight, swollen, and achey arthritic joints, sore muscles, and areas of the body that have a relative low grade annoying level of pain. The initial pain from the nettle sting is uncomfortable but once it wears off, the sore part of the body feels better.



How we use Nettles
-Added to stir fry and baked vegetables
-Nettle beer
-Daily Nettle Super Infusions
-Added to soup broths
-Powdered and added to a salt mixture
-Basil/Nettle Pesto
-Nettle chips
-Adds a touch of green to any meat or vegetable dish!
   
Herbal Beauty Products
Shampoo and Conditioner: provides nourishing benefits
Beard Oil: Nettle infused sunflower oil relieves itchy skin
​All Herbal Infusion Tea Blends
  I believe everyone can benefit from Nettles! That is why I use them in all of my tea blends.
Sea Salt Hair Spray

For more Nettle fun, check out this post from 2012

Harvest Journal entries are a way to introduce you to the plants that grow in our eco-system and that we use in our products. I hope that you are encouraged to do your own research and get out and harvest your favorite plants.

My son was really excited about the first flower blossoms in our yard. Violet! While harvesting the violet flowers, we chatted, listened to the birds, and nibbled on violet leaves and flowers. We noticed they are slightly slimy. This is because of their mucilage content-- making it great for sore and dry throats. We harvested enough flowers to infuse into honey. We will eat it straight from the jar, add to tea, and use on pancakes. Yummy!

Violet
Viola spp.
Family: Violeaceae
Parts used: leaves and flowers
Harvesting Guidelines: Harvest the flowers and leaves in the spring and summer when still fresh and colorful. They are mild and pleasant tasting and do not get bitter as the year goes on like most wild greens. They do get tougher and may taste a little more like wintergreen, due the the accumulating methyl salicylate.
Cautions: 
​The roots are less safe medicinally and are a laxative.

Wildcrafted from our land

Melissa's favorite things about Violet:

-The flowers that you see in the springtime aren’t true flowers as they don’t produce seeds. Later in the year small nondescript flowers form underneath the leaves and fulfill the reproductive duties of a flower.

-The flowers are rich in vitamin C and the leaves are rich in chlorophyll, minerals, vitamin A and Vitamin C.

-Violet has gentle lymph-moving and detoxifying properties and can relieve swollen or congested lymph glands. A great plant to eat after the long, cold, and sluggish winter months.

-Violet leaf is a wonderful soother of inflamed skin and can help relieve rashes, hives & eczema. It can moisturize, tone and heal the skin.

-Violet’s most famous use is to dissolve cysts, lumps, and fibrotic tissue of the breast. Herbalist Matthew Wood recommends a fresh poultice of leaves and flowers for cancers of the lymphatic system, breasts, lungs, and skin. I’ve heard many stories of oil infused with fresh violets being used for dissolving lumps of the breast or simply as a preventive. (https://herbmentor.learningherbs.com/herb/violet/)

How we use Violets:
-We love to eat Violets fresh throughout the season and make goodies with the fresh and dried leaves and flowers. Some things that we made:
-Violet infused ACV
    We will use this for a hair rinse, wasp stings, and sunburn relief.
-Violet infused honey
   Great to eat by the spoonful, add to tea, and more!
-Dried violet leaves ground up and added to sea salt and dried garlic.
   We use this on rice, chicken, fish, possibilities are endless!
-Violet salad
   Add to lettuce to enhance flavor, nutritional value, and beauty!
-Violet infused sunflower oil
    Use as a massage and body oil 

Herbal Beauty Products:
You can find Violet infused sunflower oil in the Herbal Baby body oil. The oil adds soothing and cooling properties.

For educational purposes only. The information has not been approved by the FDA and does not intend to diagnose or prescribe. Always consult with your health practitioner before taking any remedy. 
For more information on harvesting guidelines and plant identification, please do your own research.  

Resources: 
https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/violet-leaf-balm-good-for-eczema-fibrocystic-breasts/
https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/monographs/#/monograph/2027
https://herbmentor.learningherbs.com/herb/violet/
https://wintergreenbotanicals.com​

It is the perfect evening for this warm, spicy, and frothy beverage! My boys helped me make it and helped me drink it. They didn't like it as much as I did, but at least they tried it!

Recipe
2 TBSP Ghee, coconut oil, or butter
​1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Ginger Powder
pinch of black pepper
2 cups milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
Honey to taste

Directions:
-Melt ghee in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the spices and stir continuously for 30 seconds.
-Add the milk and stir constantly until steaming hot.
-Remove from heat and add honey
-To make extra frothy, blend high in a blender. Be sure to let steam escape.
-Pour and enjoy immediately!
We sprinkled cinnamon on top, YUMMY!


 

First harvest of the season! I think I harvested cottonwood buds last year in late February or early March. The buds were ready much later this year because of the late spring. After my husband pruned our cottonwood tree, my son and I harvested the buds. They were sticky with healing resin and smelled amazing! I infused them in organic sunflower oil and will make a healing salve with it. I am also making a tincture with the buds.

Cottonwood  
Populus spp
Family: Salicaceae 

Cottonwood buds benefits and uses: 
-The resin from the cottonwood buds contains “salicin” – the same compound that gives aspirin its pain relieving and fever reducing benefits. The resin is a topical analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic.
-A cottonwood bud oil infusion is great for relieving sore and strained muscles, bruises, and joint pain.  I have been using it on my sore neck and shoulders and it works wonders!
-The tincture is known to reduce fever, pain and loosen phlegm.
-Anti-microbial, Anti-fungal, making it a great wound healer and wart remover.
-Contains anti-oxidants (great for skin care, I have been using it on my face and love it!)
-Natural fragrance, I love the way it smells! Slightly floral and earthy
-Natural preservative properties

You can find cottonwood bud oil in the following Herbal Beauty Products:
-Muscle and Joint Salve
-Muscle and Joint Oil

For educational purposes only. For more information on harvesting guidelines and plant identification, please do your own research.

Our goal for our property is to provide habitat for as many native species as possible.  This year we built a few bird houses to further the cause.  So far we've had a few prospectors but no takers yet; Blue Birds, Tree Swallows, and House Wrens.  I suspect either the house wrens or the tree swallows will take up residency first.  They're not too shy about moving into a new place.  But often times bird houses will sit empty for the first year.  We made: 7 blue bird/tree swallow houses, 10 wren houses, 4 woodpecker houses, a wood duck house, a kestrel house, and a screech owl house, for a total of 24 bird houses!   

 My husband is part Lebanese, and Lebanese food is delicious! Every holiday we celebrate with his family, we get to enjoy a wide variety of traditional  Lebanese dishes. One of my favorites is grape leaves. We finally learned how to make them. They turned out great! Our family ate a whole batch in one day. 
The ingredients are simple: rice, beef, lemon or rhubarb, grape leaves, peppermint leaves, salt, and cinnamon. We added quinoa to the last batch. The kids had no idea!  We used peppermint and grape leaves from our garden.

​

We currently have 6 sheep and 13 chickens. We feed and water them a few times a day. It is always fun to watch! 

I checked on my herb garden today. I found more green than I expected! 

I planted these lavender plants last Summer. They grew so much! It looks like the winter                  Chamomile. It is still so green! 
did not bother them one bit. They still smell good!  The best variety to grown in MN is                       
Munstead. 

Cilantro. One of my favorites. It still tastes good!     Thyme. Still smells and tastes great!                                   Permaculture island

Today, my husband and I spent the afternoon creating a vision board. I wasn't too thrilled about the idea at first, but once I got started, I got really into it! It brought out my creative side and was also very relaxing. We ended up spending about 4 hours on it, and we came up with some of our best ideas for our future.
Since we both work from home and live on 9.5 acres, it is easy to get distracted and overwhelmed. The vision board is a place we can keep all of our hopes, dreams, projects and more. It also helps us to know each other's goals and intentions so we can motivate each other and stay on track. We focused on farm projects, personal growth, and business goals. I also included some motivational quotes and gentle reminders for how I want my days to feel. 
After we had completed our board, I felt so much lighter. Now I have a clear idea of what to focus on to achieve our goals.

Have you ever made a vision board? If not, you must! The process is so simple and so fulfilling. It is a game changer!
Materials:
Cardboard or foam board
Magazines
Glue stick or tape
Scissors
2-4 hours 

Before you begin, write down some goals for the current year. We focused on farm projects, work goals, and personal growth. 
 "When we’re setting a goal, we think realistically. We analyze our current situation and plan out steps on how to reach our goal. Setting goals is based on reasoning and creating a plan. Setting a goal is very cognitive process of analyzing, planning and reasoning. We are in control of the plan and of all the steps how to get there. But as you know life comes between you and your goals sometimes. Something happens and you can’t do what you had scheduled. It is hard to stay on track because there are so many distractions."-Excerpt from Arina Nikitina @ goal-setting-guide.com
Another important step to creating a successful vision board is setting an intention. 
"Setting an intention is a similar process like setting a goal, but the difference is that you don’t plan out the way how to get there. You just intend the outcome and surrender the process to the universe. It is like making a wish. One requirement that the intention has is that it comes from your heart. It has to be something you really want. It does not come from the reasonable you but from the alive you. It is not created out of fear but out of love. If you’re aware of the battle inside of you between the heart and the mind you know that many times what the heart wishes for the mind destroys with many reasons."
-Excerpt from Arina Nikitina @ goal-setting-guide.com

We are so excited about what we have planned for ourselves, our business and our farm. We plan on sharing the process with you all on here. Stay tuned! 

​Have you ever made a vision board? If so, how has it helped you?