Posted by Sue Landsman on Mar.19, 2009

©iStockphoto.com - William Mahar

Spring’s almost here, but we’re still in the time of year where most people seek some comfort from nourishing teas or warm baths. With the economy the way it is now, however, we’re also trying to cut out unnecessary purchases. Why stress out over buying the things you want to help you not stress out?

Many people don’t know how easy it is to make some of the products that they buy regularly or to tailor some of their indulgences to make them more affordable. Cutting costs while maintaining quality is vital, especially if you want to buy organic.

Another benefit of making these products yourself is that you get to experience the sensual beauty of the herbs, the way they look, smell, and feel as you measure and strain them, crush them in a mortar or stir them in a bowl. This is almost as relaxing as using them. If you give your creations as gifts, you’re also giving this experience. Who couldn’t appreciate a whiff of tea freshly made just for them?

Here’s some good things you can make with herbs:

Teas

Are you used to buying organic or medicinal teas for about $6 a box? If you can wean yourself off of tea bags and use a tea infuser instead, you can buy your favorite tea herb in bulk and save yourself scads of money. A one pound bag of chamomile flowers from Mountain Rose Herbs costs $10.75. One pound of chamomile is about a throw pillow’s sized bag, compared to the tiny amount you’d get in 16 tea bags. 

If you prefer tea blends, there are a wide range of recipes available in books or on the internet. My favorite recipe book is Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health: 175 Teas, tonics, Oils, Salves, Tinctures, and Other Natural Remedies for the Entire Family. When you are making your own tea mixes, it’s important to remember to measure your ingredients out by weight rather than by volume. 

For those of you who prefer the convenience of a tea bag, you can purchase iron-shut tea bags. You simply spoon your own tea into the bag, and iron them shut. These also make wonderful gifts, and are a great project for kids who enjoy filling the little bags while mom or dad finishes them off.

Bath products

Many scented or herbal bath products are extremely expensive yet are made out of simple ingredients. You can make your own salt scrubs by buying salt and some essential oils. This is also a great way to reuse all those old product containers you might have lying around. Another great thing to do is buy a bulk bag of crushed rose petals, and mix some rose petals in with dry milk powder. This makes for a wonderful bath. 

There are also some great recipes in Gladstar’s book for simple herbal baths. You make a blend of herbs, and when you’re ready to take a bath you put about a quarter cup of the mix in a muslin bag, hang the bag on the spigot, and let the hot water pour through it into the tub. In a sense, you’re bathing in tea. Imagine a fragrant, soothing bath of rose petals, lavender, and chamomile at the end of a long, hard day. Or, to wake up on a weekend morning, try a bath with eucalyptus, calendula, and peppermint.

Salves and tinctures. Many of the expensive creams and medicinal tinctures you can buy at whole foods stores you can easily make yourself. To make a salve or a cream, you let a mixture of herbs simmer in a pot of oil and beeswax until the medicinal properties of the herbs are extracted into the liquid. Then you strain the herbs out, add a few drops of essential oil to the mix, and pour it into bottles. Again, this is a great way to reuse old containers that you have thoroughly washed and sterilized. 

A tincture is something you take internally. Many people buy tinctures of echinacea and similar herbs for the cold season, or relaxing blends for stressful times. You can easily make these at home, though it does take a while. To make a tincture you let your herbs sit in alcohol until the medicinal properties are extracted, then strain and bottle. 

As with any medicinal product, it’s important to properly label these items as they’re sitting and after you’ve packaged the finished product. You can even use your computer and sticker paper to print up your own special labels.

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Posted under Beauty, Spa Living.