Blog

Shay's blog on bringing more herbs into your life and how's she's learning to grow an herb garden all over again after moving from zone 5 to zone 8. Exploring minimalist skincare, botanical ingredients, and herbal knowledge.

rosemary spring, fresh lemon slices, coconut oil, soap, natural ingredients on table with wooden spoon

Read any good labels lately?

If you’re a compulsive label-reader like me, you know a good label is hard to find! Most annoying is when ingredients aren’t fully disclosed. Hiding preservatives under the name ‘parfum’ is pretty low, and hiding essential oils under the term ‘proprietary blend’ is not much better.

Read entire article

Golden-colored anhydrous, natural cream made with calendula, bladderwrack, and buriti oil

Showing a bit of cheek

It happened on Instagram. I couldn't help myself. After reading the list of ingredients for a 'daily skin repair lotion' of a well-known skincare brand made especially for sailors, I couldn't stay quiet.

Read entire article

Fresh peppermint, sage and rosemary with salt. ingredients to make a body scrub

So down on plastic

Hype. Spin. Noise! How nutty it is that in this age of information, we can’t tell what’s real. My remedy has been plugging in to the garden, the 'really real' world...

Read entire article

Tags: manifesto
Rosemary loves sailors

Rosemary loves sailors

Rosemary is believed to be a very protective plant, and new sailor that I am, was tickled to find this in the book “Magical Herbalism” by Scott Cunningham: “Has connections with the sea so is used in all sea rituals as well as sachets designed to ensure a safe, easy passage on the water... Did I make a charm for our sailboat? Yes.

Read entire article

dog with worried expression, wearing a face mask with cucumber slices

Eco-Conscious? I’m Eco-Neurotic!

I worry about each and every ingredient used in my skincare just like I worry about every ingredient that goes in my food. So I spend alot of time researching. Unfortunately, it’s a moving target.

Read entire article