Herbs for Natural Beauty: Create Your Own Herbal Shampoos, Cleansers, Creams, Bath Blends, and More

If it seems like making your own concoctions for health and beauty products is “in” right now, you’re probably right. Bloggers everywhere have jumped aboard, there are recipes everywhere for body scrubs and face washes, and Internet sources abound for essential oils and herbs. But what if you’re new to this, and you’re not sure where to start? What if you just want a simple guide for beginners? Rosemary Gladstar, lifelong herbalist, is here to help.

Herbs for Natural Beauty is one in Storey’s new series of books about using herbs for everyday things. In this book, Gladstar presents the basics of how to make your own herbal beauty products, from skin care products (including facial scrubs, moisturizers, and even aftershave) to bath products (bath salts, body scrubs, and tooth powder) to hair care products (herbal shampoos and ideas for using henna to color your hair). This is by no means an exhaustive guide to making your own anything, but it does cover the basics quite adequately, using supplies that are readily available at your local health food store or online. Her instructions are straightforward and she provides a detailed explanation of the different kinds of ingredients she uses, as well as what purpose each one serves. This is a great starter guide.