Course 8 | Herbal Body Products & Gift Making

 Plants have given millions of people immense pleasure through beautification and gift-giving for millennia. This course aims to weave our current understanding of the medicinal properties of plants with the traditions of medicine-making to enhance our sensory experiences with plants while creating a beautiful selection of handmade herbal products.

This course is meant to educate and inspire every level of herbalist to create their own array of personal and household products, using all-natural ingredients alongside a selection of some of the most versatile and pleasurable plants right from your kitchen or home. Though the potential list of recipes could be endless, we want to provide you a set of easily adaptable recipes. Our intention is to offer you a strategic structure to follow so you can develop the basic skills and knowledge required to create a line of herbal gifts and products for your own needs and unique desires.

The use of plants in personal care and beauty products dates as far back as ancient Egypt with the discovery of essential oils and later other ingredients such as flowers, powders, fruit seeds, and oils, all of which were recognized for their nourishing and healing properties. However, within the last century, many natural ingredients have been replaced by synthetic ones, some of which are now known as potentially toxic substances. As such, there is an increasingly high demand to return to natural plant ingredients.

Follow along as we create full recipes together! All ingredients are meant to be easily sourced and require only equipment readily found in your kitchen, and all of the recipes are easily adapted and customizable to your personal needs and preferences.

Upon completion of this course, the successful student will have the ability to:

• Prepare a kitchen space with the necessary ingredients, supplies, and hygienic measures for the creation and preservation of a variety of household and personal care herbal products.
• Create a fully customizable line of herbal-infused skin and body care products including facial serums, cleansers, toners, lotions, sun protectants, clay masks, baths, deodorants, and salt scrubs.
• Create a fully customizable line of herbal household products such as soaps and aromatic room sprays.
•  Effectively infuse the medicinal properties of a plant into a selection of solvents including fats, oils, waters, and hydrosols.
• Understand the differences between various fixed and essential oils, and be able to choose ideal options for a variety of skin types and preparation methods.
• Better understand rancidity and the effectiveness of “natural” methods of product preservation.
• Glean a variety of tips and tricks for fun and effective medicine making, and be able to troubleshoot common concerns that can arise during the production of herbal products.
• Deepen your understanding of the medicinal properties of a selection of herbs that make ideal choices in the preparation of personal and household products that can be incorporated into a self-care routine, sold in markets, or given as gifts.