Free luna Calendar for 2023. Based on the moon phases of the Northern hemisphere. Perfect for tracking all the various phases, ideal for herbal medicine making, cupping/hijamah, moon gardening or anything else. This is an A4 size.
To download the free calendar, click on the link here!
The perfume Farishta acquires its name from the Persian word ‘angel’ or ‘divine messenger’. It has a gentle floral breeze that whispers an odour of elapsed memories, of past monuments, and of unearthed images of native flora and aromatic herbs interlaced with stories of untamed resins, kept clandestine and immersed by the transient Near East desert sands.
My new scent Farishta is herbaceous, floral and resinous. Not cloying or overpowering, I wanted to create a scent that was ethereal but earthly, with a character of true flowers, herbs and resins that were mentioned in ancient manuscripts.
The soul of this scent, delicately interweaves Angelica archangelica and Egyptian lotus flower, both renowned and revered by the ancients. Ensuing notes of Champaca unfolds to create a trio of soft fluttery florals, that lie on a herbaceous bed of dill, myrtle and tarragon, evoking a sense of elevated awareness, heightened by cardamon and clove, and then tempered with vanilla and mellowed with saffron. The Resinous final layer is a merging of Amber, Labdanum, and the sweet balsamic notes of Gurjun.
New essential oil roller blends that I have been working on! A range of beautiful therapeutic aromatics, diluted in golden jojoba oil. Essential oils not only work on a physiological level but they also have a subtle element that works on the human consciousness. Indeed throughout history aromatic botanicals have been used across many cultures and civilisations for healing the mind, the body and the soul, each of which are intrinsically linked. These six new blends have been carefully and mindfully chosen for their therapeutic, as well as subtle vibrational properties.
If you adore the green, the fresh and the verdant, you must also revere the charred and the tainted, and the fallen leaves that lay in decay. Beyond decomposition there is life, there is fire, and there is earth and spirit, and in the land of the wilder, death is a mere whisper of an illusion.
I think this is a scent for darker days and winter nights. It’s one of those scents that you definitely do not smell in the bottle. Once applied, it will alter with the chemistry of your body and pick up particular notes according to the individual’s skin.
This is a scent of ancient woods, crisp winter nights and smoke. It may be cosy to some, more smoky to others and also you may pick up floral woodland too.
Opening notes include, spruce hemlock, black spruce tarragon and bergamot. Spring narcissus and chamomile adds just a trace of a green florals. There is also just a suggestion of my artisan extract of cepes, and more wood from cedar and smoke from birch tar. the enduring notes includes Galbanum and labdamen resin, tobacco, sandalwood and myrrh.
New in the shop! These aromatherapy smelling salts are made with pink Himalayan rock salt and a synergistic blend of essential oils to enhance health and wellbeing, and aid common ailments.
Aromatic essential oils have been used for thousands of years as a remedy to enrich health, and has the ability of affect mood and atmosphere. Smelling salts have been used since Roman times as mentioned by Pliny the Elder, and were also popular in the 13th Century, frequently used to trigger consciousness and prevent fainting spells. Similarly, smelling salts are used today by athletes, to enhance their performance.
We have combined these two medicinal tools to create essential oil smelling salts in a handy amber glass apothecary bottle for convenient use. Ideal for the home, your desk at work, or when travelling. These contain NO ammonia and are a simple way to utilise the benefits of aromatherapy.
Star Flower/Borage Flower Remedy
This is the first time I have grown Borage and the flowers are now in season, and are flourishing and embellishing my garden with small star shaped blue/indigo blooms with a contrasting bright green thick stem and leaves. Flower essence making is an annual ritual and an opportunity to harness the medicine the plants have gifted to us. This was made this morning whilst the morning dew was still visible. Flower essence are a type of subtle vibrational medicine made by placing the flower in spring water under the sunlight to capture and potenise their energetic imprint. A preservative is added to the spring water (I use organic agave syrup) and the medicine is used for many emotional issues. Borage flower essence is ideal for the disheartened, and promotes a cheerful outlook and brings emotional strength.
Directions for making flower essences:
Ingredients: a sterilised glass bowl, sterilised amber bottle, spring water, unpicked plant for essence.
In the morning, when there is dew, fill a bowl of spring water, and place it near the plant and in the sun. Spend time with the plant with an intention that you are making a healing essence and be open to messages you receive from the plant. Say a prayer if you wish. Using tweezers or a leaf from the plant cut a few small flowers and lay in the water. Allow the essence to sit in the sunlight for about 3 hours, using your intuition to judge whether they are ready to be taken out. When the essence is finished infusing, give thanks, and bottle the imprinted flower water and preserve with vegetable glycerine, organic agave syrup or organic white vinegar. Add a minimum of 60 -70 percent of the preservative. Name and date the mother essence bottle. To store the bottles, keep out of light in a cool dark place and avoid strong odours. Keep check of any solid substance in the water, and do not use if this occurs as the essence is contaminated.
Dosage bottle: Once you have made the mother essence you can make the dosage bottle. The dosage bottle contains again a minimum of 60-70 percent preservative, spring water and a few drops of the mother essence.
Come and witness the alchemy of the night, where lightness fades and the bitterness is sweet, and where Neroli blooms are bathed in moonlight.
My new scent for spring and summer is Herbaceous, light floral and green.
Opening notes are Sicilian Bergamot, Mandarin, Grapefruit and Lime, and Chamomile offers a hint of herbal aromatics. There is a suggestion of Narcissus and a hint of Jasmine, but the dominant scent is the honeyed citrusy green of Neroli. Sage adds an unusual herbaceous note, and Galbanum a little grass. Cardamom lifts, and then there is Cedar and Sandalwood, the earthy warmth of Benzoin resin. And finally Ambrette seeds add musk.
I found Neroli Moon to be a joyful scent, perfectly at home in a spring floral garden, dotted with a border of herbs.
Golden Milk (or haldi doodhd) is based on an ancient Ayurvedic recipe used to nourish and balance the mind and body. The key ingredient is turmeric, a yellow earthy spice traditionally used in Asian cuisine. Its active component is Curcumin, which has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries for its strong antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties and comes with a whole host of health benefits. Each household has their own version of golden milk, many drink it as a soothing milk before going to sleep or a calming milk for coughs. My Mum makes it with milk, ground almonds, cardamom, saffron and pistachios, and my dad likes to add ginger.
The recipe below is one I like to make on occasion. I usually find milk heavy to digest, so I also add a little spring water to the mix. You can omit some ingredients according to your taste, or make other variations, with the addition of nutmeg, star anise, ginger and/or ashwagandha.
Golden Milk Ingredients
1 cup of unsweetened plant based milk. I use Almond milk.
½ cup of spring water
A few crushed cardamom pods
½ inch of turmeric root or 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
A few crushed peppercorns
A few strands of saffron (optional)
½ a stick of vanilla
1 inch cinnamon stick (optional)
Brown cane sugar or agave syrup to taste (optional)
Instructions
Put all the ingredients in a pan and turn on the heat. Let all the ingredients gently simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Add suger or agave syrup to taste if you want a sweetener. Strain in to a cup and enjoy.
