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

by Rosemary Gladstar

In this Storey Basics® guide, renowned herbalist Rosemary Gladstar shares her favorite recipes for holistic beauty and body care, including her amazing five-step skin care program and all-natural recipes for herbal cleansers, steams, astringents, creams, therapeutic bath blends, massage oils, shampoos, conditioners, and more.

Genres: Herbs, Nonfiction, Health, Witchcraft, Gardening, Plants, Reference

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 6, 1999

About the author

Rosemary Gladstar is a pioneer in the herbal movement and has been called the "Godmother of American Herbalism." She began more than 35 years ago developing herbal formulas in her herb shop, Rosemary's Garden in Sonoma County, California. She is the founder of the California School of Herbal Studies, the oldest running herb school in the United States, author of The Science and Art of Herbalism home study course, and is the director of the International Herb Symposium and The New England Women's Herbal Conference held annually in NE. She is the author of numerous herb books including the bestseller Herbal Healing for Women, The Storey Book Herbal Healing Series, and Herbal Remedies for Vibrant Health. Rosemary is also the co-founder of Traditional Medicinal Tea Company and did all of the original formulations for the company. She has taught extensively throughout the United States and worldwide at venues as varied as backyard gardens, native villages, garden clubs to universities and hospitals. She has won numerous awards and certificates for her work with medicinal plants, but her greatest reward has been in watching the herbal renaissance soar from its birth and feeling in some small exciting way, a part of it.

Her greatest passion has been the work of United Plant Savers, a nonprofit organization that Rosemary founded in 1994 and is currently serving as Founding President. UpS is dedicated to the conservation and cultivation of at-risk North American medicinal plants and to preserving botanical sanctuaries across the U.S. to help preserve the land that these precious native species thrive on. For information on United Plant Savers, please visit: www.unitedplantsavers.org

Rosemary lives and works from her home, Sage Mountain Herbal Retreat Center, a 500-acre botanical preserve in central Vermont.

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

This is a fantastic book for learning the basics of all natural skin care. When you do an Internet search for all natural beauty recipes the results can be overwhelming. But Rosemary Gladstar has made a simple yet effective guide for anyone who is just starting to make and use their own beauty remedies.

Gladstar begins with giving us a list of necessary kitchen tools and ingredients. One of my favorite recipes in the book is the "Green Goddess Facial Serum." The serum includes a list of the best ingredients that will make your skin glow and the serum is very easy to make. I prefer making serums over creams or lotions because they are easier and quicker to put together.

Another of my favorite recipes in the book is the one for tooth powder. I have been making and using my own tooth powder for about a year now and my family's dental health has never been better. Gladstar recommends putting some ground myrrh powder in the mix, which is something that I have never tried before.

HERBS FOR NATURAL BEAUTY is a fantastic resource and I highly recommend it for anyone who is tired of putting toxic and expensive unguents on the face and getting no results. Natural is the way to go!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a tone similar to your wise, warm, slightly wacky hippie auntie, Rosemary Gladstar leads you on a pleasant tour of the herbal beauty world. Who knew that many herbs familiar to home chefs and tea drinkers can also be used for cosmetic purposes? Each section of the book covers a specific skin or hair care treatment and begins with a fun and informative introduction by Gladstar, followed by easy-to-make recipes. After reading this book, you’ll want to whip up a batch of miracle grains or homemade rose water for yourself and your friends.

[Abbie Riddle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVED the conversational and engaging writing style of this book. Simply put not only is this book practical and helpful it is simply a joy to read!! This is perfect for those new to herbs and natural make ups and beauty supplies. The instructions are simple the explanation easy to understand. But really, it is the writing style that takes this from the normal textbook style natural guide to a conversation with a wise aunt over a cup of tea who is simply interested in imparting her wisdom to the next generation.

[Felicity Fields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! It may feel like a short but, but it's packed with info and personality. I appreciate that she started by describing how the different ingredients function in a recipe, so that when you are experimenting you know which ingredients can be swapped without affecting the end product in function or form.

Includes all home bath products except soap in a simple, no extra info presentation that a beginner like me really appreciates.

Looking forward to trying these recipes!

[sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it is very very hard to take an intuitive practice & write a book on it that is accessible & approachable for everyone, but this is pretty damn good. Wish it was longer & included some more recipes, but I am absolutely going to try some of these!!

[Charmaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful introduction to Rosemary Gladstars' work! Informative and pleasantly written. I am looking forward to trying some of these recipes and making my own hydrosols.

[Stephie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some good recipes I had never seen before - or thought to look for.

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read with recipes, tips, and info abt herbs good for natural beauty health.

[Robin Leach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Want this book.

[Dawn Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review Herbs for Natural Beauty by Rosemary Gladstar

9781612124735

Publisher: Storey Basics
128 Pages

Nonfiction, Health, Mind & Body, Skincare, Shampoo, Creams, Body Butters, Bath

The book is in the Storey Basics for Self-Reliance series.

Chapter One: Women’s Health, Women’s Beauty

Chapter Two: Selecting the Ingredients

Chapter Three: A Cornucopia of Natural Skin Care Recipes
Miracle Grains
Moist Miracle Grains
Herbal Facial Steam
Queen of Hungary’s Water
Bay Rum Aftershave and Astringent
Homemade Rose Water, Method #1
Homemade Rose Water, Method #2
Homemade Spritzer
Rosemary’s Perfect Cream
Green Goddess Facial Magic
Golden Elixir Facial Serum
Basic Body Butter
Edible Body Butter
Body Butter Bars
Herb-Infused Oil
Creamy Massage Oil
Body Powder

Chapter Four: Beauty and the Bath
Stimulating Bath Blend
Relaxing Bath Blend
Homemade Bath Salts
Basic Salt Glow
Brown Sugar Scrub
Tooth Powder
Spilanthes Mouthwash
Luscious Lip Balm
Sleep with the Angels Dream Balm

Chapter Five: Hair Care and Coloring
Make-It-Yourself Herbal Shampoo
Goldie Locks Herb Blend
Dark of the Night Herb Blend
Desert Bloom Herb Blend
Rapunzel’s Locks Herb Blend
Vinegar Hair Rinse
Herbal Hair Rinse
Hot Oil Conditioning Treatment

At the end of the book, there is a recommended reading list and a list of resources. The author does a thorough job introducing readers into natural skin care. Most of the ingredients are readily available. As someone that makes her own skin care products, I found this book to be helpful. This is an excellent resource for anyone interested in controlling what goes on their skin.

[Holly Scudero · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

Review originally written for San Francisco Book Review.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosemary Gladstar is one of my favorite herbalists and her kind voice and her wisdom make these short, focused booklets easy to read. This booklet begins with a basic overview that is a great starting point for many common beauty care herbs and other ingredients. The remainder of the book includes recipes that are easy to follow, the ingredients are easy to find at a local store or online (she gives reputable resources), and the advice is concise, yet helpful. The brief introductions to each recipe are as useful as the recipe itself, which furthers the herbal education Rosemary introduces in the beginning pages. There is a nice section on using henna for hair color and it is some of the most helpful and informative advice I’ve read about this process.

[penny shima glanz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an invaluable resource to beginning to make your own facial cream, body butters, massage oils, bath salts and scrubs, lip balms, and more -- right in your kitchen with many ingredients already found in your pantry. Gladstar's experience is distilled into clear instructions full of common sense and helpful tips and charts for going beyond the recipe. She also explains how to use the items with helpful routines, such as a five step skin care routine, a step-by-step guide to applying henna, and the secrets to the perfect pampering bath.

Note: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Janis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't wait to try out these formulas for wholly home-made skincare! I've been more and more dissatisfied with factory made skincare products that are pricey and non-effective. Knowing what actually goes onto my face is important to me as skin is how we interact with the outside world, and absorbs a lot of toxins every day! I like that this book gives a great overview on what each common ingredient generally comes from and what they do. I wouldn't mind more technical details but this is fine too. I especially love the facial routine part!

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are new to this world of clean living and Herbs for Natural Beauty is the perfect book for someone like my daughter and myself. There is so much information here and the recipes are easy to do. We have enjoyed playing around with them. I especially love the face cream and bath salts. Great book for us to have.

This ARC was given to my by Netgalley for my unbiased review.

[Deborah Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book for creating your own beauty products, from hair care to make up, but my favorite parts are about baths. A must read for anyone trying to break away from the mystery chemicals plaguing our cosmetics.

[Kei · Rating 4 out of 5]

She has a wonderful voice and approach to herbs and healing and beauty.

Most of what was in here I had read previously in one of her other books, but there was a bit of new, and having the smaller - more specific - reference is not a bad thing.

[Vicky A. Cradit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books by Rosemary.

I love all of Rosemary's books. I have used the recipes for friends and family for a while now and I have been very satisfied with the results. They have been very pleased with them also.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave his book 3 stars because I haven’t had a chance to try any of the recipes yet. It’s an easy read and she does a nice job of explaining the benefits simply and it looks like the recipes are pretty easy to do.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read and very informative.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Rosemary's personality and philosophy. The book contains foundational information and recipes that seem very approachable. I like to try some soon, especially the hair and teeth products.

[Todd McGinnity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Rosemary!

A great book for those seeking ways to be a natural beauty. Rosemary Gladstar is a brilliant herbalist. I just love her work.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great information & very clear fast read! One of my favorites!

[Kate Grandbois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, easy read with accessible recipes!