Herbal Resources

Lavender flowers

Organic lavender flowers are infused in organic olive oil giving the lavender herbal body oil the exact smell of you walking through a field of lavender running your hands over the flowers. This oil is very relaxing and soothing to your nervous system. Rubbed on your shoulders, it will encourage you to drop your shoulders, relax into your body, breathe deeply of the scent. Goes perfectly with your evening cup of tea before bed. This oil can also be dropped into your bath water to make your bath an even more luxurious experience. This oil is safe for babies and children and would be a great ritual to have with your baby or young child to prepare them for bedtime. This oil is a staple in the shop and very popular.

St John’s Wort flowers

St John’s Wort is gathered around the Summer Solstice in June. When harvested, it stains your fingers a reddish-purple hue which is the same color as St John’s Wort herbal body oil. These flowers are infused into organic olive oil. This herb is a nervine and is used to relax your nervous system. It’s perfect for rubbing into your tight shoulders and neck from stress or the small of your back from sitting at your desk. Using this oil after your morning shower will prepare you for the day ahead and rubbing some in your hands to warm and then placing on your tense jaw will help release the tension of the day. This is only gathered once a year and the shop will have a limited supply so sign up for the newsletter to know when it comes into stock.

Valerian Root

Valerian is used for anxiety and insomnia. Valerian is most well-known for its sedating and relaxing properties. It has long been used for people with anxiety, nervousness, restlessness, and insomnia. Researchers have studied valerian’s sedative qualities extensively. It has repeatedly shown to be effective, even when compared to pharmaceutical drugs.

In one study, researchers concluded that valerian was just as effective as oxazepam (a benzodiazepine) when taken over a 6 week period (Ziegler, G, M Ploch, A Miettinen-Baumann, and W Collet. “Efficacy and Tolerability of Valerian Extract LI 156 Compared with Oxazepam in the Treatment of Non-organic Insomnia–a Randomized, Double-blind, Comparative Clinical Study.” European journal of medical research 7, no. 11 (2002): 480-6),

One study compared the use of a three-herb formula containing valerian, passionflower and hops to the sedative, zolpidem. The researchers concluded that the herbal formula “is a safe and effective short-term alternative to zolpidem for primary insomnia.” (Maroo, Niteeka, Avijit Hazra, and Tapas Das. “Efficacy and Safety of a Polyherbal Sedative-hypnotic Formulation NSF-3 in Primary Insomnia in Comparison to Zolpidem: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” Indian journal of pharmacology 45, no. 1 (2013): doi:10.4103/0253-7613.106432).

Several studies have shown valerian’s ability to promote sleep in menopausal women. (Taavoni, Simin, Neda Ekbatani, Maryam Kashaniyan, and Hamid Haghani. “Effect of Valerian on Sleep Quality in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial.” Menopause (New York, N.Y.) 18, no. 9 (2011): doi:10.1097/gme.0b013e31820e9acf. Taavoni, S, N Nazem Ekbatani, and H Haghani. “Valerian/lemon Balm Use for Sleep Disorders During Menopause.” Complementary therapies in clinical practice 19, no. 4 (2013): doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2013.07.002)