Urban Farm Hub

By Erika Rossi-Raia

Erika is a fellow urban gardener living in Florida. Her passion for eating organically and staying active prompted her to incorporate these values into her career. Working for Grow Up Hydrogarden has given her the opportunity to share her love for gardening on a daily basis. Follow Erika on Twitter (@erikarossiraia) to keep up with her daily musings. 

Having a garden at home can have several benefits ─ you’re able to grow your own fresh produce and you have control of where your food comes from. Aside from just growing fruits and vegetables, having a garden presents the perfect opportunity for you to make your own beauty treatments. Herbs are very popular beauty ingredients that can be grown in your backyard. Below are a few herbs that you can grow to give yourself a spa treatment – at home.

Lavender

Lavender is best known for its use in fragrances and its aromatherapy benefits. Lavender is especially good for colds, sluggishness, and cramps. This multi-faceted herb has been found to reduce anxiety and stress. So the next time you need to relax from a stressful day, try adding a few lavender florets to your cup of hot tea. To create a relaxing environment, make your own lavender oil or candle and relax with this lavender chamomile oatmeal soak.

Photo credit: tfengreen @ Flickr Creative Commons

Using Lavender at Home:

Lavender Chamomile Oatmeal Soak

What you’ll need:

• 2 cups plain old fashioned oats
• 1 tablespoon dried lavender buds, culinary quality
• 1 chamomile tea bag, opened
• 1/2 cup baking soda

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or a food processor and pulse until the mixture looks like flour. Add about 1/3 cup of the mixture to a hot bath. Store the remaining homemade bath soak mixture in a glass jar.

Homemade Lavender Oil

What you’ll need:

• Glass jar with lid
• Olive oil, jojoba oil, or almond oil
• Bunch of lavender flowers
• Muslin
• Amber glass bottles with lids

Fill glass jar with lavender flowers. Measure enough carrier oil to fill the jar and slightly warm oil in a saucepan. Slowly pour the oil into the jar. Cover the jar tightly with and let the mixture steep for 48 hours in a sunny windowsill, shaking every 12 hours.

Strain the mixture through a piece of clean muslin to separate the lavender from the oil. After the final straining, you can pour the oil into an amber glass bottle. The shelf life for lavender infused oil is 6 – 12 months if kept in a dry, dark, cool place.

Rosemary

A member of the mint family, rosemary is a good source of iron, calcium and vitamin B6. Rosemary can be used to reduce muscle pain. It also improves memory, boosts the immune and circulatory system, and promotes hair growth. Add a sprinkle of rosemary in your tub to relieve sore muscles!

Rosemary oil can also be used to tone and firm the skin.  It is a natural astringent and has been used to treat acne, dermatitis and eczema.  When combined with fennel oil, rosemary oil is even rumored to help remove cellulite!

Photo credit: Mom the Barbarian @ Flickr Creative Commons

Using Rosemary at Home:

Homemade Herbal Hair Rinse

What you’ll need:

• 2 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon dried sage leaves
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

Makes two treatments

Steep dried sage leaves and dried rosemary in boiling water. Let the herbs infuse for ten minutes, covered. Add white vinegar for extra shine. Use one cup of the infusion for each hair rinse treatment.

After shampooing hair, pour the sage and rosemary rinse over wet hair. Leave on for about five minutes. Rinse hair with cool water.

Homemade Rosemary Oil

What you’ll need:

• Glass jar with lid
• Extra-virgin olive oil, or apricot, sunflower, grapeseed or almond oil
• Fresh rosemary
• Muslin
• Amber glass bottles with lids

Allow fresh rosemary to dry in a warm, dark area overnight to allow excess moisture to evaporate. Fill a glass jar about two-thirds full with rosemary, with the rosemary relatively loose and not tightly packed. Cover the rosemary with oil so the herbs are completely immersed with no part exposed to air. Stir the mixture gently with a wooden spoon to remove air pockets.

Cover the jar tightly with and let the mixture steep for two to three weeks in a sunny windowsill, gently shaking every day. Strain the mixture through a piece of clean muslin to separate the herbs from the oil. Pour the rosemary oil into a sterile glass jar. Cover the jar and place the oil in a cool, dark place.

Let the oil rest for a week to allow water and impurities generated from the plant material to settle at the bottom of the bottle. The oil that rises to the top will become rancid if the dirty water isn’t removed. Carefully pour the clean oil into an amber glass bottle and discard the dirty water. Cover the bottle securely. Store the rosemary oil in the refrigerator, or in a cool, dry location.

Sage

Known as the herb for longevity, sage is often used as a remedy for respiratory infections, congestion, and coughs. Sage is rich in antioxidants and important nutrients, such as vitamin K. In addition to its healing properties, sage promotes shinier, healthier hair. If your hair needs an extra boost, you can create your own herbal hair rinse using sage.

Photo credit: waferboard @ Flickr Creative Commons

Using Sage at Home:

Honey and Sage Face Mask and Exfoliator

What you’ll need:

• 3 tablespoons of honey
• 1 tablespoon ground sage leaves

Apply honey to face and neck and pat on the sage leaves. Leave the mixture on for 10-15 minutes. Wet your fingers with warm water and rub the sage in circular motions over the face for 1 minute. Rinse your face with a soft cloth in warm water.

With a few household ingredients, you can go from stressed and tired to relaxed and refreshed. Want to begin a healthier lifestyle and make your own beauty treatments? Find out how a GrowUp! Hydrogarden can make your life more relaxing at home.