Things We Used to Think Herbs Were For

We used to think lavender was just for sleep.
We used to think cinnamon belonged in dessert.
We used to think hibiscus was just for iced tea.

And honestly? We used to think self-care had to be… complicated.

This week reminded us how wrong we were. In the best way.

Because a few steeped herbs, a handful of simple ingredients, and a little time turned into one of the calmest, softest, most surprising weeks of this entire challenge.
We didn’t plan for that. We just wanted to test some recipes for body oil, a scrub, and a spray. What we got was: lavender steam drifting through the office. Chamomile settling into linen. The scent of cinnamon warming up cold studio mornings. Hibiscus staining glass jars the same pink as our cheeks after a long day.

And all of us realizing:
Herbs were never just kitchen ingredients.
They’ve always been tools for care. For rituals. For feeling good in your skin and space.
The Lavender Cinnamon Body Oil came first. Warmed gently in our organic olive oil, the cinnamon bloomed. The lavender softened. And suddenly it felt like someone pressed pause.
Lavender isn’t just soothing, it’s one of the most studied herbs in modern herbalism. It’s been shown to support nervous system balance, reduce skin irritation, and improve sleep. We source our organic lavender flowers whole, dried gently to preserve their full essential oil content.

Cinnamon, on the other hand, is warming and stimulating. It’s known to increase circulation and has been traditionally used in massage blends across cultures, from Ayurveda to Moroccan hammams. Ours is finely milled, rich in cinnamaldehyde, and organically grown by farmers who treat it like the treasure it is.

Then came the Hibiscus Cinnamon Glow Scrub. Bright. Floral. Just the right amount of spice. Hibiscus is known for its gentle, natural acids and high antioxidant content, it’s basically skincare disguised as a flower. In fact, hibiscus has been used in Egyptian beauty rituals for thousands of years. Its petals are still prized for their ability to help tone, brighten, and refresh the skin.

Add organic cane sugar, our cinnamon powder, and a bit of oil to bind it all? You get a scrub that smells like spiced fruit, feels like velvet, and rinses off clean. Melissa said it made her whole bathroom feel like a facial studio. We agreed.

And finally, the Lavender Chamomile Linen Spray, a surprise favorite. No preservatives. No perfumes. Just steeped herbs, cooled, strained, and misted.
Chamomile, whole and organically grown, is famous for its calming effects, but few people realize how beautifully it pairs with lavender. In this case, it mellowed the sharp floral notes and made the entire spray feel soft. Not floral perfume soft. Real, plant-based, soul-level soft.

Melissa sprayed it on a scarf and said it felt like “wearing a deep breath.”

That’s what this week was. A breath. A return. A remembering. We’ve always taken sourcing seriously, because we know what it takes to do it right. Some of the farms we work with have been part of the Starwest family for decades. That’s how we’re able to offer ingredients that are not only in stock, but hand-picked for quality. We know the people. We know the land. And we check, and triple-check, everything before it ever reaches you.

Because whether it’s steeped into your tea or your body oil, organic herbs deserve respect.
And so do you.
If you’re ready for your own ritual, all three recipes are live on our socials now.