If you’ve ever sold a house, a standard piece of advice from your realtor is to bake cookies just prior to the open house. Why? Because the aroma of baked goods (i.e. cinnamon, caramelized sugar, vanilla, etc.) reminds people of home. Grocery stores will sometimes waft the fragrances from the bread baking in the bakery …
For many of you who grow lavender in your garden, the thought of creating your own herbal tea has probably crossed your mind. The process is really very easy and the tea is relaxing and revitalizing—without caffeine. The first thing you need to do is make sure you are using a lavender that is compatible …
Over the past several decades a number of scientific papers have been published detailing the various beneficial uses of the essential oil of lavender. Going all the way back to the pre-Christian era in Europe, early physicians were describing the use of lavender for its calming and anti-convulsive properties. During the middle ages, one of …
Using Lavender Essential Oils in the Treatment of Burns Read More »
Lavender is a very easy plant to propagate by taking cuttings from mature plants that are sending out new shoots. It’s also very forgiving. A lavender “start” (a cutting that has been rooted in a seed-starting soil pod) can go right into your garden as soon as the chance of frost has past. However, a …
Many people who visit Monte-Bellaria say that they’ve had problems growing lavender for the long run. We’ve heard folks say that they’ve had beautiful growth for several years with large blooms, and then the plant seems to simply die. The usual problem they describe is that the plant starts getting “bald spots,” and …
How to Keep Lavender Plants Alive (For a Long Time) Read More »
If you are looking for a quick, non-pharmaceutical solution for muscle and joint pain, many people are proponents of an Epsom salt soak. Originally found in mineral spring waters in Epsom, England, these salts have been used for hundreds of years to ease a number of symptoms just by …
When distilling essential oil, a bi-product of the process is a hydrosol, also known as “flower water,” and is distilled water with many of the fragrance and beneficial attributes of the more concentrated oil. The reason that the hydrosol is perfect for spa treatments is that it can be used directly on the skin, whereas …
People often ask us if Monte-Bellaria honey—which is sometimes dense and semi-crystalized—has “gone bad.” The answer is definitely NO! It is, in fact a sign that the honey that you’ve purchased is pure, raw honey. We’ve discussed before that raw honey is unprocessed. In particularly this means that the honey: Contains many of the natural …
Recently there was more evidence from a study at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, that Extra Virgin Olive Oil has demonstrable health benefits. We’ve heard for years that the “Mediterranean Diet” is linked to longevity, lower heart disease, lower incidence of diabetes, and weight control. But now we see that a …
Olive Oil Lowers Risk of Dementia and Alzheimer’s Read More »
Our customers frequently ask about using lavender essential oils for perfumes and colognes. It’s a very simple process and it’s easy to create your own distinctive fragrance that won’t be overpowering. So one of the first questions is what is the difference between perfume and cologne? The simplest answer is that a perfume can contain …
An interesting characteristic of the lavender fragrance is that it can quickly freshen the home environment without producing a long-lasting overpowering scent. You’ve probably been in a room where someone is using some type of freshener (room spray, plug-ins, candles, incense, etc.) that never quits. (Think of the ubiquitous bayberry or vanilla candles around the …
Lavender is an Ideal Freshening Fragrance: Strong then Gone Read More »
When making organic, non-preservative laden soaps and balms, a key ingredient that helps with the beneficial qualities of moisturizing and healing is beeswax. Beeswax is produced by worker bees which use it to build comb within their hives. The comb is used for rearing young, and for storing pollen and honey. But after the honey …
Beeswax for Skin Care: Using Natural Solar Processing Read More »
