Handmade Herbal Skincare

Last weekend, some of my friends and I took "Herbs in topical skincare" class at Herban Wellness in Kirkland. It was my very first GROUPON deal I purchased. Normally the class costs $30, but with GROUPON it was only $10. The user experience with GROUPON was great! If you haven't signed up yet, I highly recommend you to sign up. You'll receive daily local deal notifications from them via e-mail.

The class was taught by the store owner, Katya. She has a Bachelor's degree in Herbal Science from Bastyr University. She's very knowledgeable (of course) and fun to be around. It was about two hours long filled with a lot of great information about herbs, especially on their topical use and benefit. She showed us how to make salve/balm and lotion with all natural ingredients. (FYI: It's not vegan due to the use of beeswax.) It's all about mixing the right ingredients at the right temperature. It's a pretty simple process. The best part is that you get to choose what herbs go into your skincare products based on your physical and emotional needs.

We all took home a sample of salve/balm and lotion. My salve/lotion has peppermint, it's very refreshing. My lotion has ylang ylang, cardamon, and something I can't remember (oops). It smells so nice! Since there's no preservatives in these, the shelf life is not too long unless you keep them in the refrigerator. That made me think twice about the lotions I use at home. They never go bad. Who knows how long they've been sitting on the shelf in a drug store.

The store has a very cozy and relaxing atmosphere. You can buy dried herbs in bulk, herbal teas, pre-made herbal skincare products, essential oils, herbal supplements, resource books, etc. They offer different types of classes as well.  I also purchased a bottle of Lavender essential oil and Plantain oil to be a part of my first-aid kit. They both have anti-inflammatory qualities. Who knew that lavender oil is good for treating small burns. It will be very handy since I burn myself frequently while cooking. Yes, the kitchen is a very dangerous place indeed.

Herban Wellness

Location: 103 Lake Street S. Kirkland, WA 98033

Hours: 10:30-6:30 (Tue-Sat), 12:00-4:00 (Sun)