The Mountain Rose Herbs Book of Natural Body Care: 68 Simple Recipes for Health and Beauty

Donnille, owner of the Mountain Rose Herbs store in Eugene, Ore., debuts with a solid manual for making hair, skin, facial, and body products from herbs and other natural ingredients. Offering a detailed overview of herbs’ and essential oils’ beneficial properties, Donnille explains that “the mucilaginous quality of marshmallow root” makes it an excellent moisturizer and that helichrysum essential oil “is noted for supporting collagen and elastin, which helps to smooth blemishes.” The recipes are the main attraction. Hair care products include shampoo made by blending castile soap, lavender essential oil, and rosemary carrier oil, as well as “leave-in conditioner” created by mixing argan, jojoba, and pomegranate seed oil. She also describes how to concoct makeup remover from castor oil and green tea, lip balm by melting calendula oil and beeswax in a boiler and leaving it to cool, and cuticle cream by heating sweet almond oil, argan oil, and shea butter. Donnille includes useful troubleshooting tips (“If your lip balm is too soft, remelt it and add more beeswax. If it is too hard, remelt it and add more oil”) and the uniformly easy recipes provide a low barrier of entry for beginners. This competent guide does the trick. (Jan.)