Blog

Castor oil for skin care and topical application: Unique amongst all plant oils

Castor oil is obtained from the castor plant (Ricinus communis, Euphorbiaceae). It is the only species within this genus. This relatively large shrub grows in tropical and subtropical climate. Whil...

3 Types of Carrot Seed Oil in Natural Skin Care

There are many articles and YouTube tutorials available online about carrot seed oil and its use in skin care. These blogs and videos range from summarizing its composition and benefits for the ski...

On the origin of the “60% of your skin care gets absorbed” myth: The case of the misinterpreted study

You might have come across the blanket statement that “60% of what you apply on your skin, gets absorbed into your bloodstream”. This statement has been perpetuated by the natural skin care industr...

Plantain and plantain extract in natural skin care

Plantain medicine in skin care Plantain (Plangato spp.) is a very versatile and what I would call a foundational medicinal plant. Plantain’s most pronounced herbal action is astringent followed by...

Plant-based, botanical and herbal skin care: what's the difference?

What do botanical skin care and plant-based skin care have in common with the Rolling Stones? Have you ever been a fan of a little-known alternative musical band that went viral after many years? L...

Skin care in naturopathic practice: how to select, make and dispense the best product.

For years I have been interested in the divide/overlap of what I consider three worlds of skin care: conventional, natural and herbal. The carrier of the therapeutic action in conventional skin car...

Australian Rosehip Seed Oil and Vitamin C Myths

The myth that rosehip seed oil is rich in vitamin C is ubiquitous and spreads from one blog post to another. It is one of the most common natural skin care myths. It is about time it is undone. Wh...

Local ingredients from Australian farms: a long overdue trend in Australian natural skin care.

In contrast to the natural skin care sector, local ingredients have become a symbol of luxury and health within Australian hospitality. Restaurants, cafes, food vans and their customers all sing od...

Wattle Seeds Loaf with Mountain Pepper and Leatherwood Honey

Experience a multi-layered concerto of native flavors that gushes out of this soft, crumbly, rich wattle seeds loaf. It is only lightly sweet when served on its own. If you want to satisfy your swe...

Mountain rocket (Bellendena montana): The most Ancient Tasmanian

Bellendena montana (Mountain Rocket) is the only species of this ancient genus (over 85M years old!). It is considered a “paleoendemic” species. This means it was formerly widespread but grows now ...

Carpobrotus rossii (Native pigface): A versatile succulent

I have been meaning to write up a post about native pigface for a long time. Most Australians will be familiar with this plant because it is abundant all over the country (especially in the South)....

Exocarpos cupressiformis (Native cherry): Tasmanian bush nibble

Tasmanian Summer is in full swing and that means abundance of Summer berries. Who would not love to nibble on a little bush snack? There is a number of naturalized European “berry-plants” such as b...

Epilobium angustifolium (Fireweed): Yukon’s famous remedy

Earlier this year, I set off on a round-the-world trip, exploring the flora of three continents. I spent a couple of weeks traveling in the beautiful British Columbia (BC) – one of Canada’s provinc...

10 ways of celebrating Australian Winter solstice: Honoring Nature

My ancestors are the forest people of central Europe. I come from the Slavic tribes. This is my second Winter on the Southern hemisphere – in Australia. And I still cannot get my head around the fa...

Centaurium erythrea (Gentianaceae): Untouched by wallabies

One of the most essential things for a Tasmanian gardener is… a fence. Indeed, try not to guard your veggies and fruit, and instead of filling your belly, you can be sure you will satiate all the w...

Xantorrhoea australis: Call me Grass tree not Black Boy

So much to be said about this native Australian plant. I took a photograph of her on Bruny Island during an afternoon walk to Mark’s Point on North Bruny last week. X. australis is most commonly re...

Richea dracophylla (Ericaceae): The Queen of Tasmanian Dragons

Richea dracophylla … the name and the image of this plant always awaken respect in me. One look at the plant and one must feel the magic: She surely must be a dragon’s queen! She is also called “ri...