since i began my herbal journey, i have spent a lot of time forming relationships with the herbs i use on a daily basis. naturally, many of them have found their way into my products. the herbs and oils you’ll find in my salves and balms are very safe and have a long history of use by humans with little or no side-effects. i work mostly with herbs that are easily grown, wildcrafted or obtained from organic sources. the oils i work with are great for the skin, easily absorbed, and organic whenever possible.

as i have very sensitive skin, all my formulations and recommendations take this into consideration. it is why i primarily rely on the medicinal components of the raw herbs themselves versus extracts to do the work in my salves and balms. so if you have sensitive skin and usually react negatively to topical remedies, please know that there is nothing artificial in any by the roots products.

if you are curious about the medicinal qualities of any of the herbs i use, head over to my resources page for some recommendations.

because I prefer to allow the natural scent of the herbs to come through in the oils through the extraction process – a process carried out by hand, in small batches, by me - I rarely use essential oils in my products. yes, essential oils are technically natural (as long as they aren’t synthesized in a lab), but they are the chemical components of plants. and just like any other chemicals, they should be used with caution. be aware that essential oils are extracted from large quantities of plants that are often sprayed with chemicals and mono-cropped. for this reason, I only use essential oils from producers who source organic, wild or sustainably farmed plants and flowers. to use essential oils safely, they should only be used topically and in small amounts. some people don’t react well to essential oils, so I will always tell you when they appear in my products.

always be cautious if you have allergies to Aster family plants aka “ragweeds” (most of the salves contain at least one plant from this family). these products are not meant to be a substitute for medical care should you need it. if you ever have questions or concerns, please reach out to me through my contact page. and please stop using a product and see a doctor or other medical professional immediately should you have a negative reaction (such as a rash or other irritation) to any topical remedies.

all of the products on this site are meant for external use only. the descriptions are based on my personal experiences with the plants and the products made with them. the information contained in the descriptions of the products has not been evaluated by the food and drug administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.