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Herbal Academy Botanical Skincare Course

This fall, Herbal Academy generously gifted me the opportunity to become a student and experience their Botanical Skincare Course. I have been passionate about using natural products in my skincare routine for many years now, and this was the perfect opportunity to take a deep dive into learning all about making my own DIY skincare products using natural ingredients.

A hand stirring lavender oat sugar scrub in a white bowl on a wooden table

What does the Herbal Academy Botanical Skincare course include?

The Botanical Skincare Course from Herbal Academy has everything you need to begin making your own natural skincare products at home. The course is separated into three units - unit one covers the anatomy and functions of the skin, providing a detailed but understandable scientific overview of exactly what and how our skin works. Some of this information will probably be common knowledge, but I found the included illustrations, charts and graphs extremely helpful.

Unit two covers skincare from the inside, offering a comprehensive holistic approach to skincare that went further than I expected a skincare course to go. But this is exactly what makes the Herbal Academy courses so special - rather than just throwing a bunch of great recipes your way and leaving you to fend for yourself, this unit really cements the importance of whole body care and all the ways that how we eat and live impact our skin health, with great tips for aiding digestion as well.

This unit also covered alternative wellness practices from other cultures including ayurveda and chinese medicine - these are of less interest to me personally, as I try to align my herbalism with my own celtic culture and avoid appropriating other cultures in my practice. I found it off-putting that the module on Chinese medicine in particular did not take the opportunity to feature an instructor from the Chinese community in the lesson - while the white male instructor seems to be very knowledgeable and qualified, I would have loved to see better cultural representation in this unit.

Unit three covers skincare recipe formulation and more of the technical creation of actual recipes. To be honest, I was so pleasantly surprised by how much the course included - for how small of an investment this course is, I would have been happy with just the content in unit three, so the other two units really felt like a huge bonus. You have access to the online coursework for one year after you activate it, but each unit offers the option to download a PDF version of all the content within the course to access indefinitely. The downloadable PDFs alone are over 600 pages of course material, so this one will keep you busy for a good long time!

Is the Botanical Skincare Course for beginners?

A book titled "botanical skincare recipe book" on a wood table with a bunch of lavender

This course would be great for herbalists of all levels who are looking to expand their knowledge and explore natural skincare product creation. There is a good mix of basic to intermediate content.

Is Herbal Academy Worth It?

Yes, I feel Herbal Academy is definitely worth the investment. You can click here to enroll in the course. You’ll have the option to purchase the companion book alongside the course - I highly recommend you do so, as the book alone is packed with recipes that you’ll want to try during and after completing the course.

Since lavender is one of my favorite plants to grow and to work with, I decided to make the lavender oat scrub from the companion book that goes along with the course. You can purchase this book separately from the course, but together with the course you are able to really dive deep into the methods and skills needed to make your own non-toxic skincare products.

What Are the Benefits of Using Lavender on Your Skin?

Aside from its lovely scent, lavender’s anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties make it an incredibly useful plant for our skin.

It can soothe and calm skin, help fight acne, and even help heal minor cuts and burns. It is useful for rashes and skin irritations caused by medical conditions such as psoriasis, rosacea, and eczema. Some studies have shown that the antioxidants in lavender may even help to reduce wrinkles.

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender essential oil has a long history as a medicinal treatment. It is important to make the distinction between lavender oil and lavender essential oil. Lavender oil is purely a scent, while lavender essential oil is what we want for medicinal or herbal usage.

Lavender essential oil is made by steaming dried lavender flowers. The heat of the steam releases the oils from the blooms.

Uses for Lavender Essential Oil

Aside from home uses, studies have proven that lavender essential oil can increase the effect of antiseptics commonly used to combat staph infections for patients who are having surgery.

At home, the antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties of lavender essential oil can help cuts and burns heal faster and fight infection. It is very soothing for sunburn and insect bites, as well.

As an antifungal and anti-inflammatory, lavender essential oil can reduce the inflammation caused by eczema and help treat psoriasis, while helping to balance your skin’s moisture barrier.

One unexpected use for lavender essential oil is to prevent and treat acne. It may seem that adding oil to oily skin would be counter-effective, but lavender essential oil can help regulate your skin's oil production.

A common treatment for acne is to use a stripping product to remove oils from your skin. What happens when you do this is that your skin becomes too dry, and tries to compensate for that by making more oil. Pores become clogged, and combined with acne bacteria, you have the perfect environment for pimples.

Like these products, lavender essential oil can kill off the bacteria, but without drying out your skin and continuing the cycle of oil production. It is non-comedogenic, so it doesn’t clog your pores, and its anti-inflammatory properties help soothe any acne you do have.

Lavender essential oil is also useful as a hair product. Its antibacterial and antiseptic properties protect your scalp against bacteria, and it can help with dry scalp and dandruff. As a bonus, it is also believed to boost hair growth.

How to Use Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender essential oil should not be applied directly to your skin, because it may cause irritation.

a small round container full of sugar scrub on a wooden table with oats scattered across the surface

For use as a skin cream, add it to your regular moisturizer or combine it with a carrier oil to create your own serum. Jojoba is a good carrier oil for most skin types. For dry skin, argan oil is very moisturizing, while for sensitive skin it might be best to go with rosehip oil.

To use your serum, apply 2-3 drops to problem areas.

To use lavender essential oil for acne, dilute it with carrier oil and apply it to your skin after washing your face.

You can also make a skin toner by mixing 2 or 3 drops of lavender essential oil with 1 teaspoon of witch hazel. Gently apply it to your face with a soft cloth or cotton ball.

To use lavender essential oil for dandruff, dilute the oil and scrub it into your scalp. You can wash it out after 10 minute or wrap your head in a towel and keep it on overnight.

For sunburn, combine lavender essential oil with aloe vera.

What Are the Benefits of Using Oatmeal on Your Skin?

Besides being a powerhouse of nutrition for our bodies, oatmeal is a great choice to use on our skin. People have used oats for centuries to treat rashes, eczema, and itchiness.

Oats are all natural, suitable for all skin types, inexpensive, and easy to acquire. Their amino acids, antioxidants, and fatty acids are all beneficial to our skin.

Using oatmeal on your skin can help it to maintain just the right pH, which is especially helpful for sensitive skin, and also provides your skin with vitamin E, which helps to retain moisture.

Oats work very well as an exfoliator, gently removing the dry outer layers of skin and working to remove the dirt and oil beneath, leaving your skin smooth and glowing. If used on the scalp, oatmeal can help to reduce dandruff.

Because it helps clear your pores, oatmeal is an effective option for helping to treat acne breakouts and reduce the redness they cause.

The starches in oatmeal help maintain your skin’s moisture barrier by attracting water to the skin, and the saponins have soap-like properties that make it an effective skin-cleanser. They were used for that purpose as far back as ancient Rome.

An oatmeal bath is a cooling way to calm skin inflamed by chicken pox or shingles, and its anti-inflammatory properties help to soothe itchiness. Along with itchiness, an oatmeal bath can also be helpful for sunburn, eczema, and psoriasis.

How to Use Oats for Your Skin

To use as a body cleanser, make lavender oat scrub from the recipe below.

For dry skin, use colloidal oats mixed with a bit of rose water. Colloidal oats are a finely-ground oat product. You can make your own by pulverizing or grinding oats yourself. Let it sit on your skin for 5-10 minutes, then rinse.

You can make a face mask with 2 parts oatmeal, 1 part honey, and a bit of rose oil. Leave the mixture on your skin for 10 minutes, then rinse.

To make an oatmeal bath, use water that is not too hot. (Heat can irritate skin.) Pour a cup of colloidal oatmeal under the faucet as it runs. If you don’t have colloidal oatmeal, you can put oats into a sock, tie it up, place it in the water, and swirl it around until the water looks milky.

If you are ready to give oats a try on your hair, mix finely-ground oats with your shampoo and wash as normal.

Lavender Oat Scrub Recipe

Lavender oat scrub is the perfect way to combine the benefits of the lavender and the oatmeal. It can be used as an all-over body scrub to exfoliate and moisturize your skin.

DIY Lavender Scrub

It is quite easy to make lavender oat scrub, which makes it a nice way to try your hand at herbal remedies, if you never have.

Mix some up for yourself, or gift a friend with their very own lavender oat scrub!

Dried flowers, a candle stick, wooden bowls and a white container of sugar scrub with a small wooden spoon on a wood table

The recipe below is from Herbal Academy’s Botanical Skincare Recipe Book. The book is a great resource, with 194 all-natural recipes for body care products from an herbalist perspective. Click here to purchase it alongside the companion course for a fully immersive experience.