Making Herbal Products is a comprehensive, self-paced course that teaches you how to transform plants into effective, safe, beautiful herbal creations — from medicines to cosmetics to eco-friendly cleaning products. This course is available in the Ultimate Herbal Database to all members. To join just click on Database 2.0 on the menu.
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned maker, this course gives you the science, structure, and sensory intuition you need to craft herbal products with confidence.
You’ll learn how to extract plant chemistry, design functional formulas, choose the right solvents, and build products that are stable, effective, and aligned with your values.
This isn’t a recipe collection — it’s a formulator’s education.
You’ll understand why each ingredient is chosen, how plant chemistry works, and what makes a product safe, effective, and shelf-stable.
By the end, you’ll be able to create your own herbal medicines, skincare, body care, and eco-cleaning products — all rooted in ecological awareness and sensory intelligence.
This course teaches learners to confidently create safe, effective herbal preparations across three domains — herbal medicines, cosmetics, and eco‑friendly cleaning products — while understanding the phytochemistry, sensory logic, and ecological context behind each plant and preparation method.
Course Format:
Self‑paced, modular, hands‑on, with guided sensory labs, extraction comparisons, worksheets, and build‑as‑you‑go projects.
Core Competencies Developed:
- Phytochemical literacy (aroma, flavor, solubility, energetics, ecological function)
- Extraction science (water, alcohol, oil, vinegar, glycerin, fermentation)
- Product formulation (ratios, emulsions, preservation, stability)
- Safety & risk assessment (contraindications, shelf life, microbial risk)
- Sensory mapping & pattern recognition
- Cultural & ecological context of plant use
🌿 COURSE STRUCTURE
MODULE 1 — Foundations of Herbal Preparation
Lesson 1.1 — What Is an Herbal Preparation?
- Definitions: extract, menstruum, solvent, carrier, active constituents
- Four-lens framework: sensory • chemical • ecological • cultural
- Activity: Build a personal plant profile using the four lenses
- Sensory Lab: Taste/smell 3 kitchen herbs and map their chemistry
Lesson 1.2 — Phytochemistry for Makers
- Major phytochemical groups (alkaloids, terpenes, phenolics, polysaccharides, bitters)
- Solubility logic: which solvents extract what
- Heat sensitivity, oxidation, pH effects
- Worksheet: “Which solvent for which plant?”
Lesson 1.3 — Safety, Ethics & Sourcing
- Contraindications, dosage forms, shelf life
- Microbial risk in water-based products
- Ethical wildcrafting & TEK-informed harvesting
- Activity: Create a sourcing map for your region
🌿 MODULE 2 — Herbal Medicines
Lesson 2.1 — Water-Based Preparations
- Infusions, decoctions, compresses, steams
- Phytochemical logic: polysaccharides, minerals, tannins
- Lab: Compare infusion vs decoction of the same plant
Lesson 2.2 — Alcohol & Vinegar Extracts
- Tinctures, acetums, oxymels
- Solubility of aromatics, bitters, alkaloids
- Ratio calculations (folk vs weight-to-volume)
- Lab: Make a dual-extraction tincture
Lesson 2.3 — Oil-Based Preparations
- Infused oils, salves, balms
- Heat vs cold infusion
- Oxidation & antioxidant strategies
- Lab: Create a salve with a chosen herbal profile
Lesson 2.4 — Advanced Preparations
- Syrups, elixirs, glycerites
- Emulsions & stabilizers
- Preservation strategies
- Project: Build a 3‑product herbal medicine kit
🌿 MODULE 3 — Herbal Cosmetics & Body Care
Lesson 3.1 — Skin Physiology & Herbal Actions
- Barrier function, pH, lipid balance
- Anti-inflammatory, astringent, emollient, aromatic actions
- Worksheet: Match plant actions to skin needs
Lesson 3.2 — Hydrosols & Toners
Lesson 3.3 – Oil & Butter Formulations
- Body butters, massage oils, cleansing oils
- Carrier oil chemistry (oleic vs linoleic balance)
- Lab: Create a custom facial oil using sensory mapping
Lesson 3.4 — Emulsions, Lotions & Creams
- Oil-in-water vs water-in-oil
- Emulsifiers, stabilizers, preservatives
- Lab: Make a simple lotion and test stability
Lesson 3.5 — Masks, Scrubs & Exfoliants
Lesson 3.6 – Designing a Complete Skin Care Ritual
Lesson 3.7 — Aromatics & Fragrance Design
- Top/middle/base notes
- Terpene families & safety
- Lab: Build a 3‑note botanical perfume
Lesson 3.8 — Cosmetic Product Safety
- Microbial risk, pH testing, shelf life
- Patch testing
- Activity: Build a safety matrix for your formulations
🌿 MODULE 4 — Herbal Cleaning & Home Care Products
Lesson 4.1 — Chemistry of Natural Cleaning
- Surfactants, acids, bases, chelators
- Herbal antimicrobial & aromatic actions
- Worksheet: Match cleaning task to solvent type
Lesson 4.2 — Vinegar-Based Cleaners
- Herbal vinegar infusions
- Degreasing, descaling, deodorizing
- Lab: Make a citrus-herb all-purpose cleaner
Lesson 4.3 — Soap, Salts & Scrubs
- Saponification basics (non-lab, conceptual)
- Exfoliants, mineral salts, aromatic blends
- Lab: Create a cleansing scrub with herbal powders
Lesson 4.4 — Aromatic Home Products
- Room sprays, simmer pots, sachets
- Terpene volatility & diffusion
- Project: Build a 3‑product herbal home care kit
🌿 MODULE 5 — Sensory Mapping, Pattern Recognition & Formulation Design
Lesson 5.1 — Sensory-Ecological Mapping
- Taste/aroma → chemistry → ecological function
- Pattern recognition across plant families
- Lab: Build a sensory wheel for 5 herbs
Lesson 5.2 — Formulation Matrices
- Solvent selection matrix
- Skin-type matrix
- Cleaning-task matrix
- Activity: Use matrices to design 3 new products
Lesson 5.3 — Troubleshooting & Iteration
- Texture issues, separation, oxidation, off-odors
- Adjusting ratios, solvents, temperatures
- Worksheet: “If this happens → try this”
🌿 MODULE 6 — Capstone Project
Learners design a complete herbal product line (3–6 items) in one of the three domains:
- Herbal medicine kit
- Botanical skincare line
- Herbal home cleaning set
Deliverables:
- Product formulas
- Sensory maps
- Safety matrix
- Extraction comparison
- Cultural/ecological context notes
- Packaging & labeling plan
🌿 BONUS MATERIALS
- Printable worksheets
- Solvent selection wheel
- Extraction comparison chart
- Sensory mapping templates
- Seasonal formulation guide