The Herbal Almanac
Journal
One botanical at a time — the stories, traditions and rituals behind every herb we press into our bath and foot-soak balls. A new chapter unfolds each day.
Chinese Medicine Bath Bombs: What They Are, What's Inside, and How to Choose One
The Herbal Bath Handbook · a buyer's guide Search "Chinese medicine bath bombs" and you'll find two very different things sold under the same words: ordinary scented bath bombs with an Ea...
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What Is a Chinese Herbal Bath? A Beginner's Guide
What a Chinese herbal bath actually is, where it comes from, which herbs go in, why the water turns brown, and how to do one at home in about sixty seconds.
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Honeysuckle in the Bath: The Gold-and-Silver Flower That Sweetens Your Soak
The Herbal Almanac, one botanical at a time — #8 of 8.Image: Wikimedia CommonsWhat it isHoneysuckle — Lonicera japonica, jīn yín huā (金银花), literally "gold-and-silver flower" — earns its ...
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Astragalus (Huang Qi): Meet the Guardian Root of Chinese Bathing
The Herbal Almanac, one botanical at a time — #7 of 8.Image: Wikimedia CommonsWhat it isAstragalus — Astragalus propinquus, huáng qí (黄芪) — is a sweet, pale-gold root sliced into pieces t...
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Bamboo Leaf Baths: The Cool Green Secret of Chinese Herbal Soaks
The Herbal Almanac, one botanical at a time — #6 of 8.Image: Wikimedia CommonsWhat it isBamboo leaf — zhú yè (竹叶) — brings the scent of a bamboo grove after rain into the herbal cabinet. ...
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Codonopsis (Dang Shen): The "Everyday Ginseng" Hiding in Your Foot Soak
The Herbal Almanac, one botanical at a time — #5 of 8.Image: Wikimedia CommonsWhat it isCodonopsis — Codonopsis pilosula, dǎng shēn (党参) — is a climbing vine with bell-shaped flowers whos...
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What Is Chenpi? The Aged Tangerine Peel Perfuming Your Next Bath
The Herbal Almanac, one botanical at a time — #4 of 8.Image: Wikimedia CommonsWhat it isChenpi (陈皮) is sun-dried tangerine peel that has been aged — sometimes for years, like a good wine....
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Gardenia (Zhi Zi): The Golden Flower That Cools Your Bath — and Your Mood
The Herbal Almanac, one botanical at a time — #3 of 8.Image: Wikimedia CommonsWhat it isGardenia — Gardenia jasminoides, zhī zǐ (栀子) — is the creamy-white blossom whose fruit has colored ...
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Ginger Bath Soaks: The Coziest Way to Warm Up, Backed by Ancient Logic
The Herbal Almanac, one botanical at a time — #2 of 8.Image: Wikimedia CommonsWhat it isGinger — Zingiber officinale, shēng jiāng (生姜) — needs no introduction in the kitchen. But long bef...
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Welcome to The Herbal Almanac — a short series where we open our formula book and introduce, one at a time, the botanicals inside every Verdalence bath and foot-soak ball.Image: Wikimedia...
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