Herbal Beauty Products

As with every product, it is the packaging that gives the finishing touch and makes all the difference between something that looks home-made and slightly dubious or exciting and luxurious. If you keep your eyes open in antique shops and yard sales, you will discover that there are plenty of old and interesting bottles around. Thick glass bottles in a green or blue tone can look wonderful when decorated with a pretty satin ribbon and a few flowers. Sealing is probably best done with a cork, which can be trimmed to fit any size of bottle. Screw-top bottles are another possibility but they don't have the same old-fashioned appeal.

Another lovely idea is to buy a glass scent bottle with a ground stopper to prevent evaporation. The container could then be treasured and reused many times. Atomizers can give a marvelous feeling of luxury to some home-made scented waters. There are many unusual perfume bottles available and they make a stunning display on a pretty dressing table. Not only should you do that, but when you are using whipped body butters, it may make sense to keep it in the fridge. As a complete contrast, there are also some promisingly shaped containers to be found in grocery stores and supermarkets; if you look carefully next time you are shopping, you'll be amazed at how many suitable shapes and sizes there are amongst the mustard pots, vinegar jars, mayonnaise jars or even bottles of squashes and cordials. You may have to cover the lid, or substitute a cork for the screw top depending on how attractive it is once opened, but nevertheless there is plenty of scope.

Always label your product carefully and add instructions if it should be kept in the refrigerator or in cool conditions. Giving a use-by date might also be a good idea if something has a fairly short life. Labels can be decorated by hand or stenciled and tied with a ribbon around the neck of the bottle. You could also use a sticky label and attach it to the body of the bottle. Several products can then be packaged together in a hamper or basket, with cotton wool balls or other packaging to fill the basket and prevent the bottles from breaking. Home-made pot-pourri makes a very good filler for baskets―you can carefully arrange a selection of bottles amongst the pot-pourri, then cover the basket with swathes of cellophane before decorating it with a pretty bow.