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Save hundreds a year by making your own beauty products, cleaning products and spice blends…
That is what I set out to do years ago when I was on a super-tight budget and just starting to raise my family. I realized that the easiest way to save money on all of these products and avoid the harmful chemicals I didn’t want around my kids was to make them myself.
For years, I shopped at one online shop that carried many of the products I needed. Unfortunately, after receiving emails from several readers expressing concerns about their ethics and projects they support, I personally no longer shop at or recommend this shop. Specifically, readers mentioned issues with shipping and customer service, as well as ethical concerns with some of the projects and policies the company chose to support.
I encourage all readers to do due diligence and research all options before choosing where to purchase products. While I’m not trying to discourage anyone else from shopping at MRH, I can no longer do so in good conscience and have also removed links for this reason. I’m sharing below where I personally shop now instead of MRH and quick links to my most purchased products.
Alternatives to Mountain Rose Herbs
I researched meticulously to find ingredients and supplies that met my criteria:
- Organic
- Wild-crafted or ethically sourced
- Don’t cost a fortune
I now order many of these products online from Amazon. As a bonus, products now arrive much faster as with MRH would often take over a week to get my order. Additionally, many of these are often offered at a discount and are much less expensive by ordering in one pound quantities.
These are the bulk ingredients I stock up on:
- Essential Oils
- Shea Butter
- Cocoa Butter
- Beeswax
- Castor Oil
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Sesame Oil
- Emulsifying Wax
- Bentonite Clay
- Redmond Clay
- Kaolin Clay
- Arrowroot
- Baking Soda
- Witch Hazel
- Aloe Vera
- Arrowroot powder
For homemade spices, I also order these by the pound:
- basil
- oregano
- paprika
- chili powder
- turmeric
- black pepper
- chamomile flowers
- rooibos tea
- nettle leaf
- alfalfa
- peppermint
And usually order several pounds of each of these:
- cumin
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- chia seeds
- elderberries (for elderberry syrup in winter)
Mountain Rose Herbs: Bottom Line
I ordered from MRH for years and liked many of their products. I do believe they have a commitment to high quality sourcing and share a desire to protect the environment and grow sustainably. That said, after several readers brought issues to my attention, I can no longer in good conscience link to them or recommend buying from them, though I also am not trying to discourage anyone else from doing so. At the end of the day, the Wellness Mama community and readers are my top priority in writing on this site, and many of you made it very clear that you have serious concerns with this company at this time.
As always, I encourage you to do your own research and support companies whose values you share and whose products you consider high quality.
How to Make a Soy Sauce Alternative
Hi Katie! I’ve been purchasing from MRH for years and was about to place another order from them, including essential oils, which I have never purchased there so I wanted to do some research first. In doing so, I stumbled across your article. After a bit of digging, I was able to find the unethical practices you’re referring to. I sadly will no longer be purchasing from MRH. As much as I love their products, this issue is much more important to me. However; I am disappointed that Amazon is pretty much the only alternative you have listed. While I am aware that it is difficult to find ethical, sustainable brands, and Amazon is extremely easy and convenient, I would love to see more alternative companies listed for herbs, teas, and ingredients. Amazon operates using very shady business practices, and reportedly supports several unethical organizations (including the Population Council, which is on a much larger scale, and so arguably worse, than one woman’s unethical doula practice). Thank you for bringing the MRH issues to my attention, and I will be sure to let them know that they have lost another loyal customer. I hope to see more ethical brands listed as alternatives on your website!
Thanks so much for this! I was trying to research MRH quality and your post came up. I’ll certainly be ordering all I can from them in the future!
How can you recommend supporting Amazon and all the things they represent? I have no idea what you think is so terrible about MRH, but at least they are a small company committed to sustainable organic products. Amazon on the other hand is hugely exploitative of workers and the environment. Amazon bought whole foods and removed small local products and local-washed their stores by sticking local stickers on products that were produced already in their state by larger corps. They removed mom and pop start ups from whole foods and almost decimated local produce producers, by only shipping from California. Amazon removed all products not owned by conglomerates of the big food producers (Haines corp, Kraft foods, etc) from Whole Foods, so now you have trouble buying things from independently owned organic companies like Eden foods. Amazon is also so huge that they really need to be downsized because they have become a monopoly with very little competition. They have no commitment to organic standards or the environment. I think I will continue to support the little guy rather then the huge shark.
Thank you for posting this, I just placed my first and last order with MRH, my gut kept telling me to look elsewhere but I wasn’t able to find any organic roasted carob root, found plenty of roasted powders but no roasted root or pods as it may also be called
I also buy my Herbs etc in bulk for the very same reason
I’d rather make it myself, I know what’s in it and more important what’s not
Since placing my first and last order I’ve received two emails explaining why it takes so long for them to ship, why not spend less time defending slow shipping and more time packing the order?
This abortion doula thing was all I needed to see, I went to back their website looking specifically for this and noticed they seemed to remove the word abortion, but not doula. I consider this a deceptive practice, makes me wonder what else they’re hiding
Prior to reading the comments posted here I’d never heard of one of those
I’m not a fan of amazon, I do not like Jeff Bezos, the company he keeps nor the groups he supports. Every purchase made on amazon is another shekel in his pocket, something I can NOT justify
Thank you very very much for this article
Thank you for sharing about MRH. I am about to get married and I’m working on filling my pantry and was about to buy from them. I don’t have a large family (yet) so to me it doesn’t make sense to buy pounds of spices. Do you have any suggestions on where I could get smaller quantiles of organic spices? I know I can just go to the store and get some in jars but I’d rather get them without jars since I have my own. I also live in a rural area and don’t have easy access to any bulk bins. Thanks
I normally just buy from Amazon these days: https://wellnessmama.com/go/amazon/
Hello, I am looking for a place to buy good quality, but cheap ingredients for different diy recipies at home. I have come across the brand, essential depot. Have you heard anything about this brand? They say they are “organic,” but I know that who they certified through matters.
I’m not familiar with that brand…
Thanks for this article. I only ordered from them once and while the product seemed good the shipping cost was beyond ridiculous. There’s no way it costs that much to ship something from Oregon to WA. I did really like their online catalogue and ease of finding what I want however I can’t justify the added cost for their product and have been painstakingly looking elsewhere trying to find what I need. In addition to that I found the many reviews of people stating they ordered something but are certain they got a lesser quality product with a label on it claiming to be something else very concerning.
Katie,
I think you ought to do a follow-up to this article. I can see based on several comments that a lot of people did not understand that you no longer support MRH. I think these people just read the headline and that was it. I also understand why you no longer support this company or recommend them. I will not be ordering from them anymore either.
Thanks for all that you do!