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.
I figured out how to save money while using the highest quality products available and I’m sharing my tips with you:
Enter Mountain Rose Herbs
I researched meticulously to find a place that carried the ingredients I needed and that met my criteria:
- Organic
- Wild-crafted or ethically sourced
- Don’t cost a fortune
In fact, I save up and only order one or two times a year for the best prices on products and shipping (and to lock in the bulk discount).
Now, I get dozens of questions a day about where I get products and ingredients like:
- Shea Butter and other butters for making homemade recipes
- Containers for storing homemade beauty products (like these)
- Spices for making spice blends
The answer is almost always that I order from Mountain Rose Herbs!
After getting a few thousand of these type of questions, I thought a post with my time and money saving MRH shopping tips would be helpful!
How to Get Bulk Discounts
It is important to know that MRH does not work like shopping on Amazon (shameless plug) and to plan accordingly! Their shipping is definitely not free or two-day and they aren’t good for ordering a last minute need or a single ingredient.
Here’s what I do:
I keep a running list in my phone of herbs, spices, containers, butters, etc. that we need and plan to order no more than every three months. If I’m close to a bulk discount order amount, I’ll see if friends and family need anything so we can get the maximum discounts.
Note: These discounts only apply to whole-pound quantities of spices, herbs, teas and seasonings. Ordering smaller 4 or 8 ounce bags instead of a pound won’t apply toward the discount. In other words, two 8-ounce bags don’t count as a pound toward the discount.
As an example, an order to stock up our pantry (and share with others) would be (all from this page)…
One pound of each of these:
- basil
- oregano
- paprika
- chili powder
- turmeric
- black pepper
- chamomile flowers
- rooibos tea
- nettle leaf
- alfalfa
- peppermint
Two pounds of each of these:
- cumin
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- chia seeds
And larger quantities of a couple of most-used items:
- 3 pounds of elderberries (for elderberry syrup in winter)
- 5 pounds of chia seeds that I use in many recipes
By buying in bulk, I save 25% on all of those.
Other Things I Order
I also often buy ingredients for my homemade beauty products from Mountain Rose Herbs. They don’t offer bulk discounts on these, but I find their prices very reasonable and their products are the best quality I’ve found. Also, while they don’t offer discounts, ingredients are cheaper in larger quantities so it can still be beneficial to buy in bulk and share.
The beauty ingredients I always order in bulk from them and keep on hand are:
- Butters– Especially cocoa butter, shea butter, and mango butter. (see them all here)
- Carrier Oils – Especially Jojoba, Almond, and Apricot Seed (see them all here)
- Clays– Especially Bentonite, Rhassoul and French Green (see them all here)
- Beeswax – And emulsifying wax for making homemade beauty products (see it here)
- Aloe Vera Gel – For sun relief and homemade baby products (I use this one)
- Witch Hazel- For homemade cosmetics and serums (this is my favorite)
- Obscure ingredients– I also order more obscure things like arrowroot powder and menthol crystals from MRH.
I almost always order these ingredients from MRH for a few reasons:
First, I find that ordering bulk quantities of these once or twice a year is enough to make beauty products for our whole family and save money in the long run. Also, after trying many different brands and types, I am convinced that Mountain Rose Herbs has the highest quality ingredients available (that are also fair-trade and organic).
TIP: Check for Monthly Specials
While MRH doesn’t offer a lot of discounts, they do have some great monthly specials. You can check out the updated list each month at this page. I find that many times, the items on sale are probably not ones I would use, but sometimes there is an awesome deal. (Most noteworthy was the time I found Red Raspberry Leaf on sale for $5 a pound!)
Due to the great bulk discounts, I also find that MRH is often the most budget-friendly place to order DIY ingredients in the long run.
Ever tried Mountain Rose Herbs?
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