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?
I just ordered my first bulk order from MRH this month. I’ve never been happier with a company and it’s products! The service is impeccable, and the quality can not be beat! For everything I got, it was well worth what I paid. I actually made a list and put everything in my cart at MRH and the exact same on Amazon. Sure, the shipping was faster from Amazon as a Prime member, but the total price was more! Also, I felt the quality seemed higher with MRH. MRH has a customer for life out of me. Not only do I trust you, Katie, with your recommendations, but MRH was in 2 issues in a row of one of my favorite magazines (Mother Earth Living) as a most trusted company. (Wellness Mama had a featured recipe too! ) I recommend MRH to everyone!
I love MRH! I buy soap nuts from them too.
I found a wonderful company up in Boston that sells a bunch of products used in soap and cosmetic making with a ton of low cost oils, butters and certain culinary items. They carry organic and non organic versions of most which are all clearly labeled. They come with full production info including chemical analysis when appropriate. The prices aren’t always the cheapest I can find for high quality items but sometimes they’re incredible. The company is jedwards but you can also find them on bulknaturaloils. Shipping is a lot unless you order a ton and they have limited selections but if you make a lot of soap, this place is great
Is cummin & tumaric the same.? If not, why & which one is better ?
No, they are different spices. One is not better than the other, they taste different and are used in different recipes…
I prefer to order my herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs verses some chain stores that have organic herbs. I get larger quantities and know it’s great quality.
I am always ordering numerous items from Mountain Rose Herbs and am always recommending them to friends.My friends are always asking for places to get their essential oils, I tell the MRH are the cheapest price I can find yet great quality and herbs are exceptional.
I’ve been ordering from them for years. I really do like their selection and prices. This family orders a lot of things together. I always put out the call before ordering so we can get better deals. I’ve never thought of comparing the cooking herbs and spices with what I pay on Azure Standard. I get great deals there, no shipping since we have a monthly drop point here, and they are a company to trust too!
Thanks for this Kaite, I get SO overwhelmed when it comes time to decide WHAT to order from WHOM. I have ordered a couple times from MRH and do love them. I also have an account with Thrive and they offer spices under their name brand. Ugh, so much to sort out. And then there are storage issues. Where do you keep all your bulk orders??? I love to save money, but sometimes I wonder if I spend more trying to save :/ Keep the tips coming as it helps me get a grip on it all!
Tess, it is overwhelming! I completely agree! I’ve looked all over. I haven’t joined Thrive because of conflicting reviews about being able to cancel. But I have tried other well known herbal sites and Amazon, and still find MRH to be the best. After having my order arrive, I knew the quality was there, and I decided that was enough to keep me shopping there. As for storage, I keep all my stuff in my walk in pantry. I have an entire 2 shelf area for herbs and tinctures. My husband even built extra shelves, lol.
Glad I’m not alone. I’ll keep plugging along 🙂
I keep my bulk spices from Azure Standard in big Mason jars and repurposed jars from whatever that Is cleaned out. I made them nice with Chalk labels from Amazon. I have one small cabinet with two shells. One has a riser for the small things, plus I have a spice rack in the counter for my frequently used items. Things I use more often and my own mixes are in smaller jars. Bulk /extra is in bigger.
I love mountain rose herbs! I don’t buy their stuff in large quantities but I still find it’s a good value.
They are my favorite! I love their products and service. Their website and catalogue are just lovely to look at as well. I could spend so much money buying stuff from them if I was able to. I always have to restrain myself when I order.
I haven’t checked for a while, an can’t do it now either, as my computer is really playing up – so I might have out of date news – but I think they don’t post to Australia – where I am – such a shame as they look like the best!
I LOVE MRH!!!! I’m so glad you have promoted them as the great company they are!
I actually live in Eugene, OR where they are based, and can pick up at their storefront. The people there are THE BEST! I have no affiliation to them but they know me so well as I seem to be there almost weekly. Have had other expenses recently so it has been almost a month since I ordered…..yikes! Withdrawal!!!
They are the best group of people I have ever dealt with: professional, friendly, helpful, knowledgable, and always positive. I love going there, and it smells simply wonderful!
Their products are all top notch, as mentioned here; wildcrafted, sustainable, organic, fair trade and some of the best quality around.
I hate when they are out of stock on something I need right away as I have to go elsewhere, and don’t like to.
Getting the bulk discounts is great, too.
MMMMM the smell must be great!
I love MRH. Since they are in my backyard, I order on line and just pick up my order the next business day. (I call first to make sure it’s been pulled.) Excellent service face to face too.
Can you give tips on storage for these items and also how you organize your pantry? I find my pantry a mess with boxes, jars, containers, and bags. I am struggling to get an organized pantry I can use easily….
Thanks so much.
I plan to write more about this soon….
Christie, I’ve found that if you keep your herbs in their bags you can stack them neatly in plastic creates turned on their sides. I got my crates at Wal-Mart for cheap. They look like the old time milk crates. I imagine any plastic crate would work though. You can get several 1 pound bags in them and they stay upright. For things I keep in Mason jars, I bought some of those cabinet organizing shelves, also at Wal-Mart or Lowe’s, and use those to maximize space. Good luck! And Katie, definitely looking forward to your article!
I agree that MRH has an awesome selection and great quality & prices… My one & only issue with them is the limited shipping options. I’m in Canada but do A LOT of online shopping and enivitably pay shipping fees… But the shipping costs at MRH to Canada are so high – it unfortunately makes them an unaffordable option. It would be wonderful if more affordable shipping through USPS was offered
I’ve always ordered from MRH, for years now! My daughter lives in Eugene where they are based,.So I can place an order before I visit her, and pick it up myself while there. So no shipping~ They are a fabulous company! !
I’m wondering why more of you ladies don’t grow your own herbs. Many of them are perennials and they come up every year. Annuals often reseed and all you have to do is transplant where you want them in the spring. If you have too many new plants, give them to friends in the spring.
I always use MRH and have been for years. I made the mistake once or twice when items have been out of stock of ordering from another company and what a difference. The herbs I ordered I could tell were not of the high quality and appeared to be old. The only item that I order in bulk is Elderberries for our Elderberry Syrup all the rest the 4 or 8 oz suits the two of us fine. I don’t think that they are too expensive but as with everywhere its the shipping that gets you in the pocketbook.
What do you think of their essential oils?
I like them and use them!
I LOVE MRH!!! I have been dealing with an asthma attack and pneumonia for two weeks now. I am using ravensara, peppermint, and copiaba essential oils as a chest rub and to diffuse. Oh the expectorant effects are AMAZING!!! The aromatherapy is AWESOME and so relaxing too. I will alway order my many other oils and supplies from MRH. The quality, purity, history of business, and the prices are truly wonderful.