Save hundreds a year by making your own beauty products, cleaning products, and spice blends…
That’s 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 the easiest way to save money and avoid harmful chemicals was to make them myself.
For many years, I shopped almost exclusively at Mountain Rose Herbs (MRH). They carry many of the products I use from organic herbs to tinctures, to carrier oils. I’ve since branched out to other companies, but MRH can still be a good option for many. Here are the pros and cons of my honest Mountain Rose herbs review.
What is Mountain Rose Herbs?
Most of us in the DIY and natural health space have heard of (or used) MRH. But for those of you who aren’t familiar, the MRH herb company sells a wide variety of herbal products, essential oils, and bulk herbs. You can also find supplements, herbal tea, and skincare items, like salves.
They’re based in Eugene Oregon and were founded in 1987 by renowned herbalist Rosemary Gladstar. They’ve changed owners over the past 30-plus years, but remain focused on quality products and are still considered a reputable company. In 2010 they became fair trade certified.
MRH also offers educational resources for those interested in learning more about herbs and natural remedies.
Bulk Herbs
For many years I got all of my dried herbs from MRH. Like all of their products, they’re sustainably sourced and grown with strict quality control measures. They have a wide variety of herbs, including some harder to find ones. In 1999 they obtained organic certification so all of their items are organic and focus on sustainability.
Aromatherapy
You can also find an increasing variety of essential oils and other aromatherapy products. Mountain Rose Herbs’ essential oils and essential oil blends are all certified organic. They also offer pre-diluted roller bottle blends for easy topical use. And they carry a variety of diffusers, natural perfumes, and hydrosols. If it has to do with essential oils, they probably have it.
Body Care Products
If you’re not into DIY or don’t have the time, then they also offer a wide variety of body care products. You can get everything from bar soap, to face wash and herbal hair dye. They even have a line of products specifically for babies and young children.
And Everything Else
Here are more categories of items you can find at MRH:
- Organic herbs, spices, and seasoning blends
- Mushrooms and seaweeds
- Sprouting seeds
- Teas
- Essential oils, including blends, diffusers, and roll-on bottles
- Hydrosols and aromatherapy sprays
- Burnables and natural candles
- Oils and carrier oils
- Butters and waxes
- Cosmetic clays
- Facial and hair care
- Containers and home goods
- Books
Pros and Cons of Mountain Rose Herbs
There are certainly plenty of advantages to ordering from Mountain Rose Herbs. But this wouldn’t be a balanced review unless I included the downsides of the company too. To recap, the upside of MRH includes:
- Organic products
- Commitment to sustainability and fair trade
- Large selection of herbal remedies and DIY ingredients
- Sometimes have really good sales
- If you’re enrolled in a recognized herbal program you get a student discount
As with everything, there’s a yin to the yang. Here are the downsides I’ve discovered with MRH:
- Long shipping times (usually several weeks)
- Higher prices than some of their competitors
- A portion of the company funds awards grants to projects that some may not agree with. We always encourage you to research the brands you support.
- Customer reviews are mixed. Some people love the products, while recently others have experienced some issues with herb quality.
What I Do
I encourage all readers to do due diligence and research all options before choosing where to purchase products. When I first started making my own products I heavily relied on MRH. Since then I’ve started using products from other companies.
They still meet my standards of organic, wild-crafted, or ethically sourced. And I’ve found they’re more affordable. I can get items delivered in 2 days, instead of 2-3 weeks. Most often I get organic items from Amazon. For essential oils, I like Plant Therapy.
Mountain Rose Herbs does occasionally have sales, and they’re more worthwhile if you’re stocking up on a lot of products at once.
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. As always, I encourage you to do your own research and support companies whose values you share and whose products you consider high quality.
You can find all of Mountain Rose Herbs’ products and learn more about them here.
Where do you get your herbs and other DIY products? Do you use Mountain Rose Herbs? Leave a comment and let me know!
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