Herbal infused body balm and lip balm making - September

HERBAL BODY BALM AND LIP BALM WORKSHOP MELBOURNE Date: Saturday 26th September Time: 11am - 1.30 Address: 16 Gibbons Drive, Epping (Ticketed event) by appointment only venue Create botanical balms and begin your own home apothecary Slow down, reconnect with nature and discover the beautiful ritual of creating skincare from herbs and plant oils. In this hands-on Melbourne workshop, you’ll learn how to infuse dried herbs into olive oil and transform your botanical infusion into a rich herbal body balm and conditioning lip balm. Guided by Katherine, an experienced spa therapist and the founder of The Aussie Soap Shop, you’ll gather around a beautiful apothecary-style table filled with dried flowers, herbs, amber bottles, natural oils, waxes and butters. This workshop is inspired by Ayurvedic self-care traditions, including the mindful warming of botanical oils and the practice of abhyanga—using oil as part of a slow and intentional body-care ritual. Rather than diagnosing body types or treating health conditions, we’ll focus on the sensory qualities of plants, traditional preparation methods and creating simple products for everyday cosmetic use. You’ll explore gentle dried botanicals such as calendula, chamomile, lavender and rose while learning how different carrier oils influence the colour, texture, aroma and skin feel of your finished products. Using olive oil as our main infusion oil, Katherine will demonstrate several ways of preparing herbal oils at home, including: • Traditional slow cupboard infusion • Controlled warm infusion using a double boiler • Double infusion for a more concentrated botanical oil • The traditional sunlight method and its limitations • An introduction to how classical Ayurvedic herbal oils differ from modern water-free infusions Because a good slow infusion takes time, professionally prepared infused oils will be available for the products you make during class. You’ll also begin your own small jar of dried herbs and olive oil to take home, continue infusing and strain later. You will then use botanical infused oil, natural butter and wax to create: • One generous jar of herbal body balm • Two botanical lip balms • One starter herbal oil infusion to complete at home You’ll learn how a strained herbal infusion can be used on its own as a simple body oil or combined with waxes and butters to create balms, salves and other water-free skincare products. To finish, Katherine will guide you through a gentle hand and forearm ritual inspired by abhyanga, giving you a peaceful moment to experience the texture and aroma of the products you have created. You’ll leave with practical recipes, herb and carrier-oil notes, safe infusion guidance and a simple plan for beginning your own home botanical apothecary without buying dozens of unnecessary ingredients. This calming and creative experience is perfect for beginners, friends, birthdays, hens’ celebrations, mother-and-daughter days, wellness gatherings, private groups and corporate team-building events. WHAT TO BRING Everything is provided. Please bring your curiosity and a love of natural, handmade products. Please contact us before booking if you have allergies to botanicals, sesame, beeswax or natural butters. A vegan wax option may be available with advance notice. SUITABLE FOR Adults and participants aged 16 years and over. Guests under 18 must attend with a paying adult. Please note: This is a creative cosmetic-making and self-care workshop. It is not herbal medicine or Ayurvedic medical training, and no conditions will be diagnosed or treated.