Zach: What I'm Gifting This Year

Assistant Manager Zach is a true connoisseur, seeking out the most interesting, unique and high-quality products to carry at the store. He's developed our now robust Men's Section, added to our line-up of effective herbal remedies for health, and sought out some incredibly delicious honeys to fill our shelves. Here he gives his top gift picks for the holiday season, great ideas for men and women alike!

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Patchouli Shaving Soap by Bower Studio  This is hands down the best shaving soap I have ever used.  Hand-Poured in Boston, it features Activated Charcoal as a mild exfoliant and skin detoxifying agent as well as a beautiful Patchouli scent that I look forward to every time I shave.  The packaging is beautifully printed and has tons of gift appeal.

The Wild Medicine Solution by Guido Mase  This book is a great gift for those in your life who are interested in nature, herbs, and alternative health.   The Wild Medicine Solution is both informative and accessible; leaving the reader feeling more informed and motivated to engage the natural world in their everyday lives.  Guido Mase’ is a well-known and respected herbalist out of Burlington, VT where he teaches and practices integrative medicine.

Cabin Sprays & Resin Colognes by Juniper Ridge  New to Cambridge Naturals,  these amazing room/body sprays and solid-colognes are beautiful, not only in smell but visually as well.  Entirely hand made with wildcrafted resins and oils produced by Juniper Ridge themselves, these are a great example of terroir.  With multiple scents for the discerning noses in your life, these are sure to be a hit.

Salt Lamps by Aloha Bay  Just in time for the short-days of winter, beautiful Himalayan Pink Salt Lamps from Aloha Bay to fill our lives with warm, beautiful, soothing light.  Mined from a single salt mine in Pakistan that has been in operation for over 4,000 years, pink salt lamps

Varietal Honeys by Savannah Bee Company  I am a huge, huge fan of honey.  And not just run of the mill, OK-but-not-great honey, but delicious, subtle, wonderful honey.  With offerings from whipped Winter White Honey to Southeastern Tupelo Honey, the gourmet honeys from Savannah Bee Company out of Savannah, Georgia are one of my go-to gifts this year.  Acacia, Georgia Wildflower, and even a honey whose purchase supports the “Bee Cause Project” to educate future generations on the importance of bees, bring some sweet into your life!

Elderberry: The Queen of Herbs

By Steph Zabel
Herbalist, Ethnobotanist and Educator

Elderberry is one of those herbs that has become wildly popular in recent years. Each winter I find that more and more people are turning to this wonderful plant for its immune strengthening virtues.

In fact, it is not uncommon to find elderberry frequently out of stock in cold and flu season. Those in-the-know get their hands on the dried berry by the time fall rolls around!

Jessica's Gifts For All Five Senses!

In the dark, dreary months of winter, we tend to crave things that intrigue our five senses - sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. Flavorful, hearty food and drinks, warm and cozy sweaters, the pungent smell of christmas trees and candles to fill our homes. That's why items that delight the senses make especially wonderful holiday gifts - Jessica has put together a list of her favorite sensory gift ideas!

Eating with the Season: Bring Bitters to your Table

by Guido Masé RH (AHG) – Chief Herbalist, Urban Moonshine

Have you noticed that, when the seasons change, our food preferences change too? It’s a bit harder to tell now that fixed fast-food menus serve up unchanging fare, but humans have always eaten differently during the colder months. We have more meats, root vegetables, and rich dairy products than in summer when we can indulge in an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. In Vermont, hunting season is in November; squash, turnips, onions and potatoes are ready; and farmer’s market features celebratory cheeses and rich canned sauces, jams, pies and sweets. I look forward to this time: it’s more focused on the hearth; it turns us indoors as we come in from the crisp air, and we gather around the family table to spend time with folks we haven’t seen all year.

What I'm Gifting This Year: Grace

At Cambridge Naturals, we emphasize quality over commodity - bringing in only those products we really love and care about. That's true with the holiday season as well! We have so many wonderful products in the store - local, fair-trade, organic, hand-made - that make the perfect gift for a special person in your life. Whether it's your mom, brother, cousin, best friend, or significant other, there's something for everyone! Some of our staff have put together their favorite gift picks for the holiday season, starting with Grace.

Remembering Rosemary

By Steph Zabel
Herbalist, Ethnobotanist and Educator

Throughout the whole summer my potted rosemary plants soak up the warm sun, and when the days start to grow cold, I bring them indoors to make it through the winter. The sight of their dark, resinous leaves cheers me and often I’ll wind their stems into holiday wreaths. In the absence of pine or fir boughs, rosemary is a beautiful and fragrant alternative.

Like last month’s cardamom, rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is another herb that tends to be more common on the dinner plate than in the medicine cabinet. Certainly it is delicious added to potatoes or roasted meats, and its use is famous in the kitchen due to its excellent digestive properties. However, beyond its practical culinary uses, there’s more to rosemary than its pungent aroma and unique flavor…

Not Just Skin Deep: Emily's Beauty Care Picks

As body care manager, it's literally my job to try the dozens of new products we consider bringing in every month, in addition to the wonderful products we already carry! There are so many that I truly love and adore, and yet I have my particular favorites - the ones I return to consistently because they make me feel beautiful, clean and confident, and ready to face the day. I'm excited to share them with you.

Cardamom: Grains of Paradise

By Steph Zabel
Herbalist, Ethnobotanist and Educator

Now that cooler days are upon us, it is time to bring out the spices! Cardamom is one of my all-time favorites and makes a grand entrance in my kitchen as soon as fall arrives. I am not alone in my love of this little green pod -- for ages cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) has been one of humankind’s most well-loved spices, used in cuisines and materia medicas around the world.

Not Just Skin Deep: Grace's Daily Routine

It can seem daunting and time-consuming to establish a well-rounded body care regimen. But caring for your skin is a very personal thing, and, as you'll read below, it certainly doesn't have to be a burden! Grace describes her effortless routine that covers all the bases and leaves her feeling (literally and figuratively) confident in her skin.

Grace says, "I'm an incredibly low-maintenance kinda gal when it comes to body care. To keep my skin happy and clean, my simple daily routine focuses on 3 steps: wash, moisturize, protect. The products I use include a face and body soap, face and body lotion, deodorant and chapstick. That's it! I probably have the most clutter-free shower and bathroom cabinet you can imagine."

Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser
What I love most about this cleanser is that it can be used as both an exfoliate AND a gentle cleanser. Use 'as is' for exfoliating (which I do no more than twice a week), or rub the sugar crystals between your hands until they dissolve/melt, and it becomes a foaming cleanser. Suki's signature lemongrass scent is inspiring, and my skin always feels smooth and amazingly rejuvenated after washing with this product. Highlights: The Suki skincare line was created for ultra sensitive skin with a focus on passion, purity, potency, and real results. 

Dr. Ohhira's Kampuku Beauty Bar (probiotic soap)
The skin is the largest organ in the human body, so I think it's one of the most important organs to take care of and protect. This high quality beauty bar is made with natural plant extracts and essential herbs. Most bar soaps leave my skin feeling dry, but this beauty bar actually moisturizes my skin and makes it feel soothed, hydrated and healed. Highlights: The pH-balancing blend of pre- and probiotics maintain and strengthen the skin by deterring the growth of harmful bacteria, stimulating its innate immune system and limiting the production of free radicals, leaving skin clean, hydrated and supple.

DeVita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+
I ride my bike to and from work most days, so it's important for me to protect my face with sunscreen. Most sunscreens with zinc oxide tend to leave a white residue on the skin, but this product is feather-light and rubs in completely with little effort. I've also had trouble with sunscreens burning my eyes (even natural ones), but this one is magical- no itching or burning. Highlights: Absorbs quickly, deeply moisturizing, formulated specifically for sensitive skin.

North Coast Organics Naked Deodorant
For years the ONLY deodorants that worked to keep my body odor at bay contained aluminum (boo!). Recently I decided to try this all-natural deodorant because a few of my co-workers and a bunch of our regular customers SWEAR by it. They were right! It totally works and stands true to the company's motto: "an elite assassin of odor that you can trust". Highlights: VEGAN!, sweet packaging, simple and clean ingredients (coconut oil, carnauba wax, corn starch, baking soda).

Dr. Robin Daily Moisture Cream 
I love to slather this lotion on my legs after I shave. Some lotions burn and irritate my skin after shaving, but this one is super hydrating and soothing! This gentle, fragrance-free moisture cream is ideal for sensitive or eczema-prone skin.  Dr. Robin (who developed the formula) is a Pediatric Dermatologist, so she markets the formula specifically for kids, but it totally works for grown-ups, too (wink!). Highlights: It's free of parabens, phthalates, nanotechnology, unnecessary preservatives, extracts and additives.

Benevolent Bee Ultra Moisturizing Honeyed Lip Balm
I'm one of those people who can't go anywhere without bringing lip balm with me. This is my most favorite kind! The mild honey flavor is lovely, and it keeps my lips soft for hours on end, so I hardly ever have to reapply. I'm also a big sucker for local products, and this company is located just across the river in Jamaica Plain. As Mother Nature shifts into cooler and drier temps, try this awesome product for excellent lip protection! Highlights: Locally made, ultra moisturizing, simple ingredients!