I’ve been fascinated with soaps and lotions and all things scented and wonderful since I was a little girl. There’s something extraordinary about the way that those pretty packages of self-care love can make us feel. That’s why I’m so excited to share about Make Mine Homemade, a small shop locally owned by Tina Barbour. Her products are amazing!
I’ve been using Make Mine Homemade for years. One of the first products I tried was Herbal Healing Salve, and it remains one that goes with me everywhere. It comes in a small tin, and we keep containers of it in the house and the bag we take when traveling so that we’re never without it. The stuff is amazing! It’s a green salve full of herbal wonder, and I’m in awe of it’s healing properties. It’s perfect for skin ailments of all (basic) sorts. It soothes sunburns, relieves itching, eases pain, and kills germs. We’ve applied it to simple rashes, bug bites, paper cuts, deep cuts, sunburns, and everything in between. Not only does the issue immediately feel better, but minor ones are often healed by the next day. We never go hiking without it – it’s perfect for the sort of scrapes and bites you acquire out in nature.
That’s not Make Mine Homemade’s only wonder product, though – there are many! My new favorite is Cool Hottie, a roller bottle full of good stuff that’s totally amazing. I applied it one morning while having cramps, and voila! they ended immediately. When they returned a few hours later, I applied it again with the same effect. I won’t be without this one again – It’s awesome!
I love the Whipped Body Butter, too, and look forward to putting it on every day after my shower. It’s rich and creamy and seems to make my skin sparkle somehow. If, for some reason, I miss a day, my skin feels noticeably drier. I’ve used two lavender scents so far and enjoy them, but I’m counting the days for when the weather cools enough to be able to go for the orange cream (citrus essential oils make your skin sensitive to sunlight). We’re almost there, baby! Bring on cooler weather and orange oils!
I recently bought the Soothing Heat Pain Roller to try. The label made it sound like an herbal alternative to Ben-Gay, and with athritis plaguing my feet and my husband’s back always an issue, we’re feeling our ages. Since I’m not eager to smell like the stereotypical old person just yet – no offense to anyone needing those products – this was very interesting to me. The results, while it’s only been a week or so, have been just as interesting. While it doesn’t provide the same instant relief as Cool Hottie, I’m noticing that my foot is bothering me less each day, despite the fact that my husband and I are running more – and running up hills, which puts pressure directly on my problem joint. I’d say that’s a win!
A product that we’ve enjoyed taking advantage of is the Shop Small Random Acts of Kindness packages. These are so fun! I think they started after the pandemic hit, and they’re a great way to send encouragement to someone, whether it’s to someone else or yourself! Each one includes two big sample products from Make Mine Homemade, as well as an item from another small shop plus a few small surprise items. You can share information about the recipient, like that she loves lavender or is a young kid, and Tina will tailor it towards that person a bit. She will even pass along notes! We’ve done several of these, and there’s just something about happy mail that brightens the day, and at only $10 shipped, they’re quite the deal.
If packages are your thing, then you’ll want to check out the monthly ones. Make Mine Homemade puts together a special themed package each month for $20. I ordered the August Monthly package as my first one, and it’s great! It came with a DIY elderberry kit – Make Mine Homemade is rather famous for elderberry syrup -, a Rosey Glow Lip Shimmer balm (MMH lip balms are awesome! Pink and sparkly is fun and mocha latta tastes amazing!), a hand sanitzer spray, plus a sample of Detoxifying Cleansing Grains. From other shops was a bracelet, a vinyl sticker, a temporary body tattoo, a bag of tea, and a piece of organic candy. The whole thing even comes in a sparkly, reusable pouch. Fun and a great deal!
Tina at Make Mine Homemade is super generous. My orders always come packed neatly in bags with extras and samples. I love being able to see what other products are like.
All of the products from Make Mine Homemade have been stellar. Knowing that the products you’re putting directly on and into your body are of high quality, safe, and nourishing is very important to me, and MMH products are all of these things. They feel great, smell amazing, and work wonders. With all of that going on, it might sound like the prices are going to be high to match the reputation of the products, but they’re more than fair for the quality products you get.
So as we move on into a new school year with ever-changing rules and laws and living conditions; as we try to figure out how social to be and how to support each other safely, consider starting by supporting small shops like Make Mine Homemade. I love that she’s reaching out to encourage others, and her products can definitely be a pick-me-up for anybody. Whether you’re looking to encourage your child’s teacher, the sick neighbor down the street, or shop ahead for Christmas gifts, consider ordering from Make Mine Homemade.
You’ll definitely make someone’s day brighter – and healthier.
Want to know about special organic soaps that are amazing? Find out more about our field trip here.
I have not received any compensation for writing this review – I just love the products and enjoy sharing about them.
What are your thoughts?