Welcome to A Forager's Collective.... I am Tricia, and I am the grower, forager & maker of these herbal products:) Quality is the name of my game... freshness, potency, transparency, excellent customer service & high vibrational products are what I aim for. I make products fresh each year & provide a 'made on date' for all products. I usually discount if products are over 1 year old. Please send me a message if you have any questions at all ❤️
I AM NOT A CLINICAL HERBALIST, JUST A "MAKER"!
The word 'herbalist' can mean many things and have different meanings to different people. I study plants for the purpose of making products only. I don't do clinical herbalism (matching plants with symptoms and helping people with ailments). Please find a professional to consult with, if you have such questions.
TINCTURES:
I source my own spring water for tinctures, because it tastes better (it's all I drink! Go to findaspring.com and start your freshwater addiction:)). I only make alcohol tinctures, no nonalcoholic tinctures at this time. I use Everclear for the alcohol portion, which is not organic, but it's clear, and all clear alcohol is free from gmo's & pesticides due to the distillation process.
Tinctures are fast acting, store longer, are fresher, and I like how you can use the water from the actual plant to include in the menstruum, rather than just adding 'non plant' water. I make my fresh plant tinctures in 1:2 ratio (1 part plant to 2 parts menstruum), sometimes in 1:3 if the plant is very lightweight. When I do use dried plants, they are made in 1:5. ABV depends on the plant, as different % of ABV will extract different chemical compounds. My ABV is usually higher than other sellers, which is more costly, but customizing the ABV to the plant is part of achieving effectiveness of the tincture.
All tinctures have a label with standard info on dosing & ingredients, are shipped with a plastic cap for storing, and a separate dropper for dosing. I highly recommend storing your tinctures with the cap, not the dropper top, as those are prone to evaporation which can weaken your tincture. All tinctures are sealed with a light film of plastic, then tapes for shipping. Remove this before taking:) I recommend using tinctures within 2 years of purchase, but they can last much longer if stored well.
OILS & BALMS/SALVES:
My balms come in medium firmness, which allows me to ship all over the country in seasonal heat & hot climates.
Carrier oils are sourced from Soaper's Choice (coconut oil is organic, they don't offer organic for the avocado oil, but it is food grade) & SULU Organics for hexane free castor oil. Beeswax is sourced from Beelite Candles (made in USA!)
All of my oils are made fresh each year & contain no water content, therefore they are shelf stable & have no preservatives. Oils infused with nut or seed content are refrigerated until sold. I recommend using infused oils within 1 year of purchase.
I do not use essential oils & none of my oils are 'pressed oils'. These are infused oils, and this means I take plants & let them macerate in a carrier oil. Except it's much more complicated than that, because there are many different processes I use, as each plant has different properties & sensitivities. Some plants degrade with heat, some are enhanced. There are many details to know in making herbals, and I do my best to bring you the most potent representation of each plant.
MADE ON DATES INSTEAD OF EXPIRATION DATES:
Since herbals do not have a 'set' shelf life, as there are many factors which determine a shelf life, I give 'made on' dates instead. I suggest you use tinctures & balms within 2 years of purchase, and oils within 1 year of purchase. You can decide when the shelf life ends, by observing the smell & color of the product. Sellers are allowed to declare their own expiration dates and I find this a little backwards as someone could decide that a shelf life is 5 years old if they wanted!
So yeah, I'm not doing that.
STORAGE PRACTICES MATTER!
All products are stored in glass, with no air space of the jar until used. Products are stored in a cool, dark cabinet (most of my oils are refrigerated until sold). I make all effort to keep heat & light away from my products. Store your tinctures with cap ON, as rubber dropper tops can evaporate alcohol.
NO RETURNS/REFUNDS ON HERBAL PRODUCTS, UNFORTUNATELY. If you have issues, please contact me and I'm more than happy to work with you. For damaged items, I need pictures of the item AND the packaging it came in, within 3 days of receiving your order. I also need a picture of the tincture, oil or balm level. I may ask you to return damaged items to me. I don't give refunds if you ordered something & did not read the description of the product. Please read the description & know what you are ordering before you buy. People are used to the big Am&zon standards but try to remember that small businesses are not billion-dollar corporations and can't keep up with the 'customer gets whatever they want' mentality. I am a fair person & will make right anything in my power, but I'm also not a sucker with zero boundaries! Just an FYI:)
WILL YOUR PRODUCTS CURE ALL OF MY AILMENTS?
I can't make promises of miracle cures & healing. My only job is to bring you the best version of a product. Your reaction or relationship to the plants in my products is between you and the plant! Nobody responds the same way to anything, even food. I really do hope that a particular plant matches the energy you are needing!
Last of all (if you are still reading), thank you for considering my products! This shop pays my bills & supports my child. Please know that I am honored that you are here. ❤️
www.aforagerscollective.com