Usk Valley Herbs

28/05/2026

24/05/2026

It's a sunny Sunday morning and we're already dreaming of the Chamomile being in flower and ready to harvest.

If you've never heard of or used Chamomile then here's a little info.

Matricaria chamomilla — the most beloved herb in the apothecary. Apple-scented, gentle, and extraordinarily useful. It's been soothing skin for centuries, and it's still one of the most reliable botanicals we work with here at Usk Valley Herbs.

If you've never tried a chamomile facial steam, today is a good day to start if you have a spare 10 minutes.
You need dried chamomile flowers (if you don't have flowers you can just tear open a Chamomile teabag and use the contents - it's almost as good,) a bowl, boiling water, and five minutes. That's it. One of the oldest skin rituals in the apothecary — and one of the simplest.

We've written a full guide: how to use chamomile for sensitive and reactive skin, how to make a bath soak, how to grow it, and how to dry and store the flowers. There's a kitchen section too — chamomile infused into warm cream for shortbread or panna cotta is something else entirely.

From the Apothecary: Chamomile
Handmade botanical skincare from the Usk Valley, Wales.

https://uskvalleyherbs.co.uk/blogs/the-apothecary/from-the-apothecary-chamomile

22/05/2026

Do you find that some evenings, your legs just won't settle? You've been on your feet all day running around, you finally sit down and then your legs start fidgeting.

We know it well and that's why we created our Magensium Balm. It has become a quiet favourite amongst our customers for exactly those moments.

Apply to calves and feet before bed, massage in gently, and let it do its thing overnight.

Unscented, twist-up, and takes thirty seconds. Magnesium Chloride in a base of Beeswax, Shea Butter, Olive Oil, and Coconut Oil. No sprays, no stinging, no fuss.

Handmade in small batches in the Usk Valley, Wales.

20/05/2026

We always put our Lavender essential oil in last.

Heat destroys it — so we wait until the balm has cooled before adding it. It's a small thing, but it's the difference between a balm that smells of lavender and one that actually carries it.

The Lavender Balm is a softening, calming balm made for the end of the day. Rich in Jojoba Oil, Shea Butter, and slowly infused Calendula Oil, it melts into skin gently — nourishing without heaviness, without fuss.

The scent is soft and familiar: Lavender, grounded with a whisper of Cedarwood and Vetiver. Not sharp. Not synthetic. Just calm.

How to use it: Warm a small amount between your fingertips and smooth into skin in the evening — hands, pulse points, or anywhere that needs a moment of care. A little goes a long way. It's particularly good on dry knuckles and cuticles before bed, and on the wrists as a gentle, natural alternative to a sleep-time scent.

No palm oil. No synthetic fragrance. Made in small batches in the Usk Valley, Wales.

The Lavender Balm, 50g — uskvalleyherbs.co.uk

18/05/2026

Calendula has been in the apothecary for centuries. And there's a reason it keeps appearing on ingredient lists.

Calendula officinalis — the pot marigold — is one of the oldest and most trusted herbs for skin. It's gentle enough for sensitive and dry skin, suitable for the whole family, and particularly well suited to weather-worn hands, rough skin, and the kind of dryness that comes from gardening, cold winds, or a busy day outdoors.

At Usk Valley Herbs, we use slowly infused calendula oil across several of our balms. The slow infusion matters — it takes weeks, not hours, to properly draw the plant's properties into the oil. We don't rush it.

What makes calendula so useful for skin? The flowers are the key. Dried and infused slowly into a carrier oil, they release a rich concentration of plant compounds that give calendula-infused oil its characteristic golden colour and gentle, conditioning quality. It's one of the mildest botanicals you can use — and one of the most effective for dry, irritated, or sensitive skin.

Want to make your own? We've written a full guide over on the Usk Valley Herbs journal — covering how to grow calendula, how to make a cold-infused oil at home, and how to turn it into a simple salve with just two ingredients. It's a proper apothecary preparation, and it's easier than you'd think.

Read From the Apothecary: Calendula — link in the comments.

Or if you'd rather skip the kitchen, our Hedgerow Balm, Lavender Balm, and Gardener's Balm are all made on the same principle — slowly infused calendula in a beeswax and plant oil base, handmade in small batches in the Usk Valley. 🌼

09/05/2026

Twist up. Apply. Done.

No mess. No faff. Just all natural, unscented, palm free Magnesium Balm. That’s it.

01/05/2026

Took a bit of a walk this morning to see the bluebells and gather my thoughts.

A truly special piece of ancient woodland ❤️

30/04/2026

Six handmade balms, each blended with real botanical ingredients and nothing unnecessary. Made in small batches in Wales.

Which one would you reach for first?"

29/04/2026

I spent decades trying to fix my skin with things that made it worse.

Prescription creams, medicated lotions, products with ingredient lists I couldn't read. So eventually I stripped everything back and started making my own — one ingredient at a time, learning what I could tolerate.

The Gentle Balm came out of that process. Jojoba oil, chamomile, frankincense, shea butter, beeswax. Calm. Nourish. Protect. That's genuinely all it needs to do.

It's the one I reach for every evening.

https://uskvalleyherbs.co.uk/products/the-gentle-balm

28/04/2026

Most people are surprised to learn that the marshmallow sweet was actually named after a plant, not the other way around.

Malva sylvestris — common mallow — has been used in herbal medicine for centuries, and once you know what it does for skin, it's hard not to love it. The plant is naturally rich in something called mucilage — a gel-like substance that creates a gentle, soothing film on the skin. It helps lock in moisture, calm irritation and support your skin barrier, all without any heaviness or greasiness.

It's especially lovely if your skin tends to be dry, sensitive or a bit reactive — the kind that just wants to be left in peace rather than bombarded with actives.

We've written a full guide on the blog — what it is, where it comes from, and why we keep coming back to it. Worth a read if you're curious about what's actually in your skincare.

Read the guide here:
https://uskvalleyherbs.co.uk/blogs/the-journal/what-is-marshmallow-root-and-why-does-it-belong-in-your-skincare