By Susan Trumpbour
Artwork by Justin Negard
She’s not an influencer. She’s never launched a product line. Yet she’s been quietly shaping the beauty industry for millions of years—more experienced than any chief executive officer of any brand and completely unfazed by trends. Her name is Mother Nature and her beauty counter consists of fresh air, real sunshine and plants with amazing hidden perks.
In our busy lives, it’s easy to walk straight past these gifts. But taking a moment to notice and learn from them can transform your routine. “Take a closer look at what’s around you,” says Jill Rowe, co-founder and CEO of Cultivate Apothecary, based at Stonegate Farm in Balmville, NY. “When something catches your eye, learn about it and see how it might benefit you instead of just walking by it or pulling it out.”
Those so-called “weeds” in your yard? They might just be a skin-soothing powerhouse. That sunshine on your face during a morning walk? It might be more beneficial than you think. Be curious. Nature is loaded with secrets, and she’s been handing them out for free.
“Weeds,” roots & blooms that make you glow
“Flowers and seasonal shrubs bloom at certain times of the year for a reason,” says Rowe. “These benefits are meant to be shared during those specific times due to their potency.” She says dandelions blooming in the spring are a good example. While many see them as annoying weeds, they do have some health topical and ingestible benefits, including high antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Plus, the flower yields a beautiful skin oil. (See dandelion oil recipe.) The roots make an oxymel shot, an ancient herbal recipe that is a syrup-like mixture of honey and apple cider vinegar; it’s excellent for digestion, soothes redness and skin irritation, reduces fine lines and wrinkles, and can help detoxify your skin and liver. Rowe’s mixture involves taking dandelion roots, steeping them, then adding them to an oxymel recipe, which you can easily find online.
Purslane is another “superfood for the skin,” a succulent plant often mistaken for a weed. “One season I was weeding on the farm and came across purslane growing natively,” Rowe shares. “I remembered this plant from my prior life as a Southern food chef. The farm had an abundance of it, so I researched it and found that it’s considered a fountain of youth for the skin. And besides being incredibly hydrating for your skin, it’s healthy to eat.” It’s become a main ingredient in several of her skincare products, and Rowe even recommends adding purslane to salads for a nice crunch and loves to puree it into her smoothies.
Taylor Foster, owner of Heaven on Main Street in Andes, NY, says, “Botanicals have the power of recalibrating you. That is why everything I create is intended to make you feel better and more beautiful, even if you have just five seconds to spare.”
Foster says she has always been interested in the healing properties of plants and botanical infusions, and 25 years ago, while traveling the world as a fashion model, she created what would become the Calm & Clear face oil. “The intention was to heal my skin,” she explains. “And to give myself a five-second pause by putting a few drops in my palms, breathing in, and reminding myself that everything is right in the world.” This practice was especially helpful when she was raising her now 15-year-old son, serving as a reminder to pause during busy moments. It’s still the number one selling product in her line, and it’s packed with many soothing botanicals like chamomile flowers, lavender, geranium and rose.
Foster also recommends taking a flower bath filled with a sachet of bitter or sweet botanicals wrapped in a muslin bag. It’s a ritual she learned in Costa Rica, where it’s done to cleanse, balance and invite positive energy into your life. She has since adapted it as part of her summer routine. “Pick flowers based on their properties and how you will benefit from their energy,” she recommends. “I like to do three days of bitter and then three days of sweet. You can use what you have on hand, like garlic, lemon and oregano for the bitter and basil, mint and chamomile for the sweet.” She shares that she most commonly makes this as a tea, cools it down, and strains it into a jar. Then, after she’s bathed and her skin is dry, she drips one cup of the cooled tea over her body and lets it air-dry.
DIY hacks from the garden
Here are six recipes to get you started.
Craft your calm
To make a soothing facial mask, steep leaves from natural herbs (such as chamomile, lavender and lemon balm) in a bowl of just-boiled water. Allow the water to cool until warm. Soak a cotton pad or cheesecloth in the liquid, then gently press it over your eyes or entire face for a few minutes. Both experts say rose petals can also be used for this mask.
Revive those roots
Foster recommends this simple recipe. Chop a few stems of fresh rosemary and place them in a clean jar. Pour one cup of olive oil (or argan, jojoba or coconut oil) over the rosemary, seal the jar and let it sit untouched for one month. Then strain the oil to remove the rosemary and massage the oil into your scalp. According to the Cleveland Clinic, rosemary oil is a proven stimulator. To use as a hair growth treatment, apply daily, leave it on the scalp overnight, and rinse it out in the morning.
Tone with petals
For a calming toner, steep two tablespoons of chamomile flowers (or two chamomile tea bags) in one cup of boiled distilled water. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and mix well. Pour into a spray bottle for a toner mist. This toner is calming and anti-inflammatory—use it after cleansing and keep it in the fridge for a cooling spritz during hot, summer days. Additionally, drinking chamomile tea aids digestion and helps with sleep. Rowe says you can also add chamomile flowers to bath water.
Crush & blush
To make a simple tint, crush a few raspberries, strawberries or a small boiled beet with a spoon until the juice is released. To apply, Foster recommends using clean fingers to dab a small amount of juice onto cheeks and lips and then blend for a natural hint of color. Use immediately for best results.
Bloom, bottle, hydrate
To make a botanical body oil, use Rowe’s dandelion recipe as a guide. Before starting, research your chosen botanical to confirm it’s safe for your skin, the drying method (whether your flower needs to be wilted or 100 percent dried) and how long it needs to seep. For instance, to make lavender oil, the fresh buds need to be completely dried and hung upside down in a dark room for one to two weeks. Once dry, fill a glass jar three-fourths of the way with the lavender buds, then cover completely with a carrier oil (olive or jojoba works best here), leaving about a half inch of space at the top of the jar and seal tightly. Then let it sit in the spot for about two to four weeks, shaking daily and straining as described in the dandelion oil recipe. For all homemade oils, the shelf life is typically six to 12 months as long as the oils are water-free and stored in a cool, dark location. Placing it in the refrigerator helps extend its life. Use your lavender oil as a daily facial moisturizer, a massage oil or add it to a warm bath.
Bottle sunshine
For a refreshing sun tea, Rowe suggests filling a large glass jar or bowl with clean water. Add a generous handful of fresh herbs along with one to two herbal tea bags (chamomile, peppermint, hibiscus or echinacea are good options) if desired for a stronger flavor. Place the uncovered jar in direct sunlight for several hours. Once brewed, remove the tea bags, strain out the herbs (if desired) and serve chilled over ice.
Beauty, unfiltered
Sometimes the best beauty treatments aren’t even bottled; they’re found outdoors. Nature reminds us that beauty is not just applied—it’s experienced. “Getting outside or even gazing out the window first thing in the morning resets the stress, the spinning thoughts, the constant noise in our heads,” says Foster. “And the benefits show up on your skin just as much as in your mind.”
Science backs this theory with research showing that stress can amplify conditions like acne, psoriasis and eczema. And new research is beginning to find there’s a direct link between your skin and your brain. So changing the “mood” of the messages from your brain to your skin could change your skin.
It’s really about feeling great and connected as much as it is about looking better. The rituals below are an invitation to get your wellness practice off to a good start.
Morning dew
Early walks can up your step count and hydrate your skin. The cool, damp air after sunrise is such a treat for the complexion, offering a natural dewiness no serum can duplicate.
Forest bathing
Absorbing the sights, sounds and smells of the forest or simply spending time outside and grounding yourself by pressing bare feet into the soil deepens your connection to the natural world.
Sunlight
That big yellow ball in the sky does have some benefits for body, skin and mind in ways no supplement can fully replicate. Rowe intentionally makes it a habit to wear no sunscreen or hat, just sunglasses, for twenty minutes before 10 a.m. as she strolls through her garden. “To me it’s important to soak up the sun’s benefits,” she says. “Then I’ll go apply my sun protection and put my hat on for the rest of the day.” However, please consult your doctor before you begin seeking that natural glow, as the amount of unprotected UV exposure with minimal risk depends on various factors.
Once you start seeing your garden as a beauty counter, you’ll never look at a dandelion—or any other weed—the same way again.
This article was edited by Isabella Aranda Garcia and fact-checked by Virna Sandler. The artist drafted the illustration with pen and ink, then edited it in Adobe Creative Suite.
This article was published in the July/August 2026 edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.
Susan Trumpbour
Susan Trumpbour has over 25 years of experience in the cosmetics, health, and wellness industries, having served as a Beauty Editor and a New Product Development Executive. She has worked for top brands like It! Cosmetics, Maybelline, and Neutrogena. In this issue, she writes about how "Natural isn’t always better," providing expert insights into the misconceptions surrounding "natural" products, especially given today’s perspectives on federal recommendations. A passionate health enthusiast, Susan believes in the importance of movement, finds strength through her daily Barre class, and enjoys challenging hiking trails near her Bedford home.
Justin is an award-winning designer and photographer. He was the owner and creative director at Future Boy Design, producing work for clients such as National Parks Service, Vintage Cinemas, The Tarrytown Music Hall, and others. His work has appeared in Bloomberg TV, South by Southwest (SXSW), Edible Magazine, Westchester Magazine, Refinery 29, the Art Directors Club, AIGA and more.
Justin is a two-time winner of the International Design Awards, American Photography and Latin America Fotografia. Vice News has called Justin Negard as “one of the best artists working today.”
He is the author of two books, On Design, which discusses principles and the business of design, and Bogotà which is a photographic journey through the Colombian capital.
Additionally, Justin has served as Creative Director at CityMouse Inc., an NYC-based design firm which provides accessible design for people with disabilities, and has been awarded by the City of New York, MIT Media Lab and South By Southwest.
He lives in Katonah with his wonderfully patient wife, son and daughter.
