The term Apothecary referred to a person who manufactured and dispensed medication, in modern medicine we now call this a pharmacy. As many of us are “returning to our roots” and looking for more natural, holistic ways to heal, home apothecaries are making a comeback. Starting your own apothecary doesn’t have to be overwhelming, check out our list of “must haves” below to get started:
Jars, jars and more jars- jars in a variety of sizes for storing and preparing herbs
Mortar and Pestle- for grinding up herbs
Tea Pot- for all the fantastic medicinal tea blends
Strainer- for straining plant material when make tinctures and teas (The Dollar Tree has great some bigger strainers that work great)
Unbleached Cheesecloth- for filtering and straining herbs/plant material
Tincture bottles- amber bottles are the best for storing tinctures
Tins or glass jars: for salves
Beeswax- for making salves
Butters- for making creams or body butters (i.e. Mango, shea, cocoa, etc..)
Carrier oils (Olive Oil, Sweet Almond, Coconut, Jojoba, Castor Oil)
Solvents- Honey, Apple Cider Vinegar and Vegetable Glycerin
Vodka- (80 proof for tinctures)
Herbs- dried or fresh
Essential Oils- therapeutic grade if you are going to be incorporating them for medicinal purposes
Labels- always make sure to label and date
You don’t have to break the bank when it comes to starting your own home apothecary! If you are looking to get into things on a bigger scale, I recommend purchasing amber bottles, tins, jars, etc…in bulk. However, places like Dollar Tree, Amazon and Hobby Lobby have an array of bottles and tins as well.