From Childhood Potions to the Apothecary: Finding My Way Back to What I Loved
Somewhere in my mum’s bathroom, there was a little girl making potions out of her lovely hair products.
That little girl was me.
I remember the rose Herbal Essences shampoo. The smell was amazing, and I loved the flowers on the bottle. I wanted to mix things together, explore the textures and see what I could create.
My mum, understandably, was less enthusiastic about watching her shampoo disappear down the sink.
But in my imagination, something wonderful was happening.
Our herb garden became another place to create. I would gather herbs and flowers for mud pies, completely absorbed in whatever I was making. Even in the playground, I played witches and pretended to make potions.
I was imaginative, curious and full of wonder.
Years later, as I make mists and develop the next pieces of The Grateful Living Apothecary, I recognise that feeling again.
The ingredients and responsibilities have changed, but the enjoyment of creating something with my hands is familiar.
The little treatment room underneath my bunk bed
Making potions wasn’t my only childhood interest.
Underneath my bunk bed, I created a little therapy room. I had crystals, played dolphin music and offered small treatments and massages to my family.
Looking back, it makes me smile. I was already interested in creating a space where somebody could pause and receive care.
Today, that intention runs through my treatment space and the apothecary.
I want the things I create to feel considered, personal and held with intention. Each one has a story behind it.
Why I created Realign
Realign grew partly from my own practice of cleansing a space.
I enjoyed the ritual of marking a fresh start, choosing what I wanted to release and thinking about how I wanted the space to feel.
But burning herbs wasn’t always practical.
My brother has asthma and didn’t like the smoke when I cleansed the house. I also wanted something I could use more conveniently within my treatment space.
That led me towards creating a mist.
Within my spiritual practice, sage represents cleansing and release, rosemary represents protection, and lavender brings the calming quality I wanted alongside those intentions.
Together, they became Realign.
For me, using it creates a moment to pause and ask: what am I ready to put down, and how do I want to begin again?
It offers a way to practise that ritual without burning herbs, while still respecting that everybody has different preferences and sensitivities around scent.
Why I created Relax
Relax came from conversations with my clients.
So many were telling me they felt tired but struggled to switch off. Their bodies wanted rest, while their minds were still going through tomorrow’s jobs or replaying the day.
It made me think about the attention we give a child’s bedtime routine.
There might be a bath, dimmed lights, a story and a cuddle. We create a transition between the activity of the day and the beginning of the night.
As adults, we can lose that transition.
We answer messages, finish chores, scroll through our phones and then expect ourselves to fall asleep as soon as we get into bed.
I wanted Relax to sit within a more intentional evening routine.
The lavender and eucalyptus scent, the bottle in your hand, and the little jingle of the crystals are details I chose to make the experience feel considered.
The mist is an invitation to pause within a wider routine: putting your phone down, lowering the lights and giving yourself some quieter time before bed.
The pause within a cup of tea
Tea holds a similar meaning for me.
I find the warmth of a cup in my hands soothing. Making it, waiting for it to brew and noticing the smell gives me something simple to pay attention to.
But the part I’m learning to honour is actually sitting down to drink it.
It’s easy to make a cup of tea and then carry on doing everything else. Allowing myself to be present for it turns an ordinary action into a moment of care.
That is what I love about ritual. It gives attention to something we might otherwise rush through.
What have you stopped making room for?
The apothecary has reminded me of interests I had long before I knew what they could become.
It makes me wonder how often we leave behind things we enjoy because they seem childish, impractical or unrelated to the life we’re building.
Perhaps you loved drawing, dancing, gardening or making up stories. Perhaps there’s something you still feel curious about, but keep putting off.
Your interest doesn’t need to become a business. You don’t need to be particularly good at it.
You can give it space because you enjoy it.
This week, consider two questions:
What did I love doing before I started worrying about whether it was worthwhile?
Where could I create a small pause between the different parts of my day?
Perhaps you’ll play an old favourite song, spend some time making something, or sit down with your tea before beginning the next task.
For me, creating the apothecary feels like a full circle moment. I’m bringing more knowledge to it now, but that childhood curiosity is still here.
And I’m glad I’ve given it somewhere to go.
Listen to the episode
In “From Childhood Potions to the Apothecary: The Ritual of Coming Back to Yourself,” I share more of these memories, the stories behind Realign and Relax, and how we can create moments of care within everyday life.
Listen to the podcast: Youtube | Spotify
You can also explore the Realign and Relax mists through The Grateful Living.