13 Apothecary Aesthetics For You And Your Home

Maybe it’s because of my current profession as a pharmacy technician, but I love the aesthetics of apothecary.  Not just because of it genuinely looking interesting to me and my personal tastes, but also because of how useful apothecary is to me and my profession. 

As a lover of history, I am always delighted to read and learn about how apothecary has helped build modern medicine, and human civilization as a whole.  I feel that whoever I was in a past life worked as an apothecary or some sort of healer. 

If you love apothecary, like me, here are 13 apothecary aesthetics that you can use for both you and your home.

1.  Give your cabinets a make over.

One thing I especially love about the whole apothecary aesthetics are seeing pictures of well organized open face cabinets that are stocked full of jars and books.  

This scene is not too far off from my actual work environment.  Replace all of those glass jars of herbs and stuff with medicine bottles, and you basically have a pharmacy.

2.  Put stuff in jars.

They make jars specifically for apothecary needs.  These are are more decorative and aren’t used for food, unless you count dried herbs as food.

I loose my collective mind over cute apothecary jars.  They just make me so happy.  They remind me of little spell jars full of possibilities.

My favorite tea shop, Magic Hour, uses apothecary jars to store tea in that is available for sale when you purchase their tea.

3.  Don’t forget to slap some labels on those jars!

I mean, how are you gonna know if you if you accidentally pick up the wrong thing if it’s not labeled correctly.

Etsy has a ton, and I mean a TON of apothecary labels to help add a bit more of a magic touch to whatever you need.  They have endless styles to choose from so you are certainly to find one or a few dozen to fit your style.

4.  Get a pestle and mortar.

The pestle and mortar is an indispensable piece of antiquity that still has a place in modern medicine and pharmacology.  The pestle and mortar have nearly endless uses; from grinding pills for medicinal compounding, to herbs and spices for a recipe you want to whip up.

There are so many kinds of pestle and mortars to fit your tastes and specific needs.  If you’re a naturist in search of one, here is a super neat one I found on Etsy from tokoindah. This one is made out a river rock.

5.  Learn about herbs and spice.

Herbs and spices were the original medicine to human civilizations.  Many herbs and spices are still used in modern medicine today.  

Chamomile can be used for relaxing, and is popular as a tea.  Ginger is good for nausea.  And ginseng is good for boosting energy.  Just to name a few.

To incorporate these into your wellness routine, I recommend brewing these by themselves as a tea, or adding them to green tea for an added boost of wellness.

6.  Dry your own herbs.

In my opinion, there is a difference between dried and fresh herbs and spices.  Fresh herbs are more often used for cooking, and dried herbs are more used for healing.  It is good to keep both in your home at all times, because you just never know when you are going to need them. 

Dried herbs do have more intense flavor than fresh herbs.  Drying herbs is a common practice for apothecaries and dried herbs have a much more versatile use than fresh herbs.

7.  Get books for apothecary.

If you are interested in beginning to learn about apothecary, you are blessed with no shortage of books to help as you explore your interests in apothecary.  Amazon has got your back in this department.

Here are some books I have found to help you to learn about apothecary more in-depth.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
The Herbal Apothecary by JJ Pursell 
The Handmade Apothecary by Vicky Chown
Native American Herbalist’s Bible by Cheyenne Allen

There are hundreds and hundreds of books on this subject. These are just to name a short few.

8.  Break out the cauldron!

I love cauldrons. I have no idea what it is about this ancient witchy cooking vessel that just makes me happy.  Could one of my ancestors had been a witch? Just kidding, but maybe?

Cauldrons have an association with witchcraft that is often mistaken with apothecary.  This association stems back hundreds of years during the witch craze of yonder year when actual witch hunts were under foot.  Every household had a cauldron and was the main cooking utensil of the day for ordinary citizens.  And as mostly women were accused as witches, cauldrons got the association of being used for witchcraft because many women, including those often finding themselves accused of witchcraft, would be cooking at any given time of day using a cauldron.  Women had to be Jane’s-of-all-trades back in the day, including house maker, child rearer, cook, and family healer. 

If you have a cauldron, break it out and make your ancestors proud!

9.  Understand the magic of flower petals.

A lot of essential oils used in apothecary come from flower petals.  Essential oils aren’t just made especially for apothecary use, they are used in numerous other essential items to make your body a temple and your house a home.  Candles with lavender essential oil can make a home smell more calming.  Rose hip essential oil is packed with vitamin c and can be used as a skin beautifier.

Dried flower petals can be used in numerous bath products to make relaxing bath salts and soaps.

10.  Take care of those plants.

Many plants can be out right used in apothecary, even if they don’t have petals.  We wouldn’t even have apothecary if it weren’t for plants. 

The aloe vera plant is one of the most useful house plants because the plant is common treatment for skin irritations and sun burns.  Cat nip and bee balm can help aid the digestive system and help clear up the respiratory system. 

Plus, having plants in the home creates more oxygen. Take care of your plants and they will help take care of you.

11.  There is apothecary skincare!

Apothecary skincare has really taken off in the past decade.  The essence of apothecary skincare is using as natural products as possible.  No body wants harsh or unnatural chemicals on their face.

There are several skincare brands that come to mind that specially market themselves as apothecary; such as Farmacy, Cauldron Apothecary, Apothecary Co., and Province Apothecary to name just a few. 

I don’t see apothecary skincare going anywhere but up as we continue into the future as more and more people are becoming concerned with not only what they are putting on their bodies, but what it is also doing to our planet.

12.  Vibe with celestial bodies.

Here me out, I do believe that astrology and apothecary do tread on the same waters.  While I personally don’t believe in astrology, I do like to think that sometimes our stars and our earth do swing together from time to time.  Maybe that’s because I’m a Capricorn.

There is a branch of astrology that does mix with apothecary called “astroherbology”.  It’s essentially combining the teachings in astrology with the herbal wellness of apothecary.  It sounds neat.

I also totally dig the aesthetics of moons, suns and stars.  I do like to incorporate those aspects of astrology into my own person style.

13.  Crystals are cool too.

Like astrology, I don’t put a lot of stock on crystals.  To me, they are pretty rocks.  BUT, the writer in me loves to think that crystals can be used to harness untapped energy and powers in both the body and earth. 

But on the other hand, cultures have used them I healing and protection practices for thousands of years, so maybe there is something to them after all. 

I guess that’s just in the eye of the beholder.

I can’t help but love the aesthetics of apothecary.  Something about it just makes me feel right at home.  Perhaps it has put a smell on me.