We appreciate you taking the time to learn more about the ingredients in NIH products, as it is something we are passionate about!
Did you know that most of the ingredients we use for our handmade products are sourced from Hamilton and the nearby rural areas? Let's dive in!
Animal-based Ingredients
We incorporate both tallow and lard in our signature soap line, and use tallow in our lip balms and creams. This is a traditional method for luxurious, sustainable skin and hair care. We obtain these ingredients from a local butcher shop that operates a pasture-raised farm in Cambridge, Ontario, located about an hour northwest of Hamilton. The animals are raised outdoors, enjoying fresh air and grass.
Golden beeswax is included in NIH creams, lip balms, and soap. Beeswax serves as a strengthening agent, providing nourishment and a wonderful aroma. We source it from a beekeeper on the Hamilton mountain who maintains three sets of hives in the rural areas of Hamilton and Haldimand County. Additionally, he employs a solar melt system, which is a fantastic eco-friendly advantage!
Plant & Herbal-based Ingredients
Did you know that most of our herbal ingredients are cultivated in the NIH organic garden? Our herbal blends are seasonal and primarily depend on our harvest. Additionally, we support Canadian companies that grow and import vibrant organic herbs to supplement any shortages we may have.
Here's a list of the NIH perennials:
Raspberry leaf
Nettle
Rosemary
Thyme
Sage
Rose
Rosehips
Mints/ spearmint
Catnip
Dandelion
Red clover
Yarrow
Feverfew
Goldenrod
Oregano
Hops
Echinacea
Evergreen
Lemon balm
Did you know that six of the herbs mentioned above appeared in our garden without my deliberate planting? Local seeds drifted in and settled, and since then, I've nurtured them, allowing them to thrive alongside my intended plants! This is just another reason why I always suggest leaving your weeds until you truly understand what they are and their potential impact. Native species help keep your garden resilient against pests and diseases.
Can you guess which six plants from the list above appeared on their own? Here's a hint: I didn't include evergreen in the count. Although I didn't plant those majestic trees, they were intentionally planted nearly 100 years ago!
Some plants that come and go depending on space in the garden and what plants are dominating:
Calendula
Chamomile
Mullein
Chicory
Evening primrose
Sunflower
Bergamot/bee balm
Marigold
Some plants we forage both locally and up North:
Chaga
Rosehips
Horsetail
Mullein
Echinacea
Ginkgo
Burdock
Ingredients sourced locally and Canadian
Sunflower oil is from a farm in Waterford, Ontario.
100% Canadian oat flakes.
Coffee beans from a local roaster, who sources direct-trade.
We grow aloe plants and source the jumbo aloe from supermarkets to scrape fresh.
100% Canadian apple cider vinegar.
Ingredients we import / source from Canadian companies who import fair-trade
Shea butter
Cacao butter
Jojoba oil
Castor oil
Argan oil
Specialty herbs that are not grown in Canada such as- ashwagandha, ginger, vitex, camellia sinensis (black and green teas), yerba mate.
Himalayan sea salt.
Bentonite and rhassoul clay.
Organic essential oils and paraben-free natural fragrance oils.
So thank you!
Thank you for your interest in helping the local community, economy, and small businesses!
By purchasing Nature IS Health products, you connect more closely with Southern Ontario and the Canadian wilderness.
Your positive impact is contributing to the environment and the Earth's sustainability.
With love, NIH: Sam, Brian, Wrex, Willow, Indie, and Oatsz.
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