Selecting Containers

According to Greta Breedlove, author of The Herbal Home Spa, bottles and containers can get awfully pricey, especially if you are planning to sell your products or give them as gifts. You may find pretty bottles and containers at discount stores, gourmet shops, and gift and speciality stores. You even find them on the Internet. Reasonable PET plastic bottles and containers can be found online at Wholesale Supplies Plus (link under where to purchase products).

Since there are so many different types of bottles and containers, I am to simplify what is out there.

Glass Containers

Clear glass containers are the most common. But blue and amber are coming more popular. These colored glass containers are better in protecting your products containing herbs and oils.

Cream Jars: These are pretty jars that have wide mouths, which is perfect for creams and salves.

Spice Shakers: These are usually two inches in height and are perfect for shaking out dried herbs in small quantities. They are also great for your dusting powders because of the shaker tops.

Woozeys: Narrow necked jars which are designed for herbal vinegars and wines. These come in a variety of sizes, but the most common are 5 ounce, 10 ounce and 12 ounce versions. You may want to use them for your bath oils.

Hex Jars: These are six-sided jars, wide-mouthed jars which are pretty and useful for creams and moisturizers. Greta Breedlove found the lids to be unreliable for travel. If you are ever worried about that you can place your containers in a zip lock bag. At least the mess will be contained in the zip lock instead of your suitcase.

Storage or Canning Jars: These are usually available in pint, quart, half-gallon and gallon sizes. They might also known as Mason Jars.

Boston Round: These jars/bottles come in a variety of sizes from 1/2 ounce to 16 ounces. In addition, you might find them in a variety of colors from clear, blue and amber. Of course, the colored glass will protect products from bright light.

Plastic Containers

Boston Round: These jars/bottles come in a variety of sizes from 1/2 ounce to 16 ounces.

Cream Jars: According to Greta Breedlove, these type of jars are opaque, white and wide-mouthed. They are great for lip balms, salves and moisturizing creams. They are great for travelling.

Lotion Bottles: Translucent, squeezable, flip-top bottles are perfect for creamy lotions and massage oils.

Powder Cylinders: Great for your dusting powders.

Other Containers

Tins: Shallow, wide-mouthed decorative tins containing labels on the cover are great for your lip balms and salves.

Muslin Bags: These come in a variety of sizes. These useful drawstring bags are great for herbal tub teas or for your herbal milk baths.

These are only a few varieties of bottles and containers for your products. And you may find a variety of these categories while shopping online or in a brick and morter store.