NORTHERN PRAIRIE BOTANICALS
Rooted in nature • Crafted with purpose • Honoring tradition.
TM
Pure botanicals • Thoughtfully crafted • Professionally guided
MOON & MORTAR
BOTANICALS • RITUAL• SEASONAL LIVING • A LITTLE MAGIC
Where old world plant wisdom, modern aromatherapy,
and the rhythms of the natural world meet.
THE CURRENT MOON
NEW MOON
August 12th, 2026 • Leo
A TIME TO BEGIN
The new moon arrives in darknness—a quiet beginning, a blank page, a moment to consider what we want to grow.
This is a time for planting seeds, both literal and otherwise. For setting intentions without demanding answers. For beginning slowly and allowing what comes next to take root
In The Garden
August is both harvest and preparation
The garden may be at its fullest, but this is also the time to begin thinking ahead. Gather herbs at their peak, dry what you'll want through the winter, collect seeds from plants worth growing again, and make note of what thrived—and what absolutely did not.
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There is something fitting about doing this beneath a new moon, Before we plant again, we take stock of what this season taught us.
FROM THE APOTHECARY
YARROW
Achillea millefolium
AN OLD APOTHECARY HERB
Yarrow has followed people for centuries—from kitchen gardens and cottage doorways to the shelves of the apothecary.
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Its feathery leaves and clusters of tiny white flowers are easy to overlook, but this humble plant has earned a lasting place in traditional herbalism.
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August is an especially beautiful time to gather yarrow, when the flower heads are open and the plant is at its aromatic peak.
IN THE APOTHECARY
Flower • Leaf • Tradition
Yarrow has a long history in Western tradition, where the flowering tops and leaves have been prepared as teas, tinctures, infused oils, washes and poultices.
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Fresh or dried, its distinctive aromatic character made is a familiar resident of the household apothecary—particularly when a simple, versatile herb was called for.
Harvest • Dry • Keep
HARVEST:
Gather flowering aerial parts on a dry day, after the morning dew has evaoprated.
DRY:
Hang in small bundles or spread loosely in a single layer, away from direct sunlight.
KEEP:
Once completely dry, store in a tightly closed container away from heat, moisture, and light.
An old plant needn't become an old-fashioned one
FROM PLANT TO BOTTLE
The art and alchemy of distillation. Where art meets science
THE JOURNEY OF AN ESSENTIAL OIL
An essential oil begins long before the first drop reaches the bottle.
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For Yarrow, the journey begins with the flowering plant. At the proper time, the aromatic plant material is gathered and placed into the still, where steam gently releases its volatile aromatic compounds.
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As the steam rises, it carries those compounds through the copper alembic. The vapor then cools and condenses, returning once again to liquid.
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What emerges is a fragrant distillate containing both essential oil and hydrosol. Given time to settle, the two naturally separate–the concentrated essential oil and the beautifully aromatic water created alongside it.
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It is a process both ancient and precise: plant, water, fire, steam, copper, time.
Plant • Water • Fire • Steam • Copper • Time
YARROW ESSENTIAL OIL
Achillea millefolium
BLUE FROM THE STILL
Yarrow essential oil holds one of the distillation's little surprises. The flowers themselves are white, yet some Yarrow oils emerge from the still in shades of deep blue to blue-green.​
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That color develops during distillation as naturally occurring constituents in the plant are transformed into chamazulene, the compound responsible for the oil's striking blue hue.
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Its aroma is equally distinctive–warm herbaceous, penetrating, slightly sweet, with an earthy balsamic character beneath it.
AROMATIC PROFILE
Herbaceous • Earthy • Sweet • Camphoraceous
DISTILLED FROM
Flowering aerial parts
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METHOD
Steam Distillation
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White Flower • Blue Oil • Ancient Plant
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WORKING WITH YARROW
Complex • Herbaceous • A Little Goes a Long Way
Yarrow–The Blue Alchemist
There is something ancient about Yarrow.
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It grows wild and unassuming, crowned in tiny white flowers, yet hidden within the plant is something unexpected. Through steam and copper, the pale flowering herb surrenders an oil that can emerge an extrordinary shade of deep blue.
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Its aroma belongs to the wild places–green and herbaceous, earthy and penetrating, with a soft medicinal sharpness and a quiet sweetness underneath.
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Yarrow has long carried the folklore of protection, courage, boundaries, and healing. It is the plant at the edge of the path; the botanical guardian between what we carry with us and what we choose to leave behind.
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In the diffuser, it feels grounding. In a blend, it lends depth and an almost mysterious herbal character.
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White Flower • Blue Oil • Wild Earth.
A reminder that sometimes the most remarkable things a plant holds cannot be seen until they are transformed.
Plant • Water • Fire • Copper • Steam • Blue
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BOTANICAL PROFILE
Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium
​Plant Family: Asteraceae
Extraction Method: Steam Distillation
Parts Used: Flowering aerial parts
Perfumery Note: Middle
Color: Deep blue to blue-green (varies by chemotype and lot)
Consistency: Thin/mobile
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AROMATIC PROFILE
Herbaceous • Earthy • Camphoraceous • Balsamic • Slightly Sweet
Top Notes: Penetrating green-herbal freshness with a slightly camphoraceous edge
Middle Notes: Complex, warm herbaceous character with subtle sweetness
Base Notes: Earth, dry and softly balsamic
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IMPRESSION:
Wild Yarrow beneath an open sky–the green bite of crushed leaves, warm earth and flowering herbs, with something deeper and almost mysterious lingering underneath
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BLENDS WELL WITH
Lavender – softens Yarrow's penetrating herbal character and adds a gentle floral sweetness.
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Clary Sage – complements it's earthy, herbaceous depth and creates a beautifully complex botanical blend.
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Frankincense – adds resinous warmth and grounding depth; gorgeous for comtemplative and ritual blends.
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Bergamot – brightens Yarrow's heavier herbal notes with a fresh, sparkling citrus lift.
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Geranium – brings a green-rosy softness that rounds Yarrow without overpowering its wild character.
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Cedarwood – deepens the earthy, woody side of Yarrow and anchors the overall aroma.
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Roman Chamomile – adds a soft apple-herbal sweetness and pairs beautifully with Yarrow's more medicinal facets.
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Helichrysum – creates a rich, intensely herbaceous pairing with warm honey-like undertones.
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Black Spruce – gives it a forest-floor quality: green, resinous, earthy and grounding.
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Sweet Orange – an easy way to tame Yarrow's intensity and make the blend brighter and more approachable.
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Yarrow rarely needs to lead a blend. Used with restraint, it adds complexity, depth, and a distinnctly wild botanical character.
USING YARROW
Practical • Intentional • A Little Goes a Long Way
A POTENT BOTANICAL
Yarrow is an oil best approached with intention. Its aroma is powerful, its character complex, and only a small amount is needed to influence a blend,
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Its deep herbal presence can easily dominate more delicate oils, so begin sparingly. One drop may be all that is needed to bring earthiness, depth, and a distinctly wild character to a formula.
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DIFFUSION:
Begin with ONE drop of Yarrow alongside softer companion oils such as Lavender, Bergamot, Frankincense, or Sweet Orange.
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Rather than allowing Yarrow to lead the blend, use it as an aromatic anchor – adding depth, complexity, and grounding beneath brighter or softer notes.
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WILD EARTH
Diffuser Blend
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3 drops Bergamot
2 drops Frankincense
1 drop Yarrow.
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​TOPICAL USE
Yarrow's strong aromatic character means a little goes a long way on the skin as well. Always dilute the essential oil in a carrier before topical use.
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For general adult use, beging with a low dilution – around 1% – especially when using Yarrow as part of a larger blend.
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Its earthy, herbaceous character pairs beautifully with oils such as Lavender, Frankincense, Roman Chamomile, Helichrysum, and Cedarwood.
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WILD BOUNDARIES
Anointing Oil
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1 oz Jojoba
3 drops Frankincense
2 drops Lavender
1 drop Yarrow.
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Apply a small amount to pulse points as an aromatic ritual before meditation, journaling, or whenever you want a quiet moment to reset and gather yourself.
For external use only.
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BATH & AROMATIC RITUAL
Yarrow can bring a deep, wild-herbal character to the bath, but essential oils should never be added directly to bathwater. First incorporate the oil into a properly formulated bath product or suitable dispersing medium.
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Because Yarrow is so aromatically potent, use it sparingly. Pair it with softer oils such as Lavender, Frankincense, Roman Chamomile, or Bergamot to round its sharper herbal edges.
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BLUE EARTH
Bath Ritual
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1 drop Yarrow
2 drops Lavender
2 drops Frankincense.
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Add the essential oils to an appropriate bath dispersant or properly formulated bath base before adding to the water.
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Sink in. Breathe.
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White flower above the earth. Blue oil hidden within.
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SAFETY
Yarrow essential oil is highly concentrated and should be used sparingly. Always dilute appropriately before topical use. Avoid contact with eyes and mucous membranes. Patch test before use.
Avoid during pregnancy and use caution with young children. Individuals with sensitivity to plants in the Asteraceae family should use caution. For external and aromatic use only. Keep out of reach of children and pets.
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BATH USE: Never add essential oils directly to bathwater. Always incorporate them into an appripriate dispersing medium or properly formulated bath product before use.
When in doubt, less is more.
Yarrow does not need much to make its presence known.
THE RITUAL
Protection • Boundaries • Courage • Release
The Warrior's Herb
Long before Yarrow found its was into little green bottles, it carried a reputation as a plant of protection and courage.
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Its botanical name Achillea, recalls Achilles, the warrior of Greek legend. Across centuries of folklore, Yarrow became associated with the places where we were most vulnerable–the boundary between strength and tenderness, holding on and letting go, protection and openness.
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In ritual, Yarrow can represent the simple act of deciding what belongs within your space–and what does not.
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Not a wall.
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A boundary.
Not fear.
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Discernment.
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Not armor.
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Strength with the wisdoom to remain soft.
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Root • Protect • Release • Begin Again
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IN THE APOTHECARY
Thoughtful • Versatile • Used with Restraint
Body & Massage
Yarow's intensely herbaceous character makes it a beautiful supporting note in body oils and massage blends, particularly when paired with softer botanicals.
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Used at an appropriate dilution, even a small amount can brind depth, complexity, and a distinctly wild herbal character to a formula without overwhelming it.
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Pairs beautifully with:
Lavender • Frankincense • Helichrysum • Roman Chamomile
BATH & RITUAL
Yarrow brings an earthy, herbaceous presence to bath rituals – grounding, complex, and unmistakably botanical.
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Because essential oils do not disperse safely in bathwater on their own, Yarrow should first be properly diluted or incorporated into an appropriate bath formulation rather than added directly to the water.
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It's wild herbal character pairs beautifully with softer, warmer aromatics, creating a bath that feels less perfumed and more like stepping into an old botanical apothecary.
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Beautiful companions:
Lavender • Frankincense • Roman Chamomile • Cedarwood.
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Steam • Water • Herb • Stillness
SKIN & BODY CARE
Yarrow brings its distinctive herbaceous character to thoughtfully formulated skin and body preperations. Its bold aromatic presence means it rarely needs to be the star – a small amount can add depth and a beautifully complex botanical note.
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In balms, salves, body oils, and other formulations, Yarrow pairs especially well with gentler aromatics and rich botanical carriers.
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Beautiful companions:
Helichrysum • Lavender • Frankincense • German Chamomile • Geranium.
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Deeply botanical. Quietly complex. Best used with intention.
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EMOTIONAL & AROMATIC
Grounding • Reflective • Wildly Botanical
Yarrow has an aroma that seems to ask for stillness.
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Green, earthy, and quietly penetrating, it brings a sense of depth to an aromatic blend – less about sweetness or softness and more about feeling rooted in the moment.
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It's long association with protection, courage, and boundaries gives Yarrow an especially fitting place in personal rituals centered around reflection, transition, and intention.
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This is not an oil that disappears politely into the background. Even in small amounts, Yarrow leaves its mark – wild, complex, and unmistakably itself.
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For quiet ritual:
Frnakincense • Cedarwood • Bergamot • Black Spruce
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Rooted in the earth. Clear at the edges. Open to what comes next.
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Alchemy of Blue
Steam • Transformation • Angel's Breath
Angel's Breath
There is a moment in distillation known as Angel's Breath – that first fleeting aroma that announces the botanical has begun to surrender its volatile essence to the steam.
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Before the oil has collected, before the hydrosol has filled the reciever, there is that first breath.
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Every botanical has its own voice.
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WHEN YARROW TURNS BLUE
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Yarrow holds one of distillation's most beautiful surprises.
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The flowers entering the still are white; the foliage, green. Yet during steam distillation, heat transforms naturally occuring constituents within the plant.
Matricin is converted into chamazulene, contributing the extraordinary blue to blue-green color characteristic of many Yarrow essential oils.
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The blue does not exist in the living flower as we see it.
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It is born in the still.
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White flower. Green leaf. Fire. Copper and steam.
And from them-blue.
ROOT • PROTECT • RELEASE • BEGIN AGAIN
Yarrow has spent centuries at the edges – between field and forest, medicine and folklore, strength and tenderness.
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Perhaps that is why it feels so fitting at the New Moon.
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This is not the moon of having everything figured out. It is the quiet space before becoming – the dark soil before the first green shoot appears.
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Yarrow reminds us that protection does not require hardness.
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That boundaries can be living things.
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That we may root deeply without refusing to change.
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And that sometimes beginning again requires nothing more dramatic than deciding what we will carry forward – and what we are finally willing to leave behind.
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Root into what steadies you.
Protect what matters.
Release what no longer belongs.
Begin again.
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There is wisdom in knowing what to hold,
There is freedom in knowing what to release.
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