Nettle, Pau D Arco, Red Clover: How I Use These 3 Herbs (That Don’t Involve Drinking Tea)

Nettle, Pau D Arco, Red Clover: How I Use These 3 Herbs (That Don’t Involve Drinking Tea)

From skin to scalp to womb—my daily rituals with Pau D’Arco, Nettle, and Red Clover 

So you know I’m big on sipping herbs, but not all medicine has to be steeped in a mug. When Pau D’Arco, Stinging Nettle, and Red Clover came back in stock, I knew I had to put y’all on to how I actually use them daily. These herbs aren’t just for detox teas. Sometimes healing hits deeper when it’s applied directly to the skin, absorbed through the pores, or used in rituals that ground the spirit.

Here’s how I work with them topically, and intentionally, and how you can too.

PAU D’ARCO | The Fungal Fighter + Skin Soother

Supports: Skin health, candida balance, gut repair, immune function

Energetics: Bitter, cool
TCM Functions: Clears Heat and Dampness, resolves toxicity
Organs Supported: Liver, Large Intestine, Skin (Lung)

Pau D’Arco Glow Steam (For Breakouts + Skin Detox)

This facial steam helps open pores, clear bacteria, and reduce inflammation from acne, eczema, or fungal imbalances. 

For clearing Heat + Damp from the skin (acne, eczema, fungal flares)

Acne and breakouts are often seen as an expression of internal Heat and Dampness. Pau D’Arco helps vent this Heat and move stagnation through the Lung and Liver channels, which govern skin and detox.

You’ll need:

  • 1 tbsp Pau D’Arco

  • 2 drops tea tree or lavender essential oil (optional)

  • 1 tsp dried calendula or chamomile (optional for extra skin calming)

  • Bowl of hot water + towel

How to do it:

  1. Add Pau D’Arco and any optional herbs to a large heat-safe bowl.

  2. Pour boiling water over the herbs and let it steep for 1–2 minutes.

  3. Drape a towel over your head, close your eyes, and lean over the bowl.

  4. Steam for 5–10 minutes, breathing deeply.

  5. Pat skin dry and follow up with a nourishing oil or serum (like jojoba or rosehip).

 

2. Pau D’Arco Sitz Bath (For Yeast + Vaginal Support)

Great for balancing yeast, soothing irritation, and postpartum healing.

 Issues like yeast infections or irritation can be signs of Damp-Heat in the lower Jiao (reproductive organs, bladder). Pau D’Arco helps clear that Heat and dry Damp, especially when combined with calming herbs like lavender or calendula.

You’ll need:

  • 2 tbsp Pau D’Arco 

  • 1 tbsp dried lavender or rose petals

  • 2 cups water

  • Sitz bath or shallow basin

How to do it:

  1. Simmer Pau D’Arco and herbs in water for 15 minutes.

  2. Strain and pour into a sitz bath or basin.

  3. Let cool to a comfortable temperature.

  4. Sit in the bath for 15–20 minutes.

  5. Use 2–3x per week as needed.

Why I love it: It gently calms the skin, targets candida overgrowth, and restores harmony to that sacred space.

Get Pau D Arco here.

 

STINGING NETTLE | The Mineral Mama

Supports: Hair growth, circulation, inflammation, iron levels

Energetics: Sweet, slightly warm
TCM Functions: Tonifies Blood, strengthens Kidney Essence, moves Qi
Organs Supported: Liver, Kidney, Spleen

Nettle Hair Rinse (For Growth + Scalp Detox)

This rinse stimulates the scalp, strengthens strands, and supports healthy hair growth.

For nourishing Liver Blood + stimulating scalp Qi

 Hair health is directly tied to the Liver and Kidney systems. When Blood or Essence is deficient, the hair may become brittle, thin, or shed. Nettle nourishes Blood and promotes circulation of Qi to the scalp.

You’ll need:

  • 2 tbsp Nettle

  • 1 tsp rosemary or horsetail (optional)

  • 2 cups hot water

  • 5 drops rosemary essential oil (optional)

  • Spray bottle or pour bottle

How to do it:

  1. Steep herbs in hot water for at least 20 minutes, covered.

  2. Strain and let cool.

  3. Pour over clean scalp and massage in.

  4. Leave on for 5–10 min, or let it air dry as a leave-in.

  5. Use 1–2x per week.

 

2. Nettle-Infused Oil (For Massage + Inflammation Relief)

Perfect for full-body massage, joint aches, or mixing into a balm.

For pain, stiffness, or Qi stagnation in joints or muscles

Pain is often caused by Qi and Blood stagnation or Wind-Damp invasion. Topical Nettle oil can warm and nourish the channels, moving stagnation and relieving pain.

You’ll need:

  • ⅓ cup dried nettle

  • Olive, jojoba, or coconut oil

  • Glass jar with lid

  • (Optional: Add arnica or comfrey leaf)

How to do it:

  1. Add nettle and herbs to a clean jar.

  2. Cover completely with oil and seal tightly.

  3. Let sit in a sunny window or warm place for 2–4 weeks, shaking daily.

  4. Strain into a clean bottle and store in a cool place.

Optional: For a balm, melt with 1 tbsp Calendula wax and pour into tins.

Get Stinging Nettle here.

 

 

RED CLOVER | The Hormone Harmonizer

Supports: Hormone balance, womb health, skin clarity, lymph flow

Energetics: Sweet, neutral
TCM Functions: Moves Blood, harmonizes Hormones (via Liver), clears Heat
Organs Supported: Liver, Heart, Chong + Ren Channels (Reproductive System)

1. Red Clover Yoni Steam (For PMS + Hormonal Rebalance)

This steam helps ease cramps, clear stagnation, and nourish reproductive energy.

For stagnant Liver Qi, PMS, or irregular cycles

Menstrual imbalances often reflect stuck Liver Qi or Blood stasis in the lower Jiao. Red Clover supports the free flow of Qi and nourishes the Blood, especially when used in warming yoni steams.

You’ll need:

  • 1–2 tbsp Red Clover

  • 1 tsp motherwort, mugwort, or rose (optional)

  • 2–3 cups hot water

  • Blanket + yoni steam seat or bowl

How to do it:

  1. Steep herbs in hot water for 10–15 minutes.

  2. Place bowl in a safe space, sit above it (no direct contact), and cover with a blanket.

  3. Steam for 15–20 minutes.

  4. Journal, breathe deep, or just be still while you receive.

Best time to steam: Before your period or during a low-energy phase of your cycle.

 

Red Clover Glow Mask (For Skin Purifying + Hydration)

This mask helps detox the skin while hydrating and soothing the surface.

For dull, dry, or inflamed skin (Liver Heat or Blood Deficiency)

Red Clover purifies the Blood and supports the Liver, which is closely tied to skin clarity. This topical application also draws out toxins and soothes inflamed Qi in the face.

You’ll need:

  • 1 tbsp Red Clover 

  • 1 tsp Agave

  • ½ tsp aloe vera gel or rose water (optional)

How to do it:

  1. Mix all ingredients into a paste.

  2. Apply to clean skin and let sit for 10–15 minutes.

  3. Rinse with warm water and finish with a toner or serum.

Get Red Clover here.

 

Healing isn’t about fixing one thing—it’s about creating flow. These herbs help me do just that. Whether it’s clearing Dampness, tonifying Blood, or moving stuck Liver Qi, and the best part? I don’t always have to sip them. 

So next time you reach for your herbs, ask yourself: What’s my body asking for today? Then match that energy with intention. 

💚 Want to try these yourself?

Click here to pre-order Pau D’Arco, Stinging Nettle, and Red Clover
Let your everyday rituals be medicine.

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