Hello from NYC! I am Lin Chen, an entrepreneur who does not drink coffee or much caffeine. Instead, I usually sip tea in the morning and at the end of the day. My days are fully packed, so a hot cup of tea in the evening is always a treat – especially when it’s grey and rainy outside, which has been the case during the past few weeks here.
As the temperatures drop and the golden colors of autumn begin to appear, I crave a steaming up of herbal tea more and more. The change in seasons and unsettled weather can have many effects on our bodies, and for me in particular, the decreasing daylight hours and grey skies affect my moods greatly (I grew up in sunny SoCal and am happiest at the beach under the sun). Lately, I have been sipping on three of Earthwise Beauty’s herbal teas: Chrysanthemum, St. John's Wort, and Goldenrod. Each tea has restorative benefits for the mind, body and spirit.
What I love about Earthwise Beauty’s tea collection is that each tea is handpicked/collected by Ava herself, grown for her to strict specifications, or sourced from China and vetted by her Chinese in-laws. The herbs and leaves are all hand-harvested and are grown in pesticide-free farms. The quality of the teas is exceptional, and you can really taste the flavors and notice the quality. Below are my thoughts about the three teas I have been tasting.
Chrysanthemum
A mellow, naturally sweet flavor that is reminiscent of my childhood, Chrysanthemum is hands-down my favorite herbal tea. I grew up drinking this tea, and my first memory of Chrysanthemum tea is drinking it from a yellow juice box. I remember liking the mildly sweet flavor instantly and always asking my mom to buy it when we visited our local Chinese grocery store. Earthwise Beauty’s Chrysanthemum Tea is sourced from a small family farm in the countryside of Hangzhou. It is a popular tea in East Asian culture and is also a fundamental folk medicine in China. It supports healthy, luminous, youthful skin and also helps reduce stress and anxiety – lulling you into a deep, more restful sleep. I have been drinking Chrysanthemum tea in the evening, right after dinner to aid digestion. And, I have noticed myself falling asleep quicker, which is such a blessing because, as an entrepreneur, it’s really hard to shut off my brain before bedtime! I have also noticed that I wake up with less redness.
Goldenrod
I had not heard of Goldenrod before Earthwise Beauty launched it, and I chose this tea for its powerful healing properties. Even the bright yellow color of the flower is a mood booster! According to my research and the product page, Goldenrod provides a wide range of health benefits for the kidneys, urinary tract system, environmental allergies, fatigue, emotional depletion, and muscle spasms. Goldenrod Tea has a mild flavor with a slight bitter (albeit pleasant) aftertaste. This tea is very tasty with a little added raw honey. With sudden changes in weather, I typically get allergies. Since drinking this tea, I have not experienced any allergy symptoms. NYC’s summer was extremely hot and humid, and we recently had a drastic drop in temperature – it’s pretty much sweater weather now. But, no allergies for me so far! 
St. John’s Wort
St. John’s Wort is one of my favorite healing herbs. I have experienced results with it in skincare – a noticeable reduction in inflammation and irritation. As a tea, St. John’s Wort is known to be an all-natural treatment for depression, anxiety and insomnia. I choose this tea for that reason – to help with my “winter blues” as I get greatly affected by the weather. Like the Goldenrod Tea, St. John’s Wort flower is also a happy yellow color. I like to drink this tea in the morning to help stabilize my mood and because I really enjoy the slight honey-like mellow flavor. It tastes really nice on its own or with a little added raw honey. 
I’m looking forward to curling up on the sofa with these teas in the upcoming colder months!
—Lin