Neals Yard Remedies

A small place that could easily be missed, this shop is really great.
Specialising in high quality natural remedies, Neal’s Yard runs the gamut from supplements to herbs, from beauty products to natural medicine.
All of the products are carefully sourced and of high quality. Most of them are organic and paraben-​free. Some of the beauty products smell AMAZING. The rose shampoo in particular is gorgeous.
The most wonderful thing about this place though is the staff. They are so knowledgeable and know their stock inside and out. They are approachable and really listen to what ails you before recommending a solution.
Honestly, their knowledge is almost encyclopedic. The lady I spoke to was open and non-​judgmental. She took time to listen and respond to my problem, and wasn’t pushy about selling. In fact she recommended taking things slow with natural treatments.
The shop itself is calm and welcoming, with a few seats, as (the only down-​side) there can often be a wait before being able to talk to a shop assistant. They have some reference books on homeopathy and natural products which you can look at, and honestly, it’s worth the wait.

Great place for all your vitamins and other supplements. Unlike most chemists, supermarkets and health food shops, Neal’s Yard only stocks the highest quality brands (namely Viridian and Solgar). Especially if you’re vegetarian or vegan, there’s no way around Neal’s Yard for your remedies. And if you buy the Viridian brand, you get 25p back when you return the bottle.
For a long time I just went there for various remedies from their well-​filled shelf. Until I asked for some Tyrosine because I had been feeling very lethargic for weeks and was strongly suspecting that I was suffering from adrenal exhaustion. The lady behind the counter told me that she was a herbalist and asked me whether I had tried liquorice tincture before. I decided to give it a try and felt very warm and energetic for the rest of the day. The next day I repeated the procedure (just one spoonful), and once again I felt far more energised than I had for weeks (and after that I didn’t seem to need it anymore, so it’s still in my cupboard for the next time I feel my energy levels could do with a boost). As with Alice, I wasn’t really sure whether the mixture had actually upped my adrenal system, or whether I was just experiencing the placebo effect. However the reason why I was feeling a lot better wasn’t really that relevant to me the main thing was that it worked.
For those who believe that more is better, you can get some of the vitamins at up to hundred times the recommended daily allowance (but all within safe limits don’t believe government recommendations which may be sufficient to keep a goldfish healthy, but not a human being. Instead rather study what the experts have researched, such as multiple nobel prize laureate Linus Pauling). As an advocate of megadose therapy, I like mixing up to 10,000mg of vitamin C per day into my drinks (about the limit of what my stomach can take), which you can buy at Neal’s Yard buffered as Calcium Ascorbate powder. Don’t forget though that supplements should only be used in addition to a balanced diet (and I hope I don’t sound like a patronising family doctor saying this!). :)
I can’t remember what the place smells like, but don’t believe that it can be nearly as bad as hartingale claims, as I surely would have remembered if anything had seriously offended my sense of smell.
By the way, for those who don’t know it: Neal’s Yard was started by activist and MDMA advocate Nicholas Saunders (founder of
and author of ‘E is for ecstasy’ and ‘Ecstasy reconsidered’), who moved into a warehouse in Neal’s Yard, Covent Garden in the late 1970s and set up several businesses there.

Unlike our resident ‘smell scrooge’ hartingale, I adore the smell of Neal’s Yard. They sell the most divine essential oils and gorgeous-​smelling herbal remedies. As a lover of like-​smelling shops such as Lush, this place is just heavenly.
The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable about the properties of the oils and herbs they sell — I’ve also been told that they’ll mix together custom-​made ointments and herbal teas depending on your health or relaxation needs. The one downside is that these products are pretty pricey…
Neal’s Yard still maintain their signature blue bottle packaging that’s been the trademark of the business since it began in the early 80s and as a sucker for unique packaging, I just love having their products on my shelf. The last thing I was bought from here was a Bach Flower Essence Blend to supposedly bring me courage. You know what? I think it actually worked. That could just be a psychological placebo effect, or it could be the fact that it’s 26% brandy.

Have you ever wondered why their bottles are blue? It’s to keep daylight out, which keeps the products fresher for longer. This is just one little nugget of information from the deep wealthy well of knowledge that Neal’s Yard have used as a foundation for their products since opening their first shop in 1981. All products in their store are natural remedies meaning that everything bottled is derived from a plant, herb, seed or pod, or anything else natural you can think of. Their ethos is based around the idea that health and beauty should be more natural and not based on synthetic or man-​made chemicals. In addition, they are environmentally conscious taking the approach that their products are all natural therefore it is in the customer’s interest to be environmentally conscious as well. Which is refreshing. Not as refreshing as their Rejuvinating Frankincense Serum. O. K, before we go any further, it’s almost £40 for a blue bottle.

When I walked into Neal’s Yard Remedies this afternoon, I felt like the smell was immediately softening my muscles and soothing me from the rain. Glimpsing inside on other occasions, I found the rows of oils and supplements to be a bit daunting, but once I actually looked around, I found everything well organised for the non-​homeopath. Sections such as hair care, skin care, supplements and gifts were helpful to narrow down what I was looking for.
The shop also sells several shelves of books on aromatherapy, oils, massage and related topics; and pamphlets for homeopathic care in the area were available in multitudes.
I was intrigued by the line of flower essences, each designed to be dropped in water to resolve various emotional and physical issues. A bit pricey for me, though. I settled on sampling some bergamot and mint hand lotion (£10.95 for 200ml) and some free informational pamphlets. At least I was able to carry the yummy smells with me for awhile.

Can’t sleep for more than two or three hours a night?
Can’t work out without feeling your knees ache?
Can’t chill out without thinking about the pile of work still stacked on your desk?
Whatever ailment you are suffering from, there’s a chance Neal’s Yard Remedies will have something to help you. A cross between a beauty shop and a herbalist, they sell aromatherapy oils, creams, butters and lotions as well as a small but powerful selection of fresh herbs and teas. They also have a great range of organic skin care products including suncreams, body scrubs and moisturisers. With flavour combinations like geranium and orange and comfrey and mallow, they also smell delicious too.
The prices do veer towards the expensive but their products and knowledge are priceless.

A classic Neal’s Yard environment. The members of staff who work there are vey knowledgeable, and very helpful, and thats perhaps one of the most important things about a shop like this. On buying fresh herbs for tonics or quasi-​medical purposes, its really essential to talk to somebody with experience, although I’ve also bought catmint for my cats’ pleasure here.
There are a couple of racks of related books for sale, with lots of perfumed goods and essential oils, wonderfully aromatic.
One of the most important local aspects of Neal’s Yard is the local leaflets that are available to browse. There are many alternative therapists in Brighton, and there are only a few places where what they offer can be properly browsed through. For a shop, rather than a clinic, to offer this space is very valuable.

lovely lavender essential oil, stuff you buy for a good friend then keep for yourself. lovely place for mind body and spirit