Aesthetics have become a huge part of Millennial and Gen Z culture. From coastal grandma to cottagecore to dark academia, every new category offers an opportunity to reinvent yourself. We hate to play favorites, but the new witchy apothecary aesthetic trend might be the best one we’ve seen yet.
The apothecary aesthetic pays homage to witchcraft and homeopathic solutions in beautiful, vintage-inspired spaces. It feels a touch magical and makes us want to stay home from work and brew potions all day.
As opposed to secretly brewing them in the office bathroom on our break.
We pulled out the recurring themes of this design trend so you, too, can embrace your inner pharmacist. We just saved you seven years of school. Because really, how different is mixing a medication from creating mudpies in the backyard?
What Is the Apothecary Aesthetic?
The goal of the apothecary aesthetic is to walk into a space and feel like you’ve entered an herbalist store a couple hundred years ago. It takes inspiration from the vintage feel of a pharmacy, before we all started getting our meds from CVS or Walgreens.
Historically, apothecaries were places where wine, herbs, and spices were stored. Then in the late 1600s, they evolved to manufacture and sell medicinal products, the way a present-day pharmacy does.
Ah, the good old days, when condoms weren’t kept behind glass like the stately art they are.
The aesthetic also has some connections to cottagecore, especially with its earthy, whimsical, minimalist roots. It embraces antiques and a worn-in, old-fashioned, somewhat gothic feel. In terms of home decor, you’ll find a hodge-podge of collected furniture and different natural wood tones.
Even if you aren’t looking to do a total design overhaul, there are ways to embrace the apothecary aesthetic in your home and life. Hitting up your local essential oils salesperson is one way, but the other options on this list are less likely to result in a constant barrage of Instagram DM’s for the next three years.
7 Ways to Live the Apothecary Aesthetic
1. Buy all-natural skincare products.
There are lots of brands out there that use natural ingredients, with super cute packaging to boot. Mario Badescu’s serums come in earth-toned bottles in minimalist designs. The brand One Thing sells vegan toners made from pure, locally grown ingredients.
And look, we’re all about judging books by their covers, especially when we’re talking aesthetics. But it’s equally important to remember that part of this trend is about embracing natural remedies. So walk the walk. In style.
2. Get your furniture secondhand.
You’ll add a layer of whimsy to your space without even trying simply by getting your furniture secondhand at thrift stores, garage sales, and flea markets. Used pieces have a naturally worn-in feel to them. Not to mention, you’ll save a ton of dough.
Pro tip: check the drawers for unwanted critters before you bring pieces inside your home. You wouldn’t believe how many roach infestations we’ve prevented with that simple sentence.
You’ll never skim-read again.
3. Use glass jars with lids.
If you currently take any supplements, transfer them from their current packaging into whimsical jars that you acquired at thrift stores. After all, your Flintstone vitamins deserve the spotlight.
Add some cool labels and you’ve got yourself an updated vitamin cabinet. And a new shiny distraction in between Zoom meetings.
4. Use mismatched frames.
One staple of the apothecary aesthetic is a collection of artwork in assorted frames, either used as a gallery wall or displayed on a cabinet. You can find great vintage frames from secondhand sources, or add distressed elements yourself.
Include a mix of nature shots, medicinal posters, and flowers. Yeah, okay, and a picture of your pug. As long as she’s wearing a flower crown.
5. Create herbal baked goods.
The apothecary aesthetic isn’t limited to home design. Pinterest predicted that the trend would come to the kitchen in 2023 via “wildflours,” or sweet treats like daisy or wildflower cupcakes.
This could mean adding flowers to your creations via buttercream frosting, or incorporating natural elements to your baking. As long as you’re pretty sure whatever you foraged in the backyard isn’t pollen, then you’re good to go.
6. Mix up some botanical cocktails.
Waking up with a hangover will feel a lot better if you know your cocktails last night had some legit herbal benefits. Okay…maybe only slightly better. But we’ll take what we can get.
Botanical cocktails are a huge trend right now, with unique ingredients that go beyond sugar, sugar, and more sugar. And definitely no Fireball.
7. Plants, plants, and more plants.
Part of the whole “all-natural” vibe is the idea that you’re using earthy products. So why not surround yourself with the stuff that lives in the earth? Get some house plants, or pick up a gardening hobby.
If you live in an apartment building, we’re legally obligated to tell you that you shouldn’t use your fire escape as a greenhouse. Wink-wink.
When she's not typing away on her laptop, you can find Laura working on her MBA at Boston College, listening to Taylor Swift, or sweating it out at an OrangeTheory class. Follow her on Instagram @LauraKristine21 and LinkedIn.
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