five questions every tea drinker should ask before buying herbal tea

buying tea online is weird.

you can't smell it. you can't taste it. you can't watch the person making it. most of the time you're looking at a beautiful label, a list of ingredients, and hoping the company behind it is everything it claims to be.

that's why i think one of the most important things i can do isn't convince you to buy my tea. it's help you become a more informed tea drinker.

whether you buy from berry kissed bliss or another small business entirely, i believe every tea drinker deserves honest answers. here are five questions i think every herbal tea company should be able to answer openly.

if a company can't answer them, ask yourself why.

1. do you grow any of the herbs or plants in your teas? if not, do you source directly from farmers? which ingredients? if not, why?

some. i grow a small portion of what goes into my blends myself, hands in the dirt, watching the plant from seed to cup. there is something deeply rewarding about harvesting herbs you've nurtured yourself.

of course, i don't grow everything. some herbs simply don't thrive in the arizona desert, while others require climates, growing seasons, or acreage that aren't realistic for a small apothecary.

for everything i don't grow, i source directly from farmers and small growers whenever i can. it's a mix: what i grow, what i source directly, and what i purchase from trusted suppliers when a plant simply can't grow here or the volume isn't realistic.

i'm not going to pretend i have a rose field in my backyard. i'd rather tell you the truth about where each ingredient comes from than sell a self-sufficiency story that isn't real.

2. if you buy from large wholesalers, what makes your teas different from everyone else's?

this is probably my favorite question. two companies can buy the exact same chamomile from the exact same supplier and create completely different teas.

the difference isn't the flower. it's the formulation.

creating herbal blends isn't about throwing good herbs into a bowl and hoping they get along. it's understanding how herbs complement one another while balancing flavor, aroma, and purpose.

for me, formulation is where science, tradition, and intuition meet.

every berry kissed bliss blend is built using my elemental formulation framework. as i develop a recipe, i assign each herb according to its dominant energetic quality and its functional role in the blend, making sure the finished tea contains representation from all five classical elements; each one doing a specific job.

the five elements

• ether - the lead. brings openness, awareness, and possibility; sets the blend's primary intention.
• air - the supportives. brings movement, circulation, and clarity; rounds out and complements the lead.
• fire - the driver. brings warmth, transformation, and activation; carries the blend's action.
• water - the synergist. brings nourishment, softness, moisture, and flow; harmonizes flavor and effect.
• earth - the delivery. brings grounding, stability, structure, and restoration; anchors the blend's body and mouthfeel.

many herbs naturally embody more than one element, and that's part of what makes formulation so fascinating.

when i'm building a blend, i rarely start by asking, "what herb should i add?" i start by asking, "what's missing? does this blend need more grounding? more movement? more nourishment? more warmth? more space?"

i continue refining until every ingredient has earned its place. that's why you'll rarely find me adding an herb simply because it's trending. every botanical is there for a reason, and every blend tells a story.

3. do you formulate and blend your own teas, or are you purchasing pre-made blends?

i formulate and blend every single one myself. every berry kissed bliss tea begins as an idea, followed by research, testing, adjusting, tasting, and refining until it becomes something i'm proud to share. and please know there are ALOT that didnt make the cut. 

when you steep one of my teas, you're steeping something i built from the ground up, informed by my background in biochemistry, clinical herbalism, holistic nutrition, and tea sommelier training.

4. do you have the appropriate licenses and permits to manufacture and sell food products? do you hold any certifications?

it isn't the most exciting question, but it's one worth asking. berry kissed bliss operates under an arizona cottage food license and is a federally registered trademark business with the united states patent and trademark office.

licenses don't guarantee great tea. they do tell you someone is operating transparently, following regulations, and building a business that's meant to last.

5. if you make wellness claims about your teas, what education or experience informs those claims?

this one matters. my background includes clinical herbalism, holistic nutrition, tea sommelier training, and biochemistry. that education shapes how i research herbs, formulate blends, and communicate about wellness.

it also means i won't tell you a tea cures anything. i'll share how herbs have traditionally been used, what current research is exploring, and what i've learned through formal education, continuing study, and hands-on formulation. from there, you can make informed decisions for yourself.

one last cup

ask the questions. the wellness industry doesn't need more perfect branding. it needs more transparency. you deserve to know who's making your tea, where the herbs came from, who formulated the blend, and why every ingredient is in your cup.

whether you buy from me or another small business, don't be afraid to ask hard questions. the companies worth supporting won't be bothered by them. they'll be happy to answer. because trust should never be an ingredient you have to guess about.

continue the conversation

what's one question you wish more tea companies answered before you placed an order? leave it in the comments. there's a good chance someone else has been wondering the same thing.

notes + further reading

afrika, llaila o. african holistic health.
afua, queen. sacred woman.
afua, queen. the heal thyself cookbook.

a note from the herbalist

herbalism is both an art and a science. traditional knowledge, modern research, and individual experience all contribute to how i formulate teas and educate my community.

the information shared throughout this blog is intended for educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as medical advice or as a substitute for care from a qualified healthcare professional.