Before we get into it, let me just say this: I am a coffee girly. A Monster energy drink, she-has-a-death-wish girly. A strong cup of chai (because that’s culture) babe.
What I am not is a herbal caffeine-free tea girl—but I will drink anything twice. And let’s be honest, my nervous system could probably use a break.
Celestial Seasonings’ lineup of three new herbal teas—She-Well Raspberry Leaf Tea, Detox Blend Dandelion Tea, and Good Vibes Lemon Mint Tea—promises wellness and flavor. I was skeptical about that second part, but hey, maybe after this taste test I’ll suddenly start waking up at 6 a.m. to journal and stretch and, like, have thoughts!
Pros: This tea smells good. Gently floral, with notes of mint. If Celestial Seasonings ever makes perfume, I’ll buy it. The scent alone makes you wanna exhale and unclench your jaw. Taste-wise, it opens with a light raspberry sweetness, and there’s some gentle chamomile action, too. What’s nice is that it doesn’t have that overpowering “I-forage-my-own-remedies” herbal funk. I cannot speak to the tea’s ability to help regulate menstrual cycles yet, but this is a brew I’d happily sip while curled up on the couch with cramps and a heating pad.
Cons: The raspberry flavor the box promises is more of a vibe than actual flavor—while the scent is distinctly raspberry, the taste leans more towards chamomile spiked with peppermint and spearmint. To be fair to Celestial Seasonings, they do list all the ingredients on the box (peppermint, spearmint, chamomile etc.), but still, mint-chamomile is certainly not the advertised flavor, which makes this a bit disappointing.
Pros: Seriously, Celestial Seasonings is sourcing some good-smelling tea, because this also smells great—and distinctly different from the Raspberry Leaf wellness tea. This blend is mostly dandelion, with green rooibos and aloe vera—once more, I cannot speak to the tea’s wellness claims. Flavor-wise, it has a surprisingly complex profile: sweet on the tongue at first, then earthy, then slightly bitter in that “this-must-be-good-for-me” way. There’s even a fun tingling feeling on your tongue when you sip it, which makes it kind of interesting to drink.
Cons: This tea tastes…green. Like medically green. Like the idea of herbal tea if you’ve never had herbal tea before. It’s not bad, but certainly not crowd-pleasing either. I don’t see myself finishing a whole mug unless I’m explicitly on a self-care detox mission or trapped in a wellness retreat with no exit. It’s definitely an acquired taste.
Pros: Call me basic, but this is a lovely blend. Yeah, I tried all the fun experimental teas and ended up liking the basic lemon-mint best. This tea smells of lemongrass, inarguably one of the best scents in the world. It’s gentle on the tongue and has a lovely tinge of cooling mint that doesn’t overpower the lemon, and stays super mild—you can’t really taste any bitterness from the ginseng which is a win in my book. Doctor this with a bit of honey and and maybe a smidge of fresh lemon if you’re feeling fancy, and I could see myself switching out one of my four daily cups of coffee for this, which is saying a lot!
Cons: If you’re looking for intense flavor or drama in your mug, this won’t be your thing. But honestly? No notes. She’s just here to do her job, keep it cute, and bring peace.
Sanah is a Sporked Contributor, pop-culture junkie and a rabid coffee girlie. Reach out to her for tips on functioning with minimal sleep and unholy amounts of caffeine. Sanah thinks she's funny and a pretty good cook, most agree with the second part of that statement. She wants to be Phoebe Waller-Bridge when she grows up.
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Sanah Munjal
Griffin Parker
Jessica Block
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