Behind the Blend: Neptune
“A distant world, waiting for a gaze that never lingers…”
Neptune is the eighth planet in our solar system. Distant by nature, it takes sunlight 4 hours to reach its icy, turbulent surface.
Neptune is like inspiration in a lot of ways: far away and hard to grasp, but once the light reaches its surface, it transforms everything it touches. Winds of thought and reflection sweep us off our feet; a storm of experience and change.
The world suddenly feels bigger, and we are simply in it.
That’s what Inlustria is for me. It is driven by the pursuit of inspiration and the path to understanding. What moves us? What gives us space to grow and learn? Tea, for me, has always been an experience of reflection. It’s a reminder to slow down, steep in the moment, and let meaning unfold.
So when it came time to create this blend, Neptune felt like a force I already knew: bold in its own quiet, icy way.
Neptune isn’t actually as blue as the images show. Those deep shades come from Voyager 2’s 1989 photos, which were color-edited so scientists could better see the planet’s atmosphere. Even knowing that, I couldn’t let go of the blue that shaped how I imagined Neptune, so butterfly pea flower became the first ingredient of this blend.
Butterfly pea flower tea is one of the most iconic herbal teas out there. The flower steeps a deep, cobalt blue, and the taste is mildly earthy, with grassy undertones. It’s known for its shifting colors: blue that turns violet with a touch of lemon, as if the planet itself changes mood. I immediately knew I would have to use this tea in the Neptune blend.
In this blend, I did not want to add any ingredients that changed the blue color; I wanted to leave that to the drinker. However, I also wanted a citrus taste to be included in the blend itself, so I went with a work around: lemongrass. Lemongrass tastes very similar to lemon tea, but doesn’t have enough acidity to interact with the butterfly pea flower. With that, the drinker is able to enjoy the perfect mix of butterfly pea flower and citrus while also experiencing the iconic cobalt blue.
With these two in the blend, I knew I wanted the third ingredient to be a true reflection of the planet itself. What was going to show the true nature of Neptune while also complimenting the previous parts of the blend? Then it hit me: Neptune is one of the coldest planets in our solar system, and proudly earns the title of one of our solar system’s “Ice Giants”. I needed something cool, icy even. That’s where peppermint as the final ingredient came to be.
Peppermint is one of my favorite herbal teas. It is cool and warm at the exact same time. The minty taste clears the sinuses, and in my experience, the mind. This icy, clarifying tea was the perfect fit, and balanced out the blend in a way that almost surprised me.
Once I had my ingredients, I started experimenting. I needed every note to come through without over-powering the other. Even though I am confident in my blending, I wanted this blend to really stand out to the drinker. It took me nearly 9 iterations to find the ratio I truly liked.
The final result? A blend that truly speaks through the essence of Neptune. It is cool, bright, and grounded, perfect for everyday life when you want to slow down and enjoy the experience.
To me, Neptune isn’t just a planet, it’s a reminder that inspiration doesn’t have to be loud to be powerful. I think about how far light has to travel just to reach us and how, somehow, we still feel its warmth. Sometimes inspiration is quiet, waiting for you to notice it. Like the calm between sips, or the stillness that lingers after the storm.
