My Journey

DIY ALL The Things

What do you do on a random Saturday when you have essential oils and time on your hands?  You DIY.  One of the things that using essential oils has taught me is that I’m much more aware of what I’m putting on my skin or have in my house.  I’m a far cry from being chemical-free completely, but we are slowly but surely replacing things we use everyday with healthier alternatives.  Sometimes my experiments go completely awry, but on this particular day they turned out pretty darn good.

So, what did I make?  Eric had been asking me for awhile now to make him some drawing salve.  He’d even gone so far as to send me several recipes for it on Pinterest.  I admit I’d looked at the recipes but somehow had it in my head that it was some sort of charcoal face mask kind of thing.  NOPE.  When Eric got a splinter in his finger that was impossible to get out with tweezers, I quickly learned why it is such a great idea to have a drawing salve on hand.  Drawing salves are good for drawing out splinters, infection, and even venom (seriously though, you might want to go to a doctor for that one).  This city girl had never encountered such a thing though.

The recipe I used for the drawing salve came from The Nerdy Farmwife.  She has printable labels you can use for your salve that are darling.  Her recipe called for:

Combine olive oil and castor oil in a double boiler.  Heat over a medium-low burner until the beeswax is melted.  Remove from heat and stir in essential oils, charcoal, and clay.  Then immediately pour into a glass container to cool.  I used 4oz. jelly jars.  I’m glad that we now have this on hand with our first aid supplies and as you can see it was super easy to make too.

Next up, I mixed up a body/shower wash.  Eric has been loving the exfoliating facial cleanser I made for him and wanted to give a body wash a try instead of the bar of soap he’d been using that he’s not all that fond of.

This was another recipe found on Pinterest, courtesy of DIY Natural and it calls for:

  • 2/3 cup liquid castile soap
  • 1/4 cup raw honey
  • 2 teaspoons oil – I used jojoba which is great for your skin
  • 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
  • 50-60 drops Young Living essential oils – I used Frankincense and Cedarwood (how to order).  Cedarwood is fantastic to support healthy skin and Frankincense is good for e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g (I also didn’t want to go too floral-y since this was primarily for Eric)

Combine all ingredients in a bottle with a squirt top and shake before using.  Easy peasy.  And you would expect something with honey in it to be kind of sticky, but it’s not.  In fact, honey helps your skin retain moisture and elasticity without drying it out.  Sign. Me. Up.

And lastly, while I was playing mad scientist in the kitchen I decided I’d make a rollerball recipe I’d seen almost a year ago and had slowly been collecting the oils to make it (how to order).

This roller is for emotional support.  And frankly, I needed it.  After a friend made one and raved about it I knew I had to make one stat.  Especially since I’d finally ordered SARA.  Following the recipe in the photo above, I added all to a glass rollerball then filled it the rest of the way with a carrier oil (I used coconut oil).

So, a little bit about the essential oils in this roller and why they are so good:

  • Joy – a blend of Ylang Ylang, Geranium, Jasmine, Palmarosa, and Rose along with Bergamot, Lemon, and Tangerine essential oils, Joy is just as its name suggests – emotionally balancing and uplifting
  • Orange – any of the citrus oils are uplifting and orange is great for creating peace, harmony, and creativity
  • Bergamot – for confidence and calming
  • SARA – a blend of Geranium, Ylang Ylang, Rose, Blue Tansy, and other oils that is designed as a soothing scent to be used during difficult or emotional times
  • Release – a blend of Ylang Ylang, Geranium, Sandalwood, Grapefruit, Tangerine, Spearmint, Lemon, Ocotea, Jasmine, Rose, and Blue Tansy it facilitates the ability to let go of anger and frustration

This blend truly smells amazing and it definitely provided me with some much-needed calm and emotional support.

Let me know if you try any of these recipes!

Share

Freshen Up All the Things

It’s April, so that means a new promo! Check out what you can earn for free with your qualifying order and let us know what you are most excited to get this month!

300 PV
Retail Value: $138.82
✔Allerzyme™: Savor the season without fear of the occasional pressure, pain, and bloating that sometimes occur after eating.* Use Allerzyme and munch on seasonal favorites—like apricots, asparagus, and carrots—to your heart’s content!

✔Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive: 15-ml Fennel and 5-ml Basil Vitality™Dryer Balls: Freshen your day and your laundry with these premium wool dryer balls! Apply your favorite essential oil directly to the dryer balls and add them to your laundry for fresh clothes and linens infused with a gentle scent.

✔Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive: 15-ml Fennel and 5-ml Basil Vitality™15-ml Tea Tree: Welcome spring with a fresh face and the clean scent of Tea Tree. Add just a few drops to your facial cleanser, toner, or lotion to support healthy-looking skin!

✔Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive: 15-ml Fennel and 5-ml Basil Vitality™Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive: 15-ml Fennel: Renew your perspective with Fennel’s spicy-sweet scent. With its grounding aroma, you’ll be ready to jump into this season’s new opportunities.

✔Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive: 15-ml Fennel and 5-ml Basil Vitality™Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive: 5-ml Basil Vitality™: Love the green of spring? Indulge in this bright season by adding the herbaceous flavor of Basil Vitality to your sauces, marinades, and dressings! ?

Take a look at my post about dryer balls too!

250 PV
✔Dryer Balls
✔15-ml Tea Tree
✔Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive: 15-ml Fennel and 5-ml Basil Vitality™

190 PV
✔15-ml Tea Tree
✔Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive: 15-ml Fennel and 5-ml Basil Vitality™

100 PV ER Order
✔Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive: 5-ml Basil Vitality™

Share

Intuitively Using Essential Oils

 

For the past month or so I’ve been really struggling emotionally and had tried several a few things that didn’t seem to have a lasting effect.  I decided to take a new approach and wanted to share how I used my intuition to help me determine which oils might be most helpful to me.

The oils I intuitively selected were Lady Sclareol and Stress Away.  One for hormonal balance and one for emotional balance.


Here’s some more info about each.

Lady Sclareol is a blend of Geranium, Coriander, Vetiver, Orange, Clary, Bergamot, Ylang Ylang, Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood, Spanish Sage, Jasmine, Idaho Blue Spruce, Spearmint, and Hinoki.  It is an oil blend created especially for women to enhance the feminine nature and provide a relaxing experience when diffused.  Many women use it as a perfume and find it helpful for improving mood and positivity as well as to help with hormone balance.

Stress Away, you know is my jam.  Stress Away is a blend of Copaiba, Lime, Cedarwood, Vanilla, Ocotea, and Lavender.  This blend does just as the name suggests.

Knowing that stress can cause all sorts of imbalances, including hormone imbalance, it seems that while one or the other might be effective on their own – a regimen combining the two is more powerful.

I’ll report back on how it’s working!

Share

DIY Holiday Potpourri

 

I’m back with a new video and wanted to share with you a quick DIY project I did over the holidays.

I used cinnamon sticks, star anise, whole cloves, and dried orange slices.

To dry the orange slices:

  1. Cut orange slices about 1/8″ thick
  2. Place slices directly on a wire rack in a 200 degree oven
  3. Leave in oven for about 2 hours, flipping every 30 minutes.  Make sure slices are completely dry before removing.  I ended up leaving mine in about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Easy, beautiful, and smells amazing with zero synthetic fragrance or chemicals.

Share

November Unboxing

 

I filmed a quick video unboxing everything I ordered for FREE with my Essential Rewards points from Young Living Essential Oils.

By participating in Young Living’s monthly subscription box, I earn rewards points that I can use for free products.  I tend to hoard my Essential Rewards points but I decided it was finally time to cash some of those babies in!

Here’s what I ordered:

The Oils of Ancient Scripture Collection. I’ll be sharing more about this set soon.

Some everyday oils as a gift for a friend to introduce her to therapeutic grade oils – lavender, orange, eucalyptus, and peppermint.

And then some Lime for us!


I’m thrilled I was able to get all of this for free!

Share

A December to Remember

 

DECEMBER PROMO IS HERE!!

The glow of twinkling lights, flickering candles, and beaming faces has us in a holly jolly mood, so we’ve rounded up some of our favorite seasonal products for December’s PV promotion.

Fill your home with the festive scent of Northern Lights Black Spruce, infuse holiday baking with Nutmeg Vitalityâ„¢, and treat yourself to the grounding benefits of Sacred Frankincenseâ„¢!

Reach any of the following PV minimums with your December order to get these Young Living products for free:

300 PV
Retail Value: $232.57
15-ml Sacred Frankincense*: Distilled from the Boswellia sacra frankincense tree, Sacred Frankincense helps take your meditation or spiritual environment to a higher level, while its connection to the holidays makes it especially significant this time of year. 

Life 9™: Life 9—our high-potency probiotic—promotes healthy digestion, supports gut health, and helps maintain normal intestinal function to help you stay on your feet this busy season.† 

5-ml Northern Lights Black Spruce*: This Young Living exclusive uses trees from our Northern Lights Farm in British Columbia, Canada. Its rich, woodsy aroma is the perfect addition to your holiday hosting and family gatherings.

Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive: 15-ml Lemon: Brighten the holidays with a burst of citrus aroma! This fresh scent is a family favorite all year long.

Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive: 5-ml Nutmeg Vitality*: A favorite flavor of the holiday season, Nutmeg Vitality makes it easy to instantly spice up your traditions! Make homemade cider, truffles, spiced pumpkin bread, and more with this versatile dietary oil.

Remember you can enjoy these freebies TWICE, once on Quick Order and once with your ER order. What an incredible month!! ??

Share

July Unboxing

 

So excited to dive into my monthly wellness box from Young Living!  I decided to order some of the new products that were released at Convention.

I ordered the Desert Mist Diffuser, which is absolutely beautiful.  I love that it has so many different settings and changes colors.

It also came with two free oils – 5ml of Tangerine and Peppermint.

And then I just HAD to try some of the new Savvy Minerals makeup.

All of the new makeup products were in seriously high demand, but I managed to get one of the eyeshadows (Unscripted).

I also ordered Wanderlust, but alas, it sold out before my order processed. Next time for sure!

Share

Back to School Essentials

Summer is coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to end! We have the perfect promotion to lift your spirits in time for back-to-school shopping. Set yourself up for a great start with help from Envision, Lemon Vitality, five oils from our KidScents Collection, and more!

Reach any of the following PV minimums with your August order to get these products for free:

=======
300 PV Level (Retail value: $266.46) 

* 5-ml KidScents Essential oils: Get the school season off to a great start with help from GeneYus, TummyGize, SleepyIze, Owie, and SniffleEase! WOW!! ?

* 15-ml Clarity: Diffuse Clarity’s earthy aroma while studying, sending off emails, or checking other items off your to-do list.

* 15-ml Citrus Fresh: School is important, but kids still need to have fun! Diffuse this bright, cheerful blend during play time when homework is done.

Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive: 5-ml Envision:* With Black Spruce, Orange, Lavender, and more, Envision stimulates feelings of creativity and resourcefulness to help you chase your biggest goals.

Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive: 5-ml Lemon Vitality:* After-school snacks are an important part of every kid’s day. Use Lemon Vitality to whip up fast, fresh treats like lemon-infused dip or citrus smoothies!

==========
250 PV Level ($106.25 retail value)

▪ 15-ml Clarity
▪ 15-ml Citrus Fresh
▪ Bonus Essential Rewards exclusives: 5-ml Envision and 5-ml Lemon Vitality

==========
190 PV Level ($52.96 retail value) ?

▪ 15-ml Citrus Fresh
▪ Bonus Essential Rewards exclusives: 5-ml Envision and 5-ml Lemon Vitality

==========
100 PV Level ($8.22 retail value)

▪ Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive: 5-ml Lemon Vitality

Share

So Sleepy Rollerball

 

Rollerballs are a great way to use essential oils topically and create your own blends.  Typically, rollerballs are made with with one or more essential oils and then diluted with a carrier oil.  One of the rollers I use frequently is what I call my “So Sleepy” roller using Lavender and Cedarwood combined with a carrier oil.  I thought it would be helpful to do a quick tutorial video on how to make a roller.  It is super easy to do!

I use my sleepy roller every night before bed by rolling the blend on my wrists.  It is relaxing a supports a night of restful sleep.

And once you’ve made one roller, you’ll be looking for ways to make more.

Share

M-Grain

M-Grain

Every month I look forward to choosing what comes in my Essential Rewards order.  Often it’s restocking my go-to oils (like Panaway and Peppermint), but I love trying out new oils.  This month I decided that I’d give M-Grain a try.

I have lived with migraines since I turned eighteen.  And I’ve been prescribed a number of medications, none of which really worked.  In fact, as is often the case with medications these days, the side effects made me feel worse than if I’d just left well enough alone.  Over the years, I’ve managed to mostly get my migraines under control through changes in diet and lifestyle.  But, once a month and when the barometric pressure drops, I’m almost guaranteed a migraine.

Over the months of using oils, I found that both peppermint and Panaway have been helpful due to their anti-inflammatory properties.  And peppermint is always my go to when my stomach gets upset.  When I read that M-Grain was really good with relieving tension when massaged into the back of the neck and temples, I decided it was worth a try too.

M-Grain

M-Grain is a blend of Basil, Marjoram, Lavender, Peppermint, Roman Chamomile, and Helichrysum.

I have used it both topically, by massaging onto the back of my neck and along my temples to relieve tension, and aromatically by dropping it into my palms and cupping over my nose and mouth to inhale.  By using these oils in addition with my usual methods of ice packs and a dark room, their cooling and soothing properties help to give me some peace.

Share