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Dreamcatcher

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Sleep is not something that comes easy to me, mostly due to not being able to turn my thoughts off. I’ve tried a number of different things over the years and some worked better than others – listening to audiobooks, cutting out caffeine, ASMR videos (this one is a favorite), limiting my screen time before bed, etc. But, it seems that from time to time, sleep just eludes me.

Not too long ago, when I was going through another period of feeling restless and only getting a few hours of sleep each night, a friend reminded of the Dreamcatcher blend. So, I went and dug it out of my stash.

Dreamcatcher is a blend of Sandalwood, Tangerine, Ylang ylang, Pepper, Bergamot, Anise, Juniper, Geranium, Blue cypress, Davana, Jasmine, Matricaria, Blue tansy, Rose, Grapefruit, Spearmint, Lemon, and Ocotea essential oils.

Dreamcatcher is really intended more to be uplifting and to create inspiration and creativity than to help with sleep. But, I found that it helped me to let go of anxious thoughts and worry enough to be able to quiet my mind and sleep.

When using Dreamcatcher, I tend to put a drop or two on my forearms and since I sleep on my side with my arms tucked under my pillow, it’s the perfect spot for me to not only get the benefits of using it topically, but I also get the added bonus of its aromatic influence. I’ve also been known to add a drop or two to my eye pillow.

Herbal Animals makes the most amazing-smelling and cute eye pillows and I love them. My current eye pillow is Eartha Cat. Isn’t she cute?

Summertime Smoothies

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For years I used to start my day off with a smoothie.  It typically consisted of plain Greek yogurt, skim milk, a scoop of protein powder, and frozen fruit (typically blueberries).  I’ve since changed my breakfast routine, but still love having a smoothie as an afternoon pick me up or as a mid-morning snack when I’m having a late lunch.  One of the new things I am adding to my smoothies is essential oils.  They are a great way to add a little flavor, but more importantly to support your health and wellness.  A word of caution though, not all essential oils can be ingested and I only trust Young Living oils because they are therapeutic grade.  Young Living has a Vitality line of oils that are specifically for internal use, which makes it super easy.

I thought I’d share some great summery smoothie recipes that are perfect for trying out those Vitality oils.

I’ll be honest, I’ve never thought of putting avocado in a smoothie, but this sounds really good.  Keep in mind that when using any citrus oils, you want to use a glass or stainless container and not plastic (any excuse to use my stainless steel straw is a plus!).

I’ve heard people rave about Jade Lemon but have yet to try it.  Now that I have a recipe to use, I might give it a whirl.

And speaking of lemonade, if you want a refreshing (non-smoothie) beverage – try adding lavender Vitality oil to your lemonade.  So, so good!

Summer Mixer Make and Take

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Summer is the perfect time to pamper your skin and hair after a swim in the pool or margaritas on the patio.  I attended a fun Summer Mixer make & take last summer (oh how I wish this summer was full of friends, fun, and margaritas!) where we made some great DIY items using essential oils.

The first thing we made was Mermaid Mist, a leave-in hair conditioner spray.  Who wouldn’t want beachy, mermaid hair?

Mermaid Mist

  1. In an 8 ounce spray bottle, add 2 Tablespoons Aloe Vera gel and 1 Tablespoon vegetable glycerin.
  2. Add 20 drops Ylang Ylang, 20 drops Rosemary, and 10 drops Carrot Seed.
  3. Fill the rest of the way with water.

To use: Spray in clean damp hair, focusing on massaging into roots and lightly coating the length.  Style as usual.

The next thing we made a Coffee and Sea Salt Scrub.

Coffee and Sea Salt Scrub

  1. In an 8 ounce tub, add half coffee and half sea salt.  Replace lid and shake to mix.
  2. Add liquid coconut oil, a little at a time, and stir until mixture is completely saturated.
  3. Add your choice 10 drops of Cinnamon Bark essential oil or 10 drops Peppermint essential oil and stir to combine.

I tend to use Peppermint for everything, so for this I thought I’d give the Cinnamon Bark EO a try.  I thought it would be a nice combo with the coffee.  And man, it smells good.

I’ve made many salt scrubs and sugar scrubs before but had never made one with coffee so I was anxious to try it.  I tried it the next day and let me tell you, my skin felt awesome.  This is definitely something I’ll be keeping on hand year round.

The final thing we made was a great facial serum.  I’d seen all kinds of recipes for facial serum but had yet to try my hand at one, so I was excited for this.

Wrinkle Away Serum

In a 10ml roller bottle add:

  • 15 drops Frankincense
  • 10 drops Rosemary oil for oily or acne-prone skin
  • 10 drops Sandalwood for dry skin
  • 10 drops Geranium for combination skin
  • 5 drops Carrot Seed
  • 10 drops Helichrysum (optional)

Add two half droppers of Rose Hip oil and then fill bottle to halfway with Vitamin E oil.  Fill remainder of bottle with Coconut oil.

And as an extra gift, we each received a lash serum made with castor oil and one drop each of Lavender and Cedarwood EOs.  Apply a thin layer nightly and your lashes will thank you!

Such a fun time getting together with other oily friends and coming home with some great products to try that are easy to make and chemical free.

Laundry Detergent DIY

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I’ve been working on switching out anything in my house with harsh chemicals in it for chemical-free options, but it’s a process.  I’d been mulling over the idea of making my own laundry detergent, especially after learning that “fragrance free” detergent doesn’t really mean free of synthetic fragrance.  A friend of mine had also mentioned that she’d been using Tea Tree essential oil in her laundry and it really made the whole load smell clean and fresh.  So, when I got to the end of my store-bought laundry detergent I decided it was a good opportunity to give a homemade detergent a try.  I went searching out on Pinterest and found a recipe from Still Being Molly that looked promising, especially since she specifically included Young Living oils in her recipe.

Here’s her recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 1/2 cup of pure baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cup of washing soda (plain – no additives)
  • 1 cup Borax (optional – I used it, but you could omit if you wanted)
  • 1/2 cup Epsom salt
  • 2 tablespoons of salt
  • 5 drops Purification Essential Oil blend (where to buy)
  • 5 drops Lemon Essential Oil (where to buy)
  • Glass, airtight container

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until fine. Pour into your airtight container. I use about 1-2 tablespoons for a load.

This recipe, with the Borax, makes approximately 74 loads.

I ordered the washing soda and Borax from Amazon and had the baking soda and Epsom salt on hand.  I had a pretty glass Martha Stewart screw top jar I’ve had for years that seemed to be the perfect container to use too, so that was a win.  Instead of the Purification and Lemon oils, I opted to use Tea Tree instead.  I’ve been using this recipe for awhile now (long enough to make a second batch) and I’m pretty happy with it.

August 2018 Promos

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AUGUST PROMOS! Time is flying by, but don’t let this year’s dreams slip away with it. Whether you’re working on your goals every day or your motivation could use a pick-me-up, August’s PV promotion is here to help you refresh, recharge, and recommit; so you can achieve every accomplishment you have planned!

Explore this month’s products!

300 PV

5-ml Acceptance™

Accept yourself for who you are while feeling empowered to be better! Apply 2-4 drops over your heart for an aroma that encourages self-worth, achievement, and self-discovery.

When your day throws a particularly difficult obstacle your way, diffuse Acceptance while saying a favorite mantra or quote to help you find the patience and strength to move forward.

Bamboo Oil Bar

Use this beautiful oil bar to store your must-have oils on your bedside table, vanity, or desk; so you can reach for them anytime you need a boost—morning, day, or night!

Keep a few favorite Vitality oils on the kitchen counter for easy access. The instant, fresh flavor of Vitality can help you drink more water and choose healthier food options!

15-ml Aroma Siez™

Stay motivated even after the toughest days. Use equal parts Aroma Siez and carrier oil and massage into the neck, chest, and temples for a relaxing reward before bed.

Use the fresh, herbaceous scent of Aroma Siez after a relaxing shower. Rub a few drops between your hands and massage into the scalp, neck, or shoulders for a moment of tranquility.

15-ml Wintergreen

Accomplish your fitness goals with help from a rejuvenating post-workout massage. Combine Wintergreen with a carrier oil or lotion and massage into tired muscles for a refreshing pick-me-up.

Jump out of bed early and start chasing your dreams! Diffuse Wintergreen for an energizing aroma that can motivate you while the world still sleeps.

Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive: 5-ml Ravintsara

Get grounded! Diffuse this clean-smelling oil or apply it to your wrists and temples as you reflect on how you can crush your goals.

Take time to unwind. Hard work requires you to slow down sometimes, so spend a minute meditating with a few drops of Ravintsara applied over your heart.

Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive: 5-ml Spearmint

Start your day with the fresh, uplifting scent of Spearmint. Diffuse this minty essential oil to inspire your mood and make the most of your morning momentum.

A messy space encourages a messy mind. Add a few drops Spearmint to your homemade household cleaner and wipe down counters, tables, desks, and more to refresh your home and your mental space!

Which freebie are you most excited about??

DIY ALL The Things

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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:

  • 6 Tablespoons infused olive oil (I just used EVOO)
  • 2 Tablespoons castor oil
  • 2 teaspoons beeswax
  • 3 teaspoons activated charcoal
  • 3 teaspoons clay
  • Young Living essential oils: 30 drops Lavender, 15 drops Tea Tree (how to order)

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!