My favorite 'F' word!

You thought it would be something else I bet but my favorite 'F' word is Frankincense!  From ancient days, Frankincense has been a highly acclaimed oil and good enough to be brought to baby Jesus. You will find yourself feeling calmer and more grounded by simply removing the top of the essential oil bottle and taking a big whiff! 

Every morning Frank jumps into my moisturizer and give my face the skin support that it craves!  Results?  Beautiful skin!  

Want to support normal cell health?  Just add a drop of Frank Vitality into your Ningxia Red drink or in a veggie capsule.   Who wouldn’t love to support normal cell health with a drop of Frankincense Vitality added to their NingXia Red or in a veggie capsule?!

I've also heard that you can diffuse Frankincense while you are studying and then use it on a piece of diffuser jewelry when you take the test you studied for!  Result....better recall.  Give it a try!

If you are interested in trying Frankincense for yourself, contact us using the form to the right and we can order for you.  BTW.....it is also one of the oils in our Premium Starter Kit!!

Do you have Winter Face?

In the Pacific Northwest, we experience harsh cold weather on a random basis and not for very long.  BUT, one thing that winter does for most of us is dry out our skin.  Why would that happen in the PNW where we aren't getting the snow and wind like the frigid mid West?  Well.......most all of us are using our heating system which naturally dries out the air in your home.  For those of you living in the other parts of the country where Old Man Winter is making it miserable, your skin is even drier.

Dry skin just looks dull.  Have you ever noticed that?  It just craves a little moisture!  So, let's help it out with a couple of things!  First let's talk about a DIY toner.

This DIY toner works great to restore the skin’s pH, reduce the appearance of pores, and refreshes tried Winter skin. Plus, it feels amazing on the skin and is free from toxic chemicals!! So that is a win-win!

DIY Toner  Special thanks to Leslie White of The Mix for sharing.

Ingredients:
💦4 oz spray bottle
💦Witch hazel (alcohol-free)
💦Apple cider vinegar or ACV
💦Distilled water
💦15 drops Young Living Frankincense Essential OIl
💦15 drops Young Living Lavender Essential OIl
💦5-10 drops Young Living Tea Tree Essential Oil or other skin loving Young Living oils like Manuka or Kunzea
💦5 drops Young Living Patchouli Essential Oil

Directions:
▪️Add oils and swirl to combine
▪️Fill 1/4 up with witch hazel
▪️Fill 1/4 up with ACV
▪️Fill rest with water
▪️Swirl to combine before use

How To use:
After cleansing face, spray directly on skin or onto cotton round and apply to skin. Let soak in before moisturizing, and enjoy!

Super Easy Moisturizer

One of my favorite ways to moisturize my face is to use Jojoba carrier oil and Young Living Frankincense Essential Oil.  Why Jojoba?  If you look at the Comedogenic chart about carrier oils, it rates them from 1 to 5 with 1 being the best.  Jojoba is a 2 so I know that it shouldn't clog my pores on my face.  

So, every morning I use three to four drops of Jojoba oil and add a drop of the Frankincense.  I know what you next question will be!  Why Frankincense?  Because Frank (my favorite) is superior for your skin support and is wonderful in evening out skin tone.  

To get any of the oils listed in this post, please contact us using the contact form to the right!  We'll get you taken care of!

WRINKLES!

Today we are going to talk about.......... WRINKLES!

NOBODY wants them, am I right?  The other day I heard someone share this saying and I certainly heard my mom say it!

“Don’t make that face, or it’s gonna stick like that!”

As a kid you think she is crazy but in real life there is a little truth to the saying!  WHAT?  Yup......over time we can get wrinkles from different expressions like smiling, frowning, squinting.  That doesn't mean that you should quit smiling but there are lots of things we can do to give our faces a hand.

Let's talk about the FREE way.  Yup, there is a free way to help wrinkles around your eyes.  Have you guessed what it is yet?  Sunglasses.  Yup, just wearing some sunglasses will keep you from squinting as much when we are outside.  Less squinting, less wrinkles around your eyes!

Another way is supporting our skin with a great moisturizer and massage!

One product that is a super moisturizer is Boswellia Wrinkle Cream!! 

Young Living’s Boswellia Wrinkle Cream contains:

• Pure essential oils (imagine that!)   Frankincense, Sandalwood and Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood all are absolutely amazing when it comes to supporting your skin by keeping it moisturized while minimizing shine and reducing the appearance of fine lines.
• MethylSulfonylMethane (MSM) which supports collagen and improves the look of the skin to appear more youthful. 
• Sodium hyaluronate is the salt of hyaluronic acid bit it has a much lower molecular size. This gives it the ability to penetrate skin when applied topically. It isn't harsh or skin-stripping.  One key feature of sodium hyaluronate is its ability to hold more than 1000 times its weight in water!  Can you say plump skin!  Plump skin means less wrinkles.

Men and women both can add this to their morning and/or nightly skin care routine. Now, let's talk about incorporating this amazing product with massage! In the evening, take some extra time and give your face a nice massage to improve elasticity!  Use a little dab of the Boswellia Wrinkle Cream and apply to the desired areas of the face…then massage upwards starting at your neck gently!

If you are interested in the Boswellia Wrinkle Cream, click on the Young Living tab above for three different ways you can get it for yourself!

It's Bath Time!

After Labor Day holiday, you just might need a bath!  Maybe you were working in the garage or playing on the boat.  Whatever you were doing, sometimes our muscles get really sore.  Why, even weeding today, my muscles were talking to me.  Here are two Young Living ideas that you can use to replenish your body.  The first is Aminowise.  I just love this product!  You can either take it before or after your workout, exercise or just working hard.  The product supports your muscles by reducing the lactic acid formed by exercise and after 20 minutes of drinking it I can really feel refreshed instead of just plain worn out!  It supports hydration by replenishing important minerals with no added sugar or artificial sweeteners.

The second way you can give your muscles a break is to take a bath!  Depending on what you add to the bath water, your bath can do more than just relax you!  So, let's talk about a recipe that I found on the web recently.

Detox Bath Salts

1/2 cup Himalayan Pink Salt

1/2 cup Activated Charcoal

6 drops Young Living Lavender essential oil

5 drops Young Living Frankincense essential oil

___________________________________________________

I know that many people use Epsom salts when they make a bath salt.  I normally do!  So, what makes using Himalayan Pink Salt different?  There are many differences between these salts. 

Epsom salt is not actually salt, it is a mineral found in water containing high levels of magnesium and sulfate. The mineral has a crystalline structure similar to that of table salt (which is the reasoning behind it being called salt), but it is actually a pure mineral compound. It has no sodium chloride (which is salt) and is technically known as magnesium sulfate. Epsom salt is magnesium that is bonded to sulfur and oxygen. It was first distilled in the town of Epsom in Surrey, England in the 1800’s and was named for the town. It has been said to have many beneficial uses from easing achy muscles and other ailments to fertilizing your garden.

Himalayan salt has magnesium and sulfate plus 82 other minerals and trace elements, including sodium and chloride and is truly salt. There are certain properties that come with being salt, such as, being anti-microbial, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial. Crystals are hand-harvested from mineral deposits on salt cave floors that have been dated by geologists to the Precambrian Age. Himalayan salt is mined from the underground salt mines in the foot hills of the Himalayan Mountains and is the purest salt available on earth. Himalayan salt produces negative ions that help purify the air of allergens, bacteria, dust, and other pollutants. When warmed the crystal salt emits a negative charge that enriches our environment and as the negatively charged ions enter our bodies they attach to the toxins and neutralize their charge, thus detoxifying our systems. Himalayan salt is known to reduce inflammation within our bodies, which, makes it of great benefit to those suffering from arthritis and other ailments of inflammation.

Wow, I think I'm going to use Pink Himalayan Salt ALL the time now.  There are just so many more nutrients that are beneficial to my body! 

Then, let's talk about the activated charcoal.  It is very powerful in detoxifying.  Searching online tells us that Activated charcoal draws bacteria, poisons, chemicals, dirt and other micro-particles to the surface of skin, helping you to achieve a flawless complexion and fight acne.  Wow!  Think of what it can do for you when it is in your bath water! 



Finally, let's talk about the Frankincense and 
Lavender Essential oils.  Lavender is calming so your bath with it will be perfect for relaxing those tired muscles and get you ready for a good night's sleep.  Frankincense is grounding, supports and enhances your skin.



So, there you have it!  Want to take it up a notch?  Add in a Tablespoonful of Lavender buds for a real spa treatment.  You can even use the buds to rub your skin and exfoliate it!  (You might not want them to go down your drain though!)

Kicking the Chemicals to the Curb

Almost two years ago, I started on my quest to get rid of chemicals in my daily routine.  Think about it......Your skin is the largest organ of your body.  Everything you put on it is absorbed into your body. So many chemicals are endocrine disruptors!  Taking care of your skin and not assaulting it with chemicals is very important for your ultimate health. Since my quest started quite a while ago, here is an update!  Below is a list of what I used to use and what I use now, effectively deleting most of the chemicals!  

My morning routine included:

• Shower using soap
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Brushing Teeth
• Using Deodorant
• Daily lotion

I used to use Zest bath soap......Just look at all those ingredients.  I switched to Kiss My Face soap with only three ingredients ......Water, Salt and Olive Oil.  What I found interesting about this soap is that it just lasts and lasts.  I'll go through only one bar of this soap while my hubby goes through about three of his.  And my skin feels great and is clean.  That was my first win.

The second items I tackled were my shampoo and conditioner.  Even though they were from a company that called themselves Modern Organic Products, I called them Mostly Organic Products.  The shampoo still had the dreaded SLS and both had wheat!! For someone who deletes wheat from their diet, this just needed to go!  I love the way my hair feels and have saved a ton of money with the new way.  You can read all about my new hair routine in this blog post about my No-Poo Shampoo!

The next item on the list was toothpaste.  I had been with Young Living about 6 months before I decided to try their Aromabright toothpaste.  Wow, oh wow!!  I was happy!  When my teeth were brushed they felt like they had just come from the hygienist, so smooth and clean feeling!  AND if you want to add a little whitening to it, you add one drop of Orange Essential Oil!  It is a gentle whitening for a natural looking tooth color.  You can see my one month trial picture HERE.  I had only been using it a couple of months when I went for my cleaning and she said that there was very little tarter.  Score!  But, what is in it?  NO chemicals AND NO SLS!!!!  (Water, Calcium carbonate, Cocos nucifera (Coconut) oil, Sodium bicarbonate, Glycerin, Xylitol, Xanthum gum, Mentha piperita† (Peppermint) oil, Mentha spicata† (Spearmint) leaf oil, Stevia rebaudiana leaf extract, Lecithin, Eugenia caryophyllus (Clove) bud oil, Ocotea quixos† (Ocotea) leaf oil, Cinnamomum verum† (Cinnamon) Bark oil, Citrus limon† (Lemon) peel oil, Eucalyptus Radiata† leaf oil, Rosmarinus officinalis† (Rosemary) leaf oil)   Another win!!

The next thing on my morning list was deodorant.  This was the hardest item to tackle on my original list because you just DON'T want to stink!!  So, I picked a long weekend when we weren't going anywhere.  I could wash up if I felt I was too stinky and tried the Young Living Mountain Mist Deodorant.  There were several things I noticed over the weekend and into the first week.  Did I get a little stinky......yup.  But the stinky seems to change at the end of the week.  Instead of being super awful, it wasn't bad at all.  I guess it took me a while to get the old deodorant out of my system.  Now, about a month later I don't notice hardly any smell at all.  What really threw me at first was that I actually sweat, which is good for you!  After using antiperspirant for decades having my pits wet was a new experience for sure!  My shirts do need to be laundered a little more.  Sometimes I can't wear the shirt the second day.  That's okay with me though.  Getting rid of the aluminium and the other chemicals is a big win!   I will definitely be continuing the new deodorant.  Here are the ingredients of the Mountain Mist Deodorant (Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil Extract, White Beeswax, Pure Ester 34, Zinc Oxide, Pure Ester 40, Syzygium Aromaticum† (Clove) Flower Bud Oil, Citrus Limon† (Lemon)Peel Oil, Mentha Piperita† (Peppermint) Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis†(Rosemary) Leaf Oil), Eucalyptus Radiata† Leaf Oil, Abies Concolor† (White Fir) Oil, and Tocopherol (Vitamin E).  

Finally, the last of my morning routine to change was my facial lotion.  I've loved Mary Key TimeWise Age-defying Moisturizer but just look at all these ingredients!!  (Water, glycerin, C12-15 alkyl benzoate, cettearyl alcohol, isostearyl alcohol, triethanolamine hydrogenated lecithin, behenyl alcohol, propylene glycol, dimethicone, bis-diglyceryl polyacladipate-2, ceteareth-20, linoleamidopropyl PG-dimonium chloridephosphate, silica, carbomer, diazolidinyl urea, lauramine oxide, disodium EDTA, betaine, glyceryl polyacrylate, methylparaben, sodium PCA, C9-15 alkyl phosphate, tocopheryl acetate, sorbitol, propylparaben, serine, threonine, proline, arginine, glycine, alanine, lysine, glutamic acid, thermus themophillus ferment.)  Yikes!!    So what do I use now.  Jojoba oil and Frankincense Essential Oil.  I put a little Jojoba oil in my hand, add one drop of Frankincense and rub all over my face.  I am literally in LOVE with this.  The Frankincense is super good for your skin and the Jojoba doesn't clog your pores either.  My skin tone has been fabulous!  

So, I hope that this inspires you to delete chemicals out of your routine.  It isn't too hard and your body will thank you.  Later this week, I'll tell you how I have expanded my quest and deleted chemicals from my cleaning products.  

Oily Days of Christmas

Let's have a little bit of fun with Essential Oils and the Days of Christmas.

Our first day is Frankincense.  So fitting since it was one of the gifts brought to the Christ child.  We all want beautiful skin, right?  You can add Frankincense to any of your lotions and it will do wonders for your skin tone.  Frankincense is 24% less when you are a wholesale member!

Now, let's do a little bit of catch up and look at the 2nd day of Christmas since this IS December 2nd!!  Nutmeg......one of those 'use at Christmas' kind of spices.  With 80 drops in a bottle this little baby will last and last!  (You don't have to worry about it getting old because essential oils last for years when kept in a cool dark location).  When you don't need a teaspoon of nutmeg (one drop of the oil), you can use a toothpick dipped into the bottle to retrieve less than a drop.   Makes my mouth water thinking of all the yummy Christmas goodies.  So, when you overeat your Christmas goodies, grab the Nutmeg to support digestive and Kidney systems.  Your breathe will be nice and fresh too!

Honey.......

I ran across an article that compared several different kinds of sugar.  Refined, brown, coconut, & honey.  It was so informative that I just had to share it here.

It was interesting that I would find this article when I did because our Oct 16 Make & Take party here at my house features a Homemade Cough Syrup with essential oils.  AND guess what ingredient is in it?  Yup......honey!  So, with all the benefits of the honey itself along with the extra benefits of the essential oils, this syrup will pack an extra powerful punch for those coughs!!

Here is the article that you can read yourself.  Click HERE.

AND since you might be wondering about our recipe....here it is!


Homemade Cough Syrup (1 serving)
INGREDIENTS:
1 drop of lemon Young Living essential oil
1 drop of frankincense Young Living essential oil
1 drop peppermint Young Living essential oil
1 drop lavender Young Living essential oil
1 spoonful of honey
Glass Jar
DIRECTIONS:
1. Add the oils to honey to the jar. Mix contents and then
consume and swallow.

This recipe is from Dr. Axe.

Top 5 Oils - #1

So, here is the last post of the top five oils!  Did you guess ahead of time what it was?

Drum roll please!   ♪♪♪♫♫♫  (okay, those weren't drumrolls but you get the idea!)

The top oil is..........

Frankincense 

Did you guess it?

Frankincense is from a tree.  Did you know that?  The trunk of the tree is scarred to make the tree weep the resin.  The resin is then collected and distilled.  Here is a little history about it!  It is also known as "olibunum".  It's name Frankincense was derived from the Medieval French word for "real incense."  It was considered the "holy anointing oil" in the Middle East and has been used in religious ceremonies for thousands of years.  It was one of the gifts given to the Christ child.  It was valued more than gold during ancient times and only those of great wealth and abundance possessed it.  It is mentioned in one of the oldest known medical records, Ebers Papyrus (dating from the 16th century BC), an ancient Egyptian list of 877 prescriptions and recipes.  

It has a woodsy, warm, balsamic aroma.  I remember when I had Frankincense from a different company.  I couldn't figure out why others were saying they loved the scent.  I didn't.  That was until I had the Young Living brand.  What a difference correct distilling makes!  No chemicals, no over processing.

• Diffuse it during meditation for grounding and a sense of purpose
• Use for massage after activity
• Use with your cosmetics (cleanser or moisturizer) to help even out the appearance of healthy-looking skin.  Perfect for those post pregnancy stomach lines.
• Promotes healthy bowel movements (bet you didn't want to hear that one!)
• Includes the naturally occurring constituent alpha-pinene
• Inhale after lunch to spiritually refocus.
• Rub on the bottom of your feet to help alleviate nervous energy.
• Use to promote immune, endocrine, respiratory and nervous system wellness.

You can find it included in YL Boswellia Wrinkle Cream, Brain Power, Awaken, Highest Potential, and Forgiveness oil blends.

Dr Axe is not affiliated with any essential oil companies but he does have some interesting info on what he uses Frankincense for.  Look near the bottom of the page on his post HERE.

More Info about Frank

Frank who? you may ask!    Frankincense!!  Leah used Frankincense in her homemade face lotion/cleanser.  We wanted you to know that Frankincense is useful is other applications too!  Ann has used it on scraps with good success.

In our next post we'll talk about the Lemon that Leah used in her recipe.  Stay tuned!

Coming up later will be her toothpaste recipe!

Leah's Facial Cream Testimony

Leah's Testimony

Have you ever heard someone use the saying ‘Balled my eyes out’? To me this phrase is best described as crying so hard, long and with so much force that your eyelids feel like they are rolling out and the following day even your eyes are puffy and red. This is not a pretty sight to see.

Nine years ago, I had an argument with someone and afterwards was so sad and emotional about it that I ‘Balled my eyes out’. The following morning I was surprised to see a vein had appeared on my eyelid. It was a red spot and was slightly bumped out. I covered it up with makeup and thought it would go away in a few days. 

After a few months, definitely enough time for it to heal, I had to come to grips with the fact that it was NOT going away. Over time it turned to a dark purple hue. When I was pregnant, it went one step farther and grew in size. Much like you would point out spinach in someone's teeth to be helpful, people would point out that spot thinking that I had tagged myself with mascara. Long ago I forgave and sought forgiveness from the person with whom I had argued. However, the spot was a constant reminder of that original moment of pain.

Skip forward to one and a half years ago, I had read many articles about the type and amount of chemicals that are present in many facial cleansers and moisturizers. My mother kept telling me that I should try coconut oil. My skin has always been what I classify as oily skin. I had a hard time with the concept of adding more oil to it. I decided to go out on a limb and try using coconut oil for my moisturizer. My mom had been using it quite a while and her face didn’t look like an oil slick. To my surprise I really liked it. My skin felt more hydrated throughout the day.  

Then, last December I received my first set of essential oils. I found some claims that Frankincense was really good at healing skin and that a drop of lemon on the skin could help with oiliness. Since I had been experiencing acne problems related to hormone changes, I decided to add them along with some Clary Sage to my coconut oil moisturizer. First, I loved the smell of the oils together since it was like a baked good, YUM! Honestly each morning putting it on my face made me hungry. 

Then I read a post about removing your makeup with coconut oil. I decided to try it out with my yummy smelling mix. Who wouldn't want to go to bed smelling delicious? This effectively removed traditional cleansers and moisturizers from my routine and as an added bonus I noticed I no longer put Chapstick on each night before bed. My lips simply don’t feel like they need it. And I have been a Chapstick-a-holic for years.

About 2 months after using my mix in the morning and at night, I had a very exciting morning. I really consider it my oily miracle! As I was putting on my eye makeup I noticed that the spot on my eye had FADED and it was no longer 3D. I gasped, did a happy dance, ran to show my husband and was on cloud 9 for the rest of the day. I never expected the power of Essential Oils to be strong enough to heal something 9 years old!  As I continue to use my mix, that spot keeps fading. YEAH!!! 

My essential oils have given me two types of healing, one is superficial (see the pics!) and the other is emotional.        -----Leah

Please follow this link to see my Facial Moisturizer mix, 
and don’t be afraid to try something new.

Leah's Moisturizer and Cleansing Recipe

Moisturizer/Cleansing Recipe    from Leah Zagel 

You can read about Leah's testimony on this recipe HERE.

¼ Cup Coconut Oil

15-20 drops Frankincense

10-15 drops Lemon
5 drops Clary Sage (optional)

• In a double boiler, slowly heat coconut oil until just melted. (This doesn't take very much heat!)
• Drop in frankincense and lemon essential oils. Pour into GLASS* container for storage. 
• Set aside and let oil cool to re-harden.  The mixture will stay in a hardened state unless air temps rise above 72 degrees (which is enough to melt coconut oil).

To Use:

• Use the back of your nail or a mini makeup spatula to remove from jar. 
• As a moisturizer, remove a pea size amount from container. Liquify by holding hands together to melt then apply to face as you would a traditional moisturizer.
• As a facial cleanser/makeup remover (this baby does amazing with mascara), remove about 1-2 pea size portions. Again liquify by holding hands together to melt then rub into face and over mascara. Keep your eyes shut!  Use a microfiber cloth to rub excess oil and dirt from face.  Ann just grabs a few squares of toilet paper to wipe the oil off her face.

Voila!

*Why Glass?  Read the last entry on this link.