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!

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!)

Analyzing the Lavender/Tea Tree studies

Lots of buzz has been going around about Lavender and Tea Tree essential oils causing young boys to have swollen breast tissue.  You should really do some study of these studies before you throw out the baby with the bath water.  Here are several videos that can give you more information.  THEN after listening about whether researchers really did their do-diligence you can make your own decision.  My decision.......Not an issue.  The big takeaway.  Use personal care products that are free of phalates, endocrine disruptors, parabans and other bad toxins.  You should also remember that essential oils have been used by millions of people without this problem.

You can read more about the person in this video.
Dr. Scott A. Johnson is the bestselling author of 13 books and a leading expert on the evidence-based clinical use of essential oils.http://authorscott.com/

THEN....the information below is from Lindsey Elmore, pharmacist who has talked about this study numerous times.  Here is her recent information about the new study.  I like her last statement which says:  Let's shut off the panic mode and be reasonable people.  EXACTLY!
************************
When you review the new data that claims that lavender essential oil causes breast swelling in young boys. . . 😵
 
There are several things that I take issue with on this new information. 

1. To the best of my knowledge, this study is NOT out yet; it is just an announcement of the study from the authors at a conference. I scoured PubMed and Google Scholar looking for it. If you have it, please send it over to me. Since the study isn't out yet, I have no way to assess the dose that was used. It is possible that the dose is massively larger than what humans use on a regular basis. This is exceptionally common in cell and animal research.

2. The study used essential oil constituents, not a true essential oil. The study did NOT look at a complete oil, only extracts of eucalyptol, 4-terpineol, dipentene/limonene and alpha-terpineol, linalyl acetate, linalool, alpha-terpinene and gamma-terpinene. In my practical experience with oils, I have never applied a fraction by itself.

3. The authors then applied the oil fractions to human cancer cells, NOT healthy cells. Interestingly, some of the authors from the 2007 NEJM article are also on this study and in both instances cancer cells were used to test estrogenic activity. I have already posted on my blog that cell cultures are not the gold standard test for estrogenic activity. My guess is that this new article will take similar criticism to the 2007 article because they still failed to include a uterotrophic assay as part of the study methods. Cancer cells, especially breast cancer cells used in the 2007 study, respond differently to estrogen than normal cells do. Therefore, this is not an accurate presentation of the average human use.

4. This panic that is going around was NOT prompted by any child actually getting gynecomastia. The authors of the new study state that the hormonal changes they observed were "consistent with endogenous, or bodily, hormonal conditions that stimulate gynecomastia in prepubescent boys." But the fact still remains. . . no child actually suffered from gynecomastia. . . this is ALL theoretical evidence. Yes, there are some case reports of children acquiring breasts from lavender oil, but I am skeptical of this evidence too, and cover it here: https://lindseyelmore.com/lavender-oil-and-breast-swelling…/

From a practical standpoint, I still do not consider lavender oil of high risk for causing breast swelling in young boys. And can vouch that it definitely doesn't work for grown women. While we may have some high profile case reports and articles, the overall number of children who acquire gynecomastia from products containing essential oils pales in comparison to the number of children who actually use essential oils.

Let's shut off the panic mode and be reasonable people.

Bug Protection

I got an e-mail the other day about Bug Protection that was chemical and DEET free. They claim to have four different essential oils in their blend.  Their price was $9.95 plus shipping for about 10 oz. With the percentages of essential oils that were in the product I calculated that there was about $4.00 of essential oils in the blend using my cost and estimation of oil drops per type.  So, YOU can make your own Bug Protection and KNOW that you are getting pure essential oils and not oils that have no purity listed on the bottle.   Following are just two of many oil combinations that work well for bugs.

Bug Protection Recipe - ONE
4 oz bottle, add:
3 drops Lavender Essential Oil
4 drops Citronella Essential Oil
4 drops Lemongrass Essential Oil
Fill bottle ½ way with water
Fill bottle to top with witch hazel

Bug Protection Recipe -TWO
4 oz blue glass bottle
5 drops each:
     Thieves Essential Oil
     Purification Essential Oil
     Peppermint Essential Oil
Fill bottle ½ way with water
Fill bottle to top with witch hazel

 

Use this instead of Dryer Sheets!

I love clean smelling laundry, don't you?!! Long ago, I thought that since I didn't dry my clothes on a clothesline that the only way to get that outdoor freshness was to use a detergent that had a fragrance, OR a fabric softener that had a fragrance.  When those fragrances started to bother me, I went to all fragrance free detergents and softeners. Then, dryer sheets came on the market.  I was thrilled because they were so convenient.  Just throw on in the dryer.  The fragrance free ones gave me softness without the scent that bothered me. The clothes were clean but didn't have that clean scent that we have been trained to love.

I happened upon a website that is a guide to healthy cleaning.  It tells you all about the chemicals in your cleaning products and how they rate on the healthy scale.  It was very eye opening.  Lets look at dryer sheets for instance.  I choose Bounce Outdoor Fresh dryer sheets because we all want to have outdoor fresh smelling clothing, right?  Click on this link to see the results!

Using the information from the website above it is easy to see that the air in your home is ofttimes more polluted than the air outside?  Yup.....wanna know why?  When you use cleaning supplies that contain chemicals, they pollute the air in our home.  If you aren't regularly airing your home, your air is very polluted.  So, what can you do about this and what does it have to do with dryer sheets!

Go chemical free! How? Dryer balls and essential oils!  So easy and totally chemical free. You can make dryer balls yourself (click here) or purchase them already made.  3 - 6 balls tumble with your clothes helping to reduce static and drying them quickly.   THEN, you can drop essential oils on the balls to scent your clothes any way you want.  Use Young Living Lavender Essential Oil when you dry your sheets to help you drift away easily at night.  Use Young Living Purification Essential Oil to dry sports clothing or animal blankets. OR, try using Orange, Cinnamon and Nutmeg for handtowels......yummy!

There is no end to the ideas!

A little more on Allergies

So, early this year we talked about essential oils and allergies.  Not allergies to grass, trees, or animals.  Essential Oils and allergies to them!  If you read my earlier post about this, you would have read that regular allergies are caused by different things.  There is no physical way essential oils can contribute to allergies!!  What???   Really?  Well, I would like to introduce you to Jen O'Sullivan.  Her video on YouTube is very good at describing reactions to essential oils that people MAY think are allergic reactions.  She gives such good information that you shouldn't miss it.

Click here to see her video.

One thing that she says in this video is that if you have a reaction to an oil that is reverse of the norm, it could be a detox reaction on your end.  That really happened to me with Lavender.  Lavender is really good at helping relax you especially for sleep time.  She talks about how some people report that Lavender revved them up!  ME, ME, ME!  That is exactly what happened to me at first.  It revved me up instead of calming me down.  Well, she talks about why that happens and how to change it.  I'm happy to say that I don't have that reaction anymore.

Ticks!

Spring is here in the Pacific Northwest and the lovely spring flowers are blooming all around us. Here is one of my favorite species plants in our garden called R. ririei.

With Spring here, there are more things coming your way.

Fleas and ticks!  Along with ticks there may be Lyme disease.

In the Pacific Northwest, our winter was so mild that the fleas and ticks are going to be abundant.  Protecting yourself and your pets will be important as you ward off these little buggers.

Did you know that you can use Essential Oils on your pets*?  Here are two interesting websites that talk about what you can do for your pets!!  The first is the Young Living's Blog that talk about essential oils and animals in general. Click Here to read that article.   The second article talks a little more about ticks and the essential oils that you can use to repel them as well as essential oils that you can use to help with the symptom of Lyme disease.   Click Here to read that article.  

My Sweet Standard, Gabby

Here is a list of essential oils that you can use for your dog to repel fleas.  You can put them directly on your dog's collar or even on a shoelace if you don't want to put it on the collar.  Some people even drop the oil on their hands, rub their hands together and then rub the dog's body and legs with their hands.

• Eucalyptus
• Peppermint
• Cedarwood
• Citronella
• Lavender
• Basil
• Tea Tree
• Clove
• Lemon

Whenever you are ready to get essential oils, remember that Young Living Essential Oils are very pure which will make them very effective!!

* Cats process things differently than dogs.  Do not use Citrus oils on cats.  Avoid Oregano and Thyme oils on any animals.

Yup, they work

This morning I got in the shower and did my normal regimen for my No-Poo Shampoo method.  I've done this for almost two years and just love it.  Instead of shampoo I now use a couple tablespoons of baking soda with Lavender, Cedarwood & Rosemary essential oils in it.  Add about a cup of water, swirl to dissolve and apply to hair.  I add hot water which puts some of the oils aromatically into the air.  I love smelling it, especially the Rosemary.  Then I follow up with a couple tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar in a cup of water for my 'rinse'.

This morning after smelling the lovely aroma and treating my hair I was so tired.  All I wanted to do is take a soaking bath and go back to bed.  Hmmmmm.....look at those oils I used.  Lavender and Cedarwood both said to help with sleep.  Yup.....I believe that is the truth!  Have you ever tried them?  Want a sample?  Let me know and I'll give you some to try.  Just leave a comment with contact info in the comment area.

Oily Infused Dryer Balls

At our last Make & Take class we had them infuse dryer balls.  It was so easy and easy for you to do too!  You can make your own dryer balls too!  There is no reason for me to reinvent the wheel so here is the website that we used to make our dryer balls!

CLICK HERE FOR INSTRUCTIONS

NOW.......for the fun part!  Infuse your dryer balls with essential oils.  In our class we used syringes to infuse the ball.

So, what oils might you use to scent your clothing?

Purification is a Young Living blend that is really wonderful for eliminating odd odors.
Lavender, a Young Living Single oil is perfect for drying sheets with its relaxing scent.
Citrus Fresh is a Young Living blend that can give your clothes a uplifting scent.

These are just three options.....the possibilities are really endless!

Optional:  Make your dryer balls using old wool sweaters...your own...or some from the thrift store or a garage sale.  Cut up the sweater to smaller pieces and then wrap the wool yarn around them.  It will decrease the yardage needed to make the ball and recycle the sweater as well!

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 - #2

If you got a notification that Tea Tree was #2......well......that was wrong since it was #4...;-)

The REAL #2 is LAVENDER!

Lavender is one of the most popular essential oils long loved for its calming, soothing fragrance.  It is a key ingredient to many essential oil blends, including Stress Away, Tranquil, RutaVaLa, Forgiveness and Harmony.  When diffused, Lavender adds a clean, fresh scent to any room and is a relaxing addition to baths and body care products.

Have you ever purchased a product advertising the Lavender scent?  I had over the years and I really hated them all.  I kept them far, far away.  Then, when I had a chance to try the Lavender essential oil, I was pleasantly surprised.  It was MUCH different.  Why?  Well, I'm glad you asked!  Pure Therapeutic Essential Oils are much different than Fragrance grade essential oils.  The former are from the first distillation and the later for later distillations that are overly processed drawing out properties from the plant that aren't as desirable.  As someone who has always been proned with headaches with fragrances (usually chemical ones), having something like YL essential oils has been a breathe of fresh aromatic air!

Use Lavender Oil this way:

• Diffuse for a comforting and calming scent
• Unwind by adding a few drops to a nighttime bath
• Diffuse for a fresh, clean scent and to eliminate odors.

It is one of the essential oils that is mild  for use on children too!  My granddaughter asks for it for all her boo boos!

Lavender

Lavender is part of our Allergy trio! Allergy relief isn't the only benefit for this versatile oil!

Lavender happens to be one of the very safe oils for children. When in doubt how your child will react, you can add Lavender oil to some carrier oil to start with. Test on a small patch of skin and wait at least a day. Some have questioned about Lavender's safety.....you can read an article about this by David Stewart, PhD, DNM, IASP. His article is the third article down on the page. An interesting read.

The information below is from the Essential Oils Desk Reference Guide.

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) has a fresh, sweet, floral, herbaceous aroma that is soothing and refreshing. Because it is the most versatile of all essential oils, no home should be without it. Lavender is an adaptogen, and therefore can assist the body when adapting to stress or imbalances. It is a great aid for relaxing and winding down before bedtime, yet has balancing properties that can also boost stamina and energy. Therapeutic-grade lavender is highly regarded for skin and beauty. It may be used to soothe and cleanse common cuts, bruises, and skin irritations. The French scientist René Gattefossé was among the first to discover these properties when he was severely burned in a laboratory explosion. Lavender may also be used to enhance the flavor of foods. Lavender has an approximate ORAC of 3,669 (TE/L). TE/L is expressed as micromole Trolox equivalent per liter.

How to use: For dietary, aromatic or topical use. When using as a supplement, put one drop in a capsule or in 4 fl. oz. of rice or goat's milk.

Possible skin sensitivity. If pregnant or under a doctor's care, consult your physician. Dilution not required; suitable for all but the most sensitive skin. Generally safe for children over 2 years of age. 

Ingredients: Young Living Therapeutic Grade™ lavender essential oil

(Lavandula angustifolia)

* This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Allergy Relief

Written by Leah

Congestion, itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, all around ick.

The 2015 allergy season has been pretty brutal in the Pacific Northwest and we are still in full bloom. In the last few years my allergies have gotten increasingly worse. Growing up I never had them so I'm am digging up research to see what the cause may be (chemical overload, diet, etc.) I'm certain there is an answer though I haven't figured it out yet. As soon as do you will be the first to know.

In the mean time I have been searching for relief outside of traditional medications. So where did I turn this year? Oils! Yea, Yea I know I might sound like a broken record but I found personal success using essential oils and now my first question is, 'Is there an essential oil to help with that?' It didn't take much research to find the Allergy Trio. I saw many testimonials where the trio helped others so I mixed myself some and tried it out. The trio did well in helping me cope with my congestion, runny nose and scratchy throat especially while I slept so I want to share it with you.

The first star of the Trio is Peppermint! The second is Lemon and the third is Lavender. The three mixed together are wonderful at soothing your sinuses and making breathing a little easier. I personally liked the 'pick me up' I got from the smell.

There are several ways you can use this trio so here are a few.

Put one drop of each on your palm,
rub your hands together and cup them over your nose.

Breathe in for several minutes (I found this to work well at work)

OR

Put equal drops of each in your diffuser to
fill the room and help everyone at once.

OR

Put in a roll-on bottle with or without a small amount
of carrier oil and apply to your wrists, behind your ears,
and on the back of your neck.  Roller bottles are
a great way to travel with the trio.