homemade body cream
I always went for, what I thought were, “safe and gentle” products at the store before I started digging more into natural care. I bought lotions for my kiddoes in the past labeled as for sensitive skin and you know what? Before I knew what to look for on the ingrediens list, I thought that those products were safe. Well, those gentle baby lotions gave rash and hives to my kids because those were full of chemicals!
Since we switched to more natural, clean lifestyle, there haven’t been any side effects from using skin care products anymore. We’ve started making our own homemade body lotion/cream. With just a few ingredients, you can make a batch of cream which is not only safe to use, but it’s prepared very quickly and the best part is that you can use it for so many different things! All you have to do is to add some pure therapeutic essential oils depending on your needs at the moment. We use Young Living Essential oils, it’s just our family’s preference, because we trust their quality thanks to their Seed to Seal Process.
For dry skin I put a few drops of Lavender into my cream, for pain relieve and massage we use PanAway, I love to use mix of Frankincense and Lavender for my skin. You can use few drops of Eucalyptus for could & cough season instead of store bought VapoRub. And the list goes on.
So if you ever run out of your lotion and have these few ingredients at home, you can create your own cream/ lotion in no time. Your body will definitely thank you for that.
Natural Base Cream:
- 3/4 cup grapeseed oil (you can use apricot or almond oil as well)
- 1/3 cup coconut oil (I like to substitute half of the coconut oil with shea butter or cocoa butter, just my personal preference)
- 1/8 organic beeswax (1 oz = 2 tbs)
In a double boiler, melt these oils together on low heat. Allow oil and wax to cool and harden. Then add these ingredients:
- 2/3 cup distilled water (or rosewater)
- 1/3 cup aloe vera gel
- 1/4 tsp vitamin E
Using a handheld immersion blender or the wire whisk attachment on your Kitchen Aid, blend the hardened oils and liquids together. If you use the wire whisk attachment, your cream will be more fluffy and light. Add few drops of Tea Tree oil, which is antimicrobial and antiseptic essential oil to the mix. Then scoop your cream into glass containers and you are done. Depending on what I will be using the cream for, I label my jars with the oils used/usage – for example: container including cream with mix of lavender, frankincense and geranium essential oils will be labeled as a skin care.
I hope you will enjoy making your own creams as much as our family does. And if you are interested about learning how Young Living essential oils can improve your wellness, don’t hesitate to contact me.
energy in a bottle
- At July 14, 2016
- By Living Essentially
- In active, essential oils, outdoors
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The last thing I wanted to do today, was getting on my bike and do my workout. Don’t take me wrong, I love biking but it was late in the day, I was tired and the winds outside were picking up. Not the ideal conditions for a ride. On the way to my starting point, it started to rain. It didn’t stop me. I’ve signed up for a Grandfondo ride which goes from Vancouver to Whistler (122km) and the training has to be done no matter what. So I braved the weather and went for it. I put EN-R-GEE on the back of my neck, put my helmet on and started pedaling.
Just within a few minutes, I was totally soaked but surprised that I didn’t feel tired anymore. It seemed the En-R-Gee was working. En-R-Gee revitalizes with a blend of stimulating oils that have been used traditionally to help restore mental alertness. Uplifting and strengthening as the name suggests, it boosts energy. And it definitely does! The rain was getting heavier so I decided to turn back after 15km. When I was finishing my 25th kilometer, it suddenly stopped raining and the sun came out for the last 5km. How ironic!
Well, the workout is done and I enjoyed a hot shower afterwards. I put some Thieves on my feet for boosting up my immunity and as a prevention for getting a cold, and a Lavender into diffuser for a nice relaxing evening.
Young Living oils came once again very helpful during the challenges of everyday life.
deep relief
- At July 12, 2016
- By Living Essentially
- In active, essential oils
- 0
I know it’s been very quite over here lately. With summer in a full swing it means our training and racing season is on as well. Even though this season is very hectic for us, I love it. I love watching my kids compete in cycling and triathlons and the same goes for my husband. Living an active and healthy life is a priority for our family and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
This year as an extra part of our training regime, we are using Young Living’s essential oils. It’s amazing that we can naturally speed up the recovery and feel much better after exercising. So many times we have used PanAway oil blend and the results are amazing. My husband did a same long-distance running race as a friend of ours and I gave him a massage in the evening after the race with just a few drops of PanAway mixed with V-6 oil. The next day he wasn’t sore at all, and when I met our friend two days later, he was still complaining about his sore legs. So it definitely works.
A friend of mine went to Young Living’s Convention in Utah in June and was so kind to bring me this little roll-on called Deep Relief. This little bottle is absolutely amazing! I suffer from tension in my neck and shoulders, it’s unfortunately due to my sitting job and also spending a lot of time driving, and this roll-on has been helping me so much! It’s so easy to apply and works within a few minutes. Among other oils in this blend, oils like a Peppermint, Wintergreen, Dorado Azul, and Helichrysum give a fast relief thanks to their healing properties. Some of those oils are also registered and approved by Health Canada as Natural Health Products. So this can’t get any better.
I can’t say enough great things about the benefits of essential oils. We have been skipping the painkillers for months now and are definitely not looking back. There are so many ways how you can use essential oils and even more DIY projects how transform your wellness to more natural one.
If you are interested in learning more about essential oils and their benefits, don’t hesitate to contact me.
Happy Summer!
let them be kids
Kids learn by example. Sometimes you don’t have to say a word and they still watch and learn. And they are pretty good at it.
Our kids share my and my husband’s love for sports and are definitely active above average and I’m so very thankful for that. They also know how important it is to make good choices in health and nutrition. It’s become our new normal if something hurts or they have any other issues, they come to me and ask if I have an oil for it. They don’t ask for a pill or a medical cream but they ask for an oil. You can imagine how happy this makes me.
The other day I ran out of my Thieves soft scrub and my little girl offered right away that she will help me to make a new batch. Since we’ve gone natural in the cleaning department, I don’t have to worry about her touching our cleaning products because everything in it is natural, plant based and without any harsh chemicals. No more gloves when cleaning, no more headaches afterwards from fumes.
In just a few easy steps, the whole process of making the scrub took her about 2 minutes and she was proud that she could do it by herself.
Going natural doesn’t have to be complicated at all and the whole family can be easily involved. Let the kids be kids, let them get messy, curious, experimenting. They will thank you one day.
It’s a win win for everyone.
happy mail-day
Every time I open our mailbox and there is a brown box with Young Living’s Logo on it, I feel like a kid on a Christmas Day.
This is what I got in my monthly order today: R.C., Eucalyptus Globulus, Citronella, Progessence Phyto Plus, Clove and Satin Mint Scrub. And what I’m going to use it for?
R.C. – that’s our lifesaver while fighting colds & coughs. Definitely a must in our oil stash
Citronella – I’ve started making my own bug spray (mosquito repellent) and citronella is the main ingredient in the mix. Not just that it’s safe to use on children, but it is DEET free and smells amazing!
Eucalyptus – this is a new oil for me and I plan on using it after exercise to soothe sore muscles and also for respiratory/ sinus infections.
Clove – another new one for me. I got this oil to make a mouth wash and to try to solve problems with my gums issues. Clove has among many antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral and anti-inflamatory properties and I can’t wait to test it out.
Progessence Phyto Plus – I’ve heard so many amazing things about this oil and I’m very excited to finally try it out.
Progessence Plus™ features some of our most-loved essential oils, including Sacred Frankincense and Peppermint oil, to create a serum that perfectly pampers you. Formulated specifically for women, and ideal for women over 30, Young Living’s Progessence Plus is a great addition to your day or nighttime routine.
Satin Mint Facial Scrub– it’s my staple in my skin care. Now my son uses it as well and loves it.
As you can see, essential oils have so many uses. I love that we can have a choice to go natural and avoid using chemicals.
If you want to learn more about their benefits, don’t hesitate to contact me.
sweet dreams with peace & calming
This oil lives up to its name. Every time we diffuse Peace & Calming, it feels like we have been transported to a different world or a dimension. The aroma is so amazing! It brings you into such a peaceful state and calms everyone down right away. I love to wear it on my lava necklace during the day and I also apply it before my yoga practices. And the best? Bedtime! Everyone sleeps like a baby when we diffuse this blend.
Here is what my smart book says about this oil: This blend promotes relaxation and deep sense of peace and emotional well-being, helping to dampen tension and uplift spirits. When massaged on the bottoms of feet, it can be a wonderful prelude to a peaceful night’s rest. It may calm overactive and hard-to-manage children. It also reduces depression, anxiety, stress and insomnia.
Ingredients: Tangerine, Orange, Ylang Ylang, Patchouli, Blue Tansy.
Applications:
- diffuse, directly inhale, or add 2-4 drops to bath water
- apply to wrists, edge of ears, or foot Vita Flex points
- dilute 1:15 with vegetable oil for body massage
- put 4-8 drops on cotton balls or tissues and put in or on vents
- combine with Lavender for insomnia and German chamomile for calming.
Caution: possible sun/skin sensitivity.
If you are interested in trying out essential oils or just want to learn more about their benefits, don’t hesitate to contact me.
bug season is on and so our game to deal with it
A lot of times when people find out that I use essential oils, they just make some silly comment about how everyone is now “into oils” and what is “the deal” about them.
For our family using essential oils isn’t a new thing or “a trend”. We have been using EO for more than 15 years now but just last year I’ve started educating myself more and have found much wider spectrum of using oils to benefit our overall wellness in our everyday lives.
Yes, I really do care what our family puts into and onto ourselves.
If you do your own research, you will find out that harsh chemicals are almost in everything,but not everyone knows that those can be easily avoided. Now with spring in a full swing there are tons of mosquitoes everywhere. Our family uses the natural alternative to bug sprays. Easy DIY done within a minute. And yes, we are using essential oils for it.
I just read this article and it seems our family is on the right track.
What about yours?
AromaGlide roller fitment
One of the cool things included in the Young Living Premium Starter Kit is this little smart tool called AromaGlide Roller Fitment (the black cap on the left). Thanks to this roller fitment you can transform any of your favorite Young Living essential oils into an easy-to-use roll-on bottle with the patents pending AromaGlide™ advanced roller fitments technology. Each fitment is customized to fit a 5- or 15-ml bottle .
I have just recently started using it with my Lavender oils. When I feel like headache is coming, I just roll the oil on my temples and back of my neck and the headache is gone within a few minutes. I love that I can apply the oil without touching it with my hands and that the roller fitment can be removed very easily from the bottle and can be used on a different one right away.
essential oils in the nursery
Loving essential oils means that you want to share them with the whole family – right down to young children and babies. Essential oils can be a fantastic resource for your little ones, but it’s important to remember that babies’ systems are highly sensitive and some very specific safety guidelines apply.
If you are interested in learning more about Young Living Essential Oils or would like to know how to purchase them with 24% off of a retail price (becoming a member of Young Living), don’t hesitate to contact me through email or comment on this post.
Original post was posted on Young Living blog on November 23, 2015.
after workout massage
- At April 24, 2016
- By Living Essentially
- In active, essential oils
- 0
Our active family is constantly on the go. Two weeks ago we have started using this combo of PanAway & V-6 oil for a massage after our workouts to relieve sore muscles, deep tissue pain and to speed up the recovery.
It works really well and even my husband has started using it after his long runs.
