essential oils

An Oily Day in the Life

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I use my oils daily, for sure.  Some days more than others, some days less.  Here’s what I did yesterday (meant to post this yesterday…. oops).

8:30 – I took a shower and washed my hair with my homemade shampoo.  I just do an equal mix of coconut milk, castille soap, a splash of jojoba oil.  Every time I wash my hair, I just put a drop or two of essential oils in a little bowl with a small amount of my shampoo.  Today I used a drop of Rosemary and a drop of Lavender.  They are both really good supports for the scalp and hair and I often use them.  Sometimes I choose oils that will support my mood, rather than my scalp.  Sometimes I choose ones that just smell good.  I also use the shampoo as my body wash.

8:45 – My after-shower routine is pretty set.  I always put diluted Thieves on my feet for immune support.  Then I put a drop of Frankincense on the roof of my mouth to feel grounded and support basically all of my body’s systems (more about Frank here).  Then I put on my face lotion with a drop of something added – usually Patchouli or more Frankincense.  I also put some Progessence Plus Serum on my neck or forearms for amazing hormonal support.

9:30 – I started diffusing 3 drops of Grapefruit with 5 drops of Idaho Blue Spruce.  Such a good combo.  Megan got me into citrus/tree blends because they’re awesome.

11:00 – I added a drop of Lime Vitality (FDA approved for ingesting) to my water as I was making lunch for the girls.

11:30 – I used my roller bottle of Stress Away diluted with sweet almond oil.

1:45 – I switched it up in my diffuser and went with Christmas Spirit because it’s too hot and I’m ready for cozy smells and chilly air.

4:45 – Alma needed a little emotional support, so she put her Gentle Baby roller bottle on her belly.

8:35 – After a fun, sugary birthday party for Kylie, the girls totally needed help getting settled down for sleep, so I put some Palo Santo in their diffuser.

9:30 – I threw some Lavender in my diffuser, read for a bit and fell right asleep.

I use a lot of other Young Living products during the day (deodorant, laundry soap, cleaner, etc) but I only wrote down the actual oils I used.  How do you use your oils?  I’d love to get some more worked into my routine and am always looking for ideas!

Homemade Playdough with Real Mom Vlogs

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So, I’ve never made playdough before.  I’m basically a stay at home mom of two girls who love any sort of sensory play more than anything else.  How can I not have made playdough?  Well, I haven’t, okay?  UNTIL TODAY!  Megan and I had plans to do a different crafty project with the kids, but it didn’t work out.  Luckily, Megan had everything on hand to make playdough, so we did.

Here’s a recipe I found a few places online.  One thing I love about this one is that it doesn’t need to cook or use hot water, so the kids can actually help mix it all up.  Also, like I said, Megan had all these things in her kitchen already.

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup salt
  • 1 cup cold water – bonus if you use hose water like we did
  • 1 Tbs oil (we used fractionated coconut oil)
  • A few drops of essential oils (we used Peace and Calming, and Peace and Calming II)

Directions are pretty easy.

Mix flour and salt.

Add water and oil.

Knead well.  Add more flour or water if needed.

Mix and knead until it comes together and is smooth, like playdough.

Add some Essential Oils.  We picked Peace and Calming II for half the batch, hoping it would turn everything orange, and Peace and Calming, hoping it would turn bluish/green.

As you can see, the colors in the oils didn’t really color the playdough, but the smell certainly came through!  These two three-year-olds played nicely with this playdough for close to an hour.

I think I’ll do this again.  It was easy, quick, and the kids really had fun playing with it.

Megan will post a vlog posted a vlog of the kids playing with the playdough if you want to see more about this whole thing!  Here’s a behind-the-scenes photo of Megan making the vlog.

 

My Favorite Essential Oil – Frankincense

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How do you choose a favorite out of all the favorites? I mean, there are the oils that help elevate my mood, the oils that I turn to for support throughout the month, the oils that support my skin, my hair, my family.  But there’s one oil that can do pretty much all those things, so I’d say it’s my favorite and it’s Frankincense.

I love how scents can totally take you back to a memory.  When I first smelled Frankincense, it instantly reminded me of growing up at my church and smelling the incense on the Sundays when they would use the thurible (I just learned that this is the word for the incense burner that’s swung around on the chain) during the processional.

It also reminded me of all the old churches and cathedrals in Europe, where the centuries of burned incense have built up on the walls and pews and floors, connecting each pilgrim and visitor with its history.  Every time I smell Frankincense, I remember Notre Dame in Paris, St. Paul’s in London, Aya Sofya in Istanbul, Santa Croce in Florence and I’m right back in those places, feeling the immense feelings of humanity and history and faith.

Frankincense can be used to help me feel grounded and peaceful.  I use it every morning and I have been trying to say an affirmation as I smell it and apply it.  The affirmation changes, as I’m trying to find the right one that fits.  Here’s one that I found in the Book of Common Prayer that is meant for Evening Prayer, but works any time of day, really – “Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”  I love that visual – that our prayers and intentions are lifted like the smoke rising from the thurible.

Frankincense is also amazing for other reasons.  First of all, it is so great for supporting the skin, especially aging and dry skin.  It has been used in medication for thousands of years – in fact it was mentioned in the oldest known medical records, the Ebers Papyrus from ancient Egypt.  It also supports our body’s natural response to inflammation and is an incredible support to our immune systems.  Just google it to find out more than I can say here.  It’s amazing.

So, Frankincense supports my skin, my body, and my mind.  What’s not to love?

 

A Day in the Life – October 6, 2016

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8:23 – I want to remember these girls and the cuddles in the mornings.  Now that they share a room, it’s more likely that they will stay in their beds, or at least their room, and chat and play before they come into our room.  We do all, usually, end up in bed together for a few minutes.

8:47 – I want to remember how the girls love to play with new things.  They made this goo the night before at a Science Fair at the university and were really excited to play with it first thing in the morning.

8:56 – I want to remember this view, with the gorgeous yellow birch, the flaming red dogwood, the landscaping growing up and getting bigger.  The junky car that’s been parked across the street for a few months, I’m happy to forget that, if only it would go away.

9:03 – I want to remember how great it feels to wake up to a mostly clean kitchen.  I never want to do it at night, but it’s always worth it in the morning.

9:08 – I want to remember these autumn breakfasts.  Oatmeal with frozen blueberries for them, tea with orange oil for me.

9:14 – I want to remember how Harriet says “hot cococo” for hot chocolate.   I don’t want to remember how she threw a huge fit because I gave it to her in the wrong cup – I’ll just choose to remember that she eventually accepted the cococo in the Santa mug (the one she usually wants).

9:25 – I want to remember that this was not a normal day for us.  My To Do List isn’t usually a bunch of chores around the house.  We usually actually leave the house.  I don’t usually spend the entire day cleaning the house.  I do want to remember how good it feels to clean up our messes and be able to have such a wonderful home to take care of.  I also want to remember how using the essential oils to clean the house makes it all so much more fun.

9:48 – I want to remember how the girls are actually eager to help me these days.  Harriet loves to help me cook dinner.  Alma likes to help with the dishes, dusting, and sweeping.  I’m working on giving them daily and weekly chores.

9:52 – I want to remember these eggs and these chickens.  I love that my chores include getting eggs, taking out food scraps, and giving them water.

10:07 – I want to remember the corner of our kitchen where things build up.  Art projects from school, mail that needs attention, empty shoe boxes.  These are the things that show our busy existence.  I especially love when this corner of our kitchen gets sorted and put where it all goes.  That was my job this day.

10:12 – I want to remember how these girls play together.  They use their imaginations and really work well together.  They used these boxes as houses, horse stalls, tunnels, who knows what else.  I also want to remember Harriet’s love for her new boots and her tutu.

10:25 – I want to remember the imaginations in these girls.  They had a full conversation between these two candlesticks.

10:31 – I want to remember these candlelit meals and snacks.  Candles, while eating, are pure magic.

10:49 – I want to remember the love and care that goes into keeping a house.  These wood floors shine thanks to me and my care for them.  And essential oils.

11:56 – I want to remember these plates and the little hands that made them.  I want to remember these peanut butter sandwiches – honey for Harriet, homemade strawberry jam for me and Alma.

12:59 – I want to remember all the sewing.  I haven’t sewn in a couple months, so it feels great to get back to it.  I finished Alma’s witch dress, fixed my sweater, and got started on Harriet’s much needed big bed quilt.  I love giving my girls quilts so they can always be wrapped up in my love – and a tangible representation of that love.

2:03 – I want to remember how much I love Christmas and how much I love making good things for our family.  These blend perfectly when I use Christmas Spirit oil (Orange, Cinnamon, Spruce) in my homemade hand soap.

3:13 – I want to remember how Harriet is the queen of the pout.  She will sit down and pout, or just stand in the middle of the room and pout.  Here, Alma is her horse who ran away.  The pout went away once the horse came back.

3:20 – I want to remember these colors and snacks.  Pink and honey for Harriet.  Blue and jam for Alma.

3:52 – I want to remember these slow, cloudy days when I don’t get around to taking my shower until well into the afternoon.  And my old Cal Young tie dye t-shirt that I use for my hair after my showers.

4:15 – I want to remember these days of forts, and make believe, and reading corners.

5:31 – I want to remember how our friends came over, bringing us a fake Christmas gift for an upcoming music video, and how it was fun to wish them Merry Christmas in October.  I also want to remember how they all came inside and hung around for a little bit.  Surprise guests and good conversations fill my bucket in a big way.  Even if I forget to take any photos.  Especially when I forget to take any photos.

6:11 – I want to remember this season and the comfort food that it brings.  This was a baked potato bar, using lots of things we happened to have on hand.

6:18 – I want to remember “Come Lord Jesus, be our guest; let this food to us be blessed. Amen,” and how Alma and Harriet say “Come Lord Jesus, be our guest; let this family to us be blessed. Allmen.”

6:49 – I want to remember the chaos that falls at bedtime.  It is a constant battle to get them going in the right direction to get their teeth brushed, jammies on, and everything else that needs to be done when there are so many other things that they’d rather be doing.

7:03 – I want to remember the calm that settles when we’re all in our bed, reading a story before they head to their own beds.  A few final cuddles and they race to their room.

7:04 – I want to remember how the girls need just a little bit more chaos before they can settle into their beds and eventually fall asleep.

I want to remember the time that Jesse and I get after the kids are in bed.  We watch shows, get stuff done, clean up a little, read books, and eventually fall asleep ourselves.

Other Days In The Life:
May 12, 2015
September 9, 2015
November 11, 2015
January 3, 2016

Toxin Free Laundry is the Best Laundry

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I’ve been working on eliminating the toxic chemicals in our house for a few years now.  I started thinking about all the toxins we come into contact with during the day – shampoos, conditioners, soaps, detergents, dish soap, floor polish, the list goes on and on and it’s really overwhelming.

Things have really changed this year, and I’ve been able to eliminate so much in the past few months.  It all really kicked into gear when I got my starter kit of essential oils from Young Living.  Not only did I get the oils to just make the house smell good, but I’ve also started making my own shampoo using four simple ingredients, I can mop the floor with no toxins at all, I make my own sugar scrub that I use for shaving and exfoliating, plus so much more.

My favorite thing I’ve done, though, is eliminate the toxic chemicals that I was using in my laundry.  It’s really intense when you think about how much our laundry, and the chemicals used, can affect our daily life.  We are constantly wearing clothes that were washed in the chemicals, sleeping in sheets with chemicals, washing our faces with washcloths, drying off after showers, etc, etc, etc.

I found this website: The Environmental Working Group, that breaks down things and grades them based on the chemicals and toxins in them.  I found my old laundry soap, the one that I bought because it was supposed to be chemical free and natural (the one I bought to wash our diapers, the things that are closest to our baby’s skin) – and it had a D grade.  That isn’t good.

Now I make my own toxin free laundry soap and I’ve been really happy with it.  It has simple, natural ingredients, that when individually entered into the EWG website come up clean.  Here’s another surprise:  Borax scores really poorly, in face it scores an F.  This is something that a lot of people put into their homemade laundry soap but it has concerns for reproductive health among other things.  So, I skip the borax.

My recipe is super easy and lasts a long time.

  • 1 bar of Castile soap, 5 oz
  • 1 cup washing soda
  • 1/2 cup baking soda
  • 1/2 cup citric acid
  • 1/4 cup coarse sea salt
  • 10-20 drops essential oil (optional)

Just grate the soap, add the rest of the ingredients and store in an airtight container.  I use 1-2 Tbs per load.  For the essential oils, I like to add Purification, Lavender, whatever smells good.

Another huge contributor to chemicals in laundry are those stain removers.  We’ve always had a bottle of that on the shelf and the amount of perfume has always bothered me.  I looked up the kind we’ve used and guess what – D.  It may get the stain out, but at what cost?  A moderate concern for respiratory distress, asthma, developmental and reproductive problems and cancer.  Doesn’t seem worth it to me.

I have another solution.  I bought Young Living’s Thieves Laundry Soap a couple months ago, but since I’m cheap and love a DIY, I only use it as a stain remover.  I just take about a tablespoon of the laundry soap, rub it into the stain and throw it into the washing machine (sometimes I let it soak for a bit).  I don’t even add more of my homemade soap because a 1 Tbs of the Thieves Laundry Soap is all you need for a whole load of laundry, thus that tablespoon is doubling as stain remover and laundry soap.  That’s music to my deal-loving ears.  Also EWG hasn’t graded Thieves yet, but I went through the ingredients list and most things are A and a couple are B, so I’d guess it’s around an A-, which is way better than the D I was using before.

Want proof that this method works?  When Alma got her head wound and my shirt was covered in blood that set up for days, the Thieves took it right out.  Blood.  Gone.  Harriet’s favorite jellyfish shirt, covered in soaked in, dried hot chocolate:

And after treating it with Thieves Laundry Soap and washed like normal:

So, there you have it.  Go to the EWG webpage and enter in your laundry detergent and dryer sheets and stain remover and decide if you want to keep using them.

I love this toxin free laundry soap and that I’m not leaching toxic chemicals into our clothes and towels and sheets.  I love that my clothes get clean.  I love that we’re saving money.

Oh, here’s a bonus!  If you sign up for Young Living this month (September), not only will you be getting a diffuser, eleven bottles of essential oils, lots of other good stuff, but they’re also throwing in a bottle of Thieves Laundry Soap.  There’s really no reason not to try it now!

Click here to get started with Young Living!

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Essential Pouch, for your Essential Oils – Giveaway 7/36

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I jumped on the Young Living bandwagon just a couple months ago.  I wanted to do something to promote wellness for our family, and essential oils seemed like a great place to start.  My friend Megan (I’ve written about her before here and here) invited me to an informational DIY oil party.  I’ll be honest, I went to the party with a healthy amount of skepticism.  I thought I would go, smell some oils, make something fun to take home, and maybe I’d buy a bottle or two from Megan in the future.

I went to the party and listened to everyone’s stories about oils.  People went on and on about how the oils had changed their lives.  The scents were uplifting and inspiring, causing people to go through their lives with better attitudes and get more done.  These people, with conditions and occasional aches and pains, were supporting their bodies in amazing ways!  I started to feel like there must be something to all this oily mumbo jumbo – either that or Megan hired a bunch of very convincing actors to come to the party just to fool me.

I looked through all the literature they had and decided that getting a Premium Starter Kit was the best idea.  The Kit is pretty amazing.  It is full of 11 of the best, most versatile essential oils that Young Living offers, along with samples of a few others.  Making it an even better idea (and deal) is that it also comes with an oil diffuser.  25517831594_f9753d650c_z

I started diffusing right away.  I instantly noticed a change in my house.  It smelled delicious and my mood was instantly enhanced.  I was invigorated and inspired.  I started making things like sugar scrubs, bath bombs, smoothies, and teas!  I also made salves, room sprays, shampoo, and cleaning supplies all from The Droppery (an amazing oily resource).

I am sold.  Now, when I go to the oil parties, I’m the person sitting there, talking about all the lovely and amazing things oils can do.

The only problem was that I didn’t have a way to carry my oils from home to work and everywhere else.  I decided to change that and designed the Essential Pouch!

I’m calling this the Essential Pouch because it’s prefect for carrying around your four favorite – or essential – bottles.

I have plans to make many more oily accessories, but this is a good place to start.  It is a quilted 4-pocket pouch that can hold 5ml bottles, 15ml bottles, or roller balls.  It is fully padded, and has a snap closure.

You can buy one today, at my Etsy shop, CaroMadeCo! I have it available in three different fabrics, and have more on the way. I’m also thinking of ways I can make things that will hold more than 4 bottles.  This, and any other things I make in the future, will be available on CaroMadeCo really soon.

Here’s the giveaway!  I will send one of these Essential Pouches to anyone who orders a Premium Starter Kit through me before June 30th, 2016.  To get started with your Kit, click here or send me an email (carolynfwilliams at gmail dot com).  It will take you to the signup page and you can get started.  I’m also happy to help you through the process if you’d like help!

Why do you want to choose Young Living for your essential oils?

  1. UNMATACHED SELECTION. We’re all different and with the most single and blend choices offered by an essential oil company, you’re sure to find lots of oils that you love.
  2. UNMATCHED EXPERIENCE. As the leaders of the essential oil industry, Young Living has over 20 years of experience.
  3. UNMATCHED QUALITY. Young Living sets the standard for essential oils. They go above and beyond with their SEED TO SEAL GUARANTEE.

I’m planning on having my own oil party pretty soon, so if you’re local and would like to come learn more and make something fun to take home, let me know and I’ll make sure to invite you!

Soothing Tea Drops with Thieves – Giveaway 6/36

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I sort of stumbled upon my new favorite way to drink tea with soothing tea drops with Thieves.  This has been the worst winter with everyone in our family being sick over and over again.  I started looking for recipes to make some natural cough drops when Alma had an especially bad cough.  I found this recipe and made a batch of drops.  I added in a few drops of Young Living’s Thieves Vitality oil to up the immune support that honey and coconut oil naturally provide.

Alma’s doctor suggested giving her a spoonful of honey to help her cough.  In fact, it’s the only cough treatment that’s approved for the little ones.  The honey coats and soothes their little throats, while coconut oil is shown to have antiviral and antibacterial properties.  Thieves is also great at supporting our own immune systems as they fight off any bugs that might be getting us down.

I made a batch of the drops and put them in the fridge.  A while later, I was thinking a cup of tea with honey sounded good.  I’ve been adding a little bit of coconut oil to my coffee and tea, along with a drop of Thieves for a while.  I remembered the little drops in the back of the fridge and realized that I could just drop one of them into my tea for an instant, ready made boost.

Here’s what I do:

Soothing Tea Drops with Thieves
(modified from The Coconut Mama’s homemade cough drop recipe)

  • 1/2 cup organic, unrefined, cold-pressed , virgin coconut oil.
  • 1/2 cup raw, organic, local honey.
  • 5-10 drops Thieves Vitality oil.

Mix all ingredients together in a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer.  Whip it all together until it’s smooth and well incorporated and fluffy.

Put a couple teaspoons into mini muffin tins. I’m sure there are molds that would make beautifully smooth drops, but I’m more about using what I have and what I have is a mini muffin tray.  You could even just scoop onto a cookie sheet.  Note:  Since there are essential oils in here, you should use metal, glass, or silicone since oils and plastic don’t play well together.

Stick it in a freezer for about a half hour, just long enough for everything to solidify again.  The drops should slide right out.  Pop them in a jar and keep in the fridge for a long time.

When you’re ready to make the tea, start by steeping your favorite tea as you normally would.  Add one soothing tea drop to your tea. Sometimes I add another drop of Thieves, just to enhance the flavor and immunity support.

Mix it all up.  My favorite way to mix is with a few pulses with my immersion blender.  It really gets it all blended together, and even makes it a little bit frothy.

For this giveaway, I’m going to give away this Mug Rug (or one like it).  I’ve been working on a quilt for a while, and have lots of scraps left over.  I’ve started making these fun, scrappy coasters and I’m planning on adding them to my Etsy shop later this month – along with some other oily accessories!

Head over to my Instagram account for a giveaway of a handmade, quilted mug rug!  This is part six of my 36 Things for 36 Years project.  I’m giving away 36 things this year, and this week will be a whole week of oily giveaways! Details on how to enter here!

Also, make sure you enter my other Essential Oil Giveaways this week!  Essential Oil Sugar Scrub can be found here! Bath Bombs can be found here!  Green Smoothie with a bottle of Citrus Fresh can be found here!

 

Essential Oil Bath Bombs – Giveaway 4/36

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I’m not a huge bath person.  Wait, I should take that back.  I love taking baths in a big, deep tub where I can just float around and relax.  Unfortunately we have a super tiny (well, probably normal sized) tub, and I don’t find that very relaxing.  I decided to try making some bath bombs to up the relaxation game in my bathroom.

These are so great.  The moment you drop them in the water, they just go berserk, fizzing all over the place.  My girls love them in their baths, and I love how they are both moisturizing because of the oils, and add a calming scent to the whole bathroom.

I found quite a few different recipes around the internets, and settled on a combination of a few.  Most recipes have the same basic ingredients, just different ratios or other things thrown in for fun.

Here’s what I came up with:

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup carrier oil (almond oil, fractionated coconut oil, olive oil)
  • 1/2 cup corn starch
  • 1 cup baking soda
  • 1 cup citric acid
  • 10-12 drops of essential oil (I love to add relaxing oils to the bath, so I used about 10 drops of Release this time.  I think you could do pretty much anything and it would be great.)

Mix all ingredients together in a glass bowl.  You can use a spoon, but you might as well just use your hands and get the benefit of the oils while you mix it all up.  It should feel like wet sand, and hold together if you squeeze it in your hand.  You can add more baking soda if it’s too wet, or more oil if it’s too dry.

There are silicone molds you can use, but I don’t have one, and didn’t want to spend the money on one, so I just used my mini-muffin tin.  I just pressed the mixture into the cups.  The more firmly you press the mixture in, the better it will solidify.

Let it dry for at least 24 hours, pop them out, and store in an airtight container, glass is always best.

Please let me know if you have any questions!  I’d be happy to suggest some other oils, or help you get started with essential oils if you don’t know where to begin!

Head over to my Instagram account for a giveaway of some of this sugar scrub!  This part three of my 36 Things for 36 Years project.  I’m giving away 36 things this year, and this week will be a whole week of oily giveaways! Details on how to enter here!

Also, make sure you enter my other Essential Oil Giveaways this week!  Essential Oil Sugar Scrub can be found here!

 

Essential Oil Sugar Scrub – Giveaway 3/36

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Couldn’t we all use a luxurious, exfoliating, moisturizing addition to our shower routine?  This essential oil sugar scrub is seriously the best stuff ever.  I’ve made it before with just sugar and oil, but adding the essential oils this time really takes it from wow to WOWZERS THIS IS AMAZING.

This couldn’t be easier to make.  It is just a few ingredients, and comes together in less than five minutes, no joke.  And, get this, everything you need is probably in your kitchen right now.  Which makes it easy, cheap, and edible.  No harsh chemicals or things you can’t pronounce.  Just good, clean, delicious smelling fun!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (you could use white sugar if you wanted)
  • 1/2 cup carrier oil – I like a mix of 1/4 cup sweet almond oil and 1/4 cup coconut oil; this makes it smooth and creamy.
  • 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oil (see below for some combinations and ideas!)

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.  I find that using a mixer helps ensure that all the oils and sugar get fully incorporated – this is especially helpful if you’re using coconut oil that is solid.

Pour into an jar and screw on a lid.  Use a good scoop in the shower to exfoliate your skin and lock in moisture.  Tip:  do this near the beginning of the shower because the oils can make the shower floor slippery.  I find that if I do it in the beginning, by the end of the shower all the oils have rinsed away with my soap and shampoo, and the next person who gets in won’t slip and slide all around.

Essential oil ideas:

  • Energizing Citrus Fresh, Sacred Mountain, Frankincense.
  • Calming Lavender, Release, Gratitude, Stress Away.
  • Fresh Purification, Lemon, Grapefruit, Lemongrass.

Please let me know if you have any questions!  I’d be happy to suggest some other oils, or help you get started with essential oils if you don’t know where to begin!

Head over to my Instagram account for a giveaway of some of this sugar scrub!  This part three of my 36 Things for 36 Years project.  I’m giving away 36 things this year, and this week will be a whole week of oily giveaways! Details on how to enter here!