5 Powerful Essential Oils For Opening the Heart

Posted on February 14, 2019 by Carmen

The heart plays such an important role in our lives, not only is it key in keeping us alive and our bodies functioning, it is the home for feelings. It is the place we manifest and create from, the space where we give and receive love.

As you may know essential oils are a wonderful tool in supporting your physical health but they also possess an emotional and energetic side. They help you in processing emotions and shifting things energetically. They work with all areas of the body, physical or emotional and the heart is no exception.

Often times due to the experiences of life we may shut down our hearts, guard them or close them off to love. This is natural as you may have been hurt or betrayed and you naturally want to protect yourself. This is just a part of the human experience and it’s ok, but a closed heart does not always lead the happiest life or create the best opportunities. The key is to have the tools to safely open up the heart space again, heal and move forward. Can it be scary, of course it can, but the benefits will outweigh the risks.

5 Powerful Heart Opening Essential Oils

There are a number of essential oils that you can use to support opening up your heart. Which one you choose depends on your intuition and the qualities you are looking for. When using a heart oil choose the one that you are drawn to, it is the one you need in that moment.

Geranium warms the body and opens the heart. It supports loving yourself, compassion and self healing. It supports you to more easily let go of judgments, angers, and resentments, and move you into the experience of unconditional love. Aiding you in letting go of emotional and mental baggage which can stagnate our relationships and block feelings of connection and love.

Lavender is the oil of communication. It helps you to listen what people are saying to you at a heart level. You’ll feel the spirit behind the words and speak their language. It also supports connecting to your true self as well as bringing buried emotions, thoughts and feelings to the surface (and therefore enabling you to release them and let them go)

Neroli will open the heart, balance emotions and uplift the spirits. It’s soothing and euphoric in its actions, instilling comfort and strength, encouraging the release of repressed emotions fostering forgiveness.

Jasmine soothes the heart, is stabilizing and balancing. It can relax and uplift as well as accentuate the sensual in your life.

Rose helps to soothe and strengthen the heart. It helps to alleviate depression and promote a sense of peace and harmony. It opens up the heart and soul to love and spiritual connection.

How to Apply Your Heart Oils

Use these heart oils by putting a few drops in your diffuser or applying topically with one drop directly on the heart space (the sternum between the breasts). You can also create a rollerbottle. Add 10-15 drops of your chosen heart essential oil in a 10 ml rollerbottle and top it with fractionated coconut oil.

Wonderful uses for heart essential oils are any time you want to open up the heart, hear someone at a heart level, or soothe and strengthen the heart. This could be during meditation, your yoga practice, before you go for a walk, having a conversation with someone or simply using it in your diffuser to support the heart while you work.

The Difference Between Boundaries and An Open Heart

Some of you may be concerned that opening up your heart too much can make you vulnerable or a person that people can take advantage of. This is not the case, as there is a difference between having an open heart and having boundaries. Boundaries are what you have in place to ensure that you are true to yourself and your beliefs. Living from your heart space creates a great capacity to love, be genuine and caring for yourself and others. Boundaries do not need to be compromised when living from your heart. In fact, you will find smoother communication with others, an ability to manifest more of what you want and be generally happier in your life.

Play with these heart oils this month and see how things open up and blossom for you.

If you would like to explore more about the emotional side of essential oils I would invite you to experience a Perfect Alignment Essential Oil Clearing. The theme for February is Love. It is designed to open yourself up to love with reckless abandon. This is your time to shine, to harness that energy of true love and all the joy and gifts it brings. This is not just romantic love but love for yourself and love for life! When you are surrounded by the energy of love wonderful and amazing things happen. Message me to connect for this clearing.

Fun in the Sun – Natural Solutions for Summer Fun

Posted on June 26, 2018 by Carmen

I love Summer! Those lazy days with no schedule and nowhere you have to be at any particular time. I love the sunshine and the extended time outdoors. What I don’t love is all those chemicals that we put on our skin to protect ourselves and our family from the sun and bugs. Have you ever wondered if there was a better solution?

Anything that we put on our skin gets absorbed into our bloodstream, which in turn enters our entire body. This is through a process called Dermal Absorption which is the transport of a substance (via diffusion) from the outer surface of the skin both into the skin and into the body. So no matter what we apply to our skin, whether they are chemicals or other will become absorbed into and affect our bodies. And think about it, our skin is the largest organ in our body, so when we’re lathering up with that sunscreen or bug repellent we are exposing ourselves to a lot of chemicals we may not want.

Essential oils, combined with other natural ingredients, can provide us with the protection we need without being concerned about what chemicals we are absorbing into our bodies (because they’re aren’t any). When you use all natural ingredients like essential oils, you can support your body in ways that you need and in ways that benefit and may improve your overall health and well being. Not only can essential oils and other natural ingredients protect your skin in the way you desire (your immediate need like sun protection), but you can also benefit from the other properties of the oil you are using as well, like nourishing the skin or soothing and calming benefits.

Natural Solutions for Summer

There are various combinations and recipes out there to create natural products that will protect you in the summer, but all have a basic formula of at least one essential oil combined with one or more other natural ingredients to work together for optimal protection.

You’ll notice that many of the recipes include lavender and peppermint essential oils, which are must have’s for summer time. Both oils have analgesic (may reduce pain), cooling and soothing properties which are very much needed in summer.

Natural Sunscreen

Fact: Out of 2000 sunscreens reviewed, more than 75% were found to contain toxic chemicals.

Some things to consider when creating your own sunscreen are things like SPF and waterproof ability. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor scale and is measured by a sunscreen’s ability to prevent UVB rays from damaging the skin. For example, if it takes 20 minutes for your unprotected skin to start turning red, then using a SPF sunscreen theoretically prevents reddening 15 times longer – so about 5 hours. Also the SPF number represents the percentage of protection that particular product provides. For instance, something with an SPF of 4-5 offers 75% protection.

There are a number of natural oils that naturally have an SPF factor rating. Coconut oil for instance has a rating of 4-5 SPF and contains antioxidants that help protect the skin from harmful radiation. Shea butter has an SPF of 5-6, Avocado oil SPF of 4-8 and Myrrh essential oil an SPF of 15 – plus ultra healing properties to help take care of your skin. Now using one of these by itself is not enough to provide the sun protection you need but used in combination can create a higher SPF and protection for your skin.

This Natural Sunscreen recipe uses a combination of these natural oils as well as beeswax which gives it waterproof ability.

Natural Sun Screen

1/2 c. oilve oil

1/4 c. fractionated coconut oil

1/4 c. beeswax

2 tbsp. Shea butter

1 tsp. Vitamin E oil

2 tbsp. zinc oxide

12 drops Helichrysum essential oil

Place all ingredients except zinc oxide and helichrysum essential oil into a glass mixing bowl. Fill saucepan with 2 to 3 inches of water and turn on medium heat. Place glass bowl in saucepan and stir as ingredients melt. Remove from heat and ad the helichrysum essential oil and zinc oxide. Pour into a glass jar and store in a cool place. Apply lotion to skin before sun exposure. Reapply as needed.

Bug Bite Relief

Fact: Many topical medicated creams for insect bite itching and irritation have side effects causing redness, irritation and swelling.

Ingredients

2 tsp. Fractionated Coconut Oil

10 drops Lavender essential oil

10 drops Peppermint essential oil

15-20 drops doTERRA Purify essential oil blend

Add lavender and peppermint or purify essential oil to 10 ml rollerbottle. Add fractionated coconut oil to top. Secure the lid to your roller bottle and shake until ingredients combine. Apply as needed.

Heat Protectant Spray (for hair)

Shield your strands with a heat protectant spray made with Clary Sage and Geranium essential oils. Easy to make, this DIY spray will have your hair feeling full and healthy.

1 tsp. Fractionated Coconut Oil

1 tsp. Sweet almond oil

2 tsp. doTERRA Salon Essential Smoothing Conditioner

1 c. water

5 drops Clary Sage

5 drops Geranium

Small spray bottle

Pour half of water into spray bottle. Add fractionated coconut oil, sweet almond oil, conditioner and essential oils into bottle. Add remaining water and shake well.

To use, apply one spritz to hair and work it through until hair is lightly coated. Style as normal.

Natural Allergy Relief

1 drop Peppermint

1 drop Lavender

1 drop Lemon

Put into glass of water and drink. May need to increase to 2 drops each depending on person. *Note: not all brands of essential oils are safe to ingest. Research the brand you are using before ingesting.

Or create an allergy relief rollerbottle. Increase the amount of drops to 4 drops each and top with fractionated coconut oil. Shake and roll on as needed across chest and back of neck.

Check out more natural DIY recipes for summer, such as after sun and bug repellent, in part 2 of our Natural Solutions for Summer Fun.

Top 8 Essential Oils for Hiking

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Carmen

Hiking is one of those summer activities that I really love. It’s one of those go anywhere activities that is always an adventure, an exploration of the natural space around you and different every time. It’s inexpensive and is available to everyone of all ages and all levels. All you really need is a good pair of hiking boots. (Ok I know to hike safely there’s a few more things you should bring – backpack, first aid kit, water, etc. – but in essence your equipment is minimal and it can be an inexpensive but very enjoyable activity).

Hiking also provides us with many health benefits from strengthening your core, lowering blood pressure and improving your balance. Not to mention the benefits of simply being out in nature (like leaving that technology behind!) I always feel fantastic after a day of hiking, whether it’s been a 3 km loop on a flat trail or a good hike up the side of a mountain. I always feel more alive and invigorated than when I left.

What does not always feel so great though are some of the after effects of hiking. From sore achy muscles (especially if this is my first hike of the season), to possibly a few scrapes and bruises or some insect bites. Even though sometimes that nice all over achy feeling can be a good feeling, I like to avoid the “Oh my God now it hurts to move” the next day.

Last summer, quite by accident, I discovered a combination to help reduce these aches and pains and a few other hiking ‘side effects’ while using my essential oils. I had been an avid user of essential oils for the past year and was discovering more and more about their benefits and uses. I just naturally started to bring them along on trips as I usually needed an oil for something. What I hadn’t though about yet was how I could use them specifically for hiking.

I had just done a hike with the kids around Moraine Lake, which is near Lake Louise. It was only a short hike that day, but we had done a bit of climbing and I was already starting to feel achy. Taking what I knew, I quickly decided to take a drop of Frankincense internally* and apply some Deep Blue to my muscles. (I love Deep Blue, I think it is one of the most amazing blends for aches and pains. I love how it penetrates and gives you that nice cooling feeling). Then I carried on with the evening making supper and sitting around the fire. The next day when I woke up I fully expected to be at least a little bit achy. But to my surprise I wasn’t at all! I was thrilled! and happily put my boots on again for another hike with the kids, this time a 12 km adventure.

Top 8 Essential Oils for Hiking

This also made me think about what other essential oils would be beneficial for hiking and enjoying the outdoors. So I explored more and as a result give you the Top 8 Essential Oils for Hiking (really must have’s don’t leave home without them list).

Frankincense – supports cellular health and cellular restructure and rebuilding. Perfect for supporting healing those muscles after a hike or any workout.
Deep Blue – formulated to soothe and cool, this wonderful blend does just that. It reminds me of my Grandpa’s old formula of A5-35, but nicer smelling and all natural! Apply topically where needed.
Peppermint – this one does a lot for hikers. It supports opening up your airways, can soothe aches and pains as well as cools and refreshes (place a drop on the back of the neck) when your feeling hot. It is also a wonderful oil for giving you an energy boost – you know if you need it to get up that last little bit to the top.
Eucalyptus – is the oil of wellness, so great all around for hiking to feel well – will also open up your airways. Apply 1-2 drops topically across the chest.
Wild Orange – is an uplifting and energizing oil. You probably already feel great cause your outside enjoying the outdoors, but that extra little lift wouldn’t hurt, nor that boost of energy to get to the top! Drop 1-2 drops into your hands, rub them together, cup gently over the nose and mouth and inhale deeply for 30-60 seconds.
Cypress – this one is excellent when hiking at higher elevations as it provides circulatory support. Use 1 drop topically across the chest.
Lavender – eases sore achy muscles, supports anti inflammatory and is great for reducing itchiness from bug bites! Apply topically where needed.
Myrrh – has powerful cleansing properties and when combined with lavender (which is also anti fungal and anti bacterial) in a spray bottle makes an excellent foot spray to use in your hiking boots to prevent foot fungus.

**Essential oils can be used 3 ways, aromatically, topically and internally. Depending on the intended outcome (and kind of oil) will depend on how best to use it.

I use these in a combination of ways from preventative to after care. I usually do my frank and deep blue combination after the hike, but often use my peppermint topically across the chest before heading out and I always take a drop of Wild Orange in my hands rub them together and breathe deeply before I start any day.

Depending on what kind of hike I am doing I’ll use the cypress topically for the higher elevation hikes and I always spray my boots with the lavender myrrh combination before heading out.

Of course I bring a little ‘mini’ first aid kit of these oils (and a few others) so I have them on hand should the need arise – like Lavender for bug bites and Terra Shield for bug repellent. I pack them in small dram bottles which does not take up much room in my pack and I have been very glad to have them on many occasion.

Essential oils are such wonderful things! and can do so many things for us in supporting our health and wellness, both on a physical and emotional level. If you’re interested in learning more about essential oils or would like to give some of these a try on your next hike, contact me and I’d love to help you out.

*Note: not all essential oils are safe to ingest. Depending on what oil it is and what brand (as not all essential oils are created equally due to growing practices, extraction of the oil, etc. There are also currently no regulations or guidelines on producing essential oils in Canada) Ensure you research the brand of essential oil you are using to be sure.

**Safe for use for all members of the family. When using with children dilute the essential oil with a carrier oil before applying topically.

Create Success in the Classroom – Essential Oils for Back to School

Posted on September 8, 2017 by Carmen

Create success in the classroom with these essential oils for back to school.

It’s that time of year again back to school and fall routine. Personally I love the summer schedule, the lazy days, warm summer sunshine and the freedom of being able to just play. Go anywhere at anytime and not have to worry about ‘the schedule’.

For some kids back to school can be quite challenging. They have a hard time sitting for longer periods of time, focusing on what’s going on or simply becoming overwhelmed by all the action and energies that are going on in the classroom. This can make things uncomfortable and definitely not fun for a child who feels this way.

I have always felt that children are uniquely different and that they each have their skills and talents and learn in different ways. No one child will learn the exact same way as another, which is why our school systems have changed in so many ways over the years. I still feel the system has a ways to go to reach all children, but it’s great to see some progress and specialty programs that can meet more children’s learning styles and needs.

That being said I think a majority of schools still teach to the average child, which is a small percentage of children in the class, while the rest fall above or below the line for various reasons. Little Johnny can’t focus so he misses out or gets in trouble a lot because he’s always fidgeting and moving. It’s not that he doesn’t want to, his body just needs a little support in doing so – and there’s nothing wrong with that.

In comes essential oils, an easy, simple and effective way to help support children (and adults too) at school and in their daily lives.

Keys to Success at School

In order for children to have success at school they need to have a strong foundation which consists of these 5 elements

Good diet, nutrition and exercise
Proper rest (so they have enough energy for the day’s activities)
Boosted (strong) immunity
Emotional support
Mental clarity and focus

These key elements prep a child (and adult – we need this stuff too) to be able to function at their optimal level throughout the day. If even one of these is out of whack, it can affect their ability to focus, process or manage themselves emotionally.

How Essential Oils Can Help at School

Essential oils are great tools to add to a child’s wellness routine to not only assist and support them in these elements but to maintain a healthy balance. There are a number of oils that can support these. Here’s a quick overview of some of these oils to get you started.

Focus & Concentration

We all know how hard it is to get things done and done well when we can’t focus! Try these when you can’t focus or need to.

In Tune – is a focus blend that helps enhance and sustain focus. This works wonders with my son who often needs support in this area. Roll this oil on the back of the neck or the bottoms of the feet. I have been using the InTune blend quite a bit this week myself, as I have been having trouble getting myself focused after my relaxed summer vacation! And it has been working like a charm. I feel like I’m on fire and have accomplished so much this week.

Rosemary – helps maintain concentration and supports memory. Apply topically under nose and across forehead.

Immunity Boost

OnGuard – this blend is my top go to when boosting immunity. It supports healthy immune function, respiratory and circulation, support’s body’s natural antioxidant and is energizing and uplifting. You can diffuse it, add it to a spray bottle with water for a natural hand sanitizer or spray on your counters to clean and sanitize surfaces.

Ginger – commonly known for it’s aid in reducing nausea, ginger also has strong antioxidant properties, inhibiting the growth of bacteria and stimulates blood circulation (which means more oxygen is getting to your tissues to help remove toxins and viruses).

Calm & Balance

We all know how difficult it can be when we are riled up, anxious, overwhelmed or upset. Who can concentrate, focus or even function when our bodies are in that state? Essential oils can cross the blood brain barrier and therefore act quickly in providing the needed support; supporting the child in moving back into balance quickly and easily. Feeling better in their bodies and able to manage what is happening around them and do what they need to do, whether it be at home or school.

Balance – is one of my favorite blends which we use frequently at our house. This blend calms and balances emotions, reduces stress and anxiety. It also has a lovely scent which I could sniff all day!

Frankincense – is known as the King of Oils, is a grounding oil and supports emotional balance.

Healthy Digestion

Starting with a healthy breakfast in the morning is only part of the equation. Ensuring our bodies are digesting properly and absorbing the nutrients we need is key. This is why using essential oils to support digestion can be of great benefit.

Lemon – we start with a glass of lemon water in the mornings – 1-2 drops of lemon essential oil mixed in a glass of water, which flushes the system, hydrates the body, boosts immunity as well as improving digestion. The advantage of using the essential oil over fresh lemon is it does not cause deterioration of the enamel on our teeth or damage the gums.

DigestZen – is a wonderful companion to aid in the digestion of food, soothe occasional upset stomachs, and reduce uncomfortable gas and bloating. When my daughter has a sore tummy we apply this topically on her stomach and she feels more comfortable within minutes.

Restful Night’s Sleep

We all know a good night’s sleep is key for anyone to function well during the day. Lack of quality sleep can affect mood, focus, concentration, memory, weakened immunity and overall health. Diffusing calming oils overnight can help balance and process days events as well as support a restful night’s sleep.

Breathe/ Easy Air – is a wonderful one for sleep as it supports the respiratory system and opens up the airways therefore allowing more oxygen to enter the body and creating a more restful sleep. Often can reduce or eliminate snoring as well.

Lavender – a common one used for sleep as it promotes calming and relaxation. One thing to note with lavender is for some children and highly sensitive people lavender can have the opposite effect and instead of calming it can energize. Experiment with this one to gauge what the effects are and perhaps choose a citrus oil instead.

The beauty of essential oils is that there’s not just one oil with the support you’re looking for. Many of the oils share similar properties, so if the one you choose to try first doesn’t work for you, then there is another one to try!

Give some of these combinations a try and let me know how it worked out, either with yourself or the kids.

Interested in what other oils could support focus, immunity, sleep, etc.? Would you like to give some a try? For the month of September I am offering Back to School Essential Oil Kits to support these different elements. Check them out here.

Top 10 Uses of Peppermint Essential Oil

Posted on July 11, 2017 by Carmen

Peppermint essential oil is one of the most commonly known and used essential oils yet many people do not fully realize the benefits of this fabulous oil. Personally I love peppermint, well all things mint really, I’ve always loved the freshness of it and the invigorating smell that peppermint provides. I’ve used peppermint in many things from smoothies to chocolates but until I embarked on this journey learning about oils I honestly thought that that was about all it could do. Sure it smelled nice but that was it right?

Wrong! Peppermint has many uses and health benefits to support us in our health and wellness, plus the smell is fantastic! In fact, many of them I now use daily to support my own health (can we say muscle tension after sitting all day at the computer?)

Benefits of Peppermint Essential Oil

Invigorating and energizing – if you’re experiencing that afternoon slump or just need a pick me up, peppermint essential oil will do the trick. Place a drop in your palms and rub them together then loosely cup your hands over your mouth and nose and breathe deeply. Within moments you’ll feel energized and refreshed. You can also diffuse peppermint with wild orange to enhance the effects and keep you energized all day.
Supports digestion – add a drop of peppermint into your water to support healthy digestion. This is also very effective if you’re experiencing digestive discomforts to alleviate those as well.
Reduces heartburn – eliminate the discomfort of heart burn within minutes. Put a drop on your hand and lick it off or add to your water and drink.
Alleviates headaches – place a drop on the back of your neck or on the temples to assist in eliminating headaches. Be careful when placing it on your temples not to get it too close to your eyes.
Relieves muscle tension and stress – ok I didn’t think this one would work but my shoulders were feeling so tight one day I tried it. Put a drop on the area that is bothering you and give yourself a nice little massage 🙂 not only will you immediately notice the cooling sensation which is nice in itself, but it will start to release and relieve muscle tension (my shoulders say thank you).
Supports breathing – peppermint clears the airways and opens things up for good clear breathing. I have a friend who’s having some breathing issues, having a hard time taking a full breath and constantly coughing. She started drinking peppermint tea on a regular basis (1 drop peppermint oil in the bottom of your mug, then add hot water and approach the mug respectfully) which has reduced her cough and opened up her airways so she can breath more deeply.
Freshens bad breath – add a drop on the tongue or to your toothpaste for fresh clean breath.
Improves mental focus and clarity – place a drop in the palm of your hands, rub them together and then cup your hands gently over your nose. Breath deeply, this will bring you back to a place of focus and a clear head.
Natural insect repellant – there are many bugs who do not like peppermint. Ants, spiders, ticks, mosquitos and even lice will be repelled.
Allergy relief – because it is highly effective in opening up the nasal passages it can clear out the muck and pollen during allergy season. Taken in combination with lemon and lavender essential oils this can be a very effective method of clearing allergies during allergy season (In fact, we recently went camping and soon after we arrived at the site my daughter got red itchy eyes and her face started to puff up. I gave her the lavender, lemon, peppermint combination and within 20 minutes she was clear and comfortable).
Anti itch – any time my kids get a bug bite we immediately put on a drop of peppermint and lavender which cools the redness and soothes the itch.

Ok so that was 11 but I thought I’d throw in a bonus one. I also use peppermint essential oil in my homemade chocolates as well as many of my smoothies. It works great in a pinch when I don’t have any fresh on hand (be aware though one drop is likely all you need).

We love peppermint and use it daily in supporting our health and wellness. Give it a try and see how peppermint essential oil benefits you and your family.

*One thing that is important to note is that not all brands of essential oils are safe to ingest. Not all oils are created equally and many store brands have synthetics and fillers in them. If one brand gives you a headache this could be why, so try another brand.

Make sure that your essential oils are 100% certified pure essential oils. I trust the doTERRA Brand Essential Oils because they exceed the highest quality standards and many of them are safe to ingest. They are clearly labeled and indicate whether or not you are able to use them internally. They are also highly potent oils because they are 100% pure and of such high quality – so you will be using less oil for the same effect compared to other brands.

Want to learn more about essential oils but don’t know where to start? Check out the Top 5 Essential Oils for Beginners.

DIY Mother’s Day Gifts with Essential Oils

Posted on May 10, 2017 by Carmen

Pamper Mom this Mother’s Day with these easy DIY Essential Oil gifts. These gifts will not only relax and pamper her but she’ll appreciate the love that was put into them when they were made specially by you.

Mother’s Day is another holiday where we can go a little crazy with the spending and the gifts (average spending in Canada is about $100) because we want to show Mom how much we love and appreciate her. Of course as we Mom’s deserve it! We do a lot and we work hard. But if you’re looking for a loving gift for Mom that shows you appreciate her and that’s easy and affordable then try one of these DIY Essential Oil gifts that she’s sure to love!

Not only are these gifts a great way to pamper Mom and tell her that you love her, the essential oils in them provide many benefits that will support her physical and emotional health, naturally.

DIY Essential Oil Gifts for Mom

Gardener Hand Soap

If Mom loves to putz in the garden then this is the perfect gift for her. This easy-to-make Gardener’s Hand Soap exfoliates, cleanses, and moisturizes all in one use! Clary Sage is an oil that has relaxing and soothing properties that help with rejuvenation and calming of the skin. While Melaleuca known for its purifying qualities, is also good for cleansing the skin and promoting healthy immune function.

Lavender Myrrh Cuticle Cream

A homemade cuticle cream is a great way to bring moisture and health back to your nails. Add a little extra to your gift for Mom and help her apply it with a mini hand massage! This cream can also be used on your hands, lips, or anywhere you have dry spots. If you choose Lavender to add in be ready for calming and relaxing benefits, if you choose Myrrh it’s soothing to the skin and promotes emotional balance and well being.

Essential Oil Body Wash

Help Mom wake up her senses in the morning or calm them down at night with a scented body wash. Using essential oils can provide valuable nourishment to your skin, if it contains the right ingredients. For an energizing body wash choose oils such as Peppermint, Grapefruit or Lime. For a calming body wash choose Lavender, Bergamot or Roman Chamomile.

Ginger Lime Brown Sugar Scrub

Mom can exfoliate and soften her skin with this easy to make body scrub. The Ginger essential oil creates a balanced, grounded and feeling of empowerment, as well as supporting healthy joint function. While Lime purifies the skin and positively effects mood.

Strawberry Lime Sugar Scrub

If Mom likes to smell like dessert than this is the body scrub for her. Super easy to make and with all the uplifting benefits of Lime essential oil.

Essential Neck Wrap

Help Mom relax and soothe sore muscles with this easy to make neck wrap. When used with essential oils, they can provide additional relief and benefits. Incredibly easy and affordable, just add in your favorite essential oil.

Fizzy Bath Bombs

Bath bombs are a fun gift as they add excitement to your senses and a little entertain as you watch it fizz as it dissolves in the water. Add your favorite essential oil to invigorate – like Wild Orange and Spearmint or relax like my favorite Lavender, Cedarwood or Frankincense.

Lavender Bath Salts

These bath salts may be the easiest of our do it yourself gifts for Mom. Simply take 2 cups of Epsom salts and add 10-15 drops of Lavender essential oil – mixing them together in a glass jar or bowl. If you want to get fancy add some dried lavender pieces (I’ve seen them at the Bulk Barn) for a little added color. Store in an airtight container, wrap a bow around it and give it to Mom! Have her add it to her bath to soothe the skin and relaxation.

Lime & Mint Foot Soak

This easy to make foot soak will energize, uplift and refresh. Let Mom soak her feet and take it easy for a bit. Maybe even bring her a nice glass of wine or coffee to sip while she soaks.

Orange Creamsicle Lip Balm

No list of pampering for Mom would be complete without a moisturizing lip balm. A common must have this natural lip balm is full of health benefits and yummy flavor! The fresh, sweet scent of Wild Orange is energizing and provides immune support.

No matter what gift you choose to make for Mom this Mother’s Day, she’ll definitely know that you love and appreciate her! Whether you make one or two I’d recommend you make enough for yourself to either join in with her or enjoy yourself later, might as well. I know for myself that I love the scents of essential oils and when I’m working with one of my favorites I can’t get enough! Plus it’s a great excuse to go take some me time later – can’t waste what I’ve made. May you enjoy your day as a Mother or spending time with yours in some way. Happy Mother’s Day!

Interested in learning more about essential oils or have a question? Drop me a line I’d love to chat with you.

Treat Mom & Enter to Win!

Intro to Essential Oils – Top 5 Essential Oils for Beginners

Posted on May 4, 2017 by Carmen

When I was first introduced to essential oils it was through an aromatherapy session, an optional add on during a massage I was having a few years ago. At that time, I didn’t really think that it would do much for me other than smell nice and add to my relaxing experience. Since then I have been introduced to essential oils in so many different ways, through chocolates, cooking, energy healing – reiki sessions and used to clear chakras and blockages and now everyday use, prevention and healing.

In fact, as I was slowly introduced to and learning about essential oils and what they could do for us, I was absolutely amazed that there was so much they could do and didn’t understand why I was not using these in my life. There were natural substances, extremely effective and had been around for centuries.

History of Essential Oils

Essential oils have been used by many cultures around the world for centuries. Their uses varied between cultures from religious purposes to healing the sick. Though it is hard to pinpoint exactly when essential oils gained notoriety as effective healing agents there is early evidence of their use in Lascaux, France dating as far back as 18,000 BCE. Medicinal plants were used in everyday life and had many uses and benefits.

Somewhere along the way, we lost the knowledge of essential oils and they did not see as much use as they had in the earlier centuries. Now we are rediscovering their uses and benefits to aid and support our health and well being – as well as fantastic healing properties.

The Next Step in My Journey

Last year when I started learning more about essential oils and their uses I took a look at what I wanted to adjust in my life and which oils would best support that. For me sleep was a huge issue, being able to go to sleep quickly but not being able to stay in a deep restorative sleep through the night. I woke up each morning exhausted.

So my colleague recommended that I rub lavender oil on the bottom of my feet each night before I went to bed (you rub it on the bottom of your feet because it has quick absorption and delivery to the body). I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical but decided to give it a go. I was amazed at the results – they weren’t immediate that night – but within a week I was already sleeping better, deeper and feeling more rested in the mornings. This was enough to propel me forward in my learning and exploration of essential oils and their uses (other than diffusing it and it smelling nice – though diffusing is highly beneficial as it puts the properties of the oil into the air and you benefit through inhalation).

Top 5 Essential Oils to Get You Started

Now there are so many oils out there and there is so much to learn. So when you are just starting out it can certainly be overwhelming! As a result I have put together my top 5 list of essential oils to start with, play with and learn about, which will provide you with a good foundation of knowledge and how to work with the oils.

Lavender

One of the most popular essential oils in the world, lavender I thought that other than helping with relaxation/ sleep and that it smelled good was as far as it goes. But then I discovered that lavender has many other benefits such as

Reduces anxiety and emotional stress
Heals burns and wounds
Restores skin complexion and reduces acne
Slows aging with powerful antioxidants
Improves eczema and psoriasis
Alleviates headaches

The one I found most fascinating was that it heals burns. A colleague of mine told us a story about how she had badly burned her hand one year making Thanksgiving dinner and instead of running cool water over it, as many of us have been taught, she went straight to her lavender oil and rubbed that all over her hand. By the next day it was as if the hand had not been burned at all. Since then if I burn myself I go straight for the lavender as well and have experienced phenomenal results.

Lemon

One of the most versatile oils, lemon is commonly recognized for it’s fresh scent and non toxic cleaning. It is also known to have many cleansing and digestive benefits for the body (you know that glass of lemon water they recommend you drink in the morning?) The downside of the real lemon in your water is that too much lemon can cause deterioration of the gums, while using the essential oil instead you reap the cleansing benefits and are not in danger of bleeding gums (this is because the oil is extracted from the outer peel and not the inner fruit). Lemon is also

Very uplifting and energizing
Improves mood
Can be added to food to enhance flavors of desserts and other dishes
A Thirst quencher
Provides cough relief
Nourishes the skin
Provides Immune support

Melaleuca or Tea Tree

My first exposure to tea tree oil was when my kids got head lice and I wanted a more natural alternative to the toxic shampoo they recommended. I learned that tea tree was not only effective in getting rid of lice but was also a great preventative measure to avoid getting lice. I also knew that this oil was effective in managing acne but that was about it. As with all my other explorations I learned that Melaleuca could do so much more

Effective against infections (fungal, bacterial)
Anti-microbial laundry freshener
Insect repellant
Natural deodorant
Acne face wash
Removes foot order
Removes mold
Household cleaner

Frankincense

Every time I hear about Frankincense I think about the 3 Wise Men who brought the gifts to the baby Jesus – and up until recently that was about all I knew about it. It turns out that Frankincense is one of my favorite oils, not just because of what it does, but I love the scent. There’s just something about that woody, spicy scent that I love. Bonus is Frankincense has many healing properties

Supports healthy cellular function
Promotes feelings of relaxation
Reduces the appearance of skin imperfections
Anti-aging and wrinkle reducing
Helps relieve inflammation or pain
Supports wound healing
Is grounding
Eases digestion
Natural cold or flu remedy
Works well with other oils

Oregano

My first introduction to oregano was when I had a horrible sore throat and was told that oil of oregano would knock it out of the park quickly. All I can remember was how horrible this stuff was, but I took it anyway because it seemed to work. What I have now discovered (not all oils are created equal) is that there are much better ways to use this oil and in a more comfortable manner (the oil of Oregano you purchase from the health food store is also not the same as the pure essential oil). Oregano essential oil is often used in cooking but is also

Powerful cleansing agent
Antioxidant
Immune Boosting
Supports healthy digestion
Prevents and treats infections
Natural insect repellant
Relieves muscle and joint pain

For many people often times the smell can determine which oil they will use – as many of the oils have common properties and not one oil fits all. And sometimes a blend of different oils together will provide even more benefits to you and dampen the smell that you may not like as a single oil. So if you can’t stand the smell of lavender but need support for sleep do not despair, there is another oil to try or a blend that will do the trick.

Another thing that is important to note is not all essential oils are created equal. Make sure you purchase high quality oils as many drugstore and mall brands contain synthetic derivatives and additives which do not have the same properties. They may be less expensive but you are not getting the same quality and may need to use more. With pure essential oil you only need a drop or two to make a difference.

What is/ are your favorite essential oils to use? Share in the comments below

Interested in learning more about essential oils? Contact me to get started.