DIY Milk Bath Recipe

I heart baths. Love, love, love them. But I hate paying a ton for luxurious soaks. This DIY Milk Bath recipe is both economical and luxurious so grab a book, put on some relaxing music and get ready to soak away your troubles–all while using things you likely have in your pantry!

And hint hint….this is a GREAT gift idea to give the moms in your life for Mother’s Day!

DIY Milk Bath Ingredients:

• 1 & 1/4 cup Powdered Milk
• 1/4 cup and 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup and 1 tbsp baking soda
• Young Living Essential Oils – Purchase Info Here!
  • You could do any of the following combinations – have fun with this part!
  • 6 drops Ylang Ylang & 6 drops Lavender
  • 6 drops Stress Away & 6 drops Orange
  • 6 drops Peppermint & 6 drops Lime
  • Citrus Fresh, Peace & Calming, and Joy Essential Oil blends are other great ones to try!

DIY Milk Bath Directions:

Mix all ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Add to a glass jar and cap tightly. Mason Jars are a beautiful and economical way to package this recipe.  Wait 24 hours before use.  The recipe can be used for 4 baths using a little less than 1/2 cup each time and can be stored for roughly 3 months.

Relax & Enjoy!

A Day in My Oily Life

Good morning! I thought it would be fun to invite you into my home and show you my typical oil routine. First up -Coffee!! And as I wait for my cup to brew I roll on my wrists some highest potential.

It is a blend of oils that sets my intention for the day. It combines the uplifting and inspirational qualities of Australian Blue with the power of Gathering to help bring greater unity of purpose. Jasmine is added to enhance self-confidence, while ylang ylang calms, soothes, and harmonizes.

Throughout the day it is my reminder to reach higher and think positive. I put a roller filament on the bottle so I just roll on my wrists and neck. I swear I have an extra spring in my step when I use this oil.

Who else out there has a love/hate relationship with the diaper pail? Lol. To cut down on the smell (and kill germs) when changing out liners I always spray down with the thieves spray. Awesome smell and I love that is all natural and don’t have to worry if Bryces hands go all over this diaper pail later in the day when he decides he wants to throw out his own diaper.  This spray is also great for shopping carts, toilet seats, airplane trays, TV remotes….anywhere there are germs!

Hands down my favorite diffuser combo. Peppermint and Lime. Reminds me of mojitos and summer. Try it next time and see for yourself!  I love diffusing my essential oils to make the whole house smell yummy while also benefiting from the aromatherapy.

Coming in from outside and washing our hands. I LOVE the thieves foaming hand soap. All natural, smells great and isn’t Bryce adorable? Lol. I am lucky that he likes to wash his hands. Even if it means him playing with the faucet for the next 5 minutes. The best part of this hand soap is it is all plant based ingredients and you can purchase a large refill jug that makes it cost effective and is environmentally friendly.

Bryce fell when he was outside so I used this great rollerball combo on him cleanse and protect the scrap he got on his knee.  This rollerball is so easy to make. Take a glass roller bottle and put 10 drops each lavender and purification or tea tree. Then Just put a little carrier oil in like grape seed to help oils spread when applied. Voila! Diy boo boo stick great for kids but I use all the time too. So convenient!

I have been trying to keep my New Years Resolution to move more and eat less.  I bought the Active and Fit Kit Young Living sells and LOVE both these products. The Cool Azul Sports Gel has 10% essential oils in it and the first ingredient in it is Aloe, making this product moisturizing as well as super cooling to your aching muscles and joints. And the Deep Relief oil works great as an “Icy Hot” type product.  One of my good friends just ran a half marathon and the next day she had no soreness! She swears these products helped her immensely recover from the run.

Need I say more? A great combo.  Also try adding a few drops of Lime Essential Oil into your fajita’s or Key Lime Pie recipes next time you make them.

My new anti-aging combo.  Frankincense essential oil has helped keep my complexion clear, reducing my age spots and overall giving me a natural “glow.” I mix it with Maracuja Oil, which I love for its lightweight moisturizing properties. Living in Florida my skin doesn’t handle well heavy moisturizers. I find this combo to be working great for me currently.

Ahhh….Bedtime. I love to put two drops of Valor on my feet before bed. It really helps my mind “shut” down and go to sleep. Thank you for following along with my day and I would love to hear what essential oils you must have in your “oily” day.

If you have not purchased essential oils and are interested in doing so, I recommend the starter kit. It comes with 11 essential oils PLUS a diffuser of your choice. Click here to learn more and purchase!

DIY Bath Bomb Recipe

So over Christmas break I went into a Lush Store. I LOVE their products. But man they are expensive. One bath bomb costs $7! ONE! So I came home determined (after I purchased their dark angel face scrub/wash. Love it) to make my own.

I have to admit I cheated a little bit. I ordered a bath bomb making kit off of Amazon. It came with all of the ingredients pre-measured out and even came with a spray bottle and cute muffin liners. All I had to add was Coconut Oil and my Young Living Essential Oils (I choose Lavender and Lemon this run).

Tip – half way through I realized the bowl I used was way too small. Here is a pic of me mixing away while my husband is laughing at me getting ingredients all over myself and the kitchen. After this pic was taken we put the mix in our Kitchen Aid mixer and that worked MUCH better.

I didn’t color these as I didn’t want to use artificial colors. So I left them white. But at the end of the recipe are listed some natural ways you could color them. Get creative!

In the end I think they turned out lovely. I can’t wait to use them! It was so easy to do and I love how you can scent them with essential oils and create the perfect blend for your needs. Here is the recipe and instructions. Enjoy!

Makes 12 (or more) cupcake bath bombs

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Baking Soda
• 1 Cup Citric Acid
• 1 Cup Cornstarch
• 1 Cup Epsom Salt, reserve 2 Tbsp. for topping
• 5 Tbsp. of Coconut Oil or any other oil to soften skin
• 1 ½ Tbsp. of water (about 100 spritzes of water)
• 1 Tsp. or more of Young Living Essential Oils

Directions

1. Combine the baking soda, citric acid, cornstarch and Epsom salt (set aside 2 Tbsp. for topping) in a bowl.
2. Slowly drizzle in the oil and mix with hands or whisk until it is evenly combined.
3. Fill spritzer with water and spritz 100 pumps into the mixture while stirring.
4. Mix until crumbly. You will know it is ready when you squish the mixture together and it holds together. (see pro tips below)
5. Stir in essential oils and decorations.
6. Divide the mixture evenly into 12 parts filling the liner with a generous 1/3 cup of the mixture.
7. Press down and make even.
8. Sprinkle on the Epsom salt topping you set aside and press down.
9. You did it! Dry and set for 2 days.
10. Drop 1 or 2 bath bombs into a warm bath. Relax your muscles and melt your worries away.

 

Pro Tips

1. Using the right amount of water is the key to making great bath bombs. You want to use the least amount of water, only adding a little at a time, to get your mixture to stick together, but not so much that it becomes active. If it is a humid day use less water.
2. Organic, cold pressed oils like coconut, olive and walnut oil are natural moisturizers and they nourish the skin. Use them in your bath bombs. If you do not have these handy, no need to fret, any vegetable oil will do too.

 

Enhancing your Bath Bomb with Natural Color

Unlike artificial food dyes that have no additional benefits, you can enhance the color of your bath bomb with real foods that will actually benefit your skin. Here are some ideas:

Green Tea Matcha

(Sage Green Color) – Clock full of antioxidants that will give you more radiant skin. Add ½ Tbsp. to your mixture before dividing.

Dried Rose Petals

(Decoration) – Tightens pores and restores suppleness to skin. Crumple 2 Tbsp. into mixture before dividing.

Beet Powder

(Red) – Packed will folate, minerals and vitamins, beet powder is a great way to add color while anti-aging qualities fight wrinkles. Mix in 2 Tbsp. before dividing mixture.

Paprika

(Orange) – Rich in carotenes and beta-carotene which prevents age spots and freckles while promoting a brighter complexion. Mix in 2 Tbsp. before dividing mixture.

Spirulina

(Bluish to Greenish) – This super-food contains a wide range of minerals that are important in maintaining great skin, nails and hair. Add 2 Tbsp. into your mixture before dividing.

DIY Three Ingredient Sugar Scrub

I love those fancy hand scrubs that leave your hands soft and smelling like flowers. Here in Florida we have a bath store called Basin and I love to go in there and sample their scrubs. They have a sink display that allows you to play around with a bunch of their salt scrubs, soaps and lotions. I love it. However, every time I leave their store  I am empty handed. Why? Because one jar of their scrub could buy me a fancy 3 course meal somewhere. Or tickets to a movie for two WITH drink and popcorn. Crazy prices.

So I have been on a hunt for an easy, cheap DIY alternative. And I have found it. It has been sitting in my pantry closet for YEARS and I had no clue. Three ingredients people. That’s it. No cooking or fancy mixing instructions. Infact, I was lazy and mixed mine in the jar I put it in!

And the best part is you can scent it however you wish. No limits people. For this batch I used Lavender and Lemon but I am thinking with fall here a Cinnamon and Orange blend would be divine. And with the holidays around the corner I am thinking these will make an appearance in my son’s daycare teachers Christmas bags.  Maybe with the scent of Peppermint or a blend like Cedarwood and Spruce.

LAVENDER AND LEMON BROWN SUGAR SCRUB

TO MAKE THIS BATCH OF SUGAR SCRUB COMBINE THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS INTO A GLASS JAR:

• 1 CUP PACKED BROWN SUGAR
• 1/2 CUP COCONUT OIL
• 8 DROPS LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OIL
• 4 DROPS LEMON OIL

DIRECTIONS:  USE THIS IN YOUR BATH OR SHOWER TO MAKE YOUR SKIN SMOOTH AND SOFT!

There you go. I bought the glass jar I used at Walmart. The brown sugar and coconut oil are grocery store brand. Cheap. The essential oils are Young Living and are the brand I recommend you use for any essential oil usage. You can purchase them here.  The scrub left my hands soft, smooth and moisturized. I love it!

Enjoy!

Recipe for Pain Cream

I don’t know what happened, but when I turned 35 it was like my body decided youth was over and my joints needed to remind me that they have been abused. My hip hurts when I turn a wrong way, or my back will act up. And the flexibility I once had? Well, I know I have toes but it has been a while since I have seen them. Also, since having a baby I am finding my body just feels different. I am not one to take pain meds, so what am I to do?

Enter Panaway Essential Oil. It is a very popular blend that reduces pain and inflammation, increases circulation, and accelerates healing. It relieves swelling and discomfort from arthritis, sprains, muscles spasms and cramps, bumps, and bruises. The blend includes Helichrysum, Wintergreen, Clove, and Peppermint.

Panaway can be applied topically, or used aromatically,

Peppermint oil is known for its pain relief and Valor is a blend of Ylang ylang, Rosewood, Northern Lights Black Spruce, Matricaria, Idaho Blue Spruce, Frankincense, Vetiver, Cistus, Bergamot, Cassia and Davana oils. Combined with the Panaway oil you have one powerful pain relief blend.

I started using this one in a pain cream with two other essential oils and it works! I suffer from major neck tension/pain most days and this really helps it calm down at night. Brian has been using this on his ankle and his arthritic hot spots and even he says it is helping. I find it gives a nice cooling sensation to the skin and helps relax the muscles and joints.

Below is the recipe. Remember to store this in glass and not plastic, as oils degrade plastic over time. (I bought my jar at Walmart for like $2 – no need to get fancy expensive ones). You also could just mix a few drops of Panaway with some coconut or other oil and rub on your pain spot, but I find this cream makes applying it easy and moisturizes the skin at the same time. It really soothes and helps numb the pain. Try it and see for yourself.

• ¼ cup coconut oil
• ¼ cup shea butter
• 10 drops PanAway
• 10 drops Valor
• 10 drops Peppermint

Melt coconut oil and shea butter together in a double boiler. Let cool to touchable temperature. Add essential oils and stir. I refrigerate this initially to re-firm the oil, but I store in on the counter so its easier to apply as needed.

How to order oils needed (if you don’t already have them):

I can only speak to the effectiveness of Young Living Essential Oils. That is what I choose for my family, so that is what I recommend for anyone else to use! PanAway and Peppermint essential oils both come in the premium starter kit, which I talk about in detail here. It is a killer deal with 11 bottles of oil, a diffuser, and some other great samples, and purchasing this kit also gives you a wholesale discount, which means you can order anything else for a 24% discount. The Valor oil is not in the kit, but once you are a member you can purchase for the member price or just make the cream without it – it still will pack a punch!

 

 

Homemade Whipped Body Butter Using Essential Oils

I made my first batch of body butter the other day. I think my life has changed forever. Delightful, decadent and easy, I have always wanted to try making it. But I was convinced that it would be difficult and not work the way I wanted. Boy, was I wrong.

I love creamy body butters. But two things have always bothered me. They can be quite expensive and also, full of ingredients that are less than desirable for your skin and health.

We often forget that our skin is the largest organ on our body and absorbs what we put on it. If you are using lotions and body butters with chemicals in them (fragrances, preservatives, color additives, etc.) be aware that your skin absorbs the chemicals, too. Not exactly desirable. Body butters, made with pure oils and essential oils for fragrance are just the thing.

So I went to my friend called “google” and looked up recipes for homemade body butter. Wow this must be a thing because ALOT came up. In the end most recipes called for a combination of 75% solid to 25% liquid oil. Sounded easy enough.

So I measured out 1 cup of shea butter and 1/2 cup of coconut oil for the solid, and melted them in my home-made double boiler. (If you don’t have a double boiler, make sure there is space for the steam to escape and you are using a heat proof bowl).

Once melted I let it cool down for 30 minutes on the counter and then added my essential oils (I used Lime and Stress Away for this batch) and placed the oil mixture in the freezer to let it partially set up. At that point, I whipped it in the kitchen aid mixer and success! A beautiful body butter, so simple to make, smelling delicious and with a texture that was like clouds of silk.

IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE WITH YOUR BODY BUTTER WHIPPING: you probably rushed this step. It needs to be cooled significantly.

I have to admit, I am pretty excited at how easy it is to make. And you can use any essential oil combo you wish to scent it and give it extra healing punch.

Here is the recipe: Enjoy!

Body Butter

Makes 2 1/2 to 3 cups whipped butter.

• 1 cup organic raw shea butter (solid)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (solid)
• 1/2 cup almond oil (liquid)
• 20 drops essential oil

1. Melt shea butter and coconut oil in the top of a double boiler. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.

2. Stir in almond oil and essential oils (20 drops to start) of your choosing.

3, Place oil mixture in freezer or outside to chill.

4. Wait until oils start to partially solidify then whip until a butter-like consistency is achieved.

4. Place in clean glass jar and enjoy! A little goes a long way.

TIPS: PLEASE READ!

1. You can use what ever oils you wish, just make sure you keep the ratio 75% solid to 25% liquid.

2. The chilling step is crucial. If you don’t chill it properly, it won’t whip or stay whipped. About 20 minutes in the freezer should do the trick. Make sure you scrape down the sides while mixing.

3. Since this recipe does not contain any water, it will not mold. You should keep in a cool place but it does not have to be refrigerated.

4. I do not know the exact shelf life but I know it will keep at least a few months, plus.

5. The body butter melts as it goes on and gets a little oily but absorbs beautifully, quickly and leaves your skin very soft.

6. I only recommend Young Living Essential Oils. Order some here