ART Skincare Line Review

I don’t know about y’all, but for years I had a hard time finding facial products that actually had a good effect on my skin. Yes, I’d found some that seemed okay for a few days, but then would come that horrible day when I would wake up to discover that my skin had broken out, and I’d realize that the product I had been using had done more to clog and dry out my skin than to nourish or moisturize it.

I have tried everything from Nuetrogena to expensive brands like Boscia, Murad and Glamglow. The expensive brands worked better than the cheaper ones, but they still weren’t what I’d hoped for. My skin still broke out, and I still felt too dry or too oily. Not to mention the “wrinkles” that are beginning to crop up around my eyes, etc. I needed to find a better way!

The last few months I have been experimenting with using essential oils on my skin. First I used Frankincense with a carrier oil on my skin at night. It did help keep my skin clear and brightened my complexion. It even took away a blue beauty mark I had on my forehead! See picture below.

Blue Spot gone after applying Frankincense Oil Twice a Day on it!

Then two months ago I bought Young Living’s Essential Beauty Serum. I LOVE this product! It has great essential oils in it like Cedarwood and Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood that nourish and hydrate the skin. A bottle is only $20 too which is a steal! Since I have been using this (1-2 times a day) my skin is softer and smoother.

And now this past month I have purchased The ART Skincare System by Young Living.

Young Living recognizes the incredible power of essential oils, and uses them in all their skin care products. In the ART line they have added frankincense and sandalwood to reinforce DNA renewal and replenish the skin. They also use the legendary wolfberry seed oil, which is known for its superior moisturizing and skin conditioning properties. Add it all together and you have an amazing formula for a truly unique and effective skin care system!

The ART system comes with a cleanser, a toner and a moisturizer. You can use these products alone, or in combination with other Young Living skincare products. I am still using my Essential Beauty Serum at night and layer the moisturizer on top of that. My skin is really starting to glow and smooth out!

Your skin is your largest organ. Treat it with quality products, and natural if you can.

From a former Sephora o’holic that has tried about every skincare brand out there, trust me when I say that the ART skincare line works. I challenge anyone to try it and not like it. It stands up to the best of them – but without ALL those nasty chemicals!

If you are ready to order click the link below.  It will take you to the Young Living website.  Choose retail or member (best pricing) and follow the prompts.

Bon Voyage Travel Kit

So you like your Young Living Essential Oils but don’t know what to order next. Let me share a gem I have discovered recently.  Last month I ordered Young Living’s Bon Voyage Travel Kit.  You get 11 airplane carry on approved items for face and body that are packaged in a nice quality travel bag.  When I unboxed it I was amazed at how LARGE some of these items were! It is a great way to try numerous Young Living products at once without having to spend the money on full size versions.  I am loving everything I have tried so far and these items would make great stocking stuffers at Christmas time or to give as part of a gift basket to someone!

Bon Voyage offers 11 Young Living personal-care products inside an attractive, custom-designed, Young Living bag:

1. Thieves AromaBright Toothpaste, 2 oz.
2. Thieves Waterless Hand Purifier, 29.5ml.
3. Thieves Dental Floss
4. Thieves Fresh Essence Plus Mouthwash, 2 oz.
5. Young Living branded Toothbrush
6. Lavender Shampoo, 2 oz.
7. Lavender Conditioner, 2 oz.
8. Cinnamint Lip Balm
9. Morning Start™ Bath & Shower Gel, 2 oz.
10. Genesis Hand and Body Lotion, 2 oz.
11. ART Light Face Moisturizer

These travel-sized toiletries make Bon Voyage convenient as well as compact—a perfect size for carry-ons or handbags.

 

 

Travel Kit
Retail	$72.37
Wholesale	$55.00

Primary Benefits

• Safe and effective personal-care products that are infused with Young Living essential oils
• Convenient and compact for easy travel
• Branded travel bag with travel-sized toiletries
• Great gift idea
• TSA compliant

If you have never purchased Young Living before, the best way to start is to purchase an essential oil kit with diffuser.  It is a great way to get started on your wellness journey and it allows you to get member pricing with Young Living, which is 24% cheaper than Retail pricing!  Click here to order.

 

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!

Essential Oils for Weight Loss

I am getting ready to start this essential oil weight loss trio and thought I would share it with you all.

I still haven’t lost most of the weight I gained from my pregnancy with Bryce. So I have recently made a lot of lifestyle changes. I have joined a gym, I am making better snack/lunch choices and I am trying not to snack after dinner. All of these changes have definitely made me feel better, and my clothes fit a tad more comfortably, but I have only lost about 5 lbs. in the last few months (since making those changes), and I still have a lot to loose to be truly healthy.
When I heard about this weight loss trio and all of the amazing things it has done for people, I knew I had to give it a shot! Not only are these oils just great for you for so many different reasons, but if I can use them to help loose a few pounds too…why the heck not!?

I will definitely update you all on my progress on this post, once I really get going with it!

How it works for weight loss: 
Lemon oil is great for detox and energy, peppermint oil curbs those snacky appetites, and grapefruit oil gives your metabolism a great boost! Plus, coconut oil (used as a carrier oil to fill the capsules), is also known to be great for weight loss.  In fact, all of the oils listed here have MANY other benefits for you!

Want to join in the fun with me!? Here is how:

Oils needed:

• Young Living Lemon essential oil
• Young Living Grapefruit essential oil
• Young Living Peppermint essential oil

(It is HIGHLY suggested that you do not ingest any other brand of oil. Most are not made to be taken internally, but YL’s high quality pure essential oils are safe).

Other supplies:

• Empty vegetable capsules, size 00 (or size 0 if you are wimpy with taking big pills like me)
• Carrier oil (grape seed oil, coconut oil, or Olive Oil)
• Glass dropper

Directions:
Now its time to fill your capsules! Hold the larger end of the capsule and put 2-4 drops each of your essential oils listed above. A lot of people suggest easing your self into it, especially if you don’t already consume oils, since your body sometimes needs a bit of time to adjust to all of the oily goodness. After you have added each of the oils, using your glass dropper, fill the capsule the rest of the way with your carrier oil. Then, attach the smaller half of the capsule on top of the smaller (now filled) half. If holding the capsule and doing all of this is a little tricky for you, I hear that setting it into a bowl of rice, or a hair brush (between the bristles) can be really helpful with this step.

I will probably start with one capsule a day, and when I feel like it and/or need a bit more of a boost, move on to one in the morning and one in the evening.

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! Lemon 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 grapefruit oil is not in the kit, but once you are a member you can purchase for the member price, which is $16.75 plus tax and shipping.

 

DIY Anti-Aging Face Moisturizer

For most of my life I believed that I had to strip my skin with harsh cleansers to deal with my acne and oily skin issues. I definitely avoided all oils – thinking oils were bad for my skin and would increase my acne. It worked for a while. But as I am getting older my skin is more sensitive and now I have, ahem, “aging” issues to deal with and have been looking for ways to combat scars, wrinkles and sunspots. And while I do still battle breakouts and oils (thanks genetics) it isn’t at the same level as it was when I was younger.

This past year I have found that oil is NOT the bad guy. In fact, our skin needs oil and absorbs it better and faster than a cream or lotion. So after much inner turmoil (20+ years of being brainwashed into thinking oil is bad for my skin will do that), I have started using oil as my moisturizer.

And you know what? It’s AH-MAZING! I can’t believe I didn’t use oil on my face sooner. My skin now feels smooth, nourished and balanced. My face doesn’t seem to get too oily or too dry, and it has really helped my wrinkles and scars.

So what’s the secret? Finding the right oil that works for you. Oils are made from vegetables, nuts and even flowers – such as sweet almond, grapeseed, argan, coconut, macadamia nut, jojoba, sesame, hemp seed and rose hip. Each oil has its own health benefits but not all will work for you. Some are better for face applications than others. You really have to try a few and see what works for you. I personally love Marula Oil. I have also used Argan oil but I find Marula absorbs quicker without an oily feel – yet it’s very hydrating and helps balance my skin. Argan oil though is great for most skin types and you can find it at a lot of stores now as it has become very popular. I’ve also tried almond oil and jojoba – but I found both to be too heavy for my skin.

Now recently I have upped my skincare game by adding essential oils to my Marula oil. You can create your own customized skincare blend this way and it is more cost effective, natural and works even better than those fancy moisturizers on the market that are expensive and have a million ingredients you can’t pronounce. I decided to add Frankincense and Lavender to my Marula oil and I love it! Both oils are powerhouses in skincare and help with redness, scars, wrinkles, acne and overall skin health.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Carrier Oil
• 10 drops of Frankincense oil
• 10 drops of Lavender oil

Instructions:

1. Add Frankincense and Lavender oil to a glass bottle of Carrier oil. Store in a cool, dry spot.
2. Use morning and night after each facial wash, or as needed. I find about 3-5 drops is enough to moisturize my skin.

My skin is brighter, softer and my scars are fading. I really wish I would have discovered this sooner! Try it and let me know what you think!