Being a slacker...

I've really slacked off on posting this month. The school year ended and I have been enjoying some extra time to myself.

- I did not order any new oils to try this month, just replenished some oils that I was running low on.
- What to give a non-oily person as a gift? One of my assistants at work was interested but doesn't have the money to join herself. I gifted her full bottles of Lavender, Lemon, and Stress Away as an "end of the school year" gift, with a little printable of how to use them. She loved it!
- I am so obsessed with Cedarwood and Orange as a helper at night when I can't sleep. I really feel like I get to sleep much faster and stay asleep longer when I apply these oils. I put Cedarwood on my wrists, followed by Orange. Then I rub them in well and rub on the back of my neck and temples. One or two drops of each really does the trick!
- I can't stop cleaning with Thieves Household Cleaner. The stuff is seriously amazing!! I'm slowly using up other products and hope to be using only this and other natural cleaners in my house soon.

Happy first day of summer!!

Orange

This might be my new favorite!

I purchased this oil for two purposes. Tasty beverages and relaxation!

I've added this to my morning rotation. I've enjoyed a drop of it in my water or OJ to start the day. I'm also planning to use it in morning smoothies for its uplifting, immune boosting, and complexion benefits.

This oils is also a more relaxing oil. It is part of the Peace & Calming blend. I'm using it in conjunction with Cedarwood to help me sleep at night.

Cedarwood

Cedarwood is a really gentle and soothing smell. I love diffusing it at night to help me wind down as the crazy school year comes to a close. It is so calming and really helps me sleep well at night. I've also read that it may help with hair loss, dandruff, and as an insect repellant! So many uses!

DIY - YLEO Allergy Bomb

Allergies are the worst....

This recipe is floating all over the internet and Pinterest. I tried my hardest but couldn't find the original source.

Young Living Allergy Bomb

3 drops each - Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, Copaiba

Mix these oils in an empty vegetable capsule. Top off with choice of carrier oil - I like coconut oil. I make these 10 at a time and store them in the fridge; the coconut oil solidifies and seems to prevent the capsules from dissolving. 

I find that taking this blend once daily keeps my sniffles at bay. When I am feeling under the weather, I take this blend 2-3 times per day to boost my own immunity and lessen my symptoms.  

Lavender, Peppermint, and Copaiba have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. Lemon has shown that it is may benefit the lymphatic system, as well as it's cleansing properties. 

May Essential Rewards

My May Essential Rewards order has arrived! This month, I am trying 4 new oils and replenishing 3 favorites!

New Oils
Copaiba
Orange
Citronella
Cedarwood

Replenishment
Peppermint
Thieves

Stress Away

I again purchased enough product to get the May promo! I got a 15ml Oregano and a 15ml Aroma Siez. These are part of the Raindrop technique, and while I don't know much about either of them, I do see lots of posts on Pinterest and my favorite Facebook group of people using Oregano! I can't wait to learn more about these! As with last month's order, I will update this post with links once I start using these new products!

RutaVaLa

I wanted to wait a few weeks to write about this particular oil until I had plenty of time to use it. I purchased this particular oil for one purpose only - helping my sleep issues.



For the last 4 or 5 months, I have been having major issues with sleeping. I will be exhausted and then go to bed, only to toss and turn for hours. Come morning, I can barely drag myself out of bed. And the cycle continues all week long. The only way I have been able to fall asleep at a reasonable hour was by taking Benadryl!

Previously, I have tried Melatonin and Valerian with little success. When I started with Young Living, I had high hopes for Peace & Calming and Lavender. They helped a little, but the scent of Peace & Calming made my boyfriend foggy the next day and Lavender didn't make a huge difference for me. I kept reading about RutaVaLa. This particular blend includes 3 essential oils; Ruta graveolens (rue), lavender, and valerian. I will tell you now, this is not a pretty smelling oil. Anyone who has ever taken Valerian root knows that it has a pretty strong smell (I think it smells like stinky feet!). The rue and lavender are not enough to cover it up. Luckily, this oil only goes on my big toes, and then I usually layer more Lavender on top of it. After 5 minutes or so, I don't notice the smell as much.

My results? It really seems to help. I am falling asleep faster and spending less time tossing and turning. I feel more rested most days, and wake up happier knowing I had a good nights sleep!

Melaleuca Alternifolia

Melaleuca alternifolia is commonly known as Tea Tree Oil. It is most commonly used for skin conditions and supporting the immune system.

The biggest reason I purchased this oil was for my face. Ever since my teens, I have battled really annoying acne. I always break out on my cheeks, and have some scarring and red spots that have not gotten any better with age. It has several other uses, many of which relate to skin issues. I know a friend who tried a grocery store version of tea tree oil for dandruff and didn't have much success. I'll be sharing this with her in hopes that it helps soothe her dry scalp. I also mixed this into my DIY Facial Cleansing Wipes; these things feel AMAZING at the end of the day! Someday, I hope to share pictures of how using YLEO's, particularly Melaleuca alternifolia, on my face has improved my complexion!

Lime

First thing I can say about Lime... YUM!! This has joined my morning rotation of beverages. This is such a great flavor for water, I had to contain myself to one glass most days this week!

Lime is a pretty versatile oil. So far I have enjoyed it in my water and in my diffuser. It is a citrus oil, which means it is phototoxic, so I haven't applied any to my skin so far. Lime is a part of my favorite Stress Away blend (among others). I have read that Lime can be good for anxiety issues, boosting immune systems, and supporting weight loss regiments. Young Living also says that it is good for boosting mental clarity and encouraging creativity. I like to mix Lime with Eucalyptus globulus in my difuser; that blend makes me feel like I'm in a spa!

Essential Oils 101 by Heather!

Tonight, I hosted my very first Essential Oils 101 class.

ALL BY MYSELF!

I should preface this with a smidge of background - I have attended 3 classes over the last 2 months or so. All the classes have been taught by the same person from my upline, but each time, she has done the class differently. It was really interesting for me, as I felt like I learned something each time! I did a lot of preparation for hosting this class. I stalked Facebook and Pinterest like it was my second job. I bothered my upline with 20 questions a day (luckily I get to see her daily at work!). I made cute little folders, stapled on business cards, and had samples ready. What more did I need?

I will say first that this was my "test class", and my friends knew that. I invited one girl who just started using Young Living at the third class I attended. I invited two more of our friends to come. I had a blast talking about each of the oils in the Premium Starter Kit. I used the little reference guide that came with the kit as a reference, but really found it easy to talk about the oils! We sampled Lemon and Lime in water, which is always a hit I think. I ran the diffuser with my favorite mix, Eucalyptus and Lime! It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot about leading a class. I am doing a class for my mom's coworkers this week. They all seem really excited about the oils, and all because she runs her diffuser in her office! I can't wait to share with more people, I just love these oils!

Ravintsara

For spending too much money this month, I received a 5ml bottle of Ravintsara. I didn't know a lot about this one before it arrived. 

The Higley's Quick Reference Guide for Using Essential Oils says that Ravintsara is good for the immune system and respiratory system. It is only in two blends that Young Living sells - ImmuPower and Raven. I have been fighting a cold ALL WEEK and tried this today on my chest and respiratory Vitaflex Points on my feet. I reapplied several times throughout a sick day on the couch, and it seemed to help break up the congestion in my chest. As I find more uses for this, I'll be sure to update!

Deep Relief Roll-On

I know I say this about many of the Young Living products I have written about so far, but guys... this stuff is AWESOME! And I got it for free this month... even better!

Deep Relief is a blend of oils formulated for soothing muscle soreness and body tension. This is an amazing blend of 8 essential oils, with coconut oil as a carrier oil.

I immediately threw this in my purse when I got it last month. I used it several times when I felt a headache coming on. It soothed my symptoms every time. I even got my boyfriend to try it when we were on a road trip and the emergency ibuprofen was hidden in the back of the car. It stopped his headache in his tracks! This is not a cure for a headache; I had to reapply it a couple times over the course of 2-3 hours for two particularly bad headaches (bought on by work stress), but I did feel relief each time. The cooling and tingling feeling is delightful, and the oil smells amazing too!!

DIY - Facial Cleansing Wipes

I LOVE a good DIY project!! Some nights, I feel pretty lazy. Washing my face before bed is that thing I always slack off on. I usually purchase drugstore facial cleansing wipes. I have been stalking Pinterest to find ways to make my own facial cleansing wipes, but I never found the perfect recipe for me. So I made my own!

Items needed -

50 squares of Bounty Paper Towels - I've seen recipes with napkins or cloth scraps. This is what I had, and I knew they held up when wet, I tested!! I had the Select-A-Size style, which I then cut in half

8 oz filtered water

2 T Organic Raw Coconut Oil

1 t rubbing alcohol (you could use witch hazel or grain alcohol in place of the rubbing alcohol if you desire, but this is what I had for an emulsifier)

About 30 drops of the Young Living Essential Oils of your choosing (see bottom for my choices and other blends!)

Storage container - I used a small Pyrex storage container with a lid.

- Cut your paper towels to the size that you prefer. Stack them up and put them in your storage container.

- Heat the water so it's plenty warm, but no need to boil. 

- While the water is heating, I added my essential oils to a small glass bowl. I added the rubbing alcohol and coconut oil to the bowl, and mixed them all together. 

- I added the oil mixture to the warm water and got to whisking. The alcohol emulsifies the oils so they blend better with water.

- Once it's well mixed, pour the mixture evenly over the top of the paper towels. I ended up needing to flip the whole stack of paper towels to make sure they were fully coated. This amount of liquid ended up being a little much for me, but that's better than not enough!!

- For my first batch, I used equal amounts (10 drops) of Lavender, Melaleuca Alternifolia, and Eucalyptus Globulus. Lavender for moisturizing and soothing my skin, Melaleuca for healing/preventing acne, and Eucalyptus for an immune boost!

-Other options to try - Peppermint for itchy skin (just don't use this when cleaning near your eyes, it will burn!), Sandalwood for regenerating, Roman or German Chamomile or Geranium for inflamed or sensitive skin, Bergamot for greasy skin, Jasmine for dull skin, or Patchouli for improving tone. The only one of these I've tried was Peppermint, the rest of the options come from testimonials from friends or from the Higley's Quick Reference Guide for Using Essential Oils, my go-to place to look when I don't know which YLEO to try!

Eucalyptus Globulus

This is one of my new oils from my April Essential rewards order... Eucalyptus globulus!

Living in the southwest for the last three years has brought me allergies that I have NEVER had before. I am allergic to many native plants and trees out here, and as such, am constantly stuffy! I was previously using OTC allergy meds daily, as well as a prescription nasal spray as needed. One of the main reasons I started using Young Living products was these allergies. I have been using Lemon, Lavender, and Peppermint as daily allergy prevention for a couple days now, but Eucalyptus globulus is amazing when a run of sniffing and sneezing has me wanting to crawl back into bed. I simply rub a drop under my eyes and on my forehead, hitting my entire sinus system. It is great for opening me up and making breathing as simple as it's supposed to be. I have also tried it on my sinus Vitaflex points with some success as well!

I used Eucalyptus globulus in my Morning Blast whipped lotion to increase my immune system and support my respiratory system. It can also be used in a homemade vapor rub! I've also read that it is good for sore muscles, reducing a fever, and to help a headache. Sounds awesome to me!

Thieves Household Cleaner

This stuff is seriously amazing guys. 

This was honestly one of the things I was most excited to receive in this month's Essential Rewards order. I immediately mixed up a 1:15 ratio bottle (yay for a 16 oz bottle making my life so easy!). I cleaned the kitchen counters first. They weren't too bad, just a few days of built up crumbs and sticky spots. This cleaner got it all up and smelled up the whole kitchen with the delicious scent of Thieves!

My next item to clean was the stove top. When I use the oven, it tends to heat up the whole stovetop, making those little spills from last nights dinner extra fun to try to remove. Today, I sprayed the whole top with the diluted Thieves Household Cleaner and let it sit for about 2-3 minutes. I used clean paper towels to wipe it down. Holy cow. This cleaner got off every.single.sticky.spot! Even the extra sticky one from Tuesday night's Orange Chicken!! (That was the night I got my YL ER order... I'm not normally that lazy!)

This weekend, I'm planning to use this for the bathroom counters. I'm still in "use it up" mode at my house; trying to run out of the other stuff and replace with more natural/less chemically products. I hate to just throw stuff away, so its a slow process. 

Can't wait to see how awesome this stuff is in other parts of the house!!

New Distributor Care Package

I just started with Young Living at the beginning of March and I already have a few people who have joined underneath me. My mom and one of my favorite former coworkers went to an Essential Oils 101 class with me just 2 weeks after I started using the oils, and joined as distributors. I am so excited to learn about using YLEO's in every part of our lives, as well as having a built in group of people to share my personal successes with. 

Just this week, my awesome little sister decided to join. My mom and I have been having great success with soothing stress and anxiety, which we shared with her immediately. When she heard about how much we were enjoying have YLEO's in our lives, she immediately wanted to start using YLEO's in her life. Unfortunately for me, she lives in the frozen tundra (aka the Midwest) and I am not nearby to help get her started. Coupled with the fact that she lives in a small town, I decided to send her a care package to welcome her to Young Living. 

I included the following items. These were some of the first things I bought to supplement my Premium Starter Kit, and she should have them too!!

- organic virgin coconut oil from Trader Joe's

- A 2 ounce glass spray bottle from Abundant Health 4 U- (P.S. These are great for making room sprays. I love to spray a mix of Peace & Calming and Lavender, diluted with filtered water, on my pillow before bed. You could also make room sprays for those quick moments when you don't have time to diffuse.) 

- A copy of Quick Reference Guide for Using Essential Oils (also purchased online from Abundant Health 4 U)

- A small sample of my Morning Blast lotion. 

It's headed your way, Sister! Hope you enjoy!

April Essential Rewards

Forgive me for the lack of photos this time around. I was SO excited to receive my first Essential Rewards Autoship from Young Living today that I completely forgot to take pics!! (I may or may not have squealed when I saw the box in my mailbox!) I have had so much fun using my oils this past month and couldn't wait to get some new stuff in to try out. 

For April, here are some of the highlights of what I ordered - 

RutaVaLa - 5ml EO
Eucalyptus globulus - 15ml EO
Lime - 15ml EO
Melaleuca alternifolia - 15ml EO
Thieves Household Cleaner
Essential Oil Bottle Labels - These make my bottles look nice and make it much easier to find the one in the container I store them in! 
AromaGlide Roller Fitments - LOVE THESE! I have always had the one I got in my Premium Starter Kit on my Stress Away, but now I can add them to more of my most applied oils!

I ordered enough stuff (typical me) to receive this month's promo items - Ravintsara 5ml EO and Deep Relief Roll-On! I will update this page with links to posts once I learn how to use these new oils!

DIY - Whipped Lotion

I have seen recipes for homemade "lotions" all over Pinterest. When I started using YLEO's, I mixed with coconut oil and used that after showering as a body lotion. I loved how my skin felt afterwards, and I had the benefit of oils seeping in all over! I tried a variety of oils, some by themselves and others paired up. Today, I'm sharing with you what I am calling "Morning Blast"! It is so refreshing to start my day, and does more than just moisturize my skin!

 

Ingredients:

- 4 ounces coconut oil - I use Trader Joe's Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

- 4 ounces raw shea butter - I got this brand at Sprouts

- 2 tablespoons sweet almond oil - also purchased at Sprouts

- 10 drops YL Peppermint

- 10 drops YL Lemon

- 15 drops YL Eucalyptus globulus

First, liquify at least one of your oils. My coconut oil was pretty soft at room temp, so I put the shea butter in a small mason jar and heated in with water on the stovetop. This only took about 8 minutes, so watch carefully!

I added the coconut oil and sweet almond oil to to a glass bowl. I put the liquid shea butter on top and used a small whisk to mix the oils together. I put it in the fridge to cool for about 10 minutes. It was still liquid but had cooled enough that I felt I could add the essential oils. I added them, whisked some more, and put the bowl in the freeze for 10 minutes (what can I say, patience is not one of my strong suits!)

With just a little stirring, this is what I was left with. I combined it into a clumpy paste, and busted out my hand mixer!!

After just a couple minutes of mixing and scraping and mixing some more, I had this GORGEOUS silky lotion!

I put the mixture into two 4 ounce mason jars. I tested it and loved the feel and blend of oils. It still becomes liquidy when it warms in my hand, but feels amazing on my skin! This particular blend of oils is good to start my day. Peppermint soothes itchy/dry skin (thanks, hard water), lemon energizes and prevents oily skin, and eucalyptus globulus boosts immune systems and is good for respiratory issues (I have pretty major environmental allergies and can use all the help I can get!) This same mix of oils can also be used as an all natural "vapor rub" when it is diluted less. I just love how energized it makes me feel in the morning!

Crazy little preschoolers!

I love my job. I love my job. I love my job.

Some days in the preschool classroom are more difficult than others. I work with a special needs population, which includes children with a variety of needs. I do truly love my job, especially the adorable little kids and my amazing co-workers. Some days are just tougher than others.

Today was one of the tough days. We just returned from a week-long spring break, and the children were wild! I felt like no one was listening and everyone was yelling. My throat was sore from raising my voice and my feeling of frustration were at a high. I needed something to calm me down. 

On those particularly stressful days, I reach for my YLEO Stress Away blend, to which I have conveniently added a roller ball fitting. I keep this oil in my purse (at.all.times.) and when I feel myself becoming frustrated/annoyed/cranky/anxious, I reach for this one. I apply a small amount to my wrists and rub together, and may also add some to the back of my neck as well. The delicious blend of scents (including Copaiba, Lime, Cedarwood, Vanilla, Ocotea, and Lavender) is amazing and is so calming. A few sniffs of my wrists and a few deep breaths makes all the difference. 

I even busted it out at the grocery store the other day to combat annoyance at the ridiculously long line!! It sure didn't make the long line shorter (or another cashier pop up), but I felt better, decided to be patient, and picked up a copy of People to bide my time :)

A new start to the day

When I went to Essential Oils 101 at my friends house, I was offered a selection of oils to try in a glass of water. I was somewhate skeptical; everyone knows oil and water don't mix, so how could that possibly be good?? To my surprise, it was delicious! The flavor lasted through the whole glass!

Since joining Young Living as an essential oils distributor just a few weeks ago, I have been enjoying YLEO Lemon in a glass of water to start my day. It gives me energy to get the day moving and tastes delicious as well. While this isn't stopping me from enjoying OJ with breakfast, I feel like I'm getting a little bit healthier as well.

It is important to remember a few things when you contemplate adding essential oils internally, whether mixed in water or added to a vegetable capsule.
1. When adding oils directly to water, only do so in a glass or stainless steel container. Avoid plastic at all costs. Essential oils can break down the petrochemicals in plastic, which you then end up consuming and ruining your container. Save yourself the hassle and stick to glass/stainless steel.
2. Make sure that you are only ingesting items with the supplement label underneath. Not all oils are designated as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) by the FDA. If you're using Young Living, look for the supplement label by peeling back on the label to find it. This is the only way that I feel comfortable putting these oils inside my body.
3. Start slow if you have never consumed oils before. Don't overdo it and make yourself sick. Try one drop in a 12-16 oz glass, and go from there :)

My first success

                        

I had my first major success using Young Living essential oils just two days after receiving my Premium Starter Kit. I managed to hit my thumb on a 450 degree oven rack while removing food. I ignored it for a few minutes while I finished getting my dinner ready, but soon the stinging feeling set in. Rather than reach for an ice cube or running water as I would have done in the past, I reached for my YLEO Lavendar. I put just one drop of the oil on my thumb and rubbed it in. THE BURNING IMMEDIATELY CEASED! I was absolutely amazed. I had to rub some more in about three hours later, but that was it. I never developed a blister! The skin peeled away in the area about a week later, and that was it! Yay for a pain free recovery from a burn!

Joining Young Living

I first heard about Young Living essential oils in January 2014. A coworker brought her oils and diffuser in for parent-teacher conference night. She diffused Peace & Calming throughout our late night of conferences and I immediately noticed how it spread through the WHOLE classroom. That alone was enought to pique my interest! My little preschoolers are fairly gross and stinky sometimes, and I was amazed by how fresh my classroom smelled. I was also pleased to have had such a wonderful night of conferences. It's always stressful to be put on the spot by families, and this night was just wonderful.

Fast forward to a few weeks later. This same coworker hosted an Essential Oils 101 class, and I learned SO MUCH in those 90 minutes. I was hooked and couldn't sign up fast enough. I went home and starting researching and couldn't wait to start using oils in my household.