4 Easy Essential Oil Sprays

Below are 4 of my favorite Essential Oils Spray Mixes. You can mix these essential oils with 2 oz. distilled water or a combination of 1 oz. distilled water and 1 oz. unscented witch hazel to make them into sprays. 

I prefer just water for my Allergy Trio and the Sleepytime Spray.  I always add witch hazel to the Tea Tree Oil Spray.

---

Allergy Trio Mix

Provides relief from seasonal allergies or stuffiness due to colds. (Avoid eye area)

Safe to use up to 3 times daily.  Rather than a spray, you can also place 1 drop each in the palm of your hand, mix together, then rub down bridge of nose and along base of the back of your neck and lymph nodes. When I really need a boost, I do this method.

• 10 drops Lemon
• 10 drops Peppermint
• 10 drops Lavender

---

Sleepytime Spray

Use before nighttime. Can be sprayed on pillow cases (spot test first) or in room 5 minutes prior to bedtime. Open up a good book, inhale, relax, and get sleepy!

Or meditate on the here and now: Lay down, feel each breathe you take, tense each major muscle group in your body for 5 seconds each, release, repeat a few times. Then, while breathing deeply say a thank you for today. (Click this link to learn about diaphragmatic or ‘belly’ breathing) Appreciate the day. Appreciate your body. Appreciate yourself.

• 5 drops Lavender
• 8 drops Cedarwood
• 8 drops Stress Away blend

---

Room Refresher Spray

Banish unwanted odors (post-cooking) or for a pick me up midday. I love the light fresh scent of lemon in the afternoon!

• 15 drops Purification Blend,  Lemon, or Sweet Orange
• 10 drops Lavender

---

Tea Tree Oil Spray

Banish germies on shopping carts, highchairs, refrigerator door handles, room door handles, toilet seats. I use 2 oz witch hazel only in this spray. If not using on a delicate or stainable surfaces (ie shopping cart spray) you can add a tsp. of rubbing alcohol.

 

• 15 drops Tea Tree Oil
• 10 drops Lemon
• 10 drops Clove (optional- but really boosts power)

These are just a few of my favorite combinations for sprays.

I often have these combinations with me  in an 8 ml rollerball mixed with a carrier oil, such as sweet almond or coconut oil to apply topically up to 3 times per day. When used topically reduce amounts to 2 drops each. Keep in mind clove is a “hot” oil and many may not prefer the tingling sensation.

These combinations can also be diffused. When diffused, reduce drops to only 2-3 drops per essential oil.

Of course, always spot test if you are spraying surfaces or fabrics. I’ve never had any problems personally!

To learn more about choosing high quality therapeutic grade essential oils, click here.

---

To order supplies click on the Amazon links below:

All 4 You Cobalt Blue Boston Round Glass Bottle 2 oz with Black Atomizer – Perfect for Essential Oil Formulas (4 Pieces)

Aromatherapy Glass Roll On Bottles, 10ml (1/3oz) Cobalt Blue Glass – Set of 6

Thayer Unscented Witch Hazel, 12 Fluid Ounce(Pack of 2)

---

These statements are not approved by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any diseases. Consult with your doctor before use, if on any medications, and if pregnant or nursing. Discontinue use if irritation develops.

Always refer to dilution guides for proper dilution ratios, especially when using on pets or children.

 

 

The great chemical purge of 2015: part I

A small drama occurred in our home today. I threw money in the trash can. Figuratively speaking, a bottle and tube at a time. One bottle down equals one procedural document I labored meticulously over drafting. Another bottle down- equals one spreadsheet that was from the dark side of Microsoft Excel-hell. You get the picture, I had spent hard-earned money on these products.  I could not keep them in my home any longer, it was time for a purge.

In a bit of irony, I was wearing my new favorite tee featuring Alice and the Queen of Hearts. Want a picture, here you go… I like the angelic aura surrounding the shirt.

‘Off with their heads!’

I would like to estimate the value below at about $150 to upwards of $200 and I do not mind. I dislike that I do not feel it’s safe to reuse the bottles. I am unsure what chemicals have done to the plastics, so I had a concern about cross contamination reusing them for new homemade products. I threw out: sunscreens, leave in hair conditioner, shampoo, conditioners, multiple hair serums, face wash, wrinkle cream,  bar soap, hair gel, deodorant, tub and tile cleaner, dry cleaning bag, carpet cleaner, a hand soap refill full of triclosan, and the list continues. Please do not fret as I have replacements.

Toxic bath and beauty products

Toxic cleaners

The good news is there are many safe and affordable options at hand.

I have been using some of these items below frequently for the past few years (vinegar in the rinse cycle- who knew?) and some for only a few months (Castile Soaps). I can safely say my mind is made up that all of this works and it’s not necessary to spend an exorbitant amount of  money.

My new  cleaning arsenal includes the following items: Castile Soap, Distilled White Vinegar, Baking Soda, and Essential Oils. That’s it! Simple. Reduces waste. Nontoxic. I’d eat off my kitchen floor after mopping with that Castile soap. Seriously. It smells likes roses down there.

Laundry

Young Living Essential Oil Singles and Blends: Amazing quality, in fact, so much I am now an Independent Distributor. I trust their quality and product. There are other high quality products out there, but please do your research on your oils.  They should cost different amounts for different types of oils and not have any added ingredients. Of course, always do a patch test and consult your doctor when using oils! Personally, I have had no issues with any oils.

A few oils that contain beneficial cleaning properties: (Always spot test first) and I learned the hard way (do not put baking soda and vinegar in a bottle and shake).

• Lemon
• Peppermint
• Eucalyptus
• Tea tree
• Orange
• Grapefruit
• Pine
• Lavender

Young Living Oils for cleaning (Please note oils are best stored in dark class containers, especially citrus oils)

Baking Soda: Enough said

Baking soda

Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap: Laundry, Mopping, Carpet cleaner, Hand soaps, Dish soap, Vegetable rinses…Spray in the air and do a fairy-tap dance. Wait, too much.

Castile Soap- They come in multiple essential oil infused scents (Rose, Citrus, Lavender, Peppermint, and unscented)

Feel free to share any cheap and non-toxic cleaning solutions you have found works in your home! I’d love to start swapping stories.

An important message: Toxic chemicals must be disposed of properly.  Most cities or towns will host an annual or semiannual “Tox-Away” day.  Call your local police, fire station, or town hall for a listing of these days.

A change to simple and non toxic products

‘We felt duped, ‘green washed,’ and disappointed in ourselves and the companies we thought we could trust…’

Our path to natural living started out with a switch to organic foods as a staple in our home cooking. I made many changes in my diet while breastfeeding my first child. At first, I lacked the ‘tools’ that I have now for reading food labels.  I did not want my son exposed to hormones and added antibiotics in food. Neither did I wish him to be exposed to pesticides and insecticides. I attempted to eliminate chemicals, toxins, dyes, and synthetic fragrance from his baby bath products.  We changed over to buying organic on the fruits and veggies listed on the Dirty Dozen list. He drank 100% organic milk products. We still were not perfect, but we were minimizing our exposure to toxins.

Our knowledge of clean eating and recipes, non-toxic home choices, and GMO’s has grown over the past few years. I cannot eat an apple anymore if it’s not organic. A non-organic apple does not taste the same.  Try that challenge- only buy organic apples for a month, eat one daily if you can, then buy a few non-organic apples. You WILL taste the difference in the skin, the aftertaste, waxy coating on the apple. I urge you to try this.

What’s great about this path is you can alter one lifestyle choice per week!

I used the Environmental Working Group’s- EWG website often now. I urge you to click on the link if you wish to obtain more information.

Week 1: Buy only organic fruits, especially those that have the highest pesticide content- apples, peaches, grapes, strawberries to name a few. It’s summer time these staples are available for excellent pricing.

Week 2: Eliminate one bath and beauty product and replace it with a safe alternative. (or make an alternative yourself!)

Week 3: Visit a whole foods or natural food store. It can be overwhelming at first. I suggest seeking out one new product or item, buy it, then leave promptly. Or visit one section to peruse the products. May I suggest the cleaning aisle? Just be careful. I accidentally bought a hair conditioner at a health food store that contained a creepy chemical.

Week 4: Eliminate one household cleaning product. The last time I cleaned with a bleach based product I felt sick for an hour afterwards and had a headache.  You may want to start there. Baking soda, Vinegar, Essential oils, and Castille soaps are primary ‘safe’ cleaning alternatives I use daily in our home.

We had used free and clear products the past few years that I truly felt were deemed as pure and safe.  With a little research, I realized some of my ‘safe’ products were not as safe as previously believed. That is a magic word ‘believe.’ We believe what we see in most cases, correct?  The proof is on the visible ingredient list on the back of the bottle. The further proof is when you type in chemical names in a search bar on the internet. We had unfortunately been ‘green washed’ by front labels on our products.

We felt duped, ‘green washed,’ and disappointed in ourselves and the companies we thought we could trust.

Items are marked free of phlalates and parabens, yet will still contain cancer causing ingredients. Baby lotions are marked ‘gentle on babies skin’ but contain unnecessary chemical fragrances and dyes.

Our OLD free and clear laundry detergent:

BORIC ACIDHigh Concern: developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects

CONDITIONING AGENTSModerate Concern: respiratory effects

METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONEHigh Concern: acute aquatic toxicity;

A ‘green’ baby bath product with ‘organic’ in the name failed us again when we simply turned the label over and read it.

ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN which can irritate the skin, eyes, and lungs.

Our NEW laundry routine:  I can attest also, our clothes are clean and soft.  I can wash tough stains and delicates both with no qualms. Soft is important to me with our clothing.

• Dr. Bronner’s Castille Soap. I love the Lavender for laundry. 1/3-1/2 cup of soap for a large load in a normal washer.  I use half of these amounts for my HE washing machine.
• Vinegar in our Rinse cycle.   Add ½ c. vinegar to the rinse cycle.  Note: I use half of these amounts for my HE washing machine.

Dr. Bronner’s Castille Soaps Cleaning solutions

My son has a peanut allergy. This had made me into a label- reader out of necessity for our food. How could the foods we put in our bodies be organic, yet our household products not be?

Sometimes we do have to buy products, but we can be educated consumers.  The EWG’s website has easy to navigate and well categorized consumer guides with printable materials and a Skin Deep app for your smart phone to help  you make wiser decisions. We can make an impact as consumers in what we purchase.

Simple living is often about making your own products from a few ingredients. It’s better for the environment and our water systems. We can reuse containers which is better for less waste. Start slowly you can make a positive change for your family.

I am interested in your feedback. Do you have any suggestions for a ‘Challenge of the Week?’

*At this time I do not get paid for my opinions or product suggestions. Use your own discretion and be an educated consumer about any product you buy, test, or use in your household. Always check for allergic reactions before using any new product. 

Lavender and purifying sugar scrub

A Genbumom wants natural solutions to everyday beauty routines. I needed an easy and affordable homemade foot scrub for myself and to give as gifts. I recently gave each daycare professional that cares for our little ones, these foot scrubs a ‘thank you’ gifts. They are, after all, on their feet all day.  I love the Young Living Lavender and Purification oils.  They are staples in many of my homemade products.  The Purification blend is good for moisturizing and providing an uplifting mood.  Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender) oil is known for it’s calming and antimicrobial effects.

The added bonus of this DIY is that my son helped me with it. He really enjoyed the quality time and crafting with mommy.  I did use caution when using the essential oils but only because I didn’t want him to get any in his eyes. The Young Living oils I mention in this article are safe to use topically. Of course, always do a patch test first before using any new product or oil! My son measured and mixed up the sugar and coconut oils.  Organic sugar would have been a better substitute, but we don’t generally cook with sugar. The sugar pictured was cheaply purchased at a discount store for these scrubs.

The containers were in the food canning aisle at a local grocery store. *You can also scour flea markets and garage sales for glass containers (the mason jar below was a garage sale find). If they are missing lids, you can find lids in the canning aisle also.

You will need:

• Granulated Sugar
• MCT Coconut Oil
• Vitamin E Oil. You can also use Jojoba or Sweet Almond Oil as a base.
• Essential Oils- Lavender and Purification blends. I prefer Young Living Essential oils due to their quality and purity.  You may enjoy using Peppermint for foot scrubs.

Step 1: Add 1 cup sugar.

Step 2: Add 1/4 cup MCT Coconut oil and 1/4 cup of your favorite ‘bonus’ oil. Vitamin E or Sweet almond oil works well.

Step 3: Mix in approximately 10-15 drops Lavender oil and I prefer about 5-10 drops Purification blend.  Adjust to suite your desired fragrance. Mix and store in glass container. Sugar settling is normal. As I gave these as gifts, I tied a ribbon with a popsicle stick to it for stirring.

You can double the recipe as needed.  I filled 2 small jars with the 1 cup mixture outlined above.

As the french would say:  ‘C’est parfait!’ This is perfect!  Simply a lovely thank you gift.

What I discuss on this site has not been evaluated by the FDA, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any particular disease. I am not a registered physician and I encourage you to discuss your health concerns with your own doctor.