Good Night!!

Often people have asked me about my son sleeping 11 – 12 hours a night. Yes, touch wood, he does that pretty much every night unless sick. So, here is my little secret and of course it has to do with essential oils, right!!!

I diffuse any of the oils that effect relaxation – Valor, Lavender, or Cedarwood. Many people love and swear by Peace & Calm, but it has had the opposite effect on my little guy. It makes him more alert. If needed, I might apply a couple of drops of one of these on his big toes on his foot.

I have also made a lotion that I often use on my husband and I and sometimes on my little guy. Here is the recipe..

Sleepcream-New Version

3/4  cup of coconut oil (optional – whipped up for a creamy consistency)
8 Drops of Lavender
8 Drops of Cedarwood
8 Drops of Valor or Peace & Calm or both.

Camping Spray

It is that time of the year again and being outdoors is something our family enjoys a lot. What I am sure no human enjoys is being the target of our friends who live outdoors – yes, I mean mosquitoes and other critters.

Here are a few versions of sprays I have tested on my family.

Version 1

10 drops – Citronella Essential Oil
10 drops – Lavender Essential Oil
10 drops – Peppermint Essential Oil
10 drops – Lemongrass or Eucalyptus Essential Oil
1-2 oz – Witch Hazel
Distilled water or Carrier Oil like Grape seed Oil or Coconut oil

Citronella

Take a glass spray bottle, combine all the above essential oils. Add a little witch hazel to it. Fill that rest with distilled water. And it is ready for use. Spray liberally on clothes and on the skin. As always, be careful near the eyes

You can also make the same using a roller bottle. Combine all the essential oils. Don’t add witch hazel or distilled water. Just fill the rest with the carrier oil like grape seed oil or coconut oil. Apply it behind your neck or any exposed skin.

Version 2

MosquitoSpray

Version 3

This is the spray that I have made for repelling ticks.

15 drops Citronella
15 drops Peppermint
15 drops Thyme
15 drops Palo Santo
10 drops Purification
2-4 oz Witch Hazel
2-4 oz Distilled Water
8 oz Glass Spray Bottle

palo-santo

Just combine all the Essential Oils in the spray bottle. Add witch hazel and distilled water and it is ready to go. Spray liberally on your clothes and skin. It is safe to use on babies. Last year when my son was only 6 months old in the sumer, we used this on hiking trips. This year, we will hopefully use on a camping trip.

Thyme

If you find a tick lodged into your skin, put a drop of Palo Santo on the tick to have it back off. It will most likely die. Apply Lavender, Purification and Peppermint on the site.

Do you have a recipe using Essential Oil for chasing away bugs? Please do share…

Homemade Beach Lotion with Essential Oils

Recently, we were in Virginia Beach and boy, was it hot there. For the past 2 years, I have been making my own beach lotion as I could not get myself to put the long ingredient list on commercial lotions and sprays on the kiddo. At first, I was intimidated by what it might take to do that, but on doing research, I found out that it was not that hard.

Here is the recipe that I used…

1/4 cup Coconut oil ( did you know that coconut oil is a natural sun block)
1/4 cup Bees wax ( this is to help with making it creamy)
2 Tablespoon Zinc Oxide ( use the non- nano version, so that it will not be absorbed)
20 Drops Young Living Carrot Seed Essential Oil
20 Drops Young Living Myrrh Essential Oil
15 Drops Young Living Lavender Essential Oil
2 T Shea Butter (optional – to make it more creamy consistency)
2 T Olive Oil (optional if it is too thick)
1 t Vit E oil (optional – I just buy vit E capsules and cut the tip off and pour it in)

Carrot seed eo  In a sauce pan, heat up water. Combine coconut oil, bees wax and shea butter (if using) in a mason jar. Once the water comes to a boil, immerse the mason jar in it till all of it melts. Take it out of the flame and add all the essential oils to it. Then add zinc oxide making sure that you don’t inhale it. Mix all to a creamy consistency and store it in a small jar. If it is too thick, add Olive oil to it. You can also add Vit E oil for added benefit to the skin.

Myrrh EO

Since this is not a commercial product, you will have to reapply it frequently especially if you will be in the sun for long periods of time. Also, reapply when if you are in the water as this may not be entirely water proof.

  lavendereo2

I really like how easy it to apply and not thick and sticky like store bought ones. And if by chance, the little guy licks it off his hands, I don’t worry much about it as I know exactly what ingredients are in it.

Let me know if you try this recipe….