Shark Week + Essential Oils: Yes, Please!

At the close of Shark Week 2018, we thought that Suzanne Rodolfich's Shark Week-themed posts were too good not to share on our blog! Enjoy:) 

Shark Skin? No, Thanks! Best Essential Oils for Skin Care 

Essential Oils are a great, natural way to take care of your skin! 

Did you know that shark skin actually looks and feels like little interlocking teeth? Um, no thank you!

Young Living offers SO many options for your skin! Here are a just a few top skin oils:

Top Essential Oils for Skin

• Frankincense—helps create youthful appearance 
• Tea Tree—cleanses skin
• Geranium—helps provide healthy, clear, glowing skin
• Cypress—smooths skin
• Copiaba—reduces redness
• Sandalwood—soothes, tightens, cleanses
• Blue Tansy—soothes, reduces redness, provides antioxidant
• Kunzea—provides antioxidant benefits (check out the pics of how the Kunzea plant affects a barbed wire fence)

DIY Skin Care Recipes

My Toner Recipe

• Witch Hazel  
• Equal parts Frankincense (glow), Lavender (soothe), Lemon, (brighten), Copiaba

My Skin Cream Recipe

I originally created this as a diaper cream, but now I use it for all sorts of skin issues.

• Coconut oil
• Shea butter
• Equal parts Frankincense, Tea Tree, and Lavender

My Facial Serum Recipe

• 3 drops Frankincense
• 2 drops Myrrh,
• 1 drop Rose

Lots of options, right? I love that we can take care of our skin with non-toxic products that meet our skin’s unique needs!

Do you sleep like a shark? Best Oils for Sleep Support

So many sleep support oils, which are your favorites? 

So apparently there’s lots of controversy about how and if and when sharks sleep:

• They seem to be very active at night
• Most species have to remain in motion, so for years scientists thought sharks didn’t sleep
• However, now scientists think they enter periods of rest where they slow down, but their eyes are open, and it’s not a true deep sleep

Did I describe any of you with those facts? Maybe your kids?

I think many of us seek out essential oils because we need sleep support—that was my reason 5 years ago!

But just like there are lots of things we don’t know about sharks’ sleeping habits, there are so many variables with our own sleeping habits that finding an Essential Oils combo for sleep support can be trial and error.

Best Oils for Sleep Support

• Lavender: Most people start with Lavender—this doesn’t work for me or Jonna 
• Frankincense: this is a fav in our house and a Lavender + Frankincense combo can be powerful
• Stress Away
• Peace and Calming

If you really want to sleep like the dead, then consider these heavy hitters:

• Valor
• Valerian
• Rutavala
• DreamCatcher

And then there are a few that kids especially find calming:

• Gentle Baby
• Roman Chamomile 
• SleepyIze

And finally, you may want to consider WHY you aren’t sleeping: Are you worried? Is your child needing a little extra security? Sometimes if we can support our emotions, we can sleep better.

Suzanne's Picks

So—what do WE use for sleep support in our house?

The Kids

• Jonna (6)—Frankincense, Valor, or Palo Santo
• Zanna (5)—Frankincense,  Valor, or Palo Santo
• Mila (3)—Palo Santo and White Angelica
• Vin (1)—Lavender or Peace and Calming

The Adults

• Me—Valor or Rutavala (the kids would use the Rutavala, too, but that’s liquid gold and I’m a little stingy with it )
• The hubs—whatever I’m diffusing 

And despite this lengthy post, there are still more options—I feel like I am leaving so many good ones out!

Maybe you can help me out—what are your family’s favorite oils for sleep support?

Skip the Blue Shark Blues: Essential Oils for Mood Support

No need to feel like the Blue Shark! Try out these tried and true mood boosting oils. 

This is the blue shark—according to my friends Google and Wikipedia, they are sort of sluggish and lethargic in their movements. 

Top Oils for Mood Boosting

If you’re feeling the same way, maybe a little down, a little blue, here are some oily tips to try:

• A drop of Frankincense Vitality daily under the tongue (this is a my go-to mood lifter)
• Frankincense + Lemon in the diffuser
•  A few drops of Joy in your hands and inhale
• Ylang Ylang + Orange in the diffuser
• Super B an energy and mood lifter all in one—do you know how much our body NEEDS B vitamins? They are vital! I made this a part of my daily routine after I had Vin.
• NingXia Red—daily, daily, daily! In addition to about a hundred other things, it supports healthy energy levels and regulates blood sugar (anybody else get HANGRY?)

Raise your hand if you had fun with Essential Oil SHARK WEEK! Share any skin, sleep or mood support tips below. Bonus points for Shark-themed ideas:) 

Switch & Ditch: Personal Care Edition

Did anyone already switch to all-natural cleaning products (like this one!) and ditch your chemical-heavy cleaning cohorts? Let us know! A clean sweep never felt or smelled so good.

This week, we are continuing our switch and ditch theme, but now: it’s getting personal. Personal care products, that is.

As far as personal wellness goals go, treating your skin to natural products should be right there on your resolution list along with healthy diet and exercise. And Young Living has plenty of all-natural, essential-oil infused goodies. Ready for some switch and ditch tips? We thought so.  

Switch & Ditch: Personal Care Edition

Make your 2017 resolution a reality with a few of our favorites like the ART skincare system, Young Living's super popular face cream, foaming face wash and toner. 

Oral Care

Let’s start with something you do everyday: brush your teeth. Time to ditch toothpaste with artificial sweeteners and toxic chemicals and switch to natural toothpaste that will freshen your breath and gently wash away staining.

The Thieves lines makes this easy. Try one of three Thieves lines toothpastes along with Thieves Dental Floss and Thieves Fresh Essence Mouthwash.

Hand Care

Make sure washing or cleaning your hands actually washes and cleanses without artificial fragrances or toxins.

I’m in love with the Thieves Foaming hand soap. It smells wonderful and is a great way to introduce guests to Thieves goodness. For on-the-go cleansing, Thieves Waterless Hand Cleanser is on my must-travel list.

Face Care

Whether you are focusing on cleansing, restoring, moisturizing or refining, Young Living has products and oils to try. Some of my favorite anti-aging oils include:

• Rose - high-frequency oil great for moisturizing and refining skin
• Patchouli - favorite oil for daily moisturizing
• Lavender - skin MVP, a must for cleansing, moisturizing and refining
• Frankincense - sacred oil that restores and moisturizes skin  
• Myrrh - another must-have for moisturizing  

Start slow and experiment. We suggest adding a beauty oil to your order each month. Everyone is different, so everyone will have different favorites. Once you find your favorites, here are a few tips to get the most out of your beauty regime (and save some money).

Make a Homemade Cream

Make your own body and face cream and infuse with your favorite essential oils. That way you get a daily dose of oils, while stretching your supply.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shea butter
• ½ cup coconut oil
• ½ cup liquid oil (like almond, grapeseed, jojoba or avocado oil)
• 5-10 drops of essential oils of choice

Directions:

1. Melt shea butter and coconut oil on stovetop
2. Let cool completely
3. Add liquid oil and essential oils for choice
4. Whip to decadent texture

Homemade Serums

Another way to stretch your beauty oils and save time in your routine: create your own serums. Add your favorite oils and apply after your cream morning and night. To make, you will need to gather a few supplies like 1-oz glass bottles, roller ball fitments and funnels.

Ingredients:

• 1-oz. favorite carrier oil (again: think liquid food oils like almond, grapeseed or avocado)
• 1-2 drops each of your favorite anti-aging oils

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a small, amber glass bottle. Yup, it’s that easy!

Hair Care

Tame your locks with natural care products. This one is especially important, considering when you rinse off shampoo it flows down the rest of your body. Young Living has some great daily shampoos (like yummy Lavender Mint) to nourish and cleanse hair.

You can also add oils to your hair care routine. When styling, I add a drop of Ylang Ylang to my hair for a gorgeous floral scent and curl-boosting moisture. Other great hair oils include:

• Geranium - rehydrates hair, try adding to your conditioner
• Lavender - nourishes and may thicken hair
• Rosemary - allows nutrients to penetrate hair and scalp
• Tea Tree - soothes your scalp

Body Care

Body Wash

Like hair care products, body wash is exposed to large parts of your body. Making your own body wash was never easier with Young Living’s bath and shower gel base. Just add 5-10 drops of your favorite oil. Any of our favorite hair and skin oils would work, or you can try an uplifting blend like Joy.

Deodorants

And finally, we’ll end with another daily personal care product: Deodorant. Young Living offers great aluminum-free options that smell great! (Like this one). You can also experiment using an oil as a deodorant. Purification is a great, cleansing and aromatically fresh option to try!

Switch, Ditch & Save

Ready to ditch commercially produced personal care products? Easy. Switch to buying your natural shampoo, hand soap and floss with Young Living’s autoship program, Essential Rewards. We love it because we get to buy the products we love while earning freebies and points toward even more products we love. We think you will, too!

Any questions? Ask away in the comments.

Young Living November Promotion: Bountiful Reasons to be Thankful

We are in the middle of a Fall Favorites series. Last week, we covered Christmas Spirit and this week we're excited to share ... (drumroll) ... that you can earn this diffuser-friendly oil for free with your qualifying November order!

And, of course, that's not all. Other seasonal (and year-round) favorites are available: Sacred Frankincense, Myrrh, Frankincense, 20 Essential Rewards Points and Peppermint Vitality. This promo is a wonderful way to prep for the coming Holiday season and New Year! 

Lots of reasons to be thankful for a wonderful November promo: 5-ml Sacred Frankincense, 5-ml Myrrh, 15-ml Frankincense, and 5-ml Christmas Spirit™; Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive: 20 Essential Rewards points and Peppermint Vitality to be exact. 

300 PV (Retail Value: $233.16)

• 5-ml Sacred Frankincense
• 5-ml Myrrh
• 15-ml Frankincense
• 5-ml Christmas Spirit™

Bonus Essential Rewards Exclusive

• 20 Essential Rewards points
• Peppermint Vitality™ 

250 PV (Retail Value: $143.36)

• 15-ml Frankincense
• 5-ml Christmas Spirit

Bonus Essential Rewards Exclusive

• 20 Essential Rewards points 
• Peppermint Vitality™ 

190 PV (Retail Value: $46.65)

• 5-ml Christmas Spirit

Bonus Essential Rewards Exclusive

• 20 Essential Rewards points 
• Peppermint Vitality™ 

NEW 100 PV (Retail Value: $13.16)

Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive: Peppermint Vitality

Don't Miss Out!

I bet you noticed the phrase "Bonus Essential Rewards exclusive" quite a few times in this post. Don't miss out on the new reward tier or other exclusive offers. Learn more about Young Living's Essential Rewards autoship program. And as always, if you have questions, ask! We are ready to help! 

Essential Oils History 101

From Queen Cleopatra’s personal spa to our nightly routines, essential oils have been...well...essential in people’s lives for thousands of years. So today, we decided to take a look back. Way back, to the beginning of essential oils’ rich history.

We love how the oils we use on a daily basis have been used by people from nearly every major ancient culture. They must have been on to something, huh? Consider this your Essential Oils History 101 crash course. Buckle up, we have human history to cover.  

Oil Like an Egyptian

Queen Cleopatra used plant-based oils and pastes in her famous beauty spa. 

Recorded essential oil history starts with the Egyptians. As a world power for almost 30 centuries, their love of oils was diffused around the world to cultures like the Jews, Greeks and Romans. Want to oil like an Egyptian? Here are a few ways they used oils and plant-based products in their culture.

• Beauty: Famous for her radiant skin, Queen Cleopatra opened the world’s first spa. She extensively used...you guessed it...essential oils.
• Burial: The items that Egyptians chose to bury with their Pharaohs gives us insight into what they treasured. It’s no surprise that King Tut was buried with 350 liters of essential oils!
• Worship: The oils were considered sacred and at height of Egyptian power only priests were allowed to use them. In fact, each deity had a dedicated oil.
• Power: Pharaohs also had blends developed for every aspect of their rule, from love and war to mediation.  

The Wild East

"The Yellow Emperor's Book of Internal Medicine" is still used by eastern medicine practitioners today! 

Essential oils were also valued in eastern cultures like China, India and Persia.

• China: Essential oils were first recorded in the east between 2697-2597 BC, during the legendary Yellow Emperor’s reign. His book “The Yellow Emperor’s Book of Internal Medicine” covers essential oil use and is still a classic resource of modern eastern medicine practitioners.
• India: Ayurvedic medicine has a 3000 year history with essential oils for health and spiritual purposes. The literature contains over 700 substances including some of our favorites: Cinnamon, Ginger, Myrrh and Sandalwood.
• Persia: A prolific researcher on plants and their effect on humans, Avicenne was the first person to record his distillation methods in 980 BC. They are still in use today!

Fit for a King

We wrote about the oils that were fit for a king this Christmas, check it out!

Take a look at which oils were presented to Jesus at his birth.

Dark Times

What does Thieves Essential Oil Blend have to do with the Black Plague? Check out one of our top posts to find out! 

The Dark Ages were a dark time for humanity and essential oils. Holistic healing and baths (yes, really) were prohibited by the church. However some essential oil tradition continued as people leaned on aromatic blends to counterbalance the church’s anti-bathing stance. As a bonus, this practice actually supported the user's immune system.

The Dark Ages and Bubonic Plague also brought us Thieves blend! Read how the Black Plague set the stage for one of our most beloved oil blends.

French Connection

The French, including chemist Rene Gattefosse, developed many of our modern Essential Oil techniques. 

Modern Essential Oils study started in France. French chemist Rene Gattefosse coined the term “aromatherapy” in 1937 after observing lavender’s skin-boosting results. Other essential oil experts followed: Dr. Jean Valet who used Essential Oils to help injured WWII soldiers and Marguerite Maury who pioneered The Raindrop massage technique. Thanks to Robert Tisserand, much of France’s aromatherapy knowledge has been translated to English for us to learn from today.  

Start Your History Today!

If you’re ready to start your own personal history with Essential Oils, contact us today! We’d love to team with you as you journey toward wellness, purpose and abundance.

Essential Oils: Gifts Fit for a King

Matthew 2:11 “As they [the wise men] came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, they bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” 

They opened their treasure boxes. As I contemplate that phrase, I am reminded that essential oils are treasures. Honestly, I don’t always treat them as such. I keep oils in my kitchen, in my bathroom, in my purse – everywhere I am! I treat them almost casually because they are as much a part of my life as breathing! Scripture has a “funny” way of reminding me, of bringing me back to what is important.  

Essential Oils: Gifts Fit for a King

The wise men traveled for months to find a “king” they had read about. When they found him, with the help of the Lord and a star, they bowed down and worshiped him.  Then, they opened their treasure boxes and gave him gifts!

They offered the Treasure of Heaven gifts from their treasure boxes. Gifts they had prepared in advance. Gifts they had carried for miles. Precious gifts. Gifts fit for a king: gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Essential oils for a child? Yes. Essential oils for a poor family in a foreign country? Yes. Essential oils for a king? Yes.  

Why Frankincense & Myrrh?

Why? Did Mary and Joseph know they were treasures? Why were they treasures?   What was their purpose? Did they know what to do with them?

Plants and oils were part of everyday life in Bible times, much like they are in mine today! So, what made these two oils, frankincense and myrrh, more precious than others? Thanks to history and science, we have learned much about these two plants and essential oils. Let’s take a look at them!

Frankincense: The Right Frequency  

Frankincense has one of the highest frequencies in the essential oil world. Your body has frequencies as well. When the frequencies of your body come in contact with the frequencies of frankincense oil wonderful things happen!

Historically, frankincense was used for:

• anointing
• aromatherapy
• spiritual enhancement
• healing and wellness

I admit, I do not do much anointing on a daily basis, but I do use my oils for the other purposes listed.

Much research has been done in my home on the use of frankincense and promoting skin care. I do not have to go further than my bathroom mirror to see the amazing skin benefits of frankincense.  

I have also personally found that adding frankincense to other oils I use truly “kicks it up a notch.” Perhaps the high frequency gives my body what it is needs to keep doing what it is designed to do!  

Whatever the scientific reason, I know our home will never be without our frankincense!  We use it for spiritual health, emotional health, and physical health.

I have used it to support my:

• skin
• respiratory system
• immune system
• sleep

Frankincense is a day-to-day treasure for issues that arise in our home!

Myrrh: A Multitasking Treasure

Let’s move on to the treasure of myrrh oil. Yes, I love my frankincense, but myrrh is a treasure in our home, too. Although myrrh’s frequency is not as high as frankincense, it was one of the most desired oils in Bible times.

Historically, it was used to prevent infection, to aid in healing of the skin, and, of course, to promote spiritual awareness. Perhaps the skin on Mary’s belly was not as smooth as it had been. Perhaps as her baby grew, he might fall and scrape his knee.  Perhaps this young family would use their myrrh in worship.

Since Mary had just given birth, she would certainly find many uses for her newly acquired treasure of myrrh, both for herself and her family. It is an oil that can promote:

• dental health
• skin health
• respiratory health
• immune system

Join My Team to Find Out More About the Gift of Frankincense & Myrrh 

Although scripture doesn’t specifically answer the question of “why,” my mind runs rampant with reasons young Mary and Joseph would find many uses for the treasures of frankincense and myrrh given to them by the wise men!

I am also fairly confident they did not attend an oil class or research the uses on the internet, but since our western culture is not as versed in essential oils, I would be honored to help you explore how to incorporate frankincense and myrrh oil into your everyday life.

Join my incredible Silver (#1339187) team here to begin your Young Living journey toward better health, wellness and abundance! For any questions, please contact me at OilTogetherNow@gmail.com.

Whether or not you travel a long distance, as you open your Christmas boxes to view your own new treasures, I hope you are reminded of the True Treasure found by the wise men long ago.  May be your home be filled with the blessing of love and laughter!

My TOP 5 Young Living Essential Oils

When I decided to share my TOP 5 Young Living Essential Oils, I had to think about it. I love and use so many of them in my family’s daily life, and it was (really) hard to choose! BUT I have risen to the task, and finally come up with my must-have list.

My TOP 5 Young Living Essential Oils: Thieves, Myrrh, Frankincense, DiGize & Idaho Balsam Fir

Thieves Essential Oil Blend

I would bet this oil is on about 99% of people’s must-have lists. We use Thieves Essential Oil blend on the bottom of our feet daily to help with immune system support. It is also diffused often around our house to purify the air. We LOVE all of our Thieves-infused products like Thieves Household Cleaner and Thieves natural hand sanitizer. Don’t leave home without your Thieves!

Fun Fact: Did you know Thieves got its name from thieves (also perfumers by trade) who were robbing the graves of people who had died from the black plague? Finally when the thieves were captured, they gave up their recipe for staying healthy and not catching the black plague for a lighter sentence from the King. The recipe we use today for our Thieves Essential Oil blend comes from those thieves. How Cool!

Myrrh Essential Oil

This oil is my favorite “beauty” oil. Every night I apply Myrrh all over my face. It leaves my skin feeling soft but not greasy and helps maintain clear skin. It has evened out my skin tone and helped rid me of those icky dry skin patches, too. I also loved this oil for my belly when I was pregnant. I used it regularly with coconut oil to keep my skin looking clear and smooth.

Fun Tip: Is your Myrrh Oil bottle lid constantly getting stuck? Rub some coconut oil all along the rim of the bottle and inside the lid. It will loosen the lid and keep it easy to open for months!

Frankincense Essential Oil

Love love love this oil! Not only is it one of the Bible oils given to baby Jesus, but it also has great benefits. In the history books it says it was used from head to toe. When in doubt and not sure what oil to use, I pick up my Frankincense first. It relaxes me and supports skin health. I have also noticed that applying this oil daily to my little one keeps him in a much better mood overall and helps maintain his health. Many people also like to use it daily on the face for fine lines and wrinkles. Frankincense is an oil you can’t go wrong with!

Fun Fact: Did you know Frankincense Oil is actually produced from the resin of the Frankincense tree? The tree looks like a giant Bonsai tree. Check it out!

Giant Bonsai? Nope, it's a Frankincense Tree.

DiGize Essential Oil Blend

DiGize is my go-to if I eat too much, eat the wrong thing or even just don’t feel quite right. I also used it a lot while I was pregnant to help with that stubborn burning sensation in my throat every time I ate anything! It is my favorite oil for digestion support. 

Fun Tip: Can’t remember what DiGize is used for? Just think, DiGize = Digestion

Idaho Balsam Fir Essential Oil

From the beginning, I always loved the smell of this oil and was drawn to it. It helps me feel relaxed and eases my mind when it’s racing. I have also learned to love it for a better night’s rest as part of my bedtime routine.

Fun Tip: If for some reason I don’t have any Frankincense on hand, I typically grab my Idaho Balsam Fir instead.

What are your top 5 favorite Young Living Essential Oils? I’d love to hear what you have to say! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like more information. Have a blessed oily day!