We use naturally-derived ingredients to help deliver the highest quality in personal care. Discover shampoo, conditioner, skin care, essential oils and so much more. At Maple Holistics we offer bath, body and love for the entire family.

Blend Recipe: 8 drops Sandalwood, 3 drops Orange, 2 drops Patchouli, 1 drop Ginger, 1 drop Ylang Ylang

Citrus essential oils offer a variety of health benefits and these oils typically cost less than other oils. There is just something about the sweet smell of citrus that wakes you up. Learn their benefits and some great diffuser blends to try.

Uses for lemon essential oils… this is going to be good! I’ll admit, I’m a HUGE citrus fan. Something about that bright scent of lemon, grapefruit, lime, orange and other citrus essential oils just makes me so darn happy. Whether you’re new to essential oils, still debating about getting started, or a seasoned veteran, these uses […]

There's something very alchemical about creating essential oil diffuser recipes. There's a magical quality to it that doesn't get old. At least for me. I'm always amazed by what happens when I combine two or three or even four essential oils and turn the diffuser on. ❉ The quality of the

OK truth talk here....... You may know that there are a plethora of different essential oil companies out there, but there was something different about doTERRA for me. This company sets a whole new standard that everyone should expect if you are turning to oils for their therapeutic qualities. So why did I decide to use dōTERRA? ✅ Co-Impact Sourcing: doTERRA sources our oils from all over the world where that specific plant THRIVES in...think soil, temperature, humidity, harvesting process,

We love the power of fragrance, and how it can influence our mood, it’s something we all tend to underestimate. Perfume oils, have been our No.1 go-to scent for a while, and today at The Amazing Blog we want to talk about a new and award-winning essential oil perfume Be Energized by

I have been wanting to tell you guys about something we have completely fallen in love with for awhile now so I am so happy to have finally gotten this post together to share it with you.  I was first introduced to Doterra Essential Oils a couple of years ago when my daughter got a really b

Explore the benefits of essential oils with the OK For Kids set. All the oils in this set are specially formulated for children who are 2+, providing a safe way for them to enjoy aromatherapy. This dynamic and robust set gives everyone — including the adults — something to delight in. About your set:  Our easy, cost-sa

I am a self proclaimed Oily Addict. I LOVE to use essential oils in a lot of different ways for a lot of different reasons, but I can admit that it maybe a bit overwhelming. After all, with all of those options-- which oils do you use how and when? I want to help you answer that question! We are going to start a 3 part series about how to use essential oils to discuss just that! I wanted to start with diffusion because, well, I am get to decide! I hear a lot of people asking, "Why should I even diffuse essential oils when I could just put them on my body?" and I want to scream THERE ARE SO MANY REASONS!!!!!! AHHH!!! I love to diffuse my essential oils and I think it's one of the most under appreciated methods so it seems a great place to start! How Do I Diffuse Essential Oils? The physical act of diffusing essential oils is simple! You add essential oils to a diffuser which pushes them out into the air and dispersing them across a space. The distance and length of time a diffuser can function will depend on your diffuser, but the most popular are cold water diffusers so they operate very similarly. You can watch this video to see how I use the DewDrop Diffuser: There are all kinds of diffusers that you can use, but you should NEVER actually apply heat to essential oils. Oh, Lordie-- I can hear the moans. Yes, that means your candle diffuser and your wax warmers are NOT really diffusers. They are devices for "recreational fragrancing" and they work only with synthetic scents (aka chemical filled toxins). Real essential oils are delicate and full of life energy so when you heat them, you actually destroy what makes them special. There are really only two rules to diffusing essential oils. Don't mess it up! The essential oils used must be truly therapeutic-grade The essential oils must not be heated in order to disperse their fragrance Importance of Quality: If you use regular store bought essential oils or other perfume grade oils, then you really are only diffusing for scent and there isn't a whole lot of added value. In fact, you may be causing harm because you are releasing added chemicals into your air. So for the sake of simplicity-- this article is only about high quality unadulterated essential oils (remember, the label "pure" means only a small amount needs to actually be plant matter). Why Should I Diffuse? Diffusing essential oils is a powerful way to get ALL of the benefits of the essential oil, especially for the mind and spirit! Did you pay attention in biology or chemistry class in high school? Of course you did! That's why you remember that the limbic system (the emotional center of your brain) is strongly linked to scent. And example of this is when I smell fresh baked chocolate chip cookies in the oven, I always think about my Grandmother and it makes me happy. So what does this have to do with essential oils? EVERYTHING! We have these feelings because of our memories, because of the properties of the essential oil or because we have learn them. YES! You can learn them! So if every time you smell lavender and you think to yourself "I am calm. I am at peace." you are teaching your body to feel that way every time you smell lavender. Amazing right?! But essential oils have a lot of these mood changers already built into their structure. There are a lot of ways the can help change your day, but here are just some of the most common. Relaxing: Lavender, Idaho Blue Spruce, Peace and Calming, Clary Sage, Geranium Uplifting: Joy, Orange, Hope, Citrus Fresh, Sandalwood, Frankincense, Lemon, Bergamot Sensual: Sensation, Ylang Ylang, Jasmine, Geranium, Rose, Neroli, Black Pepper Creativity: Motivation, Bergamot, Lemon, Citrus Fresh, Frankincense, Jasmine Stress Reducing: StressAway, Lavender, Grounding, Frankincense, Melissa, Vetiver Confidence: Valor, Abundance, Cypress, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Orange, Magnify Your Purpose Motivation: Awaken, Motivation, Peppermint, Magnify Your Purpose, Highest Potential A lot of people will use essential oils like the ones above when they feel disappointed, nervous, or even if they just want to set the mood for a dinner party or event. If you want to learn more about how to use essential oils for emotions, then I recommend Releasing Emotional Patterns with Essential Oils (2015 Edition) or you can read this post to get some more idea "25 DIY Diffuser Recipes" What Other Reasons Can I Diffuse Essential Oils? There are lots of reasons to diffuse essential oils that are NOT mood based! It will blow your mind when you actually think of all the reasons, but I'm just going to list a few! Remove nasty odors Entertaining guests Optimal sleep Promoting a relaxed but high functioning work environment Reducing food cravings or appetite Purify the air Comforting to children and pets May support a healthy immune system Memory recall for tests or presentations Promote quiet time May support a healthy respiratory system Chemical free air freshener Find motivation to clean or work Change your mindset Rest and relax Put your spouse in a better mood Set the mood for some "adult fun" time. Help your pets cope with new stressors (ex: fireworks, visitors) And a lot more!!! How Do I Know Which Essential Oil To Use? Your nose. Seriously. Your nose. I am not joking. For mood based goals, always use your nose. What do I mean? Let me give you an example of how easy it is to use your nose! Example Situation: I'm stressed about an upcoming event and I want to use essential oils to help me relax. What I do: Look up relaxing essential oils in my 3rd party reference guide or the Releasing Emotional Patterns with Essential Oils (2015 Edition) and then I collect all the ones that I own that are on the list for that emotional goal. And then I smell them to see which one makes my brain go "Yes! That one!" Sometimes if two or three make me happy, then I'll combine them in the diffuser. What If I don't Have A Reference Guide? Easy! Just collect the essential oils that you have and sniff them. Your brain will tell you which one is right! Trust me, your brain is very smart. What If I Have a Different Type of Goal? You will probably want to look at a 3rd party reference guide or check online to see which essential oils work for that goal. For example, if you want to purify the air-- you will probably use any essential oil that you use for cleaning your home such as Purification or Thieves. You can still let your nose decide! You can check out this post "25 Essential Oil Diffuser Recipes" to get some more ideas! I don't have a diffuser-- can I use something else? Yes, there are two ways that you can get a quick "diffusion" with out a diffuser Take 5 deep inhalation directly from the essential oil bottle Apply 1-2 drops to your hand, rub them together and then cup them over your nose/mouth and take several deep inhalations. Can I mix essential oils together for a custom diffuser blend? Of course, you can mix any of the essential oils together if you wanted to, but it can be overwhelming to your senses if you mix too many. I recommend mixing no more than 4 single essential oils together at a time. If you are using blends you may want to use less. How do I clean my diffuser? It's simple and only takes a few minutes. I suggest reading the booklet that comes with your diffuser or watching this video. Also, I recommend to try to clean your diffuser ever 2-4 weeks. Diffusing certain essential oils makes me feel poorly. Is this normal? It depends. Are you using regular store bought products? The synthetic chemicals frequently can cause side effects and I recommend switching to a high quality natural version. If you are using a high quality version, but you are still experiencing unpleasant effects, you may simply just be using too much. Try reducing the amount you use in your diffuser or diffusing for less time to see if that improves the situation. Is it safe around small children? Using high quality essential oils is safe around children if you follow the directions on the diffuser. Of course, if the child reacts in a way which you do not enjoy (more hyperactive) or dislikes the scent, you may want to be respectful of their nose. If you have questions about the impact of a specific essential oil on a child, I recommend that you contact a holistic health care provider. Can I use my humidifier? I do not recommend using essential oils in any device that is not made for essential oils. Remember, using essential oils in other types of products can degrade plastics and void warranties. Is diffusing essential oils dangerous for my pets? Nope. I go to a holistic vet who regularly diffuses essential oils in her clinic to help keep pets calm. It is important to use high quality essential oils because the synthetic varieties are poorly tolerated by animals, especially cats and smaller house pets. Never lock your pet in a closed room with a diffuser running. If your pet begins to drool, foam at the mouth or act peculiar when diffusing, it is recommended to stop the diffusion or move your pet to a different room. They have a much better sense of smell than humans so be respectful to them and remember that less is more. If you have questions about specific essential oils in regards to your pet's health, I recommend that you contact a holistic vet. What is an Ultrasonic diffuser? Ultrasonic diffusion is amazing because it combines the advantages of a humidifier, air purifier, atomizer, and aromatherapy diffuser into one. We have a large variety of these kinds of diffusers such as the Aria Diffuser, Home Diffuser, Bamboo Diffuser, Orb Diffuser, and the RainStone Diffuser. I haven't joined an essential oil company, can I still get a diffuser? Yes! You can search Amazon or other retail sites for a diffuser. One of my favorite 3rd party diffusers is this modern diffuser, but this Wooden Diffuser is also highly recommended. I would like to join your Oily Team to get 24% off-- how do I do that? It's easy! You can go to my Essential Oil Page and use one of the sign up links there. Or you can go to the website to join and just make sure that my member number (#1751770) is in the referral box. You will automatically get 24% off for the lifetime of your membership. After you join, I will send you an email with some info about our member only resources, your free gift, a bunch of great education and some info about how I can help you reach your goals. Fun times ahead! Watch out!!

Are you sick and tired of not knowing exactly what's going in (or on) your body? It's a shame when companies are more interested in making a profit than protecting consumer!!! That's why I love essential oils-- they allow anyone to make high quality products so they know EXACTLY what they are putting on their bodies. You can make non-toxic beauty, cleaning, and wellness products for every member of your family, including the furry ones! But it's important to know what you're doing when you use them because irresponsible use can cause serious problems. Here's some bullet points for you. Don't drink an entire bottle of essential oil in one sitting. That's just dumb. Don't go around pour all the essential oils all over every part of your body like it's nothing. There are areas they should NEVER go (and it may not be what you think). Children are not adults. Don't treat them like adults and give them the same dosage Animals are not humans. Don't treat them like people. Give them different dosages too. Don't think that you can just pour essential oils straight out of the bottle. Many require dilution!! Hint: Read the Labels It is important that we use essential oils safely and responsibly and that begins understanding the difference between high quality essential oils and regular essential oils. Quality vs Quantity First, let's talk about quality. This is one of the most asked questions I hear about essential oils! "Does it matter which brand I use?" YES! YES! YES! Not all essential oils are created equally. Sadly, many are created by using only partial plant material and bulking the rest with additives to keep cost low. Due to poor labeling laws, these products can still carry the "pure" label. Another comment I hear a lot is "Why are some companies selling a 5 ml essential oils for double the price of another companies 15 ml? It seems like a scam!" It is totally a scam, but probably not in the way you're thinking... Most of the companies that you see who sell essential oils for cheap are probably not selling high quality. A lot of things go into quality of essential oils such as how they are grown/distilled, where they are grown, time of year they are planted/harvested and more! I used to buy store bought brands, but my sensitive skin kept reacting to the additives in them. Now that I use quality essential oils, I don't have any skin reactions! Quite a few companies will use cheap plant matter and try to pass it off as a more expensive product. For instance, there are several varieties of Frankincense and Melaleuca (tea tree), but they are often labeled without their proper names so you don't know which variety you're buying. These companies almost always are selling the lowest quality variety and they may even be adulterated. If you happen to have a bottle of essential oil at your home, grab it to check the label. The label should say the common name (ex: orange) and the latin name (ex: Citrus Sinensis). If you have a peel back label-- the ingredient list is often there. If you don't see both names-- that's a big red flag that something is amiss. How To Use Essential Oils.... Not every essential oil can be used in the same way. Some require dilution and others do not. Some can be used topically and others cannot. ALWAYS read the instructions on the label or do your own research BEFORE you use the oils in a way off label. Good companies will provide dilution minimums and usage instructions (if they can be used via topical application, aromatic, or via ingestion) on the labels. If there are warnings on the labels-- please don't assume that this is just some fluff warning. People can get very sick from using certain essential oils (especially adulterated ones) the wrong way. You can also read this blog post about The Basics of Carrier Oils. As I said before... the regulations on labeling essential oils aren't so great so how you use peppermint from one company can be very, very different than how you'd use peppermint from another company due to additives and other factors. So read the labels of every essential oil of every brand you purchase! If in doubt about a company's quality, it should always be researched! I suggest contacting the company direction to ask questions such as... Do you know exactly where their oil comes from? Does the company share where the product comes from? How it's grown? Are there pesticides used? How it's distilled? Can they go to the company farm and see the process for themselves? Does the company harvest and distill with many sample distillations to get the highest amount of therapeutic qualities? Do they know for certain that the oils they buy are safe to ingest? To put on undiluted? Are there ANY toxic warnings that come with their oils? Is there an expiration date? I do not recommend using the low quality essential oils for any reason because they can cause side effects such as asthma, burns or rashes. Hence, the warning labels. {wink} You can click here to read more about the company I recommend and why. How to Use Essential Oils Every essential oil is different and they can be used in many ways. It is always best to do some research to make sure you are using your essential oils properly. I really love Quick Reference Guide for Essential Oils 2013 as a reference guide to help me safely use my essential oils. You know what's amazing? If you're the research type, then you can go to google scholar or pubmed and type in "essential oils" and then whatever else you're looking for and see what pops up! You can find REAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH! Cool, huh? Diffusion This is one of my favorite ways to get the best value of the essential oils and to make my home smell lovely at the same time. Each essential oils has value in aromatherapy. For instance, lavender is relaxing, orange is uplifting, rosemary helps concentration and peppermint is energizing. If you want to support a certain mood, then you can diffuse a certain essential oil. Diffusers are so easy to use! You just follow the instructions on your particular diffuser. Most work by adding a small amount of water in the well of the machine, add a few drops of essential oil, and then you turn on the machine. It's not rocket science! The diffuser will release a cool steam which will fill your room with a lovely scent. You should never use a mechanism that heats the oils because it will decrease the integrity of the oil. The diffuser that I own will fills up the majority of my great room with aromatherapy. This is fantastic to use for parties or while entertaining. Not only can it make your home smell wonderful, it can help maintain the vibe you want. Or you can just diffuse purification to get rid of dog odors before company arrives (pssst.. that's what I do). But I also use it around bedtime to help me relax and fall asleep. It's pretty awesome. Ingestion Ingestion essential oils is a very personal decision. I absolutely do not support ingesting essential oils that do not claim it is safe from the manufacturer. Always read the labels! I recommend reading this article about ingesting essential oils. Many people find that using essential oils internally can provide exceptional benefits. For example, DiGize under the tongue is fantastic for support for the Digestive System! You can watch this video for more ideas on how to ingest essential oils. If you like to use veggie capsules, I wouldn't recommend making too many ahead of time because they can break down the structure of the capsule. If I am making a blend to ingest, I'll mix the essential oils required for the recipe (example: lemon and peppermint) into a glass dropper bottle in the proper ratio. That way I can make only a few days supply at a time, but I have a supply of the solution already pre-mixed. I'm all about making life easier. Topically Placing essential oils directly on the skin is a very common way to get their benefits. Some essential oils can be used "neat" which means undiluted. A very common essential oils that can be used this way is lavender. It's very gentle on the skin and can be used for so many different reasons! It's called the swiss army knife of essential oils for a reason! Other essential oils require dilution which is usually required to be a minimum of a 1:1 dilution ratio with a carrier oil, but can be further diluted depending on your preference. I usually find that 1-2 drop of essential oil in 1 TBSP of carrier oil is sufficient for many applications. All oils can be diluted and still retain their value, even the ones that can be used neatly. Remember, dilution doesn't have to be exact. I often eye ball it when I mix essential oils with carrier oil, but a good range tends to be equal parts or up to 1 drop per 1 tsp depending on how diluted you want something to be. Example #1: I want to put some lavender essential oil on a small sun exposed patch of dry skin. I can use 1 drop of lavender essential oil to 1 drop of any liquid carrier and apply it directly over the area. Example #2: I want to put some lavender on a larger area of skin after spending the day out in the sun. I use 1 drop of lavender essential oil to 1 tsp of carrier oil. In both the cases, the lavender will work the same, but I diluted based upon the amount of skin I would like to cover. If I needed to apply more than 1 tsp of carrier oil to my skin, I would probably begin to think about making a lotion or body butter. Common Base Recipes Salve 1/4 cup of Coconut Oil 15-20 drops of essential oil Body Butter ⅛ cup Shea Butter-- Raw and Unrefined ⅛ cup Beeswax Pellets 2 TBSP Coconut Oil 3 TBSP liquid carrier oil 4 drops of Vitamin E oil 15-25 drops of essential oil Serum 4 TBSP of liquid carrier oil 1/4 tsp vegetable glycerin 10 drops of essential oil Lip Balm 1 oz Beeswax, chopped (or grated) 1 oz Coconut Oil 0.5 oz Shea Butter 1 TBSP liquid carrier oil 3 drops of Vitamin E (Vitamin E Oil) 5-10 drops of essential oil Salt Scrub 2/3 c Epsom Salt 1/3 c Coconut Oil 10-15 drops of essential oil In the event of accidental contact with the eye, dilute with a carrier oil--- NOT water. For read this for more ideas on how to use essential oils. So What's a Carrier Oil? A carrier oil is a base oil which is used to help dilute the essential oil. They essential "carry" the value of the essential oil into the skin. Common carrier oils are… Coconut oil Olive oil Jojoba oil Almond oil Grapeseed oil Avocado oil Rose hips oil (great for beauty products) But you can also use shea butter or cocoa butter-- it doesn't have to be an actual oil! You can read more about Carrier Oils in this blog post: Carrier Oils 101 Do NOT use in Eyes and Ears Caution: Never use essential oils directly in the eyes or ear canal! They may be used around these parts of the body, but never applied directly into either. How to Store Essential Oils They should be stored in a dark place and away from heat. It is not recommended to use plastic because essential oils can degrade plastic overtime. There are some high quality plastics which can be used. I recommend storing all DIY products containing essential oils in glass containers. Mason jars are fantastic for this because they are often very cheap and have many accessories for different functions. Using Essential Oil for Children and Pregnancy Using essential oils in children and pregnancy is something which a reference book is very useful for! I highly recommend the book Gentle Babies Not all essential oils have been tested for pregnancy and small children. It is for this reason that many oils are not recommend or are recommended only during specific times in your pregnancy or in breast feeding. You can also check out these resources: What you NEED to know about essential oils and pregnancy Essential oils for Babies Using Essential Oils for Dogs and Cats As for pets, there are many essential oils which can be used for dogs. I have used essential oils to help my dog with pretty much his entire life. I love using the vita-flex points to help target specific body systems! You can read more about how to use essential oil for dogs at Home Remedies for Dogs Cats are a different story. They lack the enzyme to break down many essential oils. I do not recommend using essential oils directly on cats skin without the supervision of a train veterinarian. Veterinarian Dr. Melissa Shelton has used essential oils (Young Living specifically) on cats with great results, but the cats do require blood work to make sure their enzymes are functioning properly during treatment. This should NEVER be attempted at home without the guidance of a holistic veterinarian. However, diffusing is typically quite safe for cats, as long as they are not locked in a crate next to the diffuser. Dr. Shelton also emphasizes the importance of high quality oils around cats. She believes that the use of adulterated oils around cats can be detrimental to their health and recommends Young Living to all of her clients. This was a big reason why I've chosen Young Living! Talk to your Doctor As a nurse, I know that many people do not disclose their use of complementary medicine to their physicians. I would like to encourage you to talk to your doctor about supplements, herbs and essential oils which are you taking regularly. It is possible that they can increase the potency of prescription medication or interfere with the functionality of the medication. It is always best to fully disclose information and have open discussions with your healthcare providers. Essential Oil 101 CLASS This class was taught by ME. It's full of awesome information and shows you how essential oils can be used to replace every day items-- she even makes some items in the class so you can see how easy it is! It also gives you the run down about some of the most popular oils and exactly how to use them. So You Want Some Essential Oils? To learn more about which essential oils I recommend, please read about why you should buy high quality essential oils. WebRep currentVote noRating noWeight

We spent months testing essential oils to find the best 5 essential oils for women.  We tested the essential oils on everyone in our family (including my girls and our dog Buster).  We tested doTerra, Young Living and 12 other brands and found the best ones.  We ranked them on quality of oils (most important of all), price, ease of ordering, and education.  Here are the 5 Best Essential Oils Brands: 1.  REVIVE ESSENTIAL OILS REVIVE Essential Oils earned the #1 spot and is our favorite essential oil brand by far. We used their oils on our entire family (dogs included!) and had great results. Sleep, energy, pain, allergies – you name it and there is a Revive EO essential oil or blend for it.  My husband loves the Sleep blend. Quality: ★★★★★. Having used Revive Oils for 6 months, I can tell you they are as high quality as doTerra oils I was using.  And there’s science that backs that up!  Dr. Pappas (a pHD Chemist who has been testing essential oils since 1996 and previously worked for doTerra and Young Living) performs independent 3rd party testing on every batch of every Revive Oil.  He verifies Revive Oils are as high quality, pure, & potent as doTerra and YL.  You can see GC/MS reports from Dr. Pappas on the Revive website. He certifies the purity, potency, and quality of every batch of every Revive Essential Oil through GC/MS testing & 20 other tests. Revive Essential Oils are 100% pure therapeutic grade, with no fillers or fragrances. Revive Oils are so high quality that we can actually ingest their oils (I quit diet coke and drink lavender sparkling water every day!). And we were glad to see we weren’t alone – we love all the great reviews that Revive EO has earned, including one from us! Price: ★★★★★. Revive prices are great! Thieves blend for $14.  On Guard for $14. Frankincense for $18! I was a doTerra customer before but I was spending more than $1,000 a year because it’s so expensive. Revive isn’t a multi-level-marketing company. That’s how they offer the same quality Oils but at a lower price! Ease of Ordering/Gimmicks: ★★★★★. REVIVE offers FREE SHIPPING & RETURNS. I don’t purchase things online without this! I like that their return policy is almost as good as Costco (a mom’s disneyland!) and that they offer a 100% money back guarantee. There are no annual fees or pressure to keep ordering. I order what I want based on what I actually use. My favorite is their version of Thieves, called REVIVE Immunity Boost. Education: ★★★★☆.  I like the GCMS reports and the Top 10 uses of each Essential Oil and Blend on the website.  I was able to communicate with the Revive aromatherapist via email and found her knowledgeable and helpful. Quality:       ★★★★★Price:           ★★★★★Ordering:   ★★★★★Education: ★★★★☆Overall Rating: 19/20  Buy it here  SURPRISE SALE: REVIVE has a Limited Time Surprise Sale. live right now: CLICK TO REVEAL 2.  DoTerra   doTerra is an essential oil company that started in Utah. I was a former doTerra customer for years! Ultimately, I grew tired of the navigating the sales pitches and how expensive it is. Quality: ★★★★★. doTerra essential oils are natural and high quality. My complaint about their GC/MS testing is you have to enter a lot number on their website, which you can only get from a bottle of oil you have already bought. Price: ★★☆☆☆. DoTerra is really expensive. People think it’s expensive because of quality but it’s expensive because of the MLM – up to 50% of my purchase price goes to the MLM of doTerra advocates. And I didn’t know this but doTerra makes $300 million dollars a year in profit (1)! Ease of Ordering/Gimmicks: ★★★☆☆. I find it painful, to be honest. I can never keep track of their monthly specials and found myself spending too much time optimizing for saving money than purchasing the items my family really needed. Education: ★★★★★. I love the education I can get from doTerra through the MLM. This is where doTerra stands out. I’ve learned so much about how to use Oils and Blends. Quality:       ★★★★★Price:           ★★☆☆☆Ordering:   ★★★☆☆Education: ★★★★★Overall Rating: 15/20     Buy it here.      2.  Young Living   If you’ve bought essential oils, you’ve likely heard about Young Living products. Did you know they own their own farms?! Young Living Essential Oils are sold in a multi-level marketing (friends earn financial rewards by referring products to others). It has great Essential Oils (Thieves is my favorite) but is expensive and so we ranked Young Living. #3 on our list. Quality: ★★★★☆. Young Living has amazing programs coined “seed to seal”,   “lacy’s act”, and “partnership principals”. They say that they audit their farms, have binding agreements, and stringent testing. Big problem though – they don’t post their GC/MS reports. Price: ★★☆☆☆. Like DoTerra, Young Living is really expensive. It’s expensive because of the MLM and because Young Living makes $400 million dollars a year in profit (2). Even at wholesale price, Young Living Essential Oils are marked up 400% to 600% (this is how jewelry gets marked up). Ease of Ordering/Gimmicks: ★★★☆☆.  Alongside the personal pressure from friends to keep ordering, you’ve to pay for Shipping! Also upon checkout they tried to sell me membership, and it just reminded me how much I was overpaying for all of their products. Education: ★★★★★. I love the education I can get from Young Living through the advocates. Quality:       ★★★★☆Price:           ★★☆☆☆Ordering:   ★★★☆☆Education: ★★★★★ Overall Rating: 14/20 4.  Rocky Mountain   Rocky Mountain essential oils used to be called Native American Nutritionals. They are also based out of Utah. Quality: ★★★★★.  They have high quality oils and easily accessible GC/SM testing for every item! I love it!! Price: ★★☆☆☆. Rocky Mountain Essential Oils has expensive oils. And opposite to instincts, more expensive does not always equal better quality. They are the same price as doTerra but are not doing as many community events as Young Living and doTerra. They have high quality oils like the 4 companies listed above but cost alone cannot be used to describe the quality of something. Ease of Ordering/Gimmicks: ★★★★☆.  I love that I can order from Rocky Mountain and they have quick shipping. I love even more that it is free shipping. I get a little overwhelmed with how many different lines, and kits that they offer. Education: ★★★☆☆. They have good information for each essential oil in easy to consume little drop down menus. It is not as extensive as Young Living or doTerra websites. Quality:       ★★★★★Price:           ★★☆☆☆Ordering:   ★★★★☆Education: ★★★☆☆ Rocky Mountain overall 14/20 5. Melaleuca Melaleuca has a lot of different products from weight loss to windex to essential oils. Instead of trying to be the best in one category, Melaleuca ends up being OK in lots of categories. They sell Essential Oils under the brand Pure Essential Oils. Weirdly, Melaleuca requires you to be a member to purchase. Their prices are high, and they require you to be a member to purchase. Quality: ★★★☆☆.  Melaleuca oils are good quality. But Melaleuca doesn’t share the GCMS reports of their oils on their website. Price: ★★★☆☆. They call themself a selling club but that just means you can’t shop directly and have to use “the person who referred you” to melaleuca to shop. This indirect shopping increases prices. Ease of Ordering/Gimmicks: ★★☆☆☆.  The require you to join the MLM and require you to set up an autoship subscription to purchase. Their selection is limited. They force you to buy $50 a month of things that you may not need just to fill the quota. Education: ★★★☆☆. They have limited information on their website about EO usage and blends. Quality:       ★★★☆☆Price:           ★★★☆☆Ordering:   ★★☆☆☆Education: ★★★☆☆ Melaleuca Overall: 11/20 In summary: #1 REVIVE Essential Oils: Buy It Here#2 Doterra: Buy It Here#3 Young Living: Buy it Here#4 Rocky Mountain: Buy it Here#5 Melaleuca: Buy it Here

Intimacy. I love this topic because it is something so many women struggle with and don’t often talk about. Aromatherapy can be extremely helpful to promote feelings of love, bonding and connection with our significant other. More specifically, essential oils can be supportive for multiple variables that can play a role in decreasing libido.

I am beyond excited about essential oils (duh) and I have collected quite a few of them in my years of natural living. When you start one oil at a time a single big way to store the oils seems insane (it's not) so I've been using these smaller methods: 5 Essential Oil Storage Solutions. But then I had a moment. My brain exploded when I saw my friend's visual essential oil display. GORGEOUS. After all, I love essential oils so YES! I WANT ONE! I honestly tried to resist the desire to get this beauty (you probably will too), but then I finally caved when I rationalized that it is an artistic expression of myself. After all, essential oils are important to me so shouldn't they take center stage at my home? First Impressions Obviously, it's amazing. This essential oil storage display has been exactly what I needed! I keep looking at it and smiling which makes Clint laugh at me... in pure adoration, I am sure. I have had a few people come over since I got it and everyone compliments it, and enjoys sniffing the oils and asking questions-- even if they aren't oily yet! I am thrilled to be able to share my love for natural living more easily using this display as a conversation starter! I also love that it has a nature theme and it goes perfectly with the idea of essential oils! Puuur-fect. Where Is This Available At? Lucky for you they are on Amazon. There are two options for sizes so there is really something for everyone! I got the larger one which is a 6-Tier Wall Art Display Rack. It holds approximately 200 essential oils or you can mix and match with various other supplies. Each shelf is pretty wide so it is possible to actually add a second row of 5 ml essential oils behind the first row of essential oils if you are completely oily obsessed (like me). I Don't Have That Many Essential Oils... If you are worried that the 6 tier wall display will be too big, then check out the 5 Tier Wall Art Display. Not only is it smaller, but the price tag is significantly reduced as well! And consider storing other items like small books, smaller diffusers (USB, Travel), diffuser supplies, DIY bottles or carrier oils on the rack as well. I honestly wish I got this from the start because I think being creative with what you display allows you to grow into the display rack rather than spending money on multiple little storage solutions which made me unsure of where anything actually was located. To give you a different idea on how this can work let me tell you about how my friends and I organized this display. I put all of my essential oils in line alphabetically, but a few of my friends, Robin and Jennifer, also have this display and they organize theirs a little differently. Robin has also added many other items to really show off the entire idea of DIYing while Jennifer organizes her essential oils by collections or types (aka emotional oils, pet oils). But there is no wrong way! Be creative and I'm sure it will look amazing! Final Thoughts and Other Options If you are a bit mechanically challenged, then you should know that this is also very easy to set up and it is very light weight, but also durable. I had no trouble picking it up with one hand and holding it in place while I marked the location on the wall for the screws and anchors. It was very easy for even a very non-mechanical person like me! Other options for a wall display would be to go thrifting and see if you can find something to recycle and renew! I've seen a lot of great DIYs made from old drawers, cabinets and other unusual items. If you are more of the "I Do It Myself" DIY type and want to make your display case, then check out this post from my friend Kara: Make Your Own DIY Wall Shelf I am seriously just so thrilled about this essential oil display! It received such a positive reception both in my Facebook Group and by my own friends and family that I had to share it with you guys! I hope you like it, too!

This DIY Beauty: Essential Oils Firming Eye Cream post contains affiliate or brand partner links. Read our full disclosure here. Something about turning 35 a few weeks ago has me all kinds of aware of the state of my skin, fine lines and faint wrinkles. You know... signs of aging and such. I've become HYPER aware...

We spent the last 3 months testing essential oils to find the 5 best places to buy Essential Oils.  We tested doTerra, Young Living and many others and found the best ones.  We ranked them on quality of oils (most important of all), price, ease of ordering, and education.  Here are the 5 best essential oils brands: 1.  REVIVE ESSENTIAL OILS REVIVE Essential Oils  earned the #1 spot and is our favorite essential oil brand by far. We used their oils on our entire family (dogs included!) and had great results. Sleep, energy, pain, allergies – you name it and there is a Revive essential oil or blend for it.  Quality: ★★★★★. Having used Revive Oils for 3 months, I can tell you they are as high quality as doTerra oils I was using.  And there’s science that backs that up!  Dr. Pappas (a pHD Chemist who has been testing essential oils since 1996 and previously worked for doTerra and Young Living) performs independent 3rd party testing on every batch of every Revive Oil.  He verifies Revive Oils are as high quality, pure, & potent as doTerra and YL.  You can see GC/MS reports from Dr. Pappas on the Revive website.  He ensures through GC/MS testing & 20 other tests that Revive Essential Oils are 100% pure therapeutic grade, natural with no fillers or fragrances. Revive Oils are so high quality that we can actually ingest their oils (I quit diet coke and drink lavender sparkling water every day!). And we were glad to see we weren’t alone – we love all the great reviews that Revive EO has earned, including one from us! Price: ★★★★★. Revive prices are great! Thieves blend for $14. Frankincense for $18! I was a doTerra customer before but I was spending more than $1,000 a year because it’s so expensive. Revive isn’t an multi-level-marketing company. That’s how they offer the same quality Oils but at a lower price! Ease of Ordering/Gimmicks: ★★★★★. REVIVE offers FREE SHIPPING & RETURNS. I don’t purchase things online without this! I like that their return policy is almost as good as Costco (a mom’s disneyland!) and that they offer a 100% money back guarantee. There are no membership fees or pressure to keep ordering. I order what I want based on what I actually use. I also like their kits which are a great deal. Our favorite kit is their best value – 10 bottles for $76.50 with the NEWCUSTOMER10 Coupon Code) – the REVIVE Starter Kit. Education: ★★★☆☆. They post little “fact sheets” on their page but I would like more posted material. An upside is they have a chat feature on their page and an aromatherapist will respond to all questions about their products. Overall Rating: 18/20 Valentine’s Day SALE: REVIVE their Valentine’s Day Sale right now for early access! CLICK TO REVEAL   2.  DoTerra   doTerra is an essential oil company that started in Utah. The doTerra CEO left Young Living and started doTerra. I was a former doTerra customer for years! Ultimately, I grew tired of the pressure to keep buying and how expensive it is. Quality: ★★★★★. doTerra essential oils are natural and high quality. My complaint about their GC/MS testing is you have to enter a lot number on their website, which you can only get from a bottle of oil you have already bought. Price: ★★☆☆☆. DoTerra is really expensive. People think it’s expensive because of quality but it’s expensive because of the MLM (multi-level-marketing) – up to 50% of my purchase price goes to the pyramid of doTerra advocates who make money every time I purchase. And I didn’t know this but doTerra makes $300 million dollars a year in profit (1)! Ease of Ordering/Gimmicks: ★★★☆☆. Even more than the price, I grew tired of the pressure to keep ordering. I’ve been pitched by my neighbor, another swim mom, and a stranger in a grocery store! I ended up ordering Oils I already had to keep my subscription and Loyalty Rewards alive. Education: ★★★★☆. I love the education I can get from doTerra through the MLM. This is where doTerra stands out. I’ve learned so much about how to use Oils and Blends. doTerra didn’t get the 5th star because a I’ve discovered that a lot of doTerra MLM advocates will make claims that aren’t true. Overall Rating: 14/20   3. Young’s Living   If you’ve bought essential oils, you’ve likely heard about Young Living products. Quality: ★★★★★. Young Living essential oils are natural and high quality. Like doTerra, they don’t share the GCMS reports on their website which I wish they did. But I believe Young Living oils are high quality.  I’ve personally used Young Living’s Thieves blend and found it to be high quality. Price: ★★☆☆☆. Like DoTerra, Young Living is really expensive. It’s expensive because of the MLM and because Young Loving makes $400 million dollars a year in profit. Even at wholesale price, Young Living Essential Oils are marked up 400% to 600% (this is how jewelry gets marked up). Ease of Ordering/Gimmicks: ★★★☆☆.  Alongside the personal pressure from friends to keep ordering, you’ve to pay for Shipping! Education: ★★★★☆. I love the education I can get from Young Living through the advocates. I’ve also found Young Living advocates to be more truthful. Overall Rating: 14/20 3. Rocky Mountain   Rocky Mountain essential oils used to be called Native American Nutritionals. They are also based out of Utah. Quality: ★★★★★.  They have high quality oils and easily accessible GC/SM testing for every item! I love it!! Price: ★★☆☆☆. Rocky Mountain Essential Oils has expensive oils. And opposite to instincts, more expensive does not always equal better quality. They are the same price as doTerra but are not doing as many community events as Young Living and doTerra. They have high quality oils like the 4 companies listed above but cost alone cannot be used to describe the quality of something. Ease of Ordering/Gimmicks: ★★★★☆.  I love that I can order from Rocky Mountain and they have quick shipping. I love even more that it is free shipping. I get a little overwhelmed with how many different lines, and kits that they offer. Education: ★★★☆☆. They have good information for each essential oil in easy to consume little drop down menus. It is not as extensive as Young Living or doTerra websites. Quality:       ★★★★★Price:           ★★☆☆☆Ordering:   ★★★★☆Education: ★★★☆☆ Rocky Mountain overall 14/20 5. Melaleuca   Melaleuca started in 1985. They have a lot of different products from weight loss to windex to essential oils. Instead of trying to be the best in one category, Melaleuca ends up being OK in lots of categories. They sell Essential Oils under the brand Pure Essential Oils. Weirdly, Melaleuca says they are a “shop club” but and have to login and become a member. Their prices are high, and they require you to be a member to purchase. Quality: ★★★☆☆.  Melaleuca oils are good quality. But Melaleuca doesn’t share the GCMS reports of their oils on their website. Price: ★★★☆☆. They call themself a selling club but that just means you can’t shop directly and have to use “the person who referred you” to melaleuca to shop. This just means their prices are inflated. Ease of Ordering/Gimmicks: ★★☆☆☆.  The require you to join and have benefits for subscribing which just makes getting the best price complicated. Their selection is limited. They want you to buy $50 a month of things that you may not need just to fill the quota. Education: ★★★☆☆. They have limited information on their website about EO usage and blends. Quality:       ★★★☆☆Price:           ★★★☆☆Ordering:   ★★☆☆☆Education: ★★★☆☆ Melaleuca Overall: 11/20 Buy it here. In summary: #1 REVIVE Essential Oils: Buy It Here#2 Doterra: Buy It Here#3 Young Living: Buy it Here#4 Rocky Mountain: Buy it Here#5 Melaleuca: Buy it Here

I know I say this every time but I am SO excited about our exclusive doTERRA essential oils deal this month!! We took the month of February off because I traveled most of the month and also to really take the time to thoughtfully plan out something that would help all of you, and I…

Over the years I've gotten hundreds (if not thousands) of emails about DIY beauty and almost everyone has the same questions. Where do I even start? How long do I try a product before I switch? Should I keep my store bought products? How do I find my routine? Why does my skin look like this?! What's your beauty routine? So I'm going to be smart and answer all of those questions now. In one place. YAY for being smart! It just took me three years.... and my friend Natasha telling me to write this.... DETAILS! You should know that I'm not a doctor or a dermatologist. I'm just a really crunchy girl who happens to really like looking beauuuuutiful. I also may have done a lot of research (and experimentation) with DIY beauty. So let me tell you what I figured out... Where Do We Even Start?! Anywhere. I know. I know. That's not what you wanted to hear, but honestly starting anywhere is better than no where, am I right?! YES! Of course, I am! So pick your #1 concern. Is it spot for blemishes? A DIY face wash? Wrinkles around the eyes? Dry Skin? Go with your primary concern FIRST. You can find a list of DIY beauty products here to give you some ideas: DIY Beauty or Essential Oil Recipes IMPORTANT: Don't try to overhaul everything at once. WHY? Because you will have no clue which products work and which don't if you switch out your entire routine at the same time. Think about this: What if you overhaul your whole routine and you break out! What do you change? I have no clue. Do you have a clue? I'm going to guess... NO. So start with ONE new product. At. A. Time. PERIOD. No questions ask. ONE. That's all. ONE. Got that? ONE. Don't email me "Sherri, I started these 20 products two weeks ago and my skin is horrible. What do I do!?!" {head bangs against desk} Seriously, it hurts my heart every time I get an email like that. Don't hurt my heart. Puh-lease. Keep Store Bought Products or Toss? You may get better results if you stop all your store bought products and actually just wash your face with water and use your one new awesome DIY product. Scared? Most people freak out when I say that, but listen--- this is WHY. The chemicals and the oil stripping properties in the store bought products will fight against the natural DIY products because they have different goals. The store bought products want to strip oil while DIY products want to help the skin produce the right amount of oil. You can see the dilemma. However, if you want to use your fancy stuff and your DIY stuff at the same time-- you can. Just don't email me asking about why your skin is bipolar. It's literally fighting, confused and in a state of shock. It's not impossible to transition this way. It's just harder. What To Use Oils. Lots of oils. I KNOW! It's so weird!! But it's totally awesome! We think slathering our faces in oils will cause pimples, but let me tell you that we've been LIED to! Oils actually makes our skin look better and behave better! {mind blown}. You can also use aloe vera, avocado, bananas, honey, castile soap and other natural items for skin care. I find that using a mixture of carrier oils, essential oil and natural products works amazingly well for my skin and most of my readers, too! You do have a lot of choices about which products you use, but I ALWAYS suggest using unrefined, cold pressed carrier oils that are organic. A lot of times it's the pesticides and chemicals that our skin reacts to-- not the oils! Also, puh-lease also use essential oils that are grown beyond organic standards because due to poor labeling laws-- I don't trust what most essential oils say on the bottle! I always recommend getting the purest and most natural products possible because chemicals, pesticides, processing methods and other manufacturing tricks can cause our skin to become worse! And that leads a lot of people to believe that natural skin care isn't right for their bodies. For example, when I first started with DIY beauty, I used store bought essential oils and I broke out and I even developed a nasty eczema like rash. I thought all essential oils were created equal, but they aren't! I stayed away from all essential oils for DIY beauty until a friend told me about true difference in quality. Only when I found high quality therapeutic essential oils did I see the amazing difference that they made in my skin care routine. Read more about Carrier Oils Read more about Essential Oils Read more about Natural Ingredients You can also watch this video for a more detailed "class" on DIY Beauty and what ingredients/recipes you may like to use How Long To Test Out a New DIY? A minimum of 2 weeks is absolutely required. It takes 2 weeks for our skin cells to turn over so if you get a pimple while testing out products in the beginning-- it very well could have been developing BEFORE you switched products. The exception is Comedogenic Acne. That means something (almost always a carrier oil) is clogging your pores-- it's not going to change. If you see this, then you should switch your carrier oils ASAP and there is no need to wait two weeks. Click her to read more about comedogenic acne and blending carrier oils. No need to switch essential oils for comedogenic acne-- it's the carrier oils that are clogging pores! After two weeks you should start to see results, but I like to give my skin 2 more weeks on a regiment to give my skin the ability to completely turn over all the cells. This lets me know exactly what the product is doing for me. Sometimes I don't need 4 weeks-- I know after 2 weeks the tremendous difference, but occasionally giving your skin a little extra time is best. If after 2 weeks, I've seen an improvement in my skin, then I know I can add in a new product and repeat the cycle until I've replaced all my store bought products. If I've seen something I don't like with a product, then I know I need to change that particular DIY recipe. Now what to change, right?! Well, I have a theory about this! Let me tell you about it... My DIY Theory When you buy a store bought product and it makes your skin go crazy, then you throw it away and call it hopeless right? Well, since we control all aspects of a DIY we don't need to do that. We just tweak. Let me give you an example... For instance, let's say that my goal is to help my dry winter skin and I've decided to start a DIY moisturizer. If after two weeks I notice that my skin isn't absorbing the moisturizer very well or that I'm getting some big ole nasty bumps, then I know something in the DIY moisturizer isn't quite right for my skin. I need to tweak! A great starting point for tweaking is to check the ratings for comedogenic acne to see which rank the highest-- that's what I change first! EXAMPLE: I will switch the coconut oil for almond oil to see if that makes a difference. OR I'll just use the base ingredient (let's say it's aloe vera) and slowly add the rest of the ingredients back in until I see the negative change happen again. The beauty of this last method is that once I see the negative outcome, then I know I will need to avoid that ingredient in ALL DIY recipes. For me, that's olive oil! I can't go near the stuff or my skin goes crazy. You can also tweak routines to get better results. If my winter skin moisturizer isn't giving me the results I want, then I can change the carrier oil to something more heavy duty-- like avocado oil which is great for dry skin. Read more about troubleshooting carrier oils What's Your Routine?! Everyone wants to know my routine and copy it. Meh. I don't really recommend this because what my skin likes isn't going to be what everyone's skin likes. This is why we are, you know, INDIVIDUALS. But as an example, this is my skin care routine. You definitely don't need to follow my routine and I actually hope that you don't. My dream for you is that you will listen to your skin and develop your own routine! Trust me-- if you start paying attention, you'll learn that your skin will talk to you and tell you exactly what it wants. Daily: Face Wash Toner Wrinkle Blasting Moisturizer or my Mighty Manuka Moisturizer Eye Serum Weekly: African Black Soap OCM (if my skin is dry) Every Two Weeks: Exfoliate Bentonite Face Mask Puh-lease do not exfoliate more than every two weeks unless you have been advised to do this by a doctor. Awesome Tips and Tricks You may want to avoid creams and butters at first. They are more likely to clog your pores. Your skin will go through a transition-- this is normal. It has to figure out how to produce oils at the right pace. Expect a little learning curve. You may see results quickly. Some times our skin is beyond thrilled to be able to do it's own thing. Other people's skin can go into a little bit of shock because it's become co-dependent and lazy since it hasn't had to actually DO anything for, like, 30 years. It's important to remember everyone is different so your experience may not be the exact same as your friend's. You WILL need to switch out ingredients at some point. This is not a one stop shop. If you expect it to be super easy, you will probably be disappointed. If you expect to play around, you'll be really happy with the process. It's really fun to get to know your own skin! Don't give up! I have never met someone who says they regret switching to a DIY routine. Not only do they say they have better skin, but they are also saving money! YAY! You can find a list of DIY beauty products here: DIY Beauty FAQ How Do I Know It's Working? Remember to listen to your skin. If something feels wrong-- stop using it. There should never be a burning sensation or a rash when using natural products. If you have an allergy to a food, then please do not use that food or a product derived from that food in your skin care routine. How Long Should I Wait To Try Changing My DIY? At least 2 weeks! That's because it takes the skin 2 weeks to turn over so you may not see the true results until after 2 weeks. Will my skin get worse before it gets better? Depends. Some people will notice a "purge" and have more acne and white heads during the transition from chemical products to more natural ones. This is because the skin needs to figure out how to work and regulate it's own oil production. Be patient!

OMG! Everyone wants to know about carrier oils!! One of the most popular questions I get is "Which carrier oil should I use?" Oh, Lordy! That's a heavy question. {sigh} The answers really range from "Anyone you want!!!" to "You probably should use coconut oil for that". There are so many factors, but I've dedicated my WEEK to writing this post to answer your most pressing questions. Lucky you!! YAY! In my mind, there are really two completely different rules to using carrier oils when it comes to beauty {aka your face} vs simple dilution for essential oils, so we're going to talk about both today! What is a Carrier Oil? The term is half misleading. It's doesn't even have to be an oil, but it does carrier extra ingredients to a larger surface area. Example: One drop of lavender essential oils doesn't cover much of your skin, but 1 drop of lavender and 1 drop of almond oil will cover at least double the surface area. A carrier oil has two purposes (in my mind anyways): you use to either dilute an essential oil or something that you use to get a specific use or consistency from (example: coconut oil makes great salves). So many things can be used as a carrier oils. I'll try to list them for you {clears throat}.... Almond oil, jojoba oil, mango butter, beeswax, coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, aloe vera, rosewater, castile soap, grapeseed oil, hemp seed oil, hazelnut oil, rosehips oil, argan oil, aloe vera gel, salt, V6, sugar.... omg. I'm tried. There is more, but I give up. P.S. Mineral oil is NOT a carrier oil. Gross. It's derived from petroleum! Yuck. Carrier Oils for Beauty When you are looking for a carrier oil to use for beauty you may be looking for something to dilute your essential oils with or you might be looking for something more specific like the Oil Cleansing Method or to help support aging (::cough cough:: use ROSEHIPS). There are a lot of options! Annnnnd... that's probably why it's so confusing, right? First, you have to identify your skin type (take this quiz if you aren't sure). Once you figure out your skin type, then it's a lot easier to narrow down your selection for oils. Normal Skin: Any light carrier oil such as Hempseed, Coconut oil, Grapeseed, Sunflower, Sweet Almond Oily Skin: Grapeseed, Sweet Almond, Apricot Oil, Jojoba, Sunflower, Hempseed, Tung oil Dry Skin: Avocado Oil, Sweet Almond, Olive Oil, Rosehips Sensitive Skin: Jojoba Oil, Sesame seed, Sweet Almond, Apricot, Mature Skin: Jojoba, Avocado, Apricot, Sesame seed, Rosehips *Note that if you have a food allergy or sensitivity to a the food product listed in the oil, then do not use that oil on your body or face It's important to note that being on this list doesn't promise that it will work for your skin type. Our skin will decide which oil it likes the most and remember that skin takes two weeks to turn over so anything that pops up between week 1-2 was probably already going to happen. You'll know which carrier works for your skin type because your skin will readily absorb the oil and you shouldn't feel oily or sticky afterwards AND you don't get any comedogenic acne. (Pssst. don't worry-- we will talk about that!) Some of my favorite skin care recipes using these carrier oils are.... DIY Facewash Lavender Rosehips Moisturizer Eye Serum Blending Carrier Oils Some people chose to use two or three carrier oils at a time to maximize the benefits. Feel free to mix one or more of these oils together, but be careful not to over do it because if you have a reaction to one-- then it will be harder to narrow down which one cause a problem! You can read more about how to blend oils on my post Troubleshooting the Oil Cleansing Method. Comedogenic Rating One of the biggest problems with using carrier oils for skin care is comedogenic issues. This is NOT regular pimples! These are teeny hard white bumps that pop up usually around 2 weeks from when you start using carrier oils on your skin. The most popular areas for comedogenic blemishes seem to be on the chin and forehead, but they can show up just about anywhere. Each carrier oil has a Comedogenic Rating. My friend Kara from LifeSanity was kind enough to make this amazing graphic to demonstrate the comedogenic rating of several popular carrier oils. Just because something has a high Comedogenic rating doesn't mean you shouldn't use it! A lot of people use oils like Coconut oil with a lot of success, but it does mean that if you have a reaction then you may want to remove the oil with the highest comedogenic rating first. Carrier Oils for the Body The body isn't nearly as sensitive as the human face! THANK GOD! So we don't have to worry as much about the comedogenic ratings even with people who have super sensitive skin (like me!). There are a TON of carrier oils for the body including all the ones listed above for skin care, plus you can use shea butter, cocoa butter, beeswax, aloe vera, rose water, mango butter, castile soap... etc, but for the sake of this article we are going to focus on those that actually have OIL. Here are some of my favorite body recipes: Lavender Rose Hand Cream Chocolate Cinnamon Peppermint Body Butter Summer Time Lotion and Spray Aloe Vera Moisturizer (I use this on my face and my body! I love it!) How To Pick A Carrier Oil for Body Care When we are applying carrier oils to the body, I think it's more important to realize we need to pick an oil based on what we want. Do we need to achieve a purpose (wrinkles, blemishes, dry skin, etc) Are we looking to achieve a consistency (salve, body butter, balm, serum) What about scent? Do we just want to dilute an essential oil? If we are looking to achieve a purpose, then we can definitely use the chart above to find a carrier oil for our skin type. You may also want to add essential oils to your carrier oils to amplify it's purpose. I found that once I started adding quality essential oils to my carrier oils my results were seen quicker and more pronounced than before. I recommend this brand. If we are looking for consistency, then we want to pay attention to how the oils behave. If we want something that is going to stay a liquid, then we want a liquid carrier oil. Duh, right? But some carrier oils, namely coconut oil, will turn a solid when it gets cool, but it's a liquid when it's warm. If we make a coconut oil serum in the summer, we won't be able to use it very well in the winter! (The exception is fractionated coconut oil-- it's always a liquid). Likewise, that beautiful winter coconut oil salve you made this winter is going to change consistency in the summer. Adding beeswax and butter will help it retain it's shape. MAGIC FORMULA: 1/3 coconut oil, 1/3 beeswax, 1/3 butter = basic lotion, balms, body butters. You can change the consistency buy putting it in the fridge for 30 - 60 minutes then beating it with a blender or hand mixture. Another thing to consider is smell-- do you want it to smell nutty (hazelnut, almond) or fruity (coconut, apricot) or maybe sweet (cocoa butter)? Carrier oils can add to the depth of scent in your DIY recipe, but sometimes they can get in the way. For an unscented carrier oil, I loooooove jojoba oil. Using Carrier Oils with Essential Oils Alright, alright, now let's make this EASY for once, for God's sake! Everyone tries to make this soooooo complicated, but it's not. I PROMISE!! You can use ANY carrier oil to dilute essential oils! See-- easy. END OF BLOG POST. Oh, no? You want more? Okkkaayyy.... If you happen to use an essential oil brand that actually has dilution instructions on the bottles, then life is easy for you! Follow those instructions! But you can always dilute MORE if you want to stretch the oils (and your cash). If you don't use a high quality brand (store bought brands are NOT high quality FYI) then you may need to contact the company to find out instructions. They are often made with synthetics and need a heavier dilution OR are already heavily diluted with carrier oil. I recommend this brand I'm cheap so I dilute my essential oil by at least 50% every time, but I'm also a big fan of heavier dilutions too when I make a lot of my DIY products. I really recommend coconut oil for essential oils because it can be a base to so many of the different DIYs that you can make with it AND it's kind of amazing for skin care. You can watch this video for more information on how to safely dilute your essential oils and how to read labels. Reader Questions: If you are unsure if an essential oil requires dilution, dilute at least 50% with ANY carrier oil. That means for every 1 drop of essential oil use 1 drop of carrier oil. If it has a mild burning sensation, tingles, or just feels a little funny: Dilute it more heavily or stop using it! If I held you down and tormented you with chocolate, would you tell me which 3 carrier oils you'd recommend? Yes, but all you really needed was the chocolate. I do like your level of commitment though. 1. Coconut oil because it's so versatile 2. Jojoba because it's unscented 3. Rosehips oil (or Argan) because I'm obsessed with using it for face care. If you're putting essential oil on children: As a generality ALWAYS dilute essential oils when using them with children, but remember some essential oils are to be used with caution in children so I always recommend educating yourself. I like the Gentle Babies Book as a reference guide. Essential Oils and Pets: I recommend seeing a holistic vet in most cases just to be safe as so much depends on the metabolism, size, and health of your pet. Be very careful with cats in particular as they have very sensitive livers and some essential oils can cause damage if improperly used. Dogs are much more robust and can tolerate many essential oils easily. You can read this article for more ideas on how to use essential oils for your dog: 6 DIY's for Your Dog How about Cleaning? You can dilute with castile soap, vinegar, alcohol, or any of the regular DIY household products. What about DIY Wellness recipes? I always suggest buying a guide book similar to this one so that you can use your essential oils safely and effectively for your goal. Remember to dilute to the instructions on the back of the bottle, but you can dilute more to stretch the essential oil. Which carrier oils do you use and where do you buy them? I buy most of mine on Amazon because they have such a wide selection and it's easier to buy organic or non-GMO. Sweet Almond Oil Organic Pure Cold Pressed Nutiva Certified Organic Virgin Coconut Oil Jojoba Oil, Organic Organic Rosehip Oil I can't find the right blend or oil for my skin, what should I do? Be Patient. Skin turns over every 2 weeks so if you see something pop up right away-- it may have been coming anyways. I encourage most people to wait 2-4 weeks before changing their routine. Look at the chart at the top of this posts and see if you are using the right oils for your skin type. Adjust if you need to. Next look at the chart that has comedogenic ratings, remove or replace any oil that is high on the comedogenic rating list. Be MORE patient. Most people take 2-4 adjustments before they find their right carrier oil for skin care. What do I do if I need MORE help? You can join my Natural Living and Essential Oil Facebook Group. You can also read these for more information about how to use essential oils Essential Oils 101 (this one has the very basics of carrier oils) 50+ ideas on how to use the essential oils

I've been dealing with tinea versicolor for about five years, and it seems to be spreading. It's on my chest, armpits, arms, neck, inner thigh, navel area, and shoulders. I don't want to use antifungals. Diluted essential oils have worked before but didn't get rid of the whole thing. I found something called Terrasil. Is that good? What can I do to end this?