Pampering Bath Soak

Because I don't do enough bath soaks? This one is very relaxing, but also great for soothing itchy & irritated skin. Because of that I'm calling this a pampering soak: soothe & treat your skin, while enjoying some nice relaxation. This is also great just for keeping your skin smooth & soft--it doesn't have to be irritated to reap the benefits.

I was actually inspired by one of the Dr. Teal's blends. Their Calming & Balance blend with matcha, citrus, and chamomile was really lovely. I decided to make my own copycat version, and then boosted it up a bit because it's mosquito season and my legs could use some extra relief.

Pampering Bath Salts

1 c epsom salts
1/2 c oats, ground
(not quick oats, trust me)
1 tsp chamomile
1 tsp matcha
1 tsp trauma oil
10 drops ylang ylang, optional
(brightens it up a bit)

Dilute your ylang ylang oil, if using it, in your trauma oil first. This really is an optional ingredient, but the ylang ylang works well with the other scents and really brightens things up. Who doesn't want a small mood boost while pampering themselves?

Then mix into your salts. As I usually recommend, follow withe dried herbs, and add your oat flour last. This helps keep the oat flour from getting goop, as it wants to absorb all your liquid. I also highly advise against using quick oats, if you are grinding your own, because they want to absorb the oil even more!

Feel free to make a larger batch. Store in an airtight glass or non-reactive container.

To Use: Add 1/2 c of salts to your bath. You could also add 1 c milk (of choice; recommended cow, goat, or almond) and 1 Tbsp honey. These are extra soothing for your skin and really step it up. Both are purported to be great moisturizers and help fight off acne (in fact, I use an aspirin/honey mask to help clear away pimples).

Essential Oil Self-Care Kit

I put together a gift set for a dear family member who has been suffering from mental illness. Her group therapy brought up the idea of essential oils and she reached out asking for my guidance. Now, I'm no expert, but I did some digging and hit up reputable aromatherapists (such as Andrea Butje from Aromahead Institute), and came up with a  small gift set for her.

I sent over 4 stock blends, a rollerball, room spray, lotion, and bath salts. I also put together a mini booklet so she had the tools to replenish or get creative with new blends. I decided to share that information with all of you too!

Essential Oils for Mental Health
Even though I was making stock blends and toiletries, I wanted to provide a list of oils that could be used and mixed as desired. Most, if not all, of these are mentioned in the recipes that follow, but you can always play around with your own blends in order to find an aroma that is pleasing and has the desired result.

• lavender
• frankincense
• orange
• neroli
• vetiver
• mandarin
• black spruce
• Roman chamomile
• cedar wood
• sandalwood
• peppermint
• geranium
• ylang ylang
• bergamot

Stock Blends
Stock blends are a great way to use your oils in a variety of ways. My recommendation was to diffuse them in some way or another, but you could add to a bath with epsom salt, mix into a plain lotion or massage oil, and more. I put together some safe ratios for different use types:

• Inhaler: 10-15 drops
• Diffuser Jewelry: 1-3 drops
• Car Diffuser: 1-3 drops
• Room Diffuser: 3-5 drops per 100 ml
• Rollerball: 10 drops per 10 ml
• Spray: 8-10 drops per 1 oz

The following stock blends all make approximately 1 dram (which is also equivalent to 4ml or 1/8 oz). Feel free to multiply and make larger batches if needed. Store your blends in glass bottles and keep out of direct sunlight (tinted glass in a cool place is even better).

Anxiety Blend
32 drops lavender
32 drops frankincense
8 drops mandarin

Depression Blend
30 drops geranium
26 drops Roman chamomile
6 drops peppermint

Stress Blend #1
30 drops lavender
30 drops frankincense
15 drops black spruce

Stress Blend #2
25 drops orange
25 drops frankincense
25 drops cedar wood

Relaxation Blend
30 drops mandarin
30 drops bergamot
15 drops lavender

Relaxing Bath Salts
Baths are a great way to chill out and relax. Light some candles, let your body relax along with your mind, and just take some time to get away from it all. These bath salts will help you calm down and fight those dark feelings, while also pampering your body.

1 1/2 cup epsom salt
3 Tbsp baking soda
1 Tbsp dried chamomile
1 Tbsp dried lavender
6 Tbsp liquid castille
18 drops frankincense
6 drops neroli
6 drops orange

The soap is necessary to dilute the essential oils. I like to mix all my dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then combine my soap and oils in a smaller bowl. Don't stir the soap and oils too much or you will get suds, but mix enough to make sure the oils have dispersed. Gently mix the soap and oils into your dry ingredients. Your salts will remain somewhat wet, but won't cake together.

Alternately, you could use a carrier oil in place of the castille soap. Jojoba is a great choice as it nourishes the skin. I opt for castille soap because the carrier oils still just kind of chill on the water's surface, whereas I feel the soap mixes in better. The amount of soap won't give you a crazy, sudsy bath (but you can add more if bubble baths are your thing!).

To use, mix 1/4 - 1/2 cup into your bath water. This recipe is good for 4-8 uses. Store in an airtight container, preferably glass or PET plastic.

Restful Sleep Room/Linen Spray
I planned for this to function mainly as a linen spray, but there's no reason you can't use it to freshen up a room or your space. Spray gently on pillows, blankets, sheets, sleeping masks, and any other bedding before sleep to help you drift off calmly. Apply to towels or your robe to continue a soothing bath experience. Spray in your bedroom before going to sleep, or in your car before travel. The scent will dissipate more in a room that on your linens, but it's also a great alternative if you can't burn incense in your space.

4oz witch hazel
10 drops vetiver
10 drops lavender
6 drops orange

Combine all ingredients in a 4 oz glass spray bottle. You can also use PET plastic, but the essential oils will slowly erode other plastics. The plastic sprayers that come with bottles tend to hold up, so no need to worry there. Store out of direct sunlight and/or use a tinted bottle to extend shelf life.

You can also use water or hydrosols in place of the witch hazel. I tend to like witch hazel because it usually comes in a partially alcoholic solution which helps with evaporation. Witch hazel is also fairly neutral in scent, versus hydrosols which will also cost you a pretty penny.

Because water & oil don't mix, make sure to shake up your bottle before spraying. The oils are fairly diluted, so there isn't a hard cap as to how much you should use at a time, but 4 oz will likely last quite a while and the scent will still be fairly strong with just a few pumps.

Calming Lotion
This recipe is for a small 1 oz batch of lotion. It's actually more of a body butter, and a little goes a long way. Also, you can tuck that 1 oz jar into your bag and take it with you. Use when you need a little me time but are out and about, or enjoy at home after a relaxing bath or before bed.

1 1/2 Tbsp shea butter
1/2 Tbsp coconut oil
5 drops vetiver
4 drops neroli
3 drops lavender

Melt the shea butter and coconut oil (in a double boiler, or you microwave). Allow to cool but not harden, then stir in your essential oils. While still viscous, pour into a 1 oz container. I like to use small class jars with screw caps, but you could also use a tin or PET plastic.

This lotion will get soft in higher temps, so store in a cool place when not in use (or in your fridge! which is a great idea if you make a larger batch).

Emergency Rollerball Perfume 
Also called "Liquid Xanax," this is a great on-the-go solution. Apply when the feelings of stress, anxiety, and/or depression overwhelm you. Or wear to keep those feelings away before they begin (it smells lovely!).

4 drops ylang ylang
4 drops lavender
2 drops chamomile
2 drops sandalwood
2 drops frankincense
10 ml (1/3 oz) carrier oil of choice

When making a roller ball, I always recommend adding your essential oils first, then just topping off with your carrier oil. If you do it the other way around, you risk not leaving enough room for your essential oils. I also find this way everything mixes up a little more evenly.

My usual carrier oil of choice is fractionated coconut oil because it is fairly neutral. However jojoba is another popular carrier that is good for your skin. But don't feel limited; you can use stuff in your kitchen like palm kernel or olive oil ;)

This is for a 10 ml rollerball, which is probably the most popular size (if you were to buy a rollerball blend commercially, it would be this size). However, you can easily cut this in half or make larger batches if you want a smaller travel bottle or to stock up.

Pest Control: Moths

Looks like we've got a theme going on here! This week we have been infested by moths. If you've never had to deal with a moth infestation, you are lucky. This is the second time I've had to deal with them. The first time they were brought in with something (I don't recall what as it was years ago now), and they were a nightmare to get rid of! They stuck around forever and ruined some of my clothes and paper items in storage. This time I wanted to get aggressive to avoid all that trouble. So once again, I've done a lot of digging and am sharing methods that have worked for me.

1. Cedar
There's a reason cedar wood has been used for centuries (we're talking as far back as Ancient Greece). Using a cedar trunk (or wardrobe/armoire if you are lucky enough!) to protect your valuables is a great move. You can also get cedar hangers or planks to hang in your closets. Unfortunately our most recent moth problem is in our kitchen & living room! These are fairly open spaces, so small bits of cedar are less effective. However, cedar chips in a sachet can be placed in cabinets or other places where you commonly see moths.

One important note is that the effectiveness of cedar is linked to the oils in the wood. So fresh cedar is going to be more effective (after about 1 year from being cut, it will start to lose efficacy). To maximize on the benefit of larger cedar pieces such as trunks, you want to make sure your items are not infested when stored & that your item is airtight/rarely opened. For older cedar items, sanding them down a bit or applying cedar oil can increase their effectiveness over time.

2. Vinegar
Cleaning your house with a simple vinegar solution will kill eggs and help keep the moths at bay. You could also use a soap solution or stronger (chemical) cleaners. Whichever your choice, you will want to make sure you really scour the area. For kitchens, this means the cabinets & pantries; for bedrooms this means closets & dressers. Really scrub and make sure you've removed all signs of moths such as webbing, eggs, dust, and any sticky surfaces (which are indicative of moth secretions, particularly in the kitchen). Boiling water in any of your solutions will also help kill any larvae or eggs it comes in contact with.

While you're at it, add vacuuming to your cleaning repertoire. You can suck up any egg sacks, larvae, etc.

3. Dried Herbs & Essential Oils
While moth balls are certainly effective (in small spaces), they are full of chemicals. If you want a natural alternative, consider making sachets or potpourris of dried herbs. Effective herbs you can use and easily access include:

• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Cloves
• Lavender
• Bay Leaves
• Lemon Balm
• Peppermint 
• Lilac
• Cinnamon

You can also use essential oils. You can sprinkle them on your cloths, create a room spray, use a diffuser, or simply apply to cotton balls. I personally like to use cotton balls as they are easy to check & reapply. Also I use this technique for ants, so I am able to choose oils that repel both pests within my kitchen. In addition to cedar &  the above list of herbs, the following oils are effective:

• Vetiver
• Sandalwood
• Sage
• Orange Blossom
• Geranium
• Lemongrass
• Bergamot
• Grapefruit
• Eucalyptus
• Patchouli

Lavender is very popularly used, so that one probably doesn't come as a surprise. I must admit that the others were all new to me, but I love that I have alternatives and can grow some of these myself (well, in theory...I am notoriously bad at gardening).

4. Washing your clothing, bedding, etc & Storing it properly
Simply washing your clothes is a great way to remove & kill moths. Dry on high heat to kill any eggs that may remain. If your clothing cannot be conventionally washed/dried, freezing or ironing it will also kill of moths & eggs (or dry clean, if that is how your item must be cared for). Air drying in the sun or with a blow dryer is also effective, especially for clothing that has recently been taken out of storage.

For natural fibers, you can also brush the material before storing in your closet. Moth eggs often enter the home via clothing or other materials that were outside. This simple action can remove eggs before they become a problem.

Proper storage of your clothing is also essential. Make sure your clothing is well ventilated & thoroughly dried (moths like humid environments). Seasonal items that may not get frequent use or regular washing should be stored in airtight spaces to prevent moths from getting to them--this is particularly useful for wool items.

Moths typically stay away from cotton and synthetic fibers. If you have an infestation, it is still wise to treat these items. However, when it comes to storage, wrapping your other clothing in cotton or a synthetic fiber may add an extra layer of protection. Air tight storage is still your best bet.

5. Creating airtight spaces
We've somewhat gone over this already, when it comes to clothes & bedding, but even in the kitchen this is a concern. It you are able, it is a good idea to caulk various entry points such as cracks in the back of the pantry/closet, where shelves & cabinets meet the wall.

Again, airtight storage for clothing (especially wool/fur/feathers & seasonal items) is very helpful in keeping moths away. Likewise, store open food in airtight containers. This does not kill moths as they will eat your clothing & food, but it can keep them out of non-infested items. Be aware moths can eat through cardboard and light plastic.

6. Check your food!
While moths will typically enter your household by clothing that has picked up eggs, or other items being brought indoors after sitting outdoors or some time, they can also enter your house with the food you buy! Bulk dry food is the biggest concern here, but even prepackaged foods can include moth eggs (I know, it's gross to think about!).

Any food that is infected should be disposed of in an airtight bag. Bulk items should also be check & disposed of. You can freeze items to ensure any moth eggs are dead as well. Even if you don't see signs of moths in your food, a musty or off smell when you are not near expiration is an indicator that your food may have been compromised.

7. DIY Moth Traps
You can buy pheremone traps, which I've heard are very effective, or create your own. One popular method is applying oil to paper (regular oil to brightly colored paper until sticky, and fish oil to fly paper are the two I've seen mentioned).

You can also do a 3:1 mixture of cornmeal & borax. The moths are attracted to and eat the cornmeal, and the borax will poison & kill them. Borax is a salt, but also can be harmful to children and pets if ingested, so keep these traps out of reach. Diatomaceous earth will also harm moths, but this is safe for pets & children.

Pest Control: Mosquitoes

Ants aren't the only pests that plague my home. This summer it's been hard to enjoy a day outside without getting eaten alive by mosquitoes and other biting bugs. My favorite commercial product is All Terrain Herbal Armor, but being a DIYer I've done the footwork to identify some effective methods you can whip up yourself.

1. Home Made Bug Spray
May favorite recipe is UEOS Tick Off/Bug Off. I made some adjustments because patchouli is not a favored scent int his house, so we used the cedar wood Lea recommends. I also scrapped the hydrosols all together (they are pricey and I had to accommodate a lavender allergy), so I just used equal parts water & witch hazel.

2. Mosquito Repelling Garden
There are a ton of plants that will deter mosquitoes and other biting bugs. If you have a green thumb (I sadly do not), you may want to make a small garden to keep the bugs away. I've always wanted to use railing planters around my deck to keep it bug free. There are a ton of plants to choose from, but some of my favorites are:

• chrysanthemum
• melissa (lemon balm)
• catnip
• citronella
• gernaium

There are quite a few others as well, that are really common and you may find them in your herb garden or regular flower bed:

• petunias
• basil
• lavender 
• marigold
• rosemary
• mint
• alliums (garlic, chives, onions, etc)
• lemongrass
• lemon thyme

A lot of these plants keep other pests away too.

3. Candles/Torches
You are probably well aware of citronella candles & tiki torches. You can use store bought ones, or make your own candles, torches & luminaries to keep the bugs away. My favorite is the luminary from A Little Claireification which looks pretty, smells great, and is effective at keeping the bugs away.

4. Smudging
Smoke generally will keep the bugs away, but there are some specific items you can add to your fire to improve the effect:

• cardboard egg cartons
• sage

5. Natural Predators
Encourage a habitat for natural predators of mosquitoes. Hang bird feeders & bat houses to invite them into your yard. If you have a pond, add some fish, turtles, or frogs.

Pest Control: Ants

Is your home being overtaken by ants? Are you struggling to control them in a kid-safe, pet-safe, and/or eco-friendly way? That was me before I did a ton of digging and found safe ways to rid my homes of ants without risking my dog or any visiting kiddos.

My favorite commerical method is EcoSMART, but I've also heard good things about Aunt Fannie's and like that their products come in regular spray bottles. But if you prefer DIY like I do, read on for my tried & true methods.

1. Essential Oils for Deterrence

• cinnamon
• peppermint
• eucalyptus
• clove
• lemon (or other citrus)
• tea tree

Essential oils are a great way to keep ants away. I like to put a few drops on cotton balls and place throughout my house. We have literally watched ants actively avoid these cotton balls or do an about-face. I like to tuck these into my pantry and by entry points. You can also use essential oils in a home made ant spray.

2. Disrupt Their Scent Trail

• lemon juice
• bleach
• vinegar
• soap

Creating a diluted spray with any of the above (solo or in combination, inclusion of essential oils is a good idea too!), wil create a multi-purpose spray. Spray where you have seen ants to disrupt their scent trail, spray around your home or entry points to act as a deterrent, and the natural soap will actually kill ants as well if sprayed directly on them. Primarily I use these ingredients to clean & create a barrier that will disorient ants and keep them away.

3. Create a Barrier

• flour
• chalk (powdered, or just draw a line)
• cornmeal
• cream of wheat
• coffee grounds
• diatomaceous earth
• ground cinnamon
• ground clove
• black pepper

The advantage to using powders to create a barrier are two-fold: these items are generally safe for ingestion by people & pets (maybe keep the coffee grounds away if kids/pets are a concern), and you can tell when it's time to redo your barrier. There are some additional benefits to a few of these items as well: cornmeal, cream of wheat, and DE actually kill ants.

4. Boiling Water
Boiling water is a pretty simple solution. It will kill the ants, but is about the most natural way to do so. Either mix boiling water with some soap to spray ants in your house, or pour boiling water into ant hills outside your home.

5. Borax
Borax will actually kill ants, and can be harmful to pets & children if ingested (just like any other salt in large quantities). If using Borax, I recommend doing so away from pets & children. You can mix Borax into sugar water (add liquid soap for some extra power), or mix it with honey & peanut butter.

6. Baking Soda & Powdered Sugar
As an alternative to Borax, which is harmful to kids & pets if ingested, you can mix baking soda & powdered sugar.

Anti-Itch Cream

It's summer, the bugs are out, and my legs are apparently delicious! My family also generally reacts strongly to mosquito bites, with my brother & sister actually having allergic reactions that tend to result in silver dollar sized welts. I'm not that bad, but these bites itch something fierce, look red and angry, and will leave bruise-like marks weeks after they are gone. It's time for some relief, and what better place to get it than from my kitchen?

I created this "cream" as a sort of frankenstein recipe from other methods & creams I have found online. In reality, it is a bit more like a paste, and it won't rub in completely (I don't think that's possible with baking soda...). Also, just a heads up, but as this sits, the ground oats absorb some of the moisture and it gets a goopy texture. Still works a dream, but definitely a bit odd.

Anti-Itch Cream
2 Tbsp ground oats (or oat flour)
2 Tbsp baking soda
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp aloe vera gel
1 tsp witch hazel
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
5 drops essential oil*

Combine all ingredients together, stirring until a smooth paste is formed, and store in an air-tight container. This cream should keep for about 30 days. You may be able to extend that by keeping it in the refrigerator (plus, the cool cream will feel even better on your bites & itchy skin).

To use, rub a small amount of the paste onto bites or itchy areas. If you don't like the pasty feeling/residue, wipe off with a cool damp cloth after a few minutes (just water is fine, but you could also soak in witch hazel, aloe vera juice, or apple cider vinegar). Reapply as often as needed. Alternately, you can dissolve a tablespoon or 2 of this paste into your bathe water for some relief.

*Lavender essential oil is a great choice, but there are other oils that will help with itching as well: eucalyptus, peppermint, basil, thyme, lemon balm (melissa), chamomile, tea tree; single drop of grapefruit, citronella, lemongrass. Even onion & garlic are helpful, if you are brave enough! 

My personal choice was a 5 oil cocktail (using 1 drop of each): lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, chamomile, and basil. And you really only need 1 drop of each, any more is WAY too much. Keep your oils to 5 drops or less or this recipe.

Kitchen & Bath Scrub

Soft Scrub with Bleach used to be my go to for bathroom & kitchen cleaning. When we came across Bar Keeper's Friend, that took over for the kitchen. Neither is necessarily dangerous to my knowledge, but they also aren't very natural. I found a great scrub recipe on Aromahead, but really this recipe can be found all over the place by bloggers who make their own cleaners

This scrub is abrasive enough to bring some shine to your kitchen sink, lightly polish faucets, and scrub out your bath & toilet. It's also very customizeable, so you can use more or less baking soda to get the scrubbing power you need.

Kitchen & Bath Scrub

1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup liquid castille soap
1-2 Tbsp vinegar (optional)
30-40 drops essential oil

Mix the baking soda, castille soap, and vinegar together. It will form a rather thick paste (adjust to your preference/scrubbing power needs). Add essential oils and stir again to make sure they are fully dispersed.

Don't use any more than 2 Tbsp vinegar. Vinegar will cancel out both baking soda and castille soap. The fizzing action of vinegar and baking soda can help with some cleaning (particularly clogged drains), but when left to sit they are creating salt water. With the large amount of baking soda in this recipe, that is not much of  concern. Likewise, vinegar and castille soap can cancel each other out, leading to oil or "unsaponified" soap. With such a small amount of vinegar in this recipe, you are not risking these reactions.Alternately, you can leave the vinegar out as you lose the benefit unless you use this entire recipe right away.

Which Essential Oils?
Citrus oils, Tea Tree, and Peppermint are all great cleansing oils. Andrea Butje uses these in her recipe on Aromahead, but if you have her phone app you will see a different combination of oils listed. Really, you can just use whatever oils you enjoy the scent of. If you want the extra boost of cleansing power from antifungal, antiviral, and antimicrobial oils there are a lot of options or you can go with the tried and true citrus, tea tree, and peppermint.

DIY Hair Refresher Spray

So, it's been a while since I did a DIY post for hair care. I've been testing out 3 different recipes though, and finally have one I am happy to share.

Six months ago, I shared my personal dry shampoo recipe. I am very please with it and really would not change much. If I had a spice grinder, I would try to get the nutmeg a more fine/powder consistency. And I have not tried out arrow root powder or clay, so can't say if I would want to swap out the corn starch. I find my dry shampoo works best when applied to my roots with an old make-up brush either before bed (so it can work over night, and is gone/brushed out in the morning), or about 15 minutes prior to a bath or shower (where I work it in with my hands and rinse it out). Both methods are good ways to avoid residue and powder build-up. The only downfall, if I try to do this multiple days in a row my hair gets dry and staticky; it is no longer soft and just doesn't feel good.

So, I've been digging into what seems to be called a "hair refresher" spray. I used to have one that I liked a lot, but I have no idea what was in it. I mean, seriously, I could not pronounce most of those ingredients. Plus it was expensive. So I've been doing some digging and finally found a home made version that I like and works great. It is also easily adjusted to match your scent preference. As a bonus, this basically functions as detangler or leave-in conditioning spray.

Hair Refreshing Spray
3/4 cups water
1.5 Tbsp slippery elm bark
1.5 Tbsp marshmallow root
1 cup witch hazel
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp aloe vera
20 drops essential oils (optional)

Steep the slippery elm and marshmallow root for about 30 minutes in hot water. Strain (I do this through cheesecloth or flour sack towels, and squeeze--you will notice the liquid gets almost gel-like as you squeeze out the last bits). Mix with witch hazel, apple cider vinegar, aloe vera, and essential oils. Pour into spray bottle and spritz hair when needed.

I tend to use 4oz spray bottles and store the rest in an amber glass bottle until I need a refill.


Herbs: Slippery elm bark and marshmallow root both stimulate hair growth, soften hair (provides slip and glide), and soothes your scalp. Marshmallow root also adds shine to your lackluster locks. If you don't have or don't want to use these herbs, you can leave them out completely. Or feel free to sub with other herbs, tea, or hydrosols (in place of water).

Essential Oils: Without essential oils, this spray will have a more herby/earthy scent. I personally like to use 6-7 drops each of lavender, lemongrass, and rosemary. This is the same combo I use in my dry shampoo, and I will be using this blend in my DIY shampoo & conditioner. However you can use whatever oils you like the scent of, or which best suit your hair needs. Or leave them out--this is up to you.

Make Your Own Puppy Paw Balm

I found a great recipe over at Simple. Honest. Essential for puppy paw balm. I filed it away when I saw it, as we were about 2 months dog-less when that post was made. But now, we have a new puppy and she is experiencing her first winter. It has been pretty mild in the midwest with just 2 short snows that left a small dusting the first time, and only 1-2 inches that melted within a day the second time. However, Christmas Eve we got about 4 inches, and Christmas Day we were below freezing (Boxing Day we were sub-zero!).

So now, our little almost-5-month puppy has to go potty in sub-zero temps. She is not a fan, let me tell you. While this means she goes fast, it also means she does not want to be outside. In fact, the first sub-zero excursion had her trying to keep her little paws out of the snow, not wanting to squat, and eventually toppling over because she couldn't figure out how to balance herself to do her business and keep her feet up. Don't worry--she is fine, we were only outside a couple minutes and she got promptly picked up and carried back inside.

However, between the cold and salt I knew her little puppy paws were in for a shock. So I dug through my bookmarks to find this recipe and whip up some paw protection and soothing relief for her. It was super easy to make, and I had most of the ingredients on hand! Because I was feeling lazy, I opted to melt everything in a small glass dish in the microwave--it worked just fine but took a bit to cool down, so I waited until the dish was room temp to add the essential oils. Instead of chapstick tubes, which would probably make application easier, I just opted for a small 2 oz jar. As a bonus, this works well for your hands and smells great, so if you have to use a jar as well it's not a big deal making a little mess ;)


Luckily for me, Braxton seems completely unphased by the balm. I used 5 drops of each oil because essential oils are not new to my home and I figured the smell would not bother her. I was correct. She let me put it on, does not go after her paws after application, and frankly doesn't even seem to notice. I noticed though, as she was moving around a little better outside and whining less when we came back in. I've also noticed some rougher/chapped patches of her pads returning to normal. She doesn't really fight us playing with her paws, but I think she knows this is good stuff as she just sits there calmly any time I want to apply it.

Sore Muscle Soak

When you are sore, nothing beats a good soak or a hot shower, depending on what hurts. I've spent the last 3 months getting over a horrible sprained ankle. I'm used to sprained ankles...7 years in dance, 8 years in soccer, and I am also super clumsy. Weak ankles for life! But this was the mother of all sprains; like so bad, I wish I had just broken my ankle >.<

Not that I am the most fit or active person out there, but I am so not good at taking it easy. Three days at a music festival, 10 days walking around Europe, getting a new puppy...I was not sitting still. So, needs must and I had to find ways to deal with the soreness & pain (in addition to medical attention, including 2 months in a boot and physical therapy which I am still doing). This foot soak was great, but don't think that's all it is. This soak is great for easing sore muscles anywhere in your body. Don't have or want to take a bath? Grab a handful of the salts and massage into the sore spot while in the shower. You can also sprinkle an handful onto the floor of the shower to enjoy the aromatherapy benefits for a relaxing pick-me-up.

Sore Muscle Soak

1 cup epsom salt
2 Tbsp baking soda
10-20 drops essential oils of choice*
(plus 2-4 Tbsp carrier**)
2 tsp dried chamomile
2 tsp dried lavender
1 tsp dried rosemary

Mix everything together in a large container to make sure it all gets evenly dispersed. I tend to start with the epsom salt and essential oils (diluted in carrier of choice). This gets the oils distributed a bit better as the baking soda tends to clump once hit with moisture. After you have mixed the salt & oils well, add in the baking soda and dried herbs. If dried herbs aren't your thing, you can leave them out as you are still getting the benefits from the oils themselves.

Use 1/2-1 cup for a foot bath, or 1-2 cups for a full bath. Let everything dissolve well before hopping in (I personally like to wait 10-15 minutes to give the herbs time to "steep").

The recipe as listed above is for 1 or 2 uses. I like to make a large batch in advance, typically quadrupling the amounts above (resulting in about 4.5 cups of soak). If you decide to make a large batch, make sure to store your soak in an airtight glass container.

After a good soak, I sometimes like to apply trauma oil (an infused oil blend of calendula, arnica, and st. john's wort) to the sore spots. While treating my ankle, I would dry off and apply trauma oil along my peroneal tendon. This is also a good time for any other pedicure treatment ;)

*I tend to favor lavender, eucalyptus, chamomile, rosemary, and peppermint in equal parts. Chamomile reduces inflammation and pain; it also has calming & soothing properties. Lavender reduces pain & tension; it also has anti-inflammatory and sedative properties, relieving stress & anxiety. Eucalpytus is known to relive nerve pain and blocked sinuses; it also possesses anti-oxidant & anti-inflammatory properties. Peppermint is an anti-spasmodic and natural decongestant; it is known to aid in stomach cramps and arthritis; it also possesses anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-fungal properties. Rosemary is great for chronic pain and inflammation; it is also known to help blood flow and relive muscle pain/spasms. You could also add tea tree if you are suffering from ringworm/athlete's foot, as it possesses anti-fungal properties and is a common treatment for this condition. Don't feel limited to my suggestions though! Use oils you want/need the benefits of, or if using the herbs feel free to use any oils you like the scent of ;)

I also tend to go heavy on the essential oils when making a big batch of this herbal salt soak, to accommodate for different dilution levels. If you are making a single batch and plan to use it immediately as a foot soak you aren't using much water, but if you are hopping into a full bath your soak will be diluted quite a bit more due to the quantity of water.

**EDIT December 4, 2017: I am not an expert on home remedies, essential oils, herbalism, etc, so I am constantly researching and improving my knowledge base. This includes learning from specialists and updating my practices based on new safety information. According to Clinical Certified Aromatherapist Lea Harris, using essential oils in bath salts can be a risk of skin irritation or worse adverse reactions. Very few essential oils are approved for neat use, and unless you are also a specialist you may not know which oils those are. Almost all essential oils should be diluted, and bath salts are no exception. Lea recommends using 1 Tbsp of carrier (carrier oil, fatty milk, castille soap, or other surfactant) per 5 drops of essential oil. The purpose is two-fold. 1) The oils will separate and float on top of your bath, putting them in direct contact with your skin. Diluting them before adding to your salts also means that the droplets floating on your water will now be diluted. 2) If you choose to use this salt as a massaging scrub, you are directly putting oils onto your skin in a stronger amount than in your bath. For this use you absolutely want diluted essential oils.

Homemade Bug Bite Soother

Even though summer is almost over, we are still going to have mosquitoes around for a while in the Midwest. We are on the brink of prime bonfire weather, and I always find I get the most bits while sitting around a fire with my friends.

Roll-On Bug Bite Soother

10 drops lavender essential oil

10 drops thyme essential oil

10 drops tea tree essential oil

10 drops eucalyptus essential oil

10 drops peppermint essential oil

10 drops chamomile essential oil

10 drops basil essential oil

1 1/2 tsp fractionated coconut oil (or other carrier)

First add your essential oils to a 10 ml roller ball bottle. It should be about 1/4 full. Top off your bottle with the fractionated coconut oil. This will be about 1 1/2 tsp. Shake well to mix and keep on hand for immediate relief!

This is a fairly strong dilution, and those of you familiar with essential oils will be aware that normally recommended dilutions range from 0.25%-3%. However, it is typically considered acceptable to use neat oils in a few instances, bug bites & stings being some of those. I've also personally found that I rarely need to reapply this soother at the 25% dilution (accepting for washing, etc). If you are wanting a more diluted blend, here are some general guidelines:

**Please note, this table shows the total amount of essential oils to use per 10 ml roller ball bottle.**

DIY Dry Shampoo

I've been playing with color in my hair, and I'm talking stuff like blue/green/purple. I get the irony of using this kind of hair dye vs my other decisions to go more natural, but there you have it. In an effort to preserve the color I have been on a hunt to find the best solution. (You can read my previous post here where I discuss it.) Anyway, I've found straight up corn starch to be very good, but there was some room for improvement as I have very thick, oily hair (even after getting myself down to washing my hair 2x per week, it was starting to feel a little gross by day 3).

So this recipe is based off my personal experience and catered to my hair. Naturally, I have a rather light brown hair color, so that was my goal. This dry shampoo does still start a bit light, but I find it fades in very quickly and does not leave that greying hair look like straight up cornstarch. This also fades in very well with my current blue & purple hair.

DIY Dry Shampoo (Light Brown Hair)

2/3 c cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
1/3 c nutmeg, finely ground

20-45 drops essential oils (optional)

Feel free to substitute the nutmeg as you see fit, based on your hair color. Cinnamon  and cocoa are good for darker hair colors, and red clay is good for redheads. You can also play with the ratio of cornstarch to color as well, for example blondes may benefit from all cornstarch.

Mix all your ingredients together. If using essential oils, you will want to mix everything in a large bowl with a whisk, making sure the oils get distributed and don't clump up (as they are going to want to do, since the cornstarch's purpose is to absorb). I usually add 15 drops each lemongrass, rosemary and lavender. Most recipes suggest about 5 drops essential oil per 1/4 cup, which is about half of what I do. I really enjoy the scent though and added more to make that stronger. I also personally feel the extra oils add some benefit, as after doubling them I notice my hair felt so much cleaner! Store in an airtight container.

To use, either sprinkle (using an old salt shaker or similar), or dust (using an old makeup brush), the powder onto your hair. Focus on your roots, although if you notice the length of your hair is starting to feel oily, feel free to apply there as well. You will benefit from a light hand, as I found when starting on dry shampoo that my hair would feel dirty later on in the day due to excess build-up of product (plus too much, and you can't brush it all out so it starts to look like you have dandruff). I usually work the dry shampoo into my scalp a little bit and let it sit a few minutes before brushing it through my hair. This also works really well if you apply before bed--you will wake up with fresh & clean feeling hair. Afterwards style as usual.

A little bit about the essential oils that I chose:

Lemongrass is an effective cleaner and deodorizer. Rosemary is said to be good for people with oily hair as it helps control sebum production. Lavender is good for people with mixed skin types and moisturizes dry skin. All 3 are known to sooth irritated/itchy scalps which will reduce dandruff. They are also said to have properties that will promote hair health & growth.