Balms and Manna Blog

I'm New to Essential Oils. Tell Me More About Them!

3/27/2020

You’ve seen them on store shelves, you’ve smelled them on the person sitting next to you on the airplane, but what are essential oils exactly? Are they simply a fancy beauty product? Are they a new fad that’ll soon pass?

The truth is, millions of people use essential oils every single day for things like cooking, cleaning, personal hygiene, fitness, sleep, overall health, and more.

They are the essence of plants, taken from roots, bark, flowers, seeds, and other plant parts. Essential oils can also protect a plant from predators or environmental conditions.

Learning how to use essential oils is easy.
Essential oils can be used to:
· Promote healthy-looking skin.
· Cleanse the air and eliminate odors.
· Help maintain a healthy respiratory system and feelings of clear breathing.*
· Support good oral hygiene.*
· Promote healthy digestion.*
· Create an uplifting atmosphere.

Here are a few examples of ways you can use essential oils:
· Diffuse a few drops of essential oil using a diffuser.
· Place a drop of oil in your hands, rub your palms together, and inhale deeply.
· Apply essential oils to the wrists and wear as a personal fragrance.
· Add a drop of oil to your moisturizer or face cleanser to promote healthy-looking skin
Put a few drops in a glass of water for internal benefits (Lemon oil and Grapefruit oil work well for this).

Don’t wait another day to experience the amazing benefits of essential oils. Still wondering how to use essential oils? It’s easier than you might think. Leave a comment below and I’ll answer your essential oil questions!

Simple but Powerful! Easy, Homemade Liquid Soap

3/18/2020

I've been making my own dish and hand soap for years! It's honestly one of the easiest things to do and it only requires a few ingredients! Plus, I love that I can add essential oils for immune boosting benefits or for a scent to match the season!

Dish Soap

1 1/2 cups Liquid Castile soap (available at the Country Cupboard)
1/2 cup water
1 tsp vegetable glycerin
1 tsp baking soda
20 drops of essential oil

Mix all ingredients together and put in a 16 oz glass pump bottle (available at the Country Cupboard).
*The vegetable glycerin and baking soda keep it from gumming up and sticking to the spout on your pump.
**You can also use this recipe for hand soap as well.

Why Should I Use Cedarwood?

2/21/2020

Cedarwood is maybe an essential oil you've heard of but you aren't sure how to use it.

Its warm, woody, calming cedar scent soothes the body and mind. Diffuse in your home or office to promote feelings of confidence, self-esteem, and evoke feelings of wellness.
Add an extra boost of vitality and wellness to your workout. Before beginning, massage one to two drops onto chest for motivation throughout any workout.
Incorporate into your daily facial routine by adding one to two drops to your facial toner or moisturizer for added clarifying properties and to help improve the appearance of skin imperfections.

Learn more about dōTERRA Cedarwood by checking out its uses and benefits below.
https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/spotlight-cedarwood-oil

Top 5 Uses for Lemongrass Oil

1/8/2020

Lemongrass is a unique oil with a fresh uplifting scent! My favorite uses for lemongrass are when my muscles are sore, when I need to relieve urinary discomfort and if my cholesterol levels need balancing.

Use Lemongrass oil for lymph and cardiovascular support

Place a drop in a Veggie Cap and swallow to keep fluids and bowels moving.
Place a drop in a Veggie Cap and swallow to maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels

Use Lemongrass oil for the skin and muscles

Combine Lemongrass oil with Tea Tree oil and apply the mixture to your fingernails and toenails to keep them looking clean.
Soothe muscles and ligaments: Add a few drops of Lemongrass oil to a lotion or a carrier oil and massage the legs and feet after a tough workout.

Use Lemongrass oil to uplift mood

Diffuse to overpower feelings of nervousness or eliminate mental fatigue.
Diffuse at your desk at work to help promote a positive outlook and heighten your awareness.

Use Lemongrass oil for cooking

Culinary uses: Add a drop (or less) of Lemongrass oil to soups, teas, seafood, curries, beef dishes, or poultry dishes for an extra kick of flavor.

Use Lemongrass oil for urinary support

Add a drop to a veggie cap or rub diluted over the abdomen to ease urinary discomfort.

Rose....The Queen of Oils

12/18/2019

Rose is one of the most powerful and precious essential oils in the world! Due to the labor-intensive production process, it takes more than 10,000 handpicked rose blossoms to produce one 5ml bottle.

Here's why I love it:
1. It helps bring down walls and opens your heart
2. Applied behind the ear, it will diffuse anger in difficult situations
3. It lowers cortisol levels
4. Promotes less nightmares, less waking, easier waking and faster sleeping
5. Helps with skin tone and imperfections
6. It's beautiful fragrance is calming and soothing!

Apply over your heart every morning and evening.

Pamper a sister, friend, or mother in your life with the gift of dōTERRA’s Rose lotion this holiday season for $20. 100% of the purchase price goes to doTERRA's Healing Hands foundation.

Can You Live Without Grapefruit?

11/15/2019

Grapefruit oil is becoming one of the most popular essential oils on the market. It doesn't just smell good, it IS good! I'm not sure about you, but I don't want to be without my daily drop of Grapefruit! Here's why:

Use Grapefruit oil for weight loss
Experimental research shows that diffusing Grapefruit oil may help to curb cravings. Additionally, when taken internally, Grapefruit can help to support blood sugar levels that are already in the normal range.*

Use Grapefruit oil for skin
Keep its lovely aroma with you all day and improve the appearance of your skin by incorporating Grapefruit oil into your skincare routine to reduce the appearance of blemishes. Remember though, as a citrus oil, the use of Grapefruit oil on the skin poses a risk for sun sensitivity, so avoid ultra-violet rays for at least 12 hours after applying Grapefruit to the skin.

Use Grapefruit oil to support a healthy metabolism*
Because it contains the chemical constituent limonene, Grapefruit essential oil has internal cleansing and purifying properties and gently cleanses the body with detoxifying benefits.* To take full advantage of these benefits, simply add one to two drops to a glass of water, and drink.

Use Grapefruit oil to create an uplifting environment
Feeling bored and sluggish at work in the afternoon? Try diffusing Grapefruit oil at your desk. Need a little pick-me-up in the morning? Place a drop of Grapefruit oil in your palms, rub your hands together, and inhale deeply to take in its energizing, delightful aroma.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

6 Reasons to Use Eucalyptus Oil

10/11/2019

People often ask, “How do I use my Eucalyptus oil?" You’ll love what this cleansing, relaxing, and soothing essential oil can do for you.

Reason 1: Promotes relaxation
Diffusing Eucalyptus oil can help create a tranquil atmosphere in your home, while also decreasing feelings of tension and promoting relaxation.

Reason 2: Promotes feelings of clear breathing
Because it contains the chemical component eucalyptol, Eucalyptus oil is useful for creating a cooling vapor when applied to the skin or inhaled. When the seasons change, you can rub a few drops of Eucalyptus on your chest to promote feelings of open airways.

Reason 3: A cleansing agent
Combine Eucalyptus with Lemon and Peppermint oil in a spray bottle, and then use the mixture to wipe down surfaces in your kitchen, bathroom, or other common areas of your home. Not only will the essential oil mixture give you peace of mind concerning the nontoxic cleanliness of your home, but you’ll love the wonderful aroma that lingers after you finish.

Reason 4: Use in a soothing massage
Blend with Fractionated Coconut Oil and gently rub on the problem area and enjoy the cooling, soothing effects. The aroma of Eucalyptus will also help to clear the mind and calm feelings of tension and stress.

Reason 5: Clean and revitalize the skin
If your skin feels oily, consider adding a few drops of Eucalyptus to your daily moisturizer or toner to experience the oil’s skin-revitalizing benefits.

Reason 6: Support during menstruation
Due to its soothing, calming nature, Eucalyptus is frequently used to provide support during menstruation. Simply massaging Eucalyptus oil into the lower abdomen daily during menstruation.

If you don't have Eucalyptus oil, you can purchase it here.

This One's in My Top 5....Neroli!

8/30/2019

I hope you all had a great summer and enjoyed the time with family!

Life can get stressful with your family’s fall schedule changes but dōTERRA Neroli Touch is here to help you out! Neroli oil has a wide variety of uses which means that your whole family can benefit from it!

The smell of this oil is amazing....just like a fresh summer rainstorm. It instills relaxation, uplifts mood, reduces feelings of anxiousness, improves ability to learn and memory recall, and helps to release emotions! This
is why I use it every day!

Neroli is steam-distilled from the small white flowers of the bitter orange tree making it part of the same family as Orange and Petitgrain.

Learn about all the benefits of dōTERRA Neroli Touch here.

Ready or Not, Here Comes School!

8/16/2019

Transitions aren't fun for anyone! New places, faces and stages can cause anxiety and worry. And sadness over leaving what was. But they don't have to be hard. Being thankful for the good parts of the past and looking for the positive in the future is a great place to start!

Try these tips to make back to school transitions easier on you and your little ones!

Immune Support- Schools are full of people harboring their own microorganisms. Strengthen your immune system so you don't have to worry about what you come in contact with! Your body will be strong enough to fight them off. These are some of my favorites!

Sunshine Heros Multiple Vitamin and Mineral- Daily support of eleven essential nutrients deficient in modern diets
Sunshine Heros Elderberry Immune- Pop one of these chewables full of immune boosting nutrients in at the first sign of being sick
PB Assist Jr-Great watermelon flavored probiotics just for kids! Immunity starts in the gut. Keep the good bacteria stronger than the bad bacteria
Silver shield- Powerful for any bacteria based threats! Easy to take and virtually tasteless.
OnGuard Essential Oil- Powerful blend of oils to boost the immune system. Use just the oil or find it in hand sanitizer, hand soap, cleaner concentrate, toothpaste and mouthwash.

Stress Support- Ease worries and anxious feelings by calming the mind and the nervous system.

Magnesium- Wonderful for sleeping, stress, and relaxing muscles. Add the powder to your drink or rub on magnesium cream before bed and before leaving for school.
Liquid Calm- A blend of oils especially for calming emotions and anxious feelings

And my absolute favorite: The Kids Collection!
Stress, Immune, Focus, Calming, Pain and Motivation support all in one simple kit. Diluted for kids, easy to take with them to school and flash cards to teach them which ones they need for which issues!

All items available at the Country Cupboard.

Frankincense- The King of Oils

7/5/2019

This week I'm spotlighting Frankincense Essential Oil. It’s wonderful woody aroma is uplifting for the mood, supportive for the nervous system, wonderful for skin health and essential for healthy inflammation levels. For anyone seeking a helpful essential oil tip, always remember, if in doubt, use Frankincense.

Do you ever experience irritating razor bumps? Provide relief to your skin with this do-it-yourself Razor Relief Serum enhanced with Frankincense essential oil. Frankincense is one of the best oils to help skin feel and look rejuvenated. By using this serum infused with Frankincense oil, the chemical properties of the oil will aid in reducing appearances of skin imperfections and the serum will benefit the irritated skin by soothing the sensitive razor bumps for an all-day appearance and feel your skin will love.

For more information on doTERRA Frankincense, visit the spotlight here.