Mama Z's Non-Toxic Body Care & Recipe Guide

Mama Z's Body Care & DIY Recipe Guide

by Sabrina Ann Zielinski

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means – electronic, mechanical, photographic (photocopying), recording, or otherwise – without prior permission in writing from the author.

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Learn more information at: NaturalLivingFamily.com.

The Healing Power of Essential Oils

More than 150,000 copies sold, Dr. Z’s national bestseller is the #1 rated essential oils book in the world. This soup-to-nuts guide to mastering essential oils features 150+ recipes and expert formulations, equipping you with the knowledge to build daily rituals that fit your unique needs— and lead to amazing results!

Essential Oils Recipes: A 52-Card Deck for Healing and Home: 50 Recipes

Harness the healing power of essential oils with this deck of 52 cards with simple recipes for natural remedies and household use, from the bestselling authors of the Healing Power of Essential Oils.

Products

Spiritual Disclaimer

Please note that I am a Christian and it is from this perspective that I present the information that is in this book. Amongst other things, this means that I will refer to “God,” not the “Universe.” This also means that I may reference Biblical teaching and ancient proverbs that I have found to be helpful and applicable today.

Sometimes people get offended by the words that I use, or the spiritual references that I make. Please don’t fall into this trap.

As a trained public health researcher and world-renowned essential oils educator, you can trust that the information presented in these pages is solid, evidencebased and that it will help you.

I do not judge people that don’t share my faith and I am committed to helping everyone (regardless of who they are or what they believe) benefit from my experiences. In fact, I whole-heartedly believe this is my mission in life and why God put me on this planet.

You see, there I go referencing “God” again. ;)

A Note About Faith

Personally, I have found that my faith has been vital to helping me overcome sickness and disease - as it has for the thousands of people that we have helped get well.

Being a Christian, it’s impossible for me to separate my personal beliefs from my actions and lifestyle habits. As a researcher, I am intrigued to see how clinical trials and science continues to uncover the role that prayer, positive thinking and faith play in the healing journey.

My dear friend and Integrative Oncologist, Dr. Tony Jimenez often says that “cancer is an emotional disorder.” The same can be said of all chronic, long-standing disease like gut disorders, autoimmunity, arthritis, fatigue and insomnia.

It is with this in mind that I present to you the information in the Introduction and scattered throughout this book where you will discover eternal truths that will provide you with hope, inspiration and may even shed some light on things if you are willing to take a dive into the spiritual side of healing with me.

Table of Contents

Click on Title to go to Chapter

Part One What You Need to Know to Get Started

Chapter 1 Body Care Carcinogens 8

Chapter 2 Carrier Oils 20

Chapter 3 Dilution & Dispersion Guide 27

Chapter 4 Basics of Body Care 45

Part Two Easy Quick-Start Recipes

Aftershave Lotion 55

Aftershave Spray 56

Anti-Aging & Skin Healing Serum 57

Baby Lotion 59

Baby Shampoo 62

Bath Bomb 64

Beard Oil, Everyday 66

Beard Oil, Harvest Spice 67

Beard Oil, Minty Fresh 68

Body Powder 69

Body Wash for Kids 70

Curl-Boosting Hair Spray 71

Deodorant Bar 72

Deodorant Roll-On 73

Detox Bath 74

Dry Shampoo 77

Facial Cleanser, Anti-Aging 78

Facial Cleanser Cream 79

Facial Cleanser, Foaming 80

Facial Mask 81

Hair Detangler Spray 82

Hair Gel 83

Hair Spray 84

Hand Cream 85

Hand Sanitizer 86

Hand Soap, Foaming 88

Hand Soap, Liquid 90

Lip Balm 91

Lipstick 92

Lotion Bar 94

Mouthwash 96

New Spice Cologne Roll-On 97

New Spice Cologne Spray 98

Odor-Eating Powder 99

Personal Lubricant 101

Shampoo 102

Shaving Cream 103

Sugar Scrub 105

Sunscreen Bar 106

Sunscreen Lotion 108

Sunscreen Spray 110

Toothpaste Recipe 111

Uplift - Ladies Essential Oil Perfume Roll-On 113

Uplift - Ladies Essential Oil Perfume Spray 114

Whipped Body Butter 114

References 117

About the Author 120

PART ONE What You Need to Know to Get Started

CHAPTER 1 Body Care Carcinogens

Wait, Bath & Body Works Carcinogens? Yes. We tend to think that all body care products are safe, but with so many known carcinogens these cancer-causing chemicals are public enemy #1 against our health.

For many of us, it comes as a shock to realize that many of the most toxic chemicals in our homes are hidden in our bathroom cupboards, but be encouraged. They are super easy to avoid and we’re going to show you how!

What is a Carcinogen? How Are Carcinogens Ranked?

Anything that leads to cancer is a known carcinogen. This could be drugs, energy, or pollutants in the environment, additives in food or cosmetics, lifestyle factors such as nutrition and physical activity, and even some medical treatments such as radiation therapy. This may seem simple enough; however, it is not so cut and dried.

Several authorities on the topic such as the World Health Organization’s (WHO), International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) have delineated numerous carcinogen categories to assist consumers in deciding exactly how potentially cancer-causing the substances in their food, drugs, and cosmetics may be. (Scared yet? Not to worry—tips on easily avoiding these known carcinogens will follow!)

THE IARC CHEMICAL CATEGORIES ARE:

⚫ Group 1: Carcinogenic to humans

⚫ Group 2A: Probably carcinogenic to humans

⚫ Group 2B: Possibly carcinogenic to humans

⚫ Group 3: Unclassifiable as to carcinogenicity in humans

⚫ Group 4: Probably not carcinogenic to humans

THE IRIS CHEMICAL CATEGORIES

ARE:

⚫ Group A: Carcinogenic to humans

⚫ Group B: Likely to be carcinogenic to humans

⚫ Group C: Suggestive evidence of carcinogenic potential

⚫ Group D: Inadequate information to assess carcinogenic potential

⚫ Group E: Not likely to be carcinogenic to humans

As you may have already deduced, almost every substance tested falls in the middle categories, Groups 2A, 2B, and 3, or Groups B, C, and D. Just over 100 substances ever tested have been listed as known carcinogens. Other groups such as the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP) list only known or suspected carcinogens and seem to be somewhat more rigorous—they have listed significantly more carcinogens to the benefit of consumers everywhere, at least 250 substances.

Clearly the tests used to fit into these categories vary widely. The international community has higher standards yet—many ingredients considered safe for use in US cosmetics are banned in Canada, the European Union, and Japan. This suggests the need for a closer look at the potential harm, the tests that support safety, and the reasons other governments are protecting their citizens from products we glibly apply to our bodies and our children’s bodies daily.

Until the standards in the US change, it is wise to do some research ourselves. Any of the above ratings at minimum indicates the substance has been suspected of causing cancer, and any rating that does not completely clear away the doubt means it is too risky to continue exposing your body to potential harm in exchange for the dubious benefit of smoother, more beautiful skin; shiny, manageable hair; or really great-looking nails.

Why Are Known Carcinogens in Bathroom Products?

Does skin absorb enough known carcinogens to really matter? Actually, the skin is your largest organ, and it does absorb a lot. Absorbency is not really the problem. Permeability is.

Your skin is permeable, meaning it not only absorbs substances it contacts, but it also allows them through the skin and into other tissues, such as the subcutaneous fatty layer. Because many known carcinogens are fat-soluble, this presents a huge problem.

TRANSDERMAL DRUGS SHOW THE POWER OF DIRECT CONTACT

People are increasingly aware that skin is more like living fabric than living plastic wrap. Doctors prescribe transdermal patches to distribute some medications without stomach upset or to ensure a continuous dose over time, as the patient’s skin will slowly absorb the medicine through all its layers and into the tissue beneath. Unfortunately, beneficial medications are not the only substances that can travel through the skin into the body. Harmful ingredients in anything we touch may travel in just as readily.

FUMES & INHALATION

Skin is VERY absorbent and permeable, but it is not the only inroad for known carcinogens in your body care products. Many contain fragrances and solvents to help the fragrances become airborne, so you inhale them more readily. Lung irritation is a real risk when considering body care ingredients. The lovely scent you inhale may enter through your lungs but cause inflammation throughout your body.

YOUR CONTACT PASSED TO CHILDREN

If you are a mother, remember, what touches you touches your baby. Pesticides, phthalates, and UV filters or other known carcinogens from sunscreens were found in high concentrations in human breast milk from the mothers’ use of cosmetics—many in concentrations above the “safe” limit for adults! This is just what was found in the mothers’ milk, without the more direct connection the umbilical cord would provide during pregnancy.

TRY THE GARLIC TEST. DON’T JUST READ ABOUT IT AND TAKE MY WORD FOR IT.

For a very quick, simple object lesson on the ability of the skin to open the doorway into your entire body, take off your shoes and socks, and rub the sole of your foot with a piece of garlic for a few minutes. Set a timer if you are curious. How long does it take you to taste garlic in your mouth? The average time for this test is 3 – 5 minutes. Garlic doesn’t have any penetration-enhancing ingredients to force it deeper into tissue like many cosmetics, so most of them enter your tissue even faster.

How Much is Too Much in the Human Body?

These ingredients are not in parts per million (ppm) or parts per billion (ppb) like pollutants in drinking water or preservatives in food—they are often the main ingredients. Even in products that only use known carcinogens as a preservative or emulsifying agent, the ingredients are present in much higher concentrations than we usually think. For example, the lead in drinking water or the tocopherols in cracker packages are in extremely minute quantities compared to the sodium lauryl sulfate in body wash.

They are applied to our largest organ and one of our most porous organs—our skin, and many are applied directly to our hands, face, and lips—ingestion and absorption of cosmetics is a fact.

Is it ever safe to apply a chemical believed to be capable of causing cancer to your skin, and hope it does not penetrate in sufficient quantities to harm you? When dealing with Bath & Body Works carcinogens it seems common sense to err on the side of caution but that’s not how large corporations think. Most substances are cumulative if they have been adulterated. Our bodies are designed to ingest, absorb, utilize, and excrete many beneficial foods, drinks, and even body care aids without any detrimental effects.

The trouble comes when we alter natural substances too much—we want to preserve ingredients beyond their pre-programmed time for decay, we want to make colors brighter and scents more powerful, we want soaps to foam like a science experiment, we want anti-aging creams to penetrate through our skin and work miracles, we want shampoos to strip every trace of natural moisture from our hair, and we want conditioners to replace the stripped oils with synthetic ones. All of these unnatural wishes yield unnatural consequences, and unnatural consequences tend to be cumulative—that is, they add up in our systems over time.

It is difficult for our bodies to excrete the carcinogenic ingredients, and it is difficult to heal the damage they cause—it all keeps adding up. Allowing your body time to detoxify itself, or using essential oils to boost the detox process, can be helpful. But minimizing your exposure and choosing healthier options is vital.

Many known carcinogens are fat soluble, so the protective hypodermis—the subcutaneous fat layer—fails to protect us. Our skin’s innermost layer is a layer of fat that protects us from thermal shock and other harm. Unfortunately, in the case of fat-soluble carcinogens, this protection backfires. If the ingredients penetrate through the upper skin layers—usually with the addition of penetration enhancers which are frequently fat-soluble—it is readily absorbed into our own tissue where it does much unintended harm.

How much cancer do you want? How will you decide how much is too much when considering exposure to known carcinogens? Is even a very small amount of mercury acceptable in your child’s dental filling? How much formaldehyde do you want to absorb? What is a tolerable amount of coal tar in your daughter’s lip balm? Or how much cancer risk would you like to invite into your life?

Is the US the least-protected first-world nation? The European Union (with Japan and Canada not far behind) has banned over 1,300 cosmetic ingredients due to safety concerns while the US has banned 11, not a typo; eleven ingredients are banned for use in cosmetics in the US.

12 Bath & Body Works Carcinogens Hiding on Shelves

1. FORMALDEHYDE

Formaldehyde (and formaldehyde releasers such as: bronopol, DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, and quaternium-15) is classified as a known human carcinogen by both the IARC and the NTP. This is the product used to preserve bodies for scientific research—how can it possibly belong in your cosmetics? It is frequently included as a preservative in nail polish, shampoo, hair conditioner, baby wash, body wash, facial cleansers, and eye shadow.

2. PHTHALATES

Phthalates especially diethyl phthalate—feminizes American male newborns. The emasculating effects of phthalates in otherwise healthy male infants, including an irreversible decrease in genital growth and development, reduced male hormone levels, and impaired adult sexual function, directly correlates to the mother’s level of phthalates during pregnancy—a more severe effect than exposure during adulthood.

To make matters worse, maternal phthalate levels during pregnancy also correlate with reduced IQ in children at 7 years of age, even when levels are within safe limits. Sources of phthalates include anything packaged in flexible plastic containers, perfume, deodorant, hair spray, shampoo, soap, and lotion, as well as nail polish and nail care products. Phthalates are also included in most fragrance blends since the public is increasingly aware of the harm they cause, and since cosmetic manufacturers are not required to list the individual ingredients in their fragrance blends.

In addition, many infant care products, such as baby wash, baby shampoo, baby lotion, diaper cream, and scented baby powder (with or without talc) increase the urinary level of phthalates in infants. Phthalates are endocrine disruptors that raise the risk of breast cancer in women, induce early puberty in girls, and cause reproductive birth defects in newborn boys and girls.

3. PARABENS

Parabens are a known carcinogen that have been found intact in human breast cancer tumors. Even prior to the discovery of parabens’ link to breast cancer, it was widely known that parabens in cosmetics readily penetrate skin. Parabens used in cosmetics have been shown to exhibit estrogenic effects (i.e. feeding estrogen-dependent tumors and binding to estrogen receptor sites, thus increasing circulating estrogen levels) in breast cancer cultures. Parabens are alleged to increase the incidence of female breast cancer, interfere with male reproductive function, and stimulate the development of malignant melanoma.

Estrogenic stimulation itself has also recently been shown to encourage the growth of malignant melanoma, so parabens may feed this cancer in multiple ways, as they demonstrate both estrogenic and androgenic disruption, and are genotoxic, meaning they damage genes in such a way that cancer-causing mutations form. Parabens lower sperm count and are associated with male infertility. Parabens demonstrate similar hormone disrupting and carcinogenic activity in the environment as they do in human health. They also alter maternal (and thus infant) hormone levels during pregnancy. They are even used as synthetic preservatives in cosmetics such as makeup, facial cleanser, body wash, deodorant, and shampoo.

4. SYNTHETIC COLOR

Even the earliest versions of these artificial colors were based on coal tar, and some more recent ones are petroleum derivatives. All lakes (FD&C Blue Lake 1, for example) are processed with 2 forms of aluminum. By law, any coloring agent of any nature with any ingredients (except the 11 cosmetic ingredients already banned in the US) may bypass the regulatory process if the manufacturer claims it is added for a purpose other than coloring. Toxic dyes that are banned for food use are exempt from regulation if used as hair dye despite the fact that the scalp is both more sensitive and more porous than skin in general.

FDA approved dyes have been proven to cause acute illness in children since 1950. Due to the adverse effects of coloring agents listed as safe, a law prohibited permanently listing any color as safe; however, that practice has been gradually phased out, and now almost all colors including lakes are permanently

listed as safe meaning a huge legal uproar would be needed to remove a listed coloring. Each batch of approved color is tested for properties such as moisture content and color density, but not for safety, except for approving some level of lead, arsenic, and mercury—which along with other carcinogenic coloring agents are allowed. Finally, the IARC lists several colors as suspected or probable carcinogens, and ALL dyes metabolized to benzidine are listed as Class 1 carcinogens—substances proven to cause cancer in humans.

5. SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCE

Synthetic fragrances are among the trickiest labeling problems to address. Due to a legal loophole intended to allow manufacturers to protect their proprietary blends, secret formulas, or trade secrets, the ingredients in a fragrance blend are protected from the normal ingredient declaration requirement under the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA). Fragrance blends and their secret ingredients are strongly associated with allergic reactions and skin disorders. Some are listed as likely carcinogens.

Fragrance blends can be found in every type of cosmetic and body care product imaginable, and although fragrance-free options are increasingly available, almost all body care products contain artificial fragrance. The phrase “fragrance” on the label could be any one of over 2,000 chemicals and you’d never know it. Try using essential oils in diffusers, or making your own perfumes to replace these toxic chemicals!

6. PESTICIDES

Pesticides are commonly used in grass and weed killers. But did you know they may be lurking in your favorite cosmetic and body care products? Due to gross misuse of a conditional registration provision, many pesticides are included in household products without completing the EPA’s required testing process. In 2008, a watchdog group (the Natural Resources Defense Council) called conditional registration into question. Here are some sobering facts: since 1972, approximately 90,000 pesticides have been registered, and over 25,000 of them were granted conditional registration—more than 1 in 4 pesticides reached market in nearly innumerable products without oversight of their safety testing, if in fact, any testing was conducted at all!

Yet even with the call to review these, there are still hundreds of chemicals pending review. And the review process can take a decade or more to complete. In 2010, of the 16,000 pesticides currently registered and in use, 11,000 were registered conditionally. That is over ⅔ of the pesticides in use with no accountability at all.

Studies confirm the endocrine damage of pesticide exposure, even at doses too low to produce acute symptoms. California EPA’s Proposition 65 lists several pesticides as known carcinogens. Pesticides are often present as contaminants in any product containing rice (extracts, bran, starch, etc.), cottonseed oil or meal, corn, and soy products of any kind, and even oatmeal products. See toxic free alternatives for weed killers and pest control that we use to avoid these chemicals.

7. TRICLOSAN (AND TRICLOCARBAN)

In addition to causing skin inflammation and contact dermatitis, triclosan also a known endocrine disruptor, targeting thyroid hormone and reproductive hormones. Studies suggest it can contribute to reproductive cancers, largely through its estrogenic activity. Antibacterial agents, including triclosan, contribute to resistance—that is, when we kill off 99.9% of the bad guys, the strongest, most resistant 0.1% live on and reproduce, resulting in offspring with super-resistance to our antibacterial chemicals.

All this effort, it seems is for nothing, as no study has demonstrated any benefit to using antibacterial washes, soaps, and hand gels over ordinary soap and water. In fact, the WHO recommends hand-washing with plain soap and water as the best preventive measure against communicable diseases and pathogens. The FDA has decided to ban triclosan in hand soap; however, some still contain it, and many other products do as well, so be sure your toothpaste, soap, deodorant, and even gym wear does not contain triclosan or its relatives.

8. TOLUENE (TOLUOL, PHENYLMETHANE, METHYLBENZENE)

Touene is one of the components in nail products that make your eyes burn, but that minor irritation is the least of your worries. Toluene is a known carcinogen, and a heightened risk of cancer is too high a price to pay for pretty nails. It also targets the central nervous system (to the point of brain damage), can change behavior and impair basic dexterity and memory, and cost you your ability to see color even at “safe” doses! A pregnant mother who simply breathes the fumes may cause reproductive harm to her baby. Toluene is derived from petroleum and coal tar and is used to manufacture benzene (another known carcinogen), and in nail polish, nail treatments, hair coloring, and hair bleaching products.

9. PROPYLENE GLYCOL

Propylene glycol is a penetration enhancer, carrying other potentially harmful ingredients deeper into skin and tissue layers than they would normally penetrate. Propylene glycol has been shown to cause liver cancer, even if it is only inhaled. It is associated with an increased risk of seizures in low birth

weight infants. It causes central nervous system depression and acute acidosis. Propylene glycol has been shown to cause apoptosis, a cell-suicide mechanism, in the central nervous system. Propylene glycol toxicity is not uncommon in body care products and carries a host of severe health consequences.

In addition to the direct risks of propylene glycol, it is a sensitizer, meaning it makes the skin and surrounding tissue more likely to react badly to other substances. Be sure to avoid propylene glycol in sunscreen, moisturizers, lotions, makeup, and hair products.

10. ALKYLPHENOLS

These chemicals are often used in surfactants and in plastic manufacture are xenoestrogens that contribute to greater risk of breast cancer. Other studies focus on synthetic alkylphenols as endocrine disruptors due to their hyper-estrogenic activity. Indeed, endocrine disruptors are shown to be carcinogenic and are implicated in many types of cancer. Remember the BPA scare that resulted in the mass replacement of all things plastic due to its endocrine disrupting, estrogenic, cancer- feeding activity? BPA is just one of the alkylphenols, namely bisphenol A (BPA) which has now been replaced with bisphenol S (BPS) which is just as estrogenic as BPA. Don’t settle for BPA-free plastics—read labels to ensure any plastic you buy is entirely alkylphenol-free.

11. SODIUM LAUREL SULFATE / SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE

SLS and SLES chemicals comprise up to 50% of the volume of approximately 9 out of 10 cleaning and personal care products, so its effects are widespread. It is added as a surfactant that greatly multiplies the foaming action of cleansers, body wash, shampoo, baby products, and hand washes. Sodium lauryl/ laureth sulfate damages skin, eyes, and lungs, and other internal organs. SLS / SLES is also an environmental toxin, and SLS so reliably causes inflammation that researchers frequently use it to induce acute skin and eye irritation, allowing them to then test the healing efficacy of other substances.

Although SLS and SLES have so far evaded a listing as a known carcinogen by groups such as IARC and the NTP, it’s material safety data sheets openly admit it is mutagenic, meaning it damages DNA such that it can lead to cancer—not exactly the same as carcinogenic (which means it directly causes cancer, but close in that it can indirectly lead to cancer because the cellular damage is so severe.) The same safety data sheet also indicates a respirator should be worn when handling SLS, it is corrosive to skin, and skin contact should be avoided. There is controversy over the possibility that SLS can form nitrosamines when combined with formaldehyde or 1,4-dioxane to make SLES since nitrosamines are listed as known carcinogens.

12. SUNSCREEN CHEMICALS

Sunscreen chemicals have a variety of label names from similar chemical families – you might see benzenes, benzophenone, PABA, avobenzone, homosalate, methoxycinnamate, oxybenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, and octinoxate. What we are seeing is that despite nearly universal use of sunscreens and the presence of sunscreen active ingredients everywhere (including in human urine) malignant melanoma continues to increase.

Since this is the very condition that sunscreens are purported to prevent studies have now been done investigating the role of sunscreen active ingredients in this apparent paradox. Findings show now that these toxic ingredients do actually increase reproductive and developmental toxicity and disturbance of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis. Numerous researchers have investigated the use of sunscreen and its correlation with the incidence of skin cancer; their findings indicate that some types of sunscreens can increase the risk of cancer. There’s a reason we make our own sunscreen for our family!

The WORST Body Care Products in Your Bathroom

These products contain high levels of dangerous ingredients, contain some of the most harmful carcinogens, or numerous known carcinogens, and offer little benefit in return.

⚫ Nail polish and other nail products are far worse for your health—and your daughter’s—than you may believe. They combine nearly every known carcinogen listed above in one bottle—at minimum toluene, formaldehyde, synthetic color, and many more. Even the 3-free brands (or 5-free, 7-free, etc.) contain numerous seriously harmful ingredients, many of which have long been known to cause cancer. Now, more than ever, it is important to send a message to our young women that they do not need to paint themselves to be beautiful, especially when so much permanent endocrine damage is likely.

⚫ Sunscreen and sunblock—with estrogenic ingredients, preservatives like formaldehyde, BPA or BPS in the bottle, and synthetic color and fragrances, most of the available commercial, chemical sunscreens pose significant risks. Add to that the fact that they may cause the very cancer they are meant to prevent, and it only makes sense to seek non-toxic alternatives.

⚫ Anti-bacterial hand washes, hand sanitizers, and cleansers are among the worst, especially those marketed for use by children. Antibacterial hand sanitizers or soaps generally contain Triclosan or a substitute, SLS/ SLES, phthalates, parabens, and formaldehyde, and are packaged in bottles made of alkylphenols, BPA, or BPS. In addition, there is no evidence of benefit and they are creating dangerous strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, making them something to avoid whenever possible. Try making your own hand sanitizer and healthy hand soap instead!

15 Non-Toxic Ingredients to Try Instead

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of poison all around you, rest assured that there are safe, effective alternatives. The best news is that many natural cleansers are multi-purpose, meaning the castile baby soap you just bought to replace your child’s baby wash and shampoo can also be the main ingredient in your body wash recipe, your shampoo base, and even a main ingredient in your laundry soap, dish soap, counter scrub, and surface cleaner!

1. Organic unscented liquid castile soap - Bars or liquid: replace almost any soap or cleanser with castile soap alone or in recipes - gentle, safe, and effective.

2. Organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar: This naturally occurring mild acid is great at cleaning many things and is often used as a clarifying rinse.

3. Baking soda: Safe enough to use as a soak or scrub if diluted.

4. Borax? Yes, borax! Prior to the advent of commercial shampoo, most women washed their hair with eggs or borax solutions.

5. Aloe gel - fresh or bottled: Very soothing to skin of all types and ages; aloe gel can replace many lotions and creams, alone or in recipes.

6. Unscented witch hazel: A natural astringent, witch hazel is not as harsh as commercial products with rubbing alcohol, yet still as effective.

7. Organic Avocado: Used alone, avocado is a luxurious moisturizing mask.

8. Food grade oils: Can be used alone as healing cleansing oils or as carrier oils in recipes to very convincingly replace commercial lotions and creams.

9. Diluted essential oils: Essential oils such as chamomile, frankincense, lavender, neroli, oregano, and rosemary can be used for cosmetic or healing properties in conjunction with many natural healing recipes.

10. Organic Flaxseed: Soaked in water overnight, flax makes a great hair gel, and ground flax is used in scrub recipes.

11. Bentonite/ French clay: Historically, clay masks are a top clarifying and detox mask ingredient for glowing skin.

12. Organic Raw Local Honey: Very healing for the skin and helps promote probiotic activity and reduce acne.

13. Milk: Has long been prized for its hydroxy acid; used in milk baths—at least since Cleopatra made milk baths a famous beauty treatment.

14. Organic Fruit Acids: Mashed, blended, or freshly juiced fruits are natural sources of alpha and beta hydroxy acids; try lemon, apple, cream of tartar (from grapes), or strawberries.

15. Cleaner, safer prepared products: Check with the Environmental Working Group or other watchdog group for scorecards on better options when buying body care items from the store to ensure you don’t become the victim of greenwashing (false or misleading claims about natural or green ingredients)!

If this seems like too much information, try to improve just one product each shopping trip. You may feel compelled to get rid of all known carcinogens in your products at once and replace them all today! If you’re convinced, go for it, but don’t become overwhelmed. Every small change helps improve your family’s health.

CHAPTER 2 Carrier Oils

Not just for essential oil healing remedies and recipes, carrier oils are nutritive and have healing properties by themselves!

When reading about essential oils – whether you are brand new to essential oils or digging for new recipe blends – you’ll often see a carrier or base oil included in the discussion, or see mention of dilution. So what is a carrier oil, and how do you know which carrier oils to get?

The carrier oil is a fatty extract, usually cold pressed from its source. Individual allergies aside, carrier oils are not likely to cause sensitization and therefore make an excellent medium to disperse the more concentrated essential oil across your skin.

Carrier oils are nutritive and have healing properties of their own, so in your discovery of essential oils, don’t forget to take some time to learn about your options for carrier oils, as well.

When to Use Carrier Oils

Before you ask – yes, carrier oils are necessary! Once you get the hang of it, adding your essential oils to a carrier first is hardly any extra work, and in return you are actually amplifying the efficacy of your healing application.

It might seem backwards to say that diluting a substance makes it more effective, but in this case it is true. Essential oil applications without carrier oils (called “neat” applications) put the oil directly onto your skin. A few things of note are happening here:

1. The skin may be sensitized to the concentrated oil, harming the body by creating an allergic response.

2. The essential oil may quickly evaporate off the surface of the skin, whereas the lipids in a carrier can help keep it on the skin longer. Remember, essential oils are “volatile organic compounds,” which means that they are emitted as gas when exposed to open air. This is why you may notice their aroma within seconds of opening the bottle. Carrier oils may decrease the absorption.

3. You can’t massage it in or disperse it across wider spaces.

4. An ingested neat oil may cling to the mucous membranes and never make it to the intended site of application.

5. Not to mention, ingesting neat oils can easily burn your mouth and irritate your esophagus!

Bottom line: Using essential oils undiluted is largely a waste of time, money and can place your body in harm’s way. While there are instances when neat is acceptable – gentle oils, or oils under the supervision of a trained aromatherapist – your best bet is to dilute essential oils into a carrier every time.

Without essential oils, you will also use carriers as the base of most DIY herbal preparations, from lotion bars to chapstick to salves. Start with the most accessible carrier oils, then work through others as you learn their benefits and ideal uses.

4 Categories of Carrier Oils to Know

Herbal supply stores, health food stores, and online supply shops will offer you dozens of carrier oils to choose from. Don’t get overwhelmed at your options! What is a carrier oil? Carrier oils are relatively simple to understand, and for most preparations, you can’t really go wrong.

We’ll walk through the more common of the carrier oils here, but if you run into one you aren’t sure about that isn’t covered here, take the time to look it up and learn what it is and does. Self-education may not teach us everything, but it can take us a long way if we pursue it.

1. BEGINNER CARRIER OILS: OLIVE AND COCONUT

The best place to start is at the beginning, and for DIY aromatic and herbal preparations, that’s right in your own kitchen. Really, if we take it back to Hippocrates encouraging us to find our medicine in our food, the kitchen has been the starting point for many generations!

Let’s spend a bit of time on these two, as this is likely where you’ll start with carrier oils and diluted topical preparations before branching out to other carrier oils.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Almost undoubtedly in your kitchen, as it is probably the most commonly used culinary and carrier oil out there. Because it is used so much, however, it may be adulterated with similarly-colored sunflower and corn oils.

Once again, we are reminded to check our product sources carefully! Extra virgin olive oil – which is cold pressed and minimally processed – is the ideal, and it will be a light green color with a thick scent. Sometimes, the scent can be offputting, so you’ll want to choose olive oil when making a highly aromatic blend or preparation. In 2015, a double-blind, randomized study took place in which olive oil was used on diabetic patients with ulcers on their feet. After four weeks of treatment, the patients who’d received olive oil topical treatments had smaller, less pronounced ulcers than those who received placebo or nothing. The use of olive oil as a carrier can add to the soothing, healing effects of your dilutions and preparations.

Choose this when: Making homemade salves, creams and oil pulling. Good for dry skin.

Coconut Oil, Extra-Virgin and Unrefined

A saturated fat taken from coconuts, which are actually giant seeds. The oil spreads over the skin easily with very little greasy residue, taking the oils you’ve blended in with it. Even without anything blended into it, coconut oil has been shown to enhance the wound healing process. You probably already use coconut oil regularly; its popularity has recently sparked internet jokes about how much you can do with coconut oil: fix your hair, fix your budget, fix your significant other…The jokes, of course are rooted in reality, poking good-natured fun at the almost comical range of things you can do with coconut oil.

Choose this when: Making most of your DIY projects and is a nice massage oil carrier. Tasty addition to your oil pulling ritual. And is best for oily skin as it leaves little oily residue.

The way coconut oil is processed will affect its uses. Cold pressed coconut oil (virgin, extra virgin) will retain the coconut scent and will become solid when room temperature or cooler. Heat processed coconut oil will not have the taste and smell of coconut, and fractionated coconut oil (the most processed of the options) will not become solid. The tendency to solidify can be good or bad for your preparations – for quick dilutions, it is sometimes nice to mix up the essential oil into a semi-solid coconut oil and then be able to rub on a quickmelting preparation as it warms to your skin.

Fractionated Coconut Oil

Literally a fraction of the coconut oil – being that all of the long chain triglycerides have been removed – fractionated coconut oil is a lightweight emollient that is a must-have for dry or sensitive skin. Also referred to as FCO, It provides an effective barrier without clogging pores and leaves your skin feeling smooth and never greasy. It is considered to be the most cost-effective oil because it will not go rancid. In fact, some suppliers claim that it can be mixed with other (more expensive) carrier oils to extend their shelf life. However, once you add essential oils that begin oxidation process, the carrier oils will begin to lose their shelf life stability. It is colorless and odorless, and it incorporates perfectly with other oils without altering their scent, appearance or effectiveness.

Chose this when: Quick dilutions with what you have on hand; enhancing skin healing; perfect to treat health conditions like infections, open wounds and chronic disease.

2. NUT & SEED CARRIER OILS: ALMOND AND JOJOBA

These oils are probably not in your kitchen for cooking, but they are still very commonly purchased, easy to work with, and rich sources of skin-health nutrients. If you are ready to take a step beyond your pantry, these make a good place to start.

Sweet Almond Oil

Very mild in scent and flavor, almond oil is nutrient dense and versatile. Almond oil is a good topical source vitamins A & E, adding to the many nutritional benefits that almonds have simply as a food. Traditional uses indicate almond oil for dry skin conditions, like psoriasis and eczema. As an emollient, almond oil can be soothing for sore skin. It’s fabulously nutritious and is a favorite for skin.

Jojoba Oil

If you’ve not yet heard of jojoba (or heard it pronounced), it’s ho-HO-ba that you are looking for. Derived from the seeds, jojoba is actually classified as a liquid wax, which adds another option to your carrier oil choices. It doesn’t solidify as quickly as coconut oil does, but the consistency is well suited to deep penetration and moisturizing. Jojoba has an excellent shelf life, which is perfect for storing until you need it for small dilution preparations. It has been studied for anti-inflammatory properties, wound healing ability, and efficacy in face-mask treatments for acne. It’s one of Sabrina’s favorite and she uses it as a base for her carrier oil blend.

Choose these when: Skin is dry or inflamed; nutrients are lacking; versatility and ease of use are desired. Good for most DIY projects.

Rosehip Seed Oil

This is one of Mama Z’s favorite carrier oils for skin conditions. You don’t have to use it solo, but it can be a great oil to add into any blend you’re using to boost the nourishing richness. It’s high in Vitamin C and is a soothing emollient for a variety of skin conditions. It can even be part of a skin conditioning lotion bar!

Choose this when: Whenever you need additional support for your skin or add this into healing skin serum.

3. FRUIT CARRIER OILS: APRICOT, AVOCADO, AND GRAPESEED

Easy to remember thanks to kitchen staples, these oils typically come from the seeds of their respective fruits, as is the case with the other carrier oils. These choices are as affordable and accessible as they are versatile.

Apricot Kernel Oil

Available as expeller pressed, refined, or cold pressed, the difference is simply texture and preference. Apricot oil’s nutrient profile includes vitamins E and A as well, or at least the carotenoid precursor to vitamin A. It is edible as well as beneficial topically. Because it is so incredibly gentle as well as nourishing, apricot oil is a good choice for applications that will cover a good deal of skin or that will be applied on children heavily.

Organic Avocado Oil

Avocado as a fruit is one of the best sources of fat and nutrients (and dip!) you can find. The oil itself, as you might imagine, is an emollient, taken from the smooth flesh around the pit. An exception to the typical seed-derived oil, avocado oil is rich in nutrients and excellent at penetrating the skin. In another animal trial, this one occurring in 2008, avocado oil was also found to have good wound healing ability. Before elaborating on the study, the researchers noted that the oil is “rich in nutrient waxes, proteins and minerals, as well as vitamins A, D and E…an excellent source of enrichment for dry, damaged or chapped skin.”

Organic Grapeseed Oil

Also a culinary oil, grapeseed oil topically is used for its light texture and lack of residue. Once on and in the skin, grapeseed is another oil verified for its contributions in wound care and healing. The high levels of fatty acid content and antioxidants in grapeseed oil contribute to much of its beneficial composition. Without the heaviness of more saturated oils, grapeseed makes a cleaner topical application with less of a greasy film.

Choose these when: Creating a massage oil; looking for deep hydration; creating chapsticks and balms.

4. ESSENTIAL FATTY ACID CARRIER OILS: BORAGE AND EVENING PRIMROSE

While most of the carrier oils we’ve talked about and what is on the market are decent sources of essential fatty acids, some oils are considered good sources of these vital nutrients.

Borage Oil

Taken from the seeds of a flowering perennial herb, borage oil is a potent source of omega-6 essential fatty acids. While we usually take omega-3 to counter the unhealthy balance of essential fatty acids that our diet affords, borage oil as a natural source is a different story. Omega-6, at its root, is actually as antiinflammatory as omega-3, which likely aids in the topical benefits of borage oil. It’s in the overconsumption of junk-food-sources and lack of balance in the omegas that we begin to see trouble. Borage oil has been used for dermatitis and other anti-inflammatory preparations.

Evening Primrose Oil

Named for the flowers that open only in the evenings, evening primrose oil is a more delicate oil that must be cold pressed, refrigerated, and should not be added to any heat preparations. Typically, evening primrose is consumed in supplement or culinary form, and of those uses it is highly researched and evaluated for its benefits as a source of essential fatty acids. For topical use, results seem to be similar to that of borage: anti-inflammatory effects that relieve flare ups such as dermatitis.

Although these are culinary oils, we already get large amounts of omega-6 in the diet. Be cautious with long-term culinary ingestion without professional guidance.

Choose these when: Resolving topical inflammation; essential fatty acid deficiency/ imbalance is a problem. Creating hormone-balancing serums and women’s health blends.

How to Use a Carrier Oil

For simple dilution purposes, start with small amounts of your carrier oil and work up as you become comfortable and have sanitary ways of storing your blend. Always place blends into heat-sanitized containers, particularly if they will stay there for any amount of time.

Start with 1 teaspoon of carrier oil, or 5ml of oil. It will vary from 60-150 drops depending on the specific oil. Since it’s oil we are dealing with, the assumption is that it will be closer to 60 than 100. You can assume 100 for extra safety and simple dilutions (1% = 1 drop), or you can calculate based on the more generous 60 drops.

Here’s a simple dilution guide (Note some oils need a different dilution amount but this is a good starting place.):

● 1% dilution = 6 drops of essential oils per 1 ounce of carrier oil = good for sensitive skin face, genitals, underarms, babies to toddlers

● 2-3% dilution = 12 – 18 drops of essential oil per 1 ounce of carrier oil = standard adult concentration for massage oils, creams and DIY recipes

● 5% – 10% dilution = 30 – 60 drops of essential oil per 1 ounce of carrier oil = more for acute conditions like infections. Don’t use for more than a week at a time.

● 25% dilution = 150 drops of essential oils per 1 ounce of carrier = for onetime application like wart removal, skin tags, or areas with localized pain.

● 50% dilution = 1:1 ratio of carrier to essential oils = not recommended unless under the supervision of a trained professional.

Stir the essential oil into the carrier, then apply as indicated. And that’s that! You’ve successfully diluted your essential oil and enjoyed the added benefit of a nourishing carrier oil.

CHAPTER 3 Dilution & Dispersion Guide

We love essential oils because incorporating them into our lives can help us achieve a better degree of clean living. Diluting essential oils at appropriate levels for applications is one of the basic standards of safe use, especially when applying directly to the body.

Sometimes, this is very easy to achieve. But there will inevitably be occasions when we need to combine essential oils with substances that may not really “jive” well with their chemistry.

In other words, the essential oil may not adequately mix into these substances without separation. This in and of itself causes an issue since one of the most important things about essential oil safety is that we need to pay attention whenever we’re putting ourselves into contact with a neat essential oil.

Ultimately, an essential oil’s ability to mix into another substance or liquid boils down to solubility – both the essential oil and whatever you want to incorporate it into.

Are y’all ready to go back to school?

Diluting Essential Oils

Essential oils are highly concentrated plant-based volatile organic compounds that pack a super punch of therapeutic benefits. To put this into perspective, it takes roughly three pounds of lavender flowers to distill down to an itty-bitty 15ml bottle of essential oil. It’s hard to conceptualize because one lavender flower is so light; imagine three pounds!

This being said, essential oils need to be used wisely. While there is a time and a place for neat application, the smart way to apply oils topically is to dilute them first. Carrier oils are non-volatile oils and are not irritants, and essential oils can be blended into them first before applying them to the skin.

Popular carrier oils include organic apricot kernel, avocado, coconut oil, extravirgin and unrefined, extra-virgin olive oil, jojoba, sweet almond, and sunflower. Most carrier oils have their own health benefits that you can explore to create even more beneficial blends.

Dilution Cheat Sheet

Topical application can be directly in a small area, such as for scar healing, or broader for massage oil. The important variables here are the dilution rates you choose:

0.5% Dilution – Strong oils, applied to children and oils you are testing for sensitization. The heavy dilution allows for greater distribution throughout the application and less per dose.

Ideal for irritating oils, children, and those who are highly sensitive. Ex: cinnamon, eucalyptus, peppermint.

1% Dilution – Even adults who tolerate oils well will still find some oils too strong for normal applications. A 1% dilution rate protects your skin while still enjoying the benefit of the more potent essential oils or use on sensitive areas of the skin.

Ideal for facial applications and the treatment of delicate skin. Ex: tea tree for acne, frankincense in a facial toner, etc.

2-3% Dilution – This is the most common dilution range, suitable for massage oils, healing treatments, lotions and creams, and cosmetic applications. It is enough to gain significant benefits from the essential oil without risking sensitization. Unless the oil is particularly potent or you have sensitive skin, this is likely to be the dilution you’ll use.

Ideal for most applications – lotions, creams, salves, balms. Ex: geranium, helichrysum, chamomile.

5%+ Dilution – Higher concentrations should be used with care. Alternatively, highly safe oils can be used in small amounts on tiny areas of the skin – for example, as an intense acne treatment. Know your oil’s safety profile and choose high concentrations with caution.

Ideal for specific situations based on extreme safety and high potency in a targeted area OR further dilution beyond the initial formula. Ex: lavender, sweet orange, tea tree.

Using these conversions:

● 1% dilution: 6 drops of EO per ounce of carrier oil (1% of 600 drops is 6)

● 2% dilution: 12 drops of EO per ounce of carrier oil (2% of 600 drops is 12)

● 3% dilution: 18 drops of EO per ounce of carrier oil (3% of 600 drops is 18)

If working with tablespoons is more comfortable for you, 1 ounce = 2 tablespoons. So, there are 300 drops of EO in a tablespoon.

● 1% dilution: 3 drops of EO per tablespoon of carrier oil (1% of 300 drops is 3)

● 2% dilution: 6 drops of EO per tablespoon of carrier oil (2% of 300 drops is 6)

● 3% dilution: 9 drops of EO per tablespoon of carrier oil (3% of 300 drops is 9)

If working with grams, 1 drop of essential oil = 0.02 to 0.03 grams approximately (depending on your dropper), which converts to 20-30 milligrams or 20000 micrograms (µg).

So 30 mg is about 1 drop.

Solutions & Emulsions

Carrier oils work nicely to reduce (or dilute) the concentration of essential oils because their overall chemical qualities match that of essential oils. Both are lipid-loving substances. Remember that like dissolves like? So, we can use a carrier oil to sufficiently dilute our essential oils.

Real life isn’t always simple, however, so sometimes we need a base beyond just a carrier oil. That’s where solutions and emulsions come into play – they are a step up into complexity.

Sometimes, we need our essential oils to mix into substances that they are generally not miscible in – meaning they don’t fully dissolve or mix into each other. When this is the case, we have two potential options.

1. We can reach for a substance that will help dissolve the essential oil into the uncooperating substance, thus creating a solution.

2. We can utilize something that will force the essential oil to combine with something it usually wouldn’t, creating an emulsion.

SOLUTIONS

You get a solution when one substance (a solute) is dissolved into another substance (known as the solvent).

Substances that can dissolve essential oils include 190 proof alcohol, perfumer’s alcohol, and 91% isopropyl alcohol. When the essential oil is first added to one of these substances, it can later gently be added to an aqueous substance like water, witch hazel, or hydrosol. Likewise, you can add an aqueous substance directly to your solubilized mixture.

The essential oil, being dissolved into a substance that cooperates nicely with these other mentioned substances, can be safely incorporated (or really, diluted) into something it typically would not work well with. In other words, add your essential oils to the alcohol first and then to your other ingredients.

EMULSIONS

An emulsion occurs when one liquid is dispersed through another it is typically not miscible in.

Where essential oils are concerned, an emulsion occurs through the use of something called a surfactant or another substance with surfactant properties – such as liquid soap. Surfactants work by reducing the surface tension of the substance it is to be dissolved into, allowing for a substance (in this case, essential oils) to be distributed throughout another liquid, such as water.

One important thing to remember is that you must first add your essential oil to your surfactant and make sure it is sufficiently mixed before adding it to the other liquid.

So, for example, if you want to mix essential oil into your bathwater safely, your best bet is to add the essential oil to some liquid soap (good options for this include organic unscented liquid castile soap), mix it thoroughly, and then add that mixture to your bath water, creating an emulsion.

Want to make a quick pillow or air spray?

Diluting essential oils by first solubilizing them is the way to go. Add your essential oil to some 190-proof alcohol, and gently add your water to it. The solution you create from the high-proof alcohol and essential oil can then be diluted into the water (using at least a 1:4 ratio of alcohol to water should ensure some preservation and longer shelf life as well!).

Prepared Bases for Essential Oil DIYs

A third option to mix your essential oils would be prepared cosmetic bases. Many supply companies carry pre-made lotions, creams, and sometimes gels intended for you to add your own fragrance product to.

These products are created with the additional fragrance load in mind, so they contain enough surfactant to handle you adding essential oils to them. These can be especially helpful as they will detail precisely how much extra essential oil can be added to the product.

Another product that could hold essential oil for topical applications is thickened aloe gel. These gels differ slightly from pure aloe gel in that they have a thickener like a carbomer or organic xanthan gum added to them, which offers some stability in being able to the essential oil when mixed well enough.

SUBSTANCES THAT DON’T MIX WITH ESSENTIAL OILS

The options mentioned above are solid choices to reach for when solubilizing or diluting essential oils or creating some cooperation between them and liquids they won’t usually mix in. But there are a lot of substances thought to work with essential oils like this that do not.

Many substances promoted in aromatherapy traditions or online DIY recipes don’t actually blend with essential oils the way people think they do. This could potentially leave you at risk for skin irritation or sensitization.

When I first started learning about essential oils, some of the information was misleading or incorrect. When you understand the chemical properties, you realize that much of what is out there doesn’t actually work. Here’s a list of substances that cannot properly dilute or be used to disperse your essential oils completely:

● Aloe vera juice

● Baking soda

● Deionized water

● Distilled water

● Epsom salts

● Glycerin

● Honey

● Hydrosols

● Magnesium oil

● Milk

● Peroxide

● Pure aloe gel

● Sea or table salt

● Sugar

● Vodka

● Witch hazel

In a nutshell, the chemical properties of these substances don’t match up with those of essential oils, so diluting essential oils into these things will not be effective without incorporating a surfactant, as discussed above.

A quick note on honey: while it is not recommended to use honey when diluting essential oils into water, it does contain enough binding properties to mix essential oils into for quick internal dosing if necessary. Same with vodka, glycerin, milk, and aloe vera juice.

Here’s a brief list of products often made in the home done just a little better using the principles for diluting essential oils mentioned above. For DIY products containing aqueous ingredients, such as water and witch hazel, be sure to make small batches to use up within a week since home DIY products have short shelf lives!

Witch Hazel Facial Toner

This delightful toner is refreshing and clarifying. Your skin will love being pampered without the use of toxins!

STEP ONE: ADD ESSENTIAL OILS

Place the essential oils and alcohol in a glass measuring cup or jar. Stir to mix. See the recipe card for customizing the oils to fit your skin needs.

STEP TWO: TONE YOUR FACE

Gently stir the mixture to combine and pour into a dark glass spray bottle. Fill the bottle the rest of the way with witch hazel. Store away from light.

To use, douse a cotton round with the mixture and gently wipe over the face. No need to rinse!

Shot Glass Relaxation Bath

Need some R&R? Try our Shot Glass Relaxation Bath! This DIY comes together in minutes.

STEP ONE: ADD ESSENTIAL OILS

Add the essential oils of your choice to a shot glass. See the recipe card for suggestions on selecting relaxing EOs.

STEP TWO: ADD LIQUID SOAP

Fill the rest of the glass with organic unscented liquid castile soap. This helps the EOs to dilute properly. Slowly stir to combine.

Your mixture should look milky, like in the photo above. To use, add the shot to running bathwater. Doing this helps disperse the mixture properly. Enjoy your relaxing bath!

QUICK COUNTERTOP CLEANER

My Quick Countertop Cleaner gets the job done naturally! It smells incredible and degreases the roughest surfaces.

STEP ONE: MIX THE ESSENTIAL OILS AND SOAP

Add the essential oils of your choice and liquid soap to a spray bottle. See the recipe card for tips on choosing antimicrobial EOs.

Gently mix to combine thoroughly.

STEP TWO: ADD WATER

Fill the bottle the rest of the way with distilled water. Replace the top and shake gently to mix.

Use as you would a conventional kitchen cleaner. Enjoy your clean counters!

Sunburn Relief Gel

Our Sunburn Relief Gel is a summer must! It soothes inflamed skin and instantly cools.

STEP ONE: THICKEN THE ALOE VERA GEL

Whisk the xanthan gum into the aloe vera gel until smooth.

STEP TWO: ADD THE ESSENTIAL OILS

Add the essential oils of your choice and mix well. See the recipe card for my favorite combination.

Stir the mixture well until it turns a milky color. Store in the fridge and apply as needed.

Sleepy-time Pillow Spray

If you have trouble sleeping, give this pillow spray a try! It combines the best relaxing essential oils to provide you with a fantastic night’s sleep.

STEP ONE: MIX ESSENTIAL OILS AND ALCOHOL

Mix the essential oils of choice and alcohol until well blended. See the recipe card for relaxing EO suggestions. Add to a 2-ounce spray bottle.

STEP TWO: ADD WATER

Fill the bottle the rest of the way with distilled water. To use, spritz on pillows and bedding before you go to sleep. Sweet Dreams!

God created each of us to be unique, and our body care products can reflect that! As you learn about diluting essential oils, remember to customize your recipes to fit your specific needs.

Recipe Card

WITCH HAZEL FACIAL TONER

Ingredients

M 6 drops essential oils*

M 1½ teaspoons 190 proof alcohol OR the highest proof alcohol you can find

M Unscented witch hazel

Supplies

M Glass measuring cup OR jar for mixing

M 2-ounce glass spray bottle

Instructions

g Add the essential oils and alcohol to a glass measuring cup or jar. Gently stir to mix.

g Pour into a glass spray bottle, then fill the bottle the rest of the way with witch hazel, leaving enough room to replace the lid.

g Replace the top and shake to mix.

g To use, spray toner on a cotton round and gently swipe over the face.

*CUSTOMIZE YOUR SKINCARE WITH ESSENTIAL OILS

Sensitive skin – geranium, helichrysum, rose, lavender

Acne-prone – tea tree, lavender, orange, rosemary

General healthy complexion – lavender, frankincense

Recipe Card

SHOT GLASS RELAXATION BATH

Ingredients

M 10-20 drops essential oils*

M Organic unscented liquid castile soap

Supplies

M Shot glass

Instructions

g Add the essential oils to a shot glass.

g Fill the glass the rest of the way with liquid castile soap and stir to mix.

g To use, pour the shot under running water. Relax and enjoy!

*Some of our favorite essential oils for relaxation and stress relief are suitable for use in a bathtub. (Avoid hot oils with a low dermal limit.)

These include geranium, ylang-ylang, clary sage, marjoram, rose, and Roman chamomile.

Recipe Card

QUICK COUNTERTOP CLEANER

Ingredients

M 36 drops essential oils*

M 2 tablespoons organic unscented liquid castile soap

M Purified OR distilled water

Supplies

M Glass spray bottle

Instructions

g Add the essential oils and liquid soap to a spray bottle. Mix to combine thoroughly.

g Fill the bottle the rest of the way with distilled water. Replace the top and shake to mix.

g Use as you would a conventional kitchen cleaner.

Note: You can also make our Immunity Blend! In a 5 ml glass bottle (reuse an old EO bottle!), combine equal parts cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, rosemary, orange, and lemon essential oil.

*Immune Support or antimicrobial essential oils to choose from include citronella, clove, eucalyptus, geranium, lavender, lemongrass, lime, orange, oregano, peppermint, and tea tree.

For children, reduce the number of drops to 24. Recipe Card

SUNBURN RELIEF GEL

Ingredients

M ¼ teaspoon organic xanthan gum

M 4 ounces aloe vera gel

M 48 drops essential oils*

Supplies

M Mixing bowl

M Glass jar for storage

Instructions

g Whisk the xanthan gum into the aloe vera gel until smooth.

g Add the essential oils and mix well.

g Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator.

g To use, spread over sunburned skin.

*I like using equal parts lavender and peppermint in this recipe. Lavender soothes burnt skin and can heal sunburn, and peppermint is instantly refreshing!

SLEEPY-TIME PILLOW SPRAY

Ingredients

M 60 drops essential oils*

M 1 tablespoon PLUS 1 teaspoon 190 proof alcohol OR the highest proof alcohol you can find

M Purified OR distilled water

Supplies

M Glass jar for mixing

M Spray bottle

Instructions

g In a glass jar, mix the essential oils and alcohol until well combined.

g Pour into a glass spray bottle.

g Fill the bottle the rest of the way with distilled water, leaving enough room to replace the top.

g Replace the lid and gently shake to combine.

g To use, spray on linens and pillows before bed.

Note: Some great essential oils for sleep include angelica, bergamot, chamomile, clary sage, juniper berry, lavender, neroli, valerian, vetiver, and ylang-ylang. Mix and match to create your preferred blend for sleep.

CHAPTER 4 Basics of Body Care

Buying organic produce and making DIY cleaners are often at the top of the priority list when cleaning up chemicals in the home. But an entire section of toxins is often overlooked in spite of being arguably one of the most dangerous sources of toxins: body care products. Take the time to learn which toxins should absolutely be avoided and just how easy it can be to replace them with DIY body care products.

Do Body Care Companies Actually Care?

The irony of the term “body care” is not lost on the person looking to make better choices for their skin. With so many skin, cosmetic, and hygiene companies out there touting body care products, we want to believe they actually do care and have our skin’s best interests at heart.

A quick look at an ingredients list with an informed eye reveals the truth: convenience often overshadows quality.

One of my favorite resources for keeping chemical-slinging companies in check is the Environmental Working Group, and they have this to say about the priorities that body care companies hold:

As EWG has long known — and as leading medical specialists recently underscored — many cosmetics and personal care products contain potentially toxic ingredients. Major cosmetics companies have not publicly committed themselves to removing harmful ingredients.

As long as production is simple and consumers are happy, business will continue as usual. Even some companies that pride themselves as organic or all-natural are not always reliably safe. It’s up to us to learn the ropes and “vote with our dollars,” choosing (or making!) only safe, natural, truly non-toxic body care products.

Ingredients to Avoid in Body Care Products

Body care products such as cosmetics and beauty products are poured on, rubbed in, left to sit, and sometimes soaked onto and into our skin – the largest organ of the body!

If you’ve ever made natural topical remedies or if you are familiar with essential oils, you know that the skin is not only a living and complex organ, but that it is also our ally in absorbing and transporting substances. In the case of a good antiinflammatory oil dilution, this is great! In the case of toxic, hormone-disrupting chemicals in body care products, this is horrible!

There’s so much to learn about the chemicals used in commercial body care products – the pronunciation alone could take a full article. Knowing that toxic ingredients are both dangerous and common can spark fear and anxiety – not Abundant Life giving traits!

CHEMICALS TO STAY AWAY FROM

Instead of trying to become a full-blown chemist to weed through label nightmares, we can learn some basics to watch out for and resources to turn to when in doubt. Some quick ingredients to learn and avoid in body care products include (but are certainly not limited to):

⚫ Parabens – spotted as a suffix (e.g., ethylparaben) and can indicate hormone disrupting effects linked with cancer and a shift in natural puberty patterns, among other issues.

⚫ Phthalates – used pervasively in body care ingredients and packaging, phthalates are a concern for allergies, asthma, reproductive health, and more.

⚫ Formaldehyde – used as a preservative but is a known carcinogen and neurotoxin.

⚫ Triclosan – an antibacterial staple, triclosan can affect the liver and thyroid, among other concerns.

⚫ Fragrance – a catch-all term that can hide dangerous toxins. See how dangerous they can be in this report on artificial fragrances.

I often use the Environmental Working Group as a reference point. Their Skin Deep Database is an easily searchable index for both products and ingredients. If you’re ever in doubt about a product or want to systematically educate yourself on the dangers of toxic additives, absolutely start there!

To really boil this down to the simplest of safety rules for body care products, remember that what goes on your skin often makes it into the body, especially if it’s a leave-on product. So, if you wouldn’t eat it, don’t apply it!

You might not want to chug a batch of a fully natural and safe massage oil, but this “rule” is still a good way to remember that skin care is far more than skin deep. If you are feeling adventurous – or simply distrustful of marketing tactics –give some DIY products a shot.

Why We Need to DIY Body Care Products

Just recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finally issued a ruling that officially bans the use of triclocarban, triclosan, and 17 other dangerous chemicals in hand and body washes. These products have been marketed as being more effective than good ol’ fashioned soap and water and consumers have been mislead to purchasing them in their body care products!

“Consumers may think antibacterial washes are more effective at preventing the spread of germs, but we have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water,” Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) said. “In fact, some data suggests that antibacterial ingredients may do more harm than good over the long-term.”

Antibacterial product manufacturers have until 2017 to comply with the new law by removing all products from the market or that violate this ruling or remove antibacterial active ingredients. But this still isn’t enough to keep us safe. Triclosan is still in countless other products like deodorants, antiperspirants, body spray and toothpastes.

Simply put: Antibacterial products can kill both the bad and good bacteria on your hands, which is not idea for healthy skin and a properly functioning immune system. In fact, they have been shown to weaken your immune system!

Don’t click away just yet – you can do this! DIY body care products aren’t just for the Pinterest-inclined among us. You don’t have to be a fancy blogger or experienced aromatherapist to make your own toiletries, sans nasty toxins!

Essential oils make the process even easier, preserving familiar scents and flavors with just a few drops added. As a bonus, they are loaded with health and beauty benefits that can change the way we look at hygiene and basic cosmetics of body care products.

Tips and tricks when working with essential oils to make body care products:

⚫ Dilute appropriately, usually to around 3% of the total volume, in drops –less for the face, keeping to a maximum of 1.5%.

⚫ Keep blends to a few oils, usually sharing similar or complementary benefits.

⚫ Disperse essential oils into 190 proof alcohol or a lipid before adding water (oil and water don’t -mix!).

⚫ Store all products in sterilized glass containers.

⚫ Make small batches to tweak your formulas and use them before they go bad. For batches containing water-based ingredients (water, hydrosols, aloe vera gel, etc.), we recommend making batches weekly and keeping finished product in cold storage.

6 Body Care DIYs to Start With

Making your own body care products can be rewarding, empowering, and, dare I say, addictive. Try a few of these basic formulas first to get your feet wet and confidence built.

1. SOAP

Hand washing was one of the first great improvements in the shift toward modern medicine. Imagine your doctor moving from a surgery to a birth to dressing your wound without ever washing their hands! Unfortunately, we quickly took things a tinge too far, with antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers coming on the scene in full force.

In normal life, when we aren’t surgeons or chefs, trying to sterilize our hands and bodies can actually be counterproductive. Our hands come in contact with the widest range of microbes, giving the immune system opportunity to stay “fit” and practiced against the threats in our environment.

Not only do we want to avoid stripping beneficial bacteria or removing the immune system’s proving ground, we also need to avoid the chemicals added to antibacterial soaps.

Triclosan is found in most commercial antibacterial soaps, an ingredient once glossed over by the FDA but now carrying mounting evidence that it’s a risk. What’s more, triclosan-laden and other antibacterial soaps are not likely any more effective than simple soap and water washes.

Use essential oils in a homemade soap to fight dangerous microbes while preserving the balance that the body needs.

DIY Essential Oil Soap Recipe – A simple soap can be made by adding essential oils into a high-quality melt and pour soap base.

⚫ Melt and Pour Soap Base

⚫ Peppermint essential oil per base instructions

Play with the oil blends, using citrus, tea tree, and other gently antimicrobial essential oils.

2. TOOTHPASTE

Oral health is much more than cosmetic. While whitening products are bestsellers in the commercial market, gingivitis remains a dangerous and widespread health risk. Varying levels of mouth disease are linked with diabetes, heart disease, and more. Cavities aren’t all we have to worry about!

What’s worse, is that conventional oral health treatments aren’t much better. Again, loaded with triclosan and other chemicals, antiseptic mouthwashes introduce chemicals while posing health risks of their own. One study, published in in 2012, connected certain kinds of mouthwash with heart disease and blood pressure increases. Doesn’t that defeat some of the purpose?

Check your toothpaste and mouthwash for questionable ingredients like triclosan and controversial fluoride. Especially with children who will likely swallow some of the paste, it’s important to avoid toxins and potential risks as much as possible.

Homemade Essential Oil Toothpaste Recipe – Check out my article on essential oils for oral health if you are stumped on which oils to use, then add them to these ingredients:

⚫ Equal parts baking soda and coconut oil, extra-virgin and unrefined (1/4 cup each is good to start with)

⚫ 1-2 teaspoons pink Himalayan salt or sea salt

⚫ 5-7 drops essential oils

⚫ Optional: 1-2 teaspoons each organic powdered stevia or bentonite clay

Mix and place in a small jar or a squeeze bottle. Use a spoon or disposable wooden scoop to get the paste out and avoid contamination.

3. SHAMPOO

While products that go in our bodies or soak onto the skin are more often the priority for shifting to natural ingredients, shampoo can’t be overlooked –especially since it’s so easy to make.

Hair care products are manufactured en masse, and so often that means corners are cut. The quickest, easiest chemical concoction to strip hair “clean” do the trick, not to mention all of that ambiguous fragrance added to it.

If toxic additives aren’t enough, most shampoos strip all of the oils from your hair and scalp, which then conveniently “requires” a conditioner. Meanwhile, your scalp compensates for the loss by creating even more oil, so you need to wash more frequently, which means you buy more shampoo! Tricky!

Homemade Essential Oil Shampoo Recipe – A tip from my friend Dr. Axe, this recipe uses the gentle base of castile soap and adds nourishing natural ingredients:

⚫ 11/2 cups (1 can) unsweetened full fat coconut milk

⚫ 11/2 cups organic unscented liquid castile soap

⚫ 40 drops lavender essential oil

Mix well (a blender might works best!) and add to a BPA-free squeeze bottle. Store no more than a week in the fridge before using or replacing. Shake before use.

4. SKIN MOISTURIZERS

We all could stand a little more moisturizing to take care of the skin that works so hard for us. But products like lotions, creams, and body butters are not just applied to the skin. We rub it in and make sure it’s all absorbed well!

Water-based ingredients like lotions and creams are hard to duplicate in the home without more hard to come by ingredients, and what you can find in the story typically has mile-long lists of chemicals. As an alternative, we suggest and easy, in-home DIY, moisturizing body butter.

Look for all of the basic warning ingredients (parabens, fragrance, etc.) when replacing your standard lotion, but take a stab at making your own body butter, as well. Not only can you keep the ingredients reliably safe, but you can also choose essential oils for their health benefits as well.

Essential Oil Hand Cream Lotion Recipe – Lotion-making techniques vary from simple to complex. Here’s an excellent starter DIY recipe from my good friend Jill at The Prairie Homestead. Simply combine a few ingredients:

⚫ 1/4 cup unrefined shea butter

⚫ 1/8 cup sweet almond oil

⚫ 1 tablespoon organic beeswax pellets, yellow OR white

Carefully melt, then add 20-30 drops essential oils. Stir, then pour into sterilized jars. Adjust the amount of beeswax for a firmer or softer body butter. Try nourishing oils like chamomile, citrus, lavender, and myrrh.

5. COSMETICS

Women around the world apply toxic, synthetic ingredients to their face, including around mucous-membrane eyes and mouths, daily. The chemicals are blinked into eyes, seeped into pores, and accidentally licked into mouths daily, accumulating over a woman’s lifespan.

Don’t you want to know those ingredients are safe?

The first stop is the EWG database to identify products that are made without toxic chemicals, fragrances, and preservatives. Often, this is the only step someone will consider because it’s hard to believe cosmetics can be replicated at home. This simply isn’t the case – you can DIY cosmetics just like any other topical formulation!

DIY Essential Oil Lipstick Recipe – DIY lipstick is nothing more complicated than a jazzed up lip balm. Here are the main ingredients:

⚫ 2 teaspoons sweet almond oil or coconut oil, extra-virgin and unrefined

⚫ 1 teaspoon organic beeswax pellets, yellow OR white

⚫ 1 teaspoon cocoa or unrefined shea butter

Melted, then stir in optional organic coloring such as:

⚫ beet powder

⚫ cinnamon

⚫ turmeric

Finally, remove from heat and stir in a drop or two of essential oil for fragrance and nourishment, like peppermint, lavender, sweet orange, or lemongrass. See more information on how to make homemade lipstick here.

CITRUS OIL SAFETY

Note (as a word of caution about citrus oils): most reports state that citrus oils are phototoxic (can cause excessive burning when exposed to the sun) to varying degrees. If you choose to use citrus in your lipstick, be careful to only use 1 drop and stick with the list that’s considered safe according to the classic text, Essential Oil Safety:

⚫ Bergamot Oil (FCF) – Bergaptene/Furanocoumarins is removed

⚫ Blood Orange Oil

⚫ Lemon Oil (Steam Distilled)

⚫ Lime Oil (Steam Distilled)

⚫ Mandarin Oil

⚫ Sweet Orange Oil

⚫ Orange Leaf Oil

⚫ Satsuma Oil (Cold/Expeller Pressed)

⚫ Tangelo Oil

⚫ Tangerine Oil

⚫ Yuzu Oil

6. DEODORANT

Last but not least, we cannot forget the daily topical product that we rub thoroughly into the skin, right near lymph nodes! Deodorant is often made with the heavy metal aluminum, among other notable and questionable ingredients –fragrance is a given, right?

Deodorant is also a product we’re not easily convinced to eliminate. No one wants body odor to be the first thing that signals a natural lifestyle!

Instead of spending a fortune on safe products or foregoing the use of deodorant and losing friends, simply make your own homemade deodorant.

Essential Oil Deodorant Recipe – Another recipe formulated by my buddy Jill at The Prairie Homestead, this will keep you clean and fresh without the toxic overload.

⚫ 1/3 cup coconut oil, extra-virgin and unrefined

⚫ 1/4 cup baking soda

⚫ 1/4 cup organic arrowroot powder

⚫ 4 tablespoons organic corn starch

⚫ Essential oils: frankincense, lavender, sweet orange, tea tree, etc.

Combine the dry ingredients first, then add coconut oil and up to 10-15 drops essential oils. Add more dry or wet ingredients as necessary for consistency; store in a jar or roll-up tube.

PART TWO

Easy Quick-Start Recipes

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Aftershave Lotion

HOMEMADE AFTERSHAVE LOTION RECIPE

Ingredients

M ¼ ounce emulsifying wax

M ½ ounce carrier oil for skin care, such as fractionated coconut oil, jojoba oil, evening primrose oil, or argan oil

M 3 drops vitamin E oil

M 2 ounces aloe vera juice (not gel!)

M ¾ ounce unscented witch hazel

M 2 drops organic vegetable glycerin

M 15 drops cedarwood essential oil

M 10 drops peppermint essential oil

M 5 drops sandalwood essential oil

Supplies

M Saucepan

M Glass jar

M Small glass measuring cup OR jar

M Whisk

M Glass jar OR glass pump bottle for storage

Instructions

g Set a large glass jar in a saucepan filled with an inch of water. Combine emulsifying wax, carrier oil, and vitamin E oil in the jar and melt over low heat.

g While the wax and oils are melting, measure the aloe vera juice, witch hazel, and glycerin into a small glass cup or jar, warming them a little if needed, and stir to combine.

g Once the oils are melted, add the liquids and heat everything just enough to ensure everything is melted and mixed well.

g Remove from heat and whisk continually as the mixture cools. Continue whisking until the lotion is thick, creamy, and a little frothy.

g Whisk in the essential oils last. While the mixture is still warm, quickly pour it into your final jar for dispensing. Then, clean your utensils in hot water before the residue cools, making them hard to clean.

g Store this aftershave lotion in a little glass jar or a pump bottle for easy dispensing!

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Aftershave Spray

HOMEMADE AFTERSHAVE SPRAY

Ingredients

M 4 tablespoons unscented witch hazel

M 4 tablespoons aloe vera gel

M 2 tablespoons 190-proof grain alcohol (OR the highest-proof alcohol you can get)*

M 26 drops Hawaiian sandalwood OR cedarwood essential oil OR a combination of both

M 14 drops frankincense essential oil

Supplies

M Large glass measuring cup

M Funnel

M Large glass spray bottle with mister

Instructions

g Place all ingredients in a large glass measuring cup. Mix well with a whisk or use an immersion blender (once the bubbles have gone down.) Use a funnel to transfer the mixture to a large glass spray bottle.

g Spray onto hands and pat face after shaving to soothe skin.

Notes: This recipe should last a couple of weeks without using harmful preservatives. To extend shelf life, store in the refrigerator.

Combining both aftershave recipes can help soothe dry skin and serve as a natural cologne to avoid artificial fragrances.

*Because this recipe contains grain alcohol, it’s likelier to absorb into the skin. Be sure to do a patch test first to ensure your skin responds well to this ingredient. You can also adjust the quantity of essential oil if you have sensitive skin.

Anti-Aging & Skin Healing Serum

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ANTI-AGING CREAM & HEALING

SKIN SERUM

Ingredients

M 4 ounces fresh OR frozen aloe vera gel

M 4 ounces coconut oil, extra-virgin AND unrefined, melted*

M 72 drops lavender essential oil**

Supplies

M Food processor OR blender

M Glass jar OR glass salve container

Instructions

g Blend the aloe vera gel, coconut oil, and essential oil in a food processor or blender until smooth.

g Once well mixed, store in a glass jar or salve container in a cool place (like the fridge) so the coconut oil remains hardened.

g Apply over any problem areas on your skin at least once per day.

*No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here.

**Be sure to check out our variations and choose the blend that works best for your skin type.

ANTI-AGING CREAM & HEALING SKIN SERUM (CONT.)

ANTI-AGING CREAM & SKIN HEALING SERUM ESSENTIAL OIL VARIATION

Anti-Fungal Variation

Use the above recipe, but swap the lavender essential oil for this combination: 32 drops lavender essential oil, 16 drops tea tree essential oil, and 16 drops frankincense essential oil.

Maximum Care Variation

Use the same recipe as above, but swap the lavender essential oil for this combination: 32 drops lavender essential oil, 16 drops tea tree essential oil, 16 drops frankincense essential oil, 18 drops helichrysum essential oil, and 18 drops sandalwood essential oil.

If you have other skin issues, feel free to swap some of the coconut oil for organic rosehip seed oil (vitamin A) and/or vitamin E oil.

Dry Skin Hack

If you have dry skin or eczema, you can neutralize the skin’s PH balance by gently exfoliating. No need to be rough! A cotton circle doused in organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar works great. Gently rub it on your skin and watch the glow begin! Recipe Card

Baby Lotion

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HOMEMADE BABY LOTION

Ingredients

M 1 cup coconut oil, extra-virgin AND unrefined OR Mama Z’s Essential Oil Base

M ⅓ cup unrefined shea butter*

M ⅓ teaspoon vitamin E oil (optional)

M 32 drops essential oils**

Supplies

M Double boiler OR glass jar OR measuring cup AND medium pot

M Stand mixer (For whipped option)

M Glass container for storage

Instructions

g Use a double boiler, or make one by setting a glass jar or measuring cup in a medium pot with 1-2 inches of water. Bring the water to boiling, then turn down to med/med-high. Add the coconut oil, shea butter, and vitamin E oil (if using).

g Melt ingredients.

g Remove from heat and add your desired essential oils. Stir to combine.

g Store in a glass container and use as needed.

*You can also use equal parts cocoa or mango butter.

**Best Combination of Essential Oils for Children

Using essential oils with children is very similar to using them with adults; however, you should pay more attention to properly dispersing and diluting the essential oils. Here are some EOs I use with my DIYs for the kiddos that are a great place to start.

HOMEMADE BABY LOTION (CONT.)

Here are some safe essential oils for children’s DIYs:

⚫ Cedarwood - Great for helping kids feel confident in social settings

⚫ Citrus oils (lemon, orange, grapefruit, etc.)

⚫ German chamomile - Can help little ones fall asleep quickly

⚫ Lavender - The ultimate calming oil, very soothing to the skin

⚫ Roman chamomile - Great for regulating sleep patterns

⚫ Rosemary - Helps kids focus and is excellent at repelling lice

Some of my favorite EO blend variations to use with the body wash DIY include:

⚫ Joyful Blend – equal parts orange and vanilla absolute, CO2 or oleoresin (My number one favorite blend for kids)

⚫ Awesome Body – equal parts grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange, and peppermint

⚫ Gardener’s Blend - equal parts peppermint and rosemary

⚫ Herb Garden Relaxation – equal parts lavender and peppermint

⚫ Sweet Sleep – equal parts lavender, Roman chamomile, and vetiver (another favorite for kids; use after a nighttime bath)

⚫ Respiratory Support – equal parts eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, Roman chamomile

Whether I’m creating DIYs for kids or adults, I like to switch up the oils each time I make a new batch. This way, I’m not using the same oils. Keeping your oil combinations fresh maximizes the benefits and helps prevent sensitization.

MAMA Z'S ESSENTIAL OIL BASE

Ingredients

M 54 ounces coconut oil, extra-virgin AND unrefined, melted

M 16 ounces sweet almond oil

M 8 ounces jojoba oil

M 4 ounces vitamin E oil

Supplies

M Large glass bowl OR pot

M Wire whisk OR immersion blender

M Quart OR pint wide-mouth mason jars

Instructions

g Be sure to preserve the coconut oil’s healing properties by using indirect heat instead of heating it on the stove. We’ve even placed a glass measuring cup with coconut oil on a space heater or oven while baking. You can also immerse a jar of coconut oil in a bowl or saucepan or warm (not boiling) water for a few minutes until the oil liquefies.

g Combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl or cooking pot and mix using a wire whisk or an immersion blender to create a smoother “whipped” consistency if desired.

g Pour into quart or pint-sized mason jars or other glass containers. Store in a cool, dark place where it will last for 1-2 years.

Note: If you live in a climate that’s colder (between 72°F - 76°F), add shea nut oil to keep your oil base liquified. I will first fill the container ¼ the way with shea nut oil, then add more if needed. I do this step last and only if needed.

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Baby Shampoo

HOMEMADE BABY SHAMPOO

Ingredients

M ½ cup organic unscented liquid castile soap

M ½ cup purified OR distilled water

M 32 drops essential oils*

M 1 teaspoon organic vegetable glycerin (optional for more bubbles)

Supplies

M 8-ounce PET plastic bottle with pump

Instructions

g Mix the ingredients.

g Store in a bottle. If you add essential oils, it’s best to use a glass container.

g Use as needed.

*Best Combination of Essential Oils for Children

Using essential oils with children is very similar to using them with adults; however, you should pay more attention to properly dispersing and diluting the essential oils. Here are some EOs I use with my DIYs for the kiddos that are a great place to start.

Here are some safe essential oils for children’s DIYs:

⚫ Cedarwood - Great for helping kids feel confident in social settings

⚫ Citrus oils (lemon, orange, grapefruit, etc.) See the note about photosensitization below.

⚫ German chamomile - Can help little ones fall asleep quickly

⚫ Lavender - The ultimate calming oil, very soothing to the skin

⚫ Roman chamomile - Great for regulating sleep patterns

⚫ Rosemary - Helps kids focus and is excellent at repelling lice

HOMEMADE BABY SHAMPOO (CONT.)

Some of my favorite EO blend variations to use with the body wash DIY include:

⚫ Joyful Blend – equal parts orange and vanilla absolute, CO2 or oleoresin (My number one favorite blend for kids)

⚫ Awesome Body – equal parts grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange, and peppermint

⚫ Gardener’s Blend - equal parts peppermint and rosemary

⚫ Herb Garden Relaxation – equal parts lavender and peppermint

⚫ Sweet Sleep – equal parts lavender, Roman chamomile, and vetiver (another favorite for kids; use after a nighttime bath)

⚫ Respiratory Support – equal parts eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, Roman chamomile

Whether I’m creating DIYs for kids or adults, I like to switch up the oils each time I make a new batch. This way, I’m not using the same oils. Keeping your oil combinations fresh maximizes the benefits and helps prevent sensitization.

Bath Bomb

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FANTASTIC BATH BOMB RECIPE

Ingredients

M 1 cup pure, fragrance-free Epsom salts

M 1 cup organic corn starch

M 2 cups baking soda

M 1 cup citric acid

M 5 tablespoons sweet almond oil

M 45 drops essential oils*

M Purified OR distilled water

M Natural food coloring

Supplies

M Spray bottle

M Bath bomb metal molds

M Gloves (If you have sensitive skin)

Instructions

g Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl with a whisk.

g Add sweet almond oil and essential oils and gently mix by hand. If you have sensitive skin, wear gloves during this step. Choose calming oils, such as cedarwood, lavender, or vetiver.

g Once combined, lightly mist the mixture with water from the spray bottle and mix. Do not add too much water all at once, or it will get too soggythat’s why I recommend using a spray bottle. This step will be repeated several times until the mixture reaches a moldable consistency.

g Stop when the mixture holds together.

g Now, it’s time to add some color. Depending on how many colors you wish to use, separate the mixture into smaller bowls. Start with 5 drops of color and add more as needed.

g Respray a little mist to ensure hold.

g Overfill each side of your molds. This is the fun part! Get creative and mix some colors.

FANTASTIC BATH BOMB RECIPE (CONT.)

Instructions

g Now press your molds together until you hear a click.

g Remove from mold and let set overnight before use.

g Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

g Now time for a bath! <3

Note: Some essential oils, such as cinnamon or wintergreen, are hot and would not be suitable for application on the skin like this. Others, such as lemongrass, have a lower dermal limit, so you’d want to use less than 45 drops. Also, remember that when using an essential oil that causes photosensitivity, you should avoid being outdoors in sunlight for the next day.

*We love using lavender and Roman chamomile essential oils for this recipe, as they are gentle, calming oils. Other times, we use hormone-balancing oils like clary sage, geranium, ylang-ylang, and fennel. Another great blend is my Joyful blend, equal parts orange and vanilla.

Beard Oil, Everyday

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BEARD OIL

Ingredients

M ½ ounce sweet almond oil*

M ½ ounce jojoba oil

M 3 drops clove essential oil

M 3 drops white fir essential oil

M 2 drops bergamot essential oil

M 2 drops lemon essential oil

Supplies

M Glass bottle with dropper OR PET plastic pump bottle

Instructions

g Pour the sweet almond and jojoba oil into a glass bottle with dropper or PET plastic pump bottle.

g Add the essential oils and shake to blend.

*No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here.

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Beard Oil, Harvest Spice

HARVEST SPICE DIY BEARD OIL

Ingredients

M ½ ounce argan oil*

M ½ ounce sweet almond oil

M 3 drops cinnamon bark essential oil

M 3 drops orange essential oil

M 1 drop tea tree essential oil

Supplies

M Glass bottle with dropper

Instructions

g Pour argan oil and sweet almond oil into the bottle.

g Add your essential oils and shake to blend.

*No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here.

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Beard Oil, Minty Fresh

MINTY FRESH DIY BEARD OIL

Ingredients

M ½ ounce sweet almond oil*

M ½ ounce jojoba oil

M 4 drops peppermint essential oil

M 4 drops vanilla essential oil OR vanilla absolute CO2 OR oleoresin

Supplies

M Glass bottle with dropper

Instructions

g Pour sweet almond oil and jojoba oil into the bottle.

g Add your essential oils and shake to blend.

*No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here

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Body Powder

HOMEMADE BODY POWDER RECIPE WITH ESSENTIAL OILS

Ingredients

M 3 tablespoons herbs (optional)

M 1 cup base powder(s)

M ½ – ¾ cup deodorizing powder(s)

M 50 drops essential oils

Supplies

M Glass jar with a shaker top

Instructions

g If using herbs, grind them into a fine powder using a morter and pestle, food processor, or coffee grinder.

g In a mixing bowl, mix the herbs (if using), base powders, and deodorizing powders.

g Add the essential oils slowly, mixing and breaking up any clumps.

g Store in a jar with a shaker top.

g To use, sprinkle onto the body and lightly massage into your skin.

Notes: Be sure to check out the variations to learn what will work best for your skin type.

Add moisture to your homemade body powder recipe with a little bit of aloe vera gel.

Some people like to use this powder as a deodorant. If that’s your goal, mix equal parts baking soda with arrowroot powder and a little cinnamon.

If you have trouble with humidity making your powder clump up, add some uncooked grains of rice into the mix. It’s the same idea as putting them into a salt shaker to absorb the moisture.

Body Wash for Kids

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HOMEMADE BODY WASH FOR KIDS

Ingredients

M ½ cup organic unscented liquid castile soap (use baby mild soap for infants)

M 2 tablespoons Mama Z’s Essential Oil Base OR your choice of liquid carrier oil*

M 1 teaspoon organic vegetable glycerin

M 48-64 drops essential oils**

M 1 teaspoon aloe vera gel (optional)

M Purified OR distilled water

Supplies

M 8-ounce PET plastic bottle with pump

Instructions

g Add all the ingredients to your dispenser.

g Fill the remainder of the container with distilled water.

g Put the lid on and mix to blend.

g Shake before each use.

g Apply with hands, washcloth, sponge, etc.

*No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here

Curl-Boosting Hair Spray

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DIY SEA SALT SPRAY TO ENHANCE

CURLY HAIR

Ingredients

M ½ cup purified OR distilled water

M 2 tablespoons fresh frozen aloe vera OR aloe vera gel

M ½ tablespoon fractionated coconut oil

M ½ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt OR sea salt, ground

M 5 drops vitamin E oil

M 10 drops grapefruit essential oil

M 5 drops lavender essential oil

Supplies

M Glass spray bottle

Instructions

g Mix ingredients into a glass spray bottle and shake well.

g To use, divide hair into layers and mist each layer.

g Shake after a few squirts, since the oils and water will separate.

g Scrunch with your hands to create gorgeous beachy waves!

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Deodorant Bar

HOMEMADE DEODORANT

Ingredients

M 2-4 tablespoons coconut oil, extra-virgin AND unrefined

M 2 tablespoons organic cocoa butter

M 2 tablespoons unrefined shea butter

M ¼ cup organic arrowroot powder

M 1 tablespoon baking soda

M 1½ teaspoons organic corn starch

M 15 drops essential oils*

Supplies

M 1 empty stick deodorant container

Instructions

g Fill a saucepan with 1-2 inches of water and place over low heat.

g Place 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, cocoa butter, and shea butter in the glass jar and set in the saucepan.

g Heat the ingredients until melted. As soon as you can stir the mixture, remove the jar from the heat, so it’s not too hot for the other ingredients.

g Stir in the arrowroot, baking soda, and corn starch

g Add essential oils. Allow the deodorant mixture to sit for 5 minutes.

g When the mixture is still pourable but thick enough to not be runny, fill the stick deodorant container. (Make sure the applicator is rolled all the way down, so there is room for the mixture!)

g Store in a cool, dry place and apply as you would regular stick deodorant.

Notes: Don’t forget that certain citrus oils are photosensitizing, so be sure not to apply a citrus-based deodorant before sunbathing or when your underarms will be at risk of burning due to sun exposure.

Also, if your mixture starts melting in the summer, try adding 1-2 tablespoons of kokum butter, which is the hardest butter available. You will need to add 4 or 5 more drops of essential oils to overcome the waxy smell of the kokum butter.

*Some of my favorite essential oils for deodorant are cedarwood, clary sage, geranium, jasmine absolute, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, rose absolute, sandalwood, sweet or wild orange, tea tree, vanilla absolute and ylang-ylang.

Deodorant Roll-On

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HOMEMADE ROLL-ON DEODORANT WITH ESSENTIAL OILS

Ingredients

M 10 drops essential oils*

M Carrier oil**

Supplies

M 10ml glass roller bottle

Instructions

g Add 10 drops of essential oils to the roller bottle.

g Then, fill the bottle with the carrier oil of your choosing to the top lip of the container. Close and shake to combine.

*Some good essential oils to use here are bergamot, frankincense, grapefruit, lavender, lemon, patchouli, peppermint, tea tree, thyme, vanilla, vetiver and ylang-ylang.

**These carrier oils work great: Fractionated coconut oil, camellia seed oil, jojoba oil, and sweet almond oil. Evening primrose oil will help if excessive sweating is hormone-related.

Detox Bath

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THE BEST ESSENTIAL OILS FOR DETOX BATH AND EMOTIONAL DETOX

Ingredients

M 1-2 drops lemon essential oil

M 6-8 drops lavender essential oil

M 1 tablespoon (15ml) liquid carrier oil OR organic unscented liquid castile soap*

M ¼ cup organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar

M 1 cup pure, fragrance-free Epsom salts

Supplies

M Glass jar

Instructions

g Mix essential oils and carrier oil (or liquid castile soap) before adding to the empty tub.

g Pour in Epsom salts.

g Fill your bathtub with as warm of water as you can stand.

g Slowly pour the apple cider vinegar into the running water.

g Soak your whole body for 30-45 minutes.

g During the last five minutes, first, sit up, then kneel, and last stand.

Note: Your carrier oil needs to stay liquid no matter the temperature, so it doesn’t clog drain pipes. Organic extra-virgin and unrefined coconut oil is not an option.

*No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here.

DETOX BATH RECIPE - KIDS AND PERSONAL SOAK VARIATION

(HANDS AND/OR FEET ONLY)

Ingredients

M 1 drop lemon essential oil

M 3-4 drops lavender essential oil

M ½ tablespoon liquid carrier oil OR organic unscented liquid castile soap*

M ½ cup pure, fragrance-free Epsom salts

M ⅛ cup organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar

Instructions

g Mix essential oils and carrier oil (or liquid castile soap) before adding to the empty tub.

g Pour in Epsom salts. Fill your bathtub with as warm of water as you can stand.

g Slowly pour the apple cider vinegar into the running water. Soak your whole body for 20-30 minutes. During the last five minutes, first, sit up, then kneel, and last stand.

Notes: For a personal soak variation: Add all ingredients to a large footbath or bucket/tote/container and mix. Soak hands and/or feet for 15-20 minutes.

Your carrier oil needs to stay liquid no matter the temperature so it doesn’t clog pipes. Raw organic coconut oil is not an option.

*No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here. Recipe Card

DETOX BATH RECIPE - CHILDREN (BABIES) UNDER THE AGE OF 2

Ingredients

M ¼ cup pure, fragrance-free Epsom salts

M 1 tablespoon organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar

M 1 teaspoon liquid carrier oil OR organic unscented liquid castile soap*

M 1 drop lemon essential oil (optional)

M 2-3 drops lavender essential oil

Instructions

g Mix all ingredients first, then place in a baby tub or bath tub. To keep kids sitting in the tub, I’ll let them have a special treat or tub toy.

Note: Your carrier oil needs to stay liquid no matter the temperature so it doesn’t clog pipes. Raw organic coconut oil is not an option.

*No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here. Recipe Card

Dry Shampoo

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DRY SHAMPOO RECIPE

Ingredients

M ¼ cup organic arrowroot powder OR corn starch*

M 2 tablespoons baking soda

M 4-8 drops essential oil per ounce of final product**

Supplies

M Food processor OR blender

M Refillable makeup brush OR powder sifter

Instructions

g Add the arrowroot powder, baking soda, colorants, and essential oils to a food processor or blender. Blend until the mixture reaches a fine powder consistency.

g Add the dry shampoo to a refillable makeup brush or powder sifter.

g To use, dispense a little powder and apply it to the roots of your hair.

g Let sit for a minute or two, then use your fingertips to distribute the mixture throughout your hair evenly.

*For dark hair: Add up to ¼ cup raw organic cacao powder, depending on hair.

For auburn hair: Add up to a tablespoon of organic cinnamon and 2 teaspoons organic paprika, depending on hair color.

**Essential oils I love using for hair include equal parts lavender, peppermint, rosemary, and tea tree, also known as the “Hair Growth and Development Blend.” This blend is excellent for hair growth or fragile growth.

Facial Cleanser, Anti-Aging

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DIY FACIAL CLEANSER WITH ANTI-AGING ESSENTIAL OILS + VARIATION

Ingredients

M 1 cup coconut oil, extra-virgin AND unrefined, softened

M 1 cup aloe vera gel

M 9 drops lavender essential oil

M 5 drops frankincense essential oil

M 5 drops geranium essential oil

M 5 drops helichrysum essential oil

M 5 drops myrrh essential oil

M 5 drops sandalwood essential oil

M 4 drops rose essential oil

M 2 drops fennel essential oil

Supplies

M Mixing bowl

M 4.5 ounce glass bottle

Instructions

g Soften the coconut oil until it’s nearly melted. I do this by setting the jar in a sink or bowl filled with hot water. In a bowl, mix the coconut oil and aloe vera gel until smooth.

g Add the essential oils to the glass bottle.

g Pour in the aloe and coconut oil blend. Replace the lid and shake to blend.

g Use as you would a conventional facial cleanser.

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Facial Cleanser Cream

EASY EXFOLIATING FACIAL CLEANSER

Ingredients

M ½ cup coconut oil, extra-virgin AND unrefined

M ½ cup aloe vera gel

M 2 tablespoons baking soda

M 5-7 drops essential oils*

Supplies

M Mixing bowl

M Glass jar for storage

Instructions

g Soften the coconut oil until it’s nearly melted. I do this by setting the jar in a sink filled with hot water.

g In a mixing bowl, combine the coconut oil and aloe vera gel, and baking soda until smooth.

g Stir in the essential oils.

g Use as you would a conventional exfoliating cleanser.

*Essential Oils: Lavender, frankincense, and rose are my top recommendations. Use 3-5 drops of lavender and 1 drop of frankincense and rose.

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Facial Cleanser, Foaming

FOAMING FACIAL CLEANSER WITH ESSENTIAL OILS AND HONEY

Ingredients

M 1 cup purified OR distilled water

M ¼ cup organic unscented liquid castile soap

M 5 teaspoons jojoba oil

M 2 teaspoons manuka honey

M 25 drops tea tree essential oil

M 38 drops lavender essential oil

M 25 drops rosemary essential oil

Supplies

M Glass foaming soap dispenser

Instructions

g Add filtered water to the jar first to avoid suds from soap.

g Add the remaining ingredients.

g Slowly stir the facial cleanser, mixing everything.

g Replace the foaming soap dispenser pump.

g Shake slightly before use.

g Pump foaming facial cleanser into hand and rub on damp face.

g Rinse and enjoy your clean skin!

Note: Skincare products have a shelf life. This DIY recipe will last about one month. Slight separation of the soap is normal; so mix well before each use.

Facial Mask

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HOMEMADE FACIAL MASK

Ingredients

M 1 tablespoon coconut oil, extra-virgin AND unrefined

M 1 tablespoon raw organic local honey

M 3 drops lemon essential oil

Supplies

M Small bowl for mixing

Instructions

g In a small bowl, mix the coconut oil and raw honey.

g As you mix, your coconut oil will liquefy.

g Once you have a well-blended mixture, add the lemon essential oil.

g To use, apply the facial mask and let sit for 15 minutes.

g Rinse with warm water.

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Hair Detangler Spray

HOMEMADE HAIR DETANGLER SPRAY

Ingredients

M 32 drops essential oils*

M 1 tablespoon liquid carrier oil**

M Purified OR distilled water

M ½ teaspoon aloe vera gel (optional)

Supplies

M 4-ounce glass spray bottle

Instructions

g Add the essential oils and carrier oil to the bottle.

g Fill the rest of the bottle with distilled water and shake to combine.

g Shake lightly before each use.

g Spray lightly on hair before combing or brushing.

g To make it last longer, store it in the refrigerator.

Notes: Geranium essential oil is also great for frizz control and could be blended with my Hair-Growth Blend if this is an area you struggle with.

Consider adding thyme, ylang-ylang, cedarwood, lemon, grapefruit, clary sage, orange, lime, and ginger to Hair Growth Blend for added fragrance and scalp benefits.

Dandruff control EOs include peppermint/spearmint/wintergreen, tea tree, thyme, cypress, cedarwood, lavender, and rosemary.

*Essential oils I love using for hair include equal parts lavender, peppermint, rosemary, and tea tree, also known as the “Hair Growth and Development Blend.” This blend is excellent for hair growth or fragile growth.

**These carrier oils work great for hair care: Argan, castor, or jojoba oil

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Hair Gel

HOMEMADE HAIR GEL WITH ESSENTIAL OILS

Ingredients

M 2 cups purified OR distilled water

M ¼ cup organic flaxseed

M 1 tablespoon organic, fair-trade sugar

M 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil

M 1 tablespoon magnesium gel

M Essential oils*

Supplies

M Saucepan

M Glass jar for storage

Instructions

g In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the distilled water, flaxseed, and sugar to a boil.

g Once the mixture is boiling, turn down to low and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the gel reaches desired thickness.

g Remove from heat. Using a fine mesh strainer placed over a glass jar, strain the gel to remove seeds. Alternately, you can place the mixture in a nylon sock and squeeze it to extract the gel.

g Stir in vitamin E oil, magnesium gel, and essential oils.

g Use as you would any other hair gel. Store in the refrigerator. Your hair gel will last 2-3 weeks. If it starts to smell off, it is unusable.

*Choose one or more of the following essential oils:

For all hair types: rosemary, sage, or rose

For oily hair: lemon, bergamot, or tea tree

For dry hair or to treat dandruff: lavender, sandalwood, or geranium

To stimulate growth: peppermint or rosemary

Hair Spray

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DIY HAIR SPRAY WITH THE BEST ESSENTIAL OILS FOR HAIR CARE

Ingredients

M 1 cup purified OR distilled water

M 1 tablespoon organic fair trade sugar OR organic coconut sugar

M 32 drops essential oils*

Supplies

M Saucepan

M Glass spray bottle for storage

Instructions

g In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the water to a simmer. Immediately remove from heat.

g Add the sugar and whisk until completely dissolved.

g Allow the mixture to cool, then add essential oils.

g Store in a glass spray bottle with a fine mister.

g Shake before each use to distribute the essential oils as they separate.

Note: Water-based DIY preparations have a limited shelf life, usually lasting 3-4 weeks, be aware of this, so you make the right amount for your needs.

Photosensitization – Many essential oils can increase your photosensitivity, so you should use them with caution. If you plan on spending all day in the sun, you shouldn’t use the potentially phototoxic oils listed here, as the skin on your scalp can get sunburned, particularly if you are balding or have thinning hair.

*Essential Oils I Love – I always use some rosemary since it’s perfect for hair, but I also love to add some lavender, grapefruit, and bergamot. This blend is my favorite, but you can use any combination you like!

Hand Cream

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HOMEMADE HAND CREAM WITH SKIN HEALING ESSENTIAL OILS

Ingredients

M 1 cup unrefined shea butter

M 1 tablespoon organic beeswax pellets, yellow OR white*

M 2 tablespoons sweet almond oil**

M 10 drops myrrh essential oil

M 10 drops cedarwood essential oil

Supplies

M Glass jar

M Salve container OR glass jar for storage

Instructions

g Set a glass jar in a saucepan filled with an inch of water.

g Place the shea butter, beeswax, and sweet almond oil in the jar and melt slowly over low heat, stirring occasionally.

g Once everything is melted, remove the jar from the pan and allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes.

g Stir in the essential oils. Allow it to harden completely (this usually takes several hours, but refrigerating can speed up the process).

g Apply this cream to your dry hands as often as needed - especially after a long day of working outside or playing in the dirt.

*If you are allergic to beeswax, try candelilla wax or bayberry wax.

**No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here.

Hand Sanitizer

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HEALTHY HAND SANITIZER WITH MOISTURIZING OPTION

Ingredients

M 10 drops peppermint essential oil OR other oil(s) you prefer*

M 190-proof grain alcohol OR the highest-proof alcohol you can get**

M 2-3 drops aloe vera gel (optional)

M 2-3 drops vitamin E oil (optional)

Supplies

M 1-ounce glass spray bottle OR 1-ounce PET plastic flip-top bottle

Instructions

g Add the essential oils to the spray bottle or plastic flip-top bottle.

g If you want a moisturizing sanitizer, add aloe vera gel and vitamin E oil. Then add alcohol to fill the bottle.

g Shake to blend.

g To use, shake, add plenty of product to your hands, rub vigorously, and let your hands air dry.

Note: Use the flip-top bottle with the moisturizing option.

*Choose the essential oils to add that meet your desired result - for example, if you want a soothing sanitizer, use lavender; if you want an uplifting blend, use sweet or wild orange, and any of our other essential oil blends already mentioned.

**At least 60% alcohol is necessary to sanitize the hands, but this concentration is insufficient for solubilizing essential oils. So, shake the bottle before each use.

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IMMUNE BOOSTING HAND SANITIZER

Ingredients

M 10 drops Immune-Boosting Essential Oil Blend*

M 190-proof grain alcohol OR the highest-proof alcohol you can get**

Supplies

M 1-ounce glass spray bottle

Instructions

g Place the essential oils into the bottle.

g Add alcohol to fill the bottle.

g Shake to mix thoroughly.

g To use, shake, add plenty of product to your hands, rub vigorously, and let your hands air dry.

Note: If preferred, you can substitute the essential oil blend above for your preferred essential oil blend.

*Our Immune-Boosting Blend is equal parts cinnamon bark, clove, eucalyptus, lemon, orange, and rosemary essential oils.

**At least 60% alcohol is necessary to sanitize the hands, but this concentration is insufficient for solubilizing essential oils. So, shake the bottle before each use.

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Hand Soap, Foaming

DIY FOAMING HAND SOAP WITH NOURISHING ESSENTIAL OILS

Ingredients

M Organic unscented liquid castile soap

M Fresh frozen aloe OR aloe vera gel

M Essential oils*

M Purified OR distilled water (optional)

Supplies

M Glass foaming soap dispenser OR foaming soap pump to use with a jar

Instructions

g The exact measurements depend on the size of your foaming soap dispenser.

g Fill the dispenser ⅗ of the way with liquid soap.

g Then, add enough aloe to fill the dispenser ⅘ of the way.

g Top off with essential oils (10 drops for every ounce of your mixture).

g Be sure there’s enough room in the bottle to place the pump without overflowing.

g Depending on the thickness of the aloe vera, you may need to add a little water.

g Secure the lid and shake vigorously.

g Use as you would any hand soap.

*Use any of these combinations or create your own:

Christmas Blend – Fir needle (Balsam fir, Douglas fir, white fir), peppermint, and vanilla absolute

Deep Breathing Blend – Cardamom, eucalyptus, lemon, peppermint, rosemary, tea tree

Recipe Card

DIY FOAMING HAND SOAP WITH NOURISHING ESSENTIAL OILS (CONT.)

Focus Blend – Cedarwood, frankincense, sandalwood, and vetiver

Good Bye Allergy Blend – Lavender, lemon, and peppermint

Happy Blend – Orange, lemon, bergamot, grapefruit, and vanilla absolute or CO2

Healthy Digestion Blend – Anise, caraway, fennel, ginger, lemon, tarragon

Immune Boosting Blend – Cinnamon leaf (bark would be too strong in this recipe), clove, eucalyptus, rosemary, orange, and lemon

Sleepy Time Blend – Roman chamomile, lavender, and vetiver

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Hand Soap, Liquid

HOMEMADE LIQUID HAND SOAP WITH REFRESHING ESSENTIAL OILS

Ingredients

M ¼ cup organic unscented liquid castile soap

M ½ tablespoon Mama Z’s Essential Oil Base OR carrier oil*

M ½ tablespoon vitamin E oil

M 20 drops essential oils**

Supplies

M Glass jar with pump

Instructions

g Slowly add liquid castile soap to the glass jar.

g Add Mama Z’s Essential Oil Base and vitamin E.

g Top the jar with a sealed lid and shake well.

g Fill your hand soap containers with half soap mixture and half distilled water to make it easier to pump out. This also stretches your mixture!

*No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here.

**If preferred, you can substitute the essential oil blend listed abovewith any of our signature essential oil blends

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Lip Balm

DIY LIP BALM WITH ESSENTIAL OILS RECIPE

Ingredients

M 1 tablespoon organic beeswax pellets, yellow OR white*

M 3 tablespoons Mama Z’s Essential Oil Base OR your favorite carrier oil**

M 2½ teaspoons unrefined shea butter

M 5 drops vitamin E oil

M 2 drops rosemary essential oil***

M 3 drops peppermint essential oil

Supplies

M Saucepan

M Glass jar

M 15-16 lip balm tubes or tins

Instructions

g Fill a saucepan with 1-2 inches of water and place over medium heat. Set a glass measuring cup or jar into the saucepan to create a double boiler.

g Place the beeswax, oil base, and shea butter in the jar, and stir until melted.

g Once the ingredients are melted, remove from heat and quickly mix in the vitamin E oil and essential oils.

g Carefully pour into tubes or small tins.

g Let cool.

*If you are allergic to beeswax or are vegan, try candelilla wax or bayberry wax.

**No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here.

***Other essential oil combinations I love to try include:

⚫ Rosemary and lemongrass

⚫ Lemongrass and peppermint

⚫ Orange and peppermint

Recipe Card

Lipstick

DIY LIPSTICK RECIPE

Ingredients

M 1 teaspoon organic beeswax pellets, yellow OR white*

M 2 teaspoons sweet almond oil OR coconut oil, extra-virgin AND unrefined

M 1 teaspoon cocoa butter OR unrefined shea butter

M Natural food coloring AND/OR natural colorants***

M 4 drops essential oils**

Supplies

M Lip balm tins or tubes

Instructions

g Set a large glass jar in a saucepan filled with an inch of water.

g Add the wax, carrier oil, and shea butter to the jar and melt over medium heat.

g Stir in optional coloring.

g Finally, remove from heat and quickly stir in a drop or two of essential oils. Pour into lip balm tins or sticks.

g Let cool.

*If you are allergic to beeswax or are vegan, try candelilla wax or bayberry wax. Use these ingredients if you desire a thicker product.

**Essential Oils: If you’ve never used lipstick that contains essential oils, you’re in for a treat! EOs take DIY lipstick to a whole new level. I love using the following essential oils in my lip care products:

⚫ Peppermint: Naturally anti-bacterial, can fight cold sores. You can also use our Peppermint Sticks blend, which is 2 drops peppermint essential oil and 2 drops vanilla absolute or oleoresin.

⚫ Lavender: Extremely soothing to chapped skin

⚫ Lemongrass: Smells like a day at the spa! Can soften lips

DIY LIPSTICK RECIPE (CONT.)

⚫ ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon organic turmeric Recipe Card

Word of Caution: Most reports state that citrus oils are phototoxic (can cause excessive burning when exposed to the sun) to varying degrees. If you choose to use citrus in your lipstick, be careful only to use 1 drop and stick with the list that’s considered safe according to the classic text, Essential Oil Safety:

⚫ Bergamot Oil (FCF) – Bergaptene/Furanocoumarins is removed

⚫ Blood Orange Oil

⚫ Lemon Oil (Steam Distilled)

⚫ Lime Oil (Steam Distilled)

⚫ Mandarin Oil

⚫ Sweet Orange Oil

⚫ Orange Leaf Oil

⚫ Satsuma Oil (Cold/Expeller Pressed)

⚫ Tangelo Oil

⚫ Tangerine Oil

⚫ Yuzu Oil

You should also stay away from “hot” essential oils, such as cinnamon and clove.

***Natural Coloring Ingredients (Optional):

⚫ ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon organic beet powder

⚫ ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon organic cacao powder

⚫ ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon organic maca powder

⚫ ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon organic spirulina powder

Lotion Bar

Recipe Card

DIY LOTION BAR WITH ESSENTIAL OILS

Ingredients

M ½ cup organic beeswax pellets, yellow OR white*

M 2½ tablespoons kokum butter

M 2½ tablespoons unrefined shea butter

M 2½ tablespoons mango butter

M ¼ cup Mama Z’s Essential Oil Base

M ½ cup carrier oil**

M 112 drops essential oils***

Supplies

M Double boiler OR glass jar

M Wide mouth mason jar

M Empty deodorant, salve, OR balm container for storage

Instructions

g Use a double boiler, or make one by setting a glass jar or measuring cup in a medium pot with 1-2 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil, turn down to medium-high, and add the beeswax, kokum butter, shea butter, and mango butter to the double boiler.

g Melt the ingredients thoroughly and remove them from heat immediately.

g After 5-10 minutes, add Mama Z’s Essential Oil Base before it starts to solidify.

g Store the base salve mixture in quart or pint wide mouth mason jars.

g To make a lotion bar – mix in 5 drops of essential oils per 1 ounce of the warmed base salve and fill up an empty deodorant, salve, or balm container.

DIY LOTION BAR WITH ESSENTIAL OILS (CONT.)

*If you are allergic to beeswax, try candelilla wax or bayberry wax

**No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here

***Allergy Blend – 38 drops lavender, 38 drops lemon, and 38 drops peppermint

Christmas Blend – 38 drops fir needle (Balsam fir, Douglas fir, white fir), 38 drops peppermint, and 38 drops vanilla absolute or oleoresin

Deep Breathing Blend – 19 drops cardamom, 19 drops eucalyptus,19 drops lemon, 19 drops peppermint, 19 drops rosemary, and 19 drops tea tree

Focus Blend – 28 drops cedarwood, 28 drops frankincense, 28 drops sandalwood, and 28 drops vetiver

Healthy Digestion Blend – 19 drops anise,19 drops caraway, 19 drops fennel, 19 drops ginger, 19 drops lemon, 19 drops tarragon

Holy Anointing Blend – 28 drops cassia, 28 drops cinnamon, 28 drops frankincense, 28 drops myrrh

Immune Boosting Blend – 19 drops cinnamon, 19 drops clove, 19 drops eucalyptus, 19 drops rosemary, 19 drops orange, and 19 drops lemon

Happy Blend – 23 drops orange, 23 drops lemon, 23 drops bergamot, 23 drops grapefruit, and 23 drops vanilla absolute or oleoresin

Sleepy Time Blend – 38 drops Roman chamomile, 38 drops lavender, and 38 drops vetiver Recipe Card

Mouthwash

Recipe Card

HOMEMADE MOUTHWASH WITH ESSENTIAL OILS

Ingredients

M 10 drops essential oils*

M 1 teaspoon liquid carrier oil**

M 1 tablespoon unscented witch hazel

M 1 teaspoon baking soda

M 1 cup purified OR distilled water

Supplies

M Mason jar

Instructions

g In a mason jar, mix the essential oils with the carrier oil, witch hazel, baking soda, and filtered water and shake to blend. When ready to use, swish approximately 1 tablespoon in the mouth for 10-15 seconds and rinse.

*Essential Oils Blends for Mouthwash:

⚫ Bergamot, grapefruit, lemon,

⚫ Clove, peppermint, spearmint, sweet or wild orange

⚫ Cinnamon bark of cinnamon leaf, clove, sweet or wild orange

⚫ Frankincense, lime, myrrh

⚫ Peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen

⚫ Cinnamon, chamomile, lavender, oregano, peppermint, thyme

⚫ Roman chamomile, spearmint, wintergreen

**No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. Your carrier oil needs to stay liquid no matter the temperature, so it doesn’t clog drain pipes. Raw organic coconut oil is not an option.

New Spice Cologne Roll-On

Recipe Card

NEW SPICE COLOGNE ROLL-ON

Ingredients

M 8 drops clove essential oil

M 6 drops cinnamon bark essential oil

M 5 drops orange essential oil

M 4 drops cedarwood essential oil

M 4 drops patchouli essential oil

M 2 drops nutmeg essential oil

M Organic jojoba oil OR fractionated coconut oil OR a combination of both, to fill the bottle*

Supplies

M 10ml glass roll-on bottle

Instructions

g Add the essential oils to a glass roll-on bottle and gently swirl to mix.

g Fill the remaining space of your roller bottle with the carrier oil of your choice. Gently pop the roller top back on, secure the cap, and give it a good shake to blend everything together.

g Apply to wrists and back of neck each morning.

*No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here.

Recipe Card

New Spice Cologne Spray

NEW SPICE COLOGNE SPRAY

Ingredients

M 30 drops cedarwood essential oil

M 20 drops clove essential oil

M 15 drops cinnamon bark essential oil

M 10 drops nutmeg essential oil

M 5 drops patchouli essential oil

M Organic jojoba oil OR fractionated coconut oil OR a combination of both, to fill the bottle* **

Supplies

M 2-ounce glass spray bottle OR perfume bottle OR perfume atomizer

Instructions

g Add the essential oils to the glass spray bottle and gently swirl to mix.

g Fill the remaining space with the carrier oil of your choice.

g Shake to mix and spray on wrists and back of neck each morning.

*No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here.

**For a traditional cologne, omit the carrier oil and instead use a combination of perfumers alcohol and unscented witch hazel.

Odor-Eating Powder

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ODOR-EATING POWDER WITH DEODORIZING ESSENTIAL OILS

Ingredients

M 32 drops Lemon Fresh essential oil blend*

M ½ cup baking soda

Supplies

M Glass jar

Instructions

g Combine the ingredients in the jar and shake well to distribute.

g Before a workout or game, sprinkle the powder inside your shoes or on top of stinky gear.

g For extra odor protection, apply after a workout or game when you put away your shoes for the night.

g Store the mixture in the fridge, where it should last for a few weeks.

Note: Alternatively, you can shake some of this blend on your carpet and vacuum to freshen up the house.

*See the attached recipe card to learn how to make our Lemon Fresh Essential Oil Blend.

g Place all essential oils in a 5ml bottle and shake gently to blend. Recipe Card

BEST LEMON-FRESH ESSENTIAL OIL BLEND

Ingredients

M 40 drops lemon essential oil

M 20 drops lemon basil essential oil

M 20 drops lemon eucalyptus essential oil

M 20 drops lemon Myrtle essential oil

M 20 drops lemon tea tree essential oil

Supplies

M 5ml glass bottle

Instructions

Personal Lubricant

Recipe Card

DR. ANNA'S MOISTURIZING HOMEMADE LUBRICANT

Ingredients

M 2 tablespoons fractionated coconut oil

M 1-2 drops essential oils*

Supplies

M Glass jar

Instructions

g Mix in a glass jar.

g Shake well.

g Keep bedside and voila!

g Use as much as desired prior too and during intimacy.

g Enjoy!

*Oils like patchouli, sandalwood, or rose might be good options.

Warning: Coconut oil as a lubricant may impact the effectiveness of condoms so please be aware if going this route.

Shampoo

Recipe Card

HOMEMADE SHAMPOO

Ingredients

M 1 cup organic unscented liquid castile soap

M ½ cup full-fat canned coconut milk

M 1 tablespoon aloe vera gel

M 1 teaspoon carrier oil*

M 25 drops essential oils**

M 5 drops carrot seed oil

M 5 drops red raspberry seed oil (optional for color-treated hair)

Supplies

M Blender OR glass bowl OR jar

M Immersion blender (if using glass bowl)

Instructions

g Combine all ingredients in a blender, glass bowl, or jar.

g Blend well using an immersion or regular blender or by vigorously shaking a glass jar.

g Pour the shampoo into a glass pump bottle for easy dispensing and storage. Because this recipe contains coconut milk, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator.

**No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here.

**Essential oils I love using for hair include equal parts lavender, peppermint, rosemary, and tea tree, also known as the “Hair Growth and Development Blend.” This blend is excellent for hair growth or fragile growth. You can adjust the quantity of this recipe as needed, adding 8 drops of essential oils for every ounce of carrier oil.

Recipe Card

Shaving Cream

HOMEMADE SHAVING CREAM

Ingredients

M ¼ cup coconut oil, extra-virgin AND unrefined

M ¼ cup unrefined shea butter

M ⅛ cup carrier oil OR Mama Z’s Essential Oil Base*

M 48 drops essential oils**

Supplies

M Double boiler OR glass jar OR measuring cup

M Stand mixer OR hand mixer OR immersion blender

M Glass jar for storage

Instructions

g Use a double boiler, or make one by setting a glass jar or measuring cup in a medium pot with 1-2 inches of water. Bring the water to boiling, then turn down to medium/medium-high

g Place the coconut oil, shea butter, and carrier oil in the double boiler and warm until melted. Cool the mixture until it reaches a soft consistency and is able to be mixed.

g Use an electric mixer of your choice [stand, hand, or stick blender] to whip the mixture into stiff peaks. The amount of mixing time will change depending on how hard the mixture is.

g Add the essential oils while whipping. Store in an airtight glass container in the bathroom.

Notes: Since this recipe is made with natural ingredients, it’s slicker than toxic variations. Exercise caution when using in the shower as it can make the shower floor slippery.

If you’re shaving above the sink, you may have to clean your drain pipes more often. I’ll deep clean my pipes at the beginning of the year using a FlexiSnake Be sure to dump any dirty water outside instead of down the sink!

**No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here.

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HOMEMADE SHAVING CREAM (CONT.)

**The Best Essential Oils for Shaving Cream

This shaving cream makes the perfect present for the man in your life, so here are a few EOs considered to smell masculine.

⚫ Bay rum

⚫ Black pepper

⚫ Cedarwood

⚫ Clove

⚫ Cyprus

⚫ Eucalyptus

⚫ Ginger

⚫ Lavender

⚫ Lime

⚫ Orange

⚫ Peppermint

⚫ Sandalwood

⚫ Thyme

⚫ Vanilla CO2 or oleoresin

⚫ Vetiver

If you’re making this shaving cream for a lady, here are some popular feminine scents.

⚫ Clary Sage

⚫ Frankincense

⚫ Geranium

⚫ Helichrysum

⚫ Lavender

⚫ Rose

⚫ Rosemary

⚫ Ylang Ylang

Sugar Scrub

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DIY SUGAR SCRUB WITH ESSENTIAL OILS

Ingredients

M 6 tablespoons organic, Fair Trade sugar

M 4 tablespoons carrier oil*

M ¼ cup organic raw local honey

M 10 drops bergamot essential oil

M 10 drops grapefruit essential oil

M 10 drops lime or lemon essential oil

Supplies

M Mixing bowl

M Glass jar for storage

Instructions

g Mix the sugar, carrier oil, honey, and essential oils in a small bowl.

g Place in a glass jar.

g Use 1-2 tablespoons as desired as an exfoliating scrub in the bath or shower.

*No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here

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Sunscreen Bar

HOMEMADE SUNSCREEN BAR WITH ESSENTIAL OIL

Ingredients

M ½ cup organic beeswax pellets, yellow OR white*

M ¼ cup unrefined shea butter

M ⅛ cup organic kokum butter

M ⅛ cup organic mango butter

M ½ cup carrier oil** (I recommend using at least 1 tablespoon of carrot seed oil (natural SPF)

M 2 ounces vitamin E oil

M 2 tablespoons zinc oxide powder (for fair skin add 1 more tablespoon)

M 20 drops essential oils***

Supplies

M Quart or pint Wide mouth mason jar

M Empty deodorant containers OR glass salve jars

Instructions

g This is a thick base that does not melt very quickly. I recommend using a mason jar as your double boiler to avoid permanently ruining any of your best dishes.

g Fill a medium pot with 1-2 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat, then turn it down to medium-low.

g Add the beeswax, shea butter, kokum butter, mango butter, carrier oil, and vitamin E oil to the glass jar, then place in the water.

g Stir periodically while the ingredients melt. As soon as all the ingredients are fully melted, take off the heat.

g Let cool for 10 minutes. Before it starts to solidify, add zinc oxide and essential oils. Stir to combine.

g Pour immediately into a glass salve jar or empty deodorant containers. Allow to solidify before using.

g Apply to any exposed skin before going outside.

HOMEMADE SUNSCREEN BAR WITH ESSENTIAL OILS (CONT.)

*If you are allergic to beeswax or are vegan, try candelilla wax or bayberry wax

**No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here.

***These are great essential oils to include in your DIY sunscreen because they promote skin healing: Chamomile, Frankincense, Geranium, Helichrysum, Lavender, Myrrh, Peppermint, Tea Tree.

Sunscreen Lotion

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HOMEMADE SUNSCREEN CREAM VARIATION

Ingredients

M 1 cup carrier oil*

M 2 tablespoons unrefined shea butter

M 1 teaspoon carrot seed oil

M 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil

M 1 teaspoon organic beeswax pellets, yellow OR white** (optional)

M 2 tablespoons zinc oxide powder

M 25 drops essential oils***

Supplies

M Small glass jar

Instructions

g Combine the carrier oil, shea butter, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, and beeswax (if using) in a jar.

g Fill a small pot with 2 inches of water over low to medium heat.

g Place the jar in the pot and stir the contents until melted.

g Add the zinc oxide and stir until combined. Remove from heat and add essential oils. Mix well.

g Store in a cool place.

g Apply to any exposed skin before going outside.

Note: Be cautious of using this recipe if you have fair skin. You’ll need to use a more heavy-duty sunscreen bar that has zinc oxide in it.

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HOMEMADE SUNSCREEN CREAM VARIATION (CONT.)

Instructions

*No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here.

**If you are allergic to beeswax or are vegan, try candelilla wax or bayberry wax.

***These are great essential oils to include in your DIY sunscreen because they promote skin healing: Chamomile, Frankincense, Geranium, Helichrysum, Lavender, Myrrh, Peppermint, Tea Tree.

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Sunscreen Spray

HOMEMADE SUNSCREEN SPRAY VARIATION

Ingredients

M ¼ cup organic fresh frozen aloe vera OR aloe vera gel

M 1 tablespoon carrier oil (I recommend using at least 1 teaspoon of carrot seed oil for SPF)

M 10 drops essential oils**

Supplies

M Glass spray bottle

Instructions

g Add aloe vera gel, carrier oil, and essential oils to the glass spritzer bottle and shake before using.

g Apply to any exposed skin before going outside.

g Be sure to store it in the refrigerator or your cooler if at the beach.

*No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here

**These are great essential oils to include in your DIY sunscreen because they promote skin healing: Chamomile, Frankincense, Geranium, Helichrysum, Lavender, Myrrh, Peppermint, Tea Tree.

Toothpaste Recipe

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HOMEMADE TOOTH POWDER AND TOOTHPASTE

Ingredients

M 10 drops essential oils*

M ⅓ cup bentonite clay

M 1 teaspoon baking soda**

M ½ teaspoon organic stevia powder

M ¼ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt OR sea salt, ground

Supplies

M Glass mixing bowl

M 6-8 ounce glass jar for storage

Instructions

g Mix your essential oils in a small glass bowl and set aside.

g Put the bentonite clay, baking soda, stevia, and sea salt in the food processor and process until combined.

g With the machine running, add the essential oils and process for a few more seconds. The mixture should be granular and slightly damp.

g Store in a glass jar with a lid.

g Apply enough to cover your toothbrush. Wet with water and brush as normal.

Notes: Toothpaste Variation: To make the tooth powder into toothpaste, add ¼ cup hot purified OR distilled water AND 1 tablespoon coconut oil, extra-virgin AND unrefined, plus more as needed.

To add teeth whitening benefits, open capsules of activated charcoal into the tooth powder. Be sure to follow by brushing with mouthwash and brush your teeth again after using mouthwash.

Bentonite clay can react with metal, so be sure to make and store this recipe in a glass container.

Recipe Card

HOMEMADE TOOTH POWDER AND TOOTHPASTE (CONT.)

*Essential Oils Blends for Tooth Powder and Toothpaste

⚫ Bergamot, grapefruit, lemon,

⚫ Clove, peppermint, spearmint, sweet or wild orange

⚫ Cinnamon bark of cinnamon leaf, clove, sweet or wild orange

⚫ Frankincense, lime, myrrh

⚫ Peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen

⚫ Cinnamon, chamomile, lavender, oregano, peppermint, thyme

⚫ Roman chamomile, spearmint, wintergreen

**For sensitive teeth, reduce baking soda to ½ teaspoon.

Uplift - Ladies Essential Oil

Perfume Roll-On

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UPLIFT - LADIES ESSENTIAL OIL

PERFUME ROLL-ON

Ingredients

M 8 drops lavender essential oil

M 6 drops bergamot essential oil

M 6 drops geranium essential oil

M 6 drops vanilla absolute, CO₂, OR oleoresin

M 4 drops grapefruit OR lemon OR lime OR orange essential oil

M 4 drops ylang ylang essential oil

M Organic jojoba oil OR fractionated coconut oil OR a combination of both, to fill the bottle*

Supplies

M 10ml glass roll-on bottle

Instructions

g Add the essential oils to a glass roll-on bottle and gently swirl to mix.

g Fill the remaining space of your roller bottle with the carrier oil of your choice. Gently pop the roller top back on, secure the cap, and give it a good shake to blend everything together.

g Apply to wrists and back of neck each morning.

*No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here. I prefer using a combination of half organic jojoba oil and half fractionated coconut oil.

Uplift - Ladies Essential Oil Perfume Spray

Recipe Card

UPLIFT - LADIES ESSENTIAL OIL

PERFUME SPRAY

Ingredients

M 20 drops lavender essential oil

M 15 drops bergamot essential oil

M 15 drops geranium essential oil

M 15 drops vanilla absolute, CO₂, OR oleoresin

M 10 drops grapefruit OR lemon OR lime OR orange essential oil

M 10 drops ylang ylang essential oil

M Organic jojoba oil OR fractionated coconut oil OR a combination of both, to fill the bottle* **

Supplies

M 2 ounce glass spray bottle OR women’s perfume bottle OR perfume atomizer

Instructions

g Add the essential oils to the glass spray bottle and gently swirl to mix.

g Fill the remaining space with the carrier oil of your choice.

g Shake to mix and spray on wrists and back of neck each morning.

*No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here

**For a traditional perfume, omit the carrier oil and instead use a combination of perfumers alcohol and unscented witch hazel

Recipe Card

Whipped Body Butter

DIY WHIPPED BODY BUTTER RECIPE

Ingredients

M ½ cup unrefined shea butter OR white OR yellow African shea butter (pictured)

M ½ cup Mama Z’s Essential Oil Base*

M 64 drops essential oils**

M Organic herbs (dried lavender OR mint)***

Supplies

M Glass measuring cup OR jar

M Saucepan

M Medium-sized glass bowl

M Immersion blender OR handheld mixer

Instructions

g Set a glass measuring cup or a jar in a saucepan filled with an inch of water.

g Place the shea butter in the measuring cup or jar and melt over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

g As soon as it’s melted, remove the measuring cup or jar from the pan and let cool.

g Once it’s cool enough to handle, pour the shea butter into a medium glass bowl.

g Add Mama Z’s Essential Oil Base and the essential oils.

g Chill in the refrigerator until partly solidified (about 15 minutes).

g Whip to a butter-like consistency using an immersion blender or handheld mixer.

g Store in a mason jar.

Recipe Card

DIY WHIPPED BODY BUTTER RECIPE (CONT.)

*You can substitute up to half of the Mama Z’s Essential Oil Base with vitamin E oil

**If you’re new to essential oils, you might need help figuring out good combinations.

Here are a few of my favorite essential oil blends to get you started.

Anti-Aging Blend: 24 drops ylang ylang, 13 drops geranium, 13 drops lavender, 13 drops rose absolute

Beauty Blend: 24 drops helichrysum, 12 drops frankincense, 12 drops sandalwood, 6 drops lavender, 6 drops ylang ylang

Coconut Vanilla Blend: 32 drops coconut essential oil or CO2, 32 drops vanilla essential oil OR vanilla absolute CO2 OR vanilla oleoresin

Focus Blend: 24 drops cedarwood, 13 drops frankincense, 13 drops sandalwood, 13 drops vetiver

Joyful Blend: 32 drops orange and 32 drops vanilla essential oil OR vanilla absolute CO2 OR vanilla oleoresin

Sleepy-Time Blend: 26 drops Roman chamomile, 26 drops lavender, 13 drops vetiver

***Optional herbs can be mixed in or used as a garnish

References

Chapter 1 - Body Care Carcinogens

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/general-info/known-and-probablehuman-carcinogens.html

http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Classification/ClassificationsAlphaOrder.pdf

https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/risk/recordisplay.cfm?deid=2776

https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/proposition-65-list https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/pubhealth/roc/index-1.html#toc1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21030064

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:0200 9R1223-20170727

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16466537

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25493564 https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/supported/assets/docs/j_q/phthalates_the_ everywhere_chemical_handout_508.pdf

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/121/2/e260?sso=1&sso_redirect_co unt=1&nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfsta tusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20368132 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14745841

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18489369

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11867263

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18484575

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19007877

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24657492

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29366524

https://www.fda.gov/ForIndustry/ColorAdditives/ RegulatoryProcessHistoricalPerspectives/default.htm

https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/labeling/ucm414211.htm

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29256904

https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/conditional-pesticide-registration https://preview.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17234647?itool=EntrezSystem2. PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=8

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17931804

http://oehha.ca.gov/media/downloads/proposition-65//p65122917.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17011055/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19118620/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27722057

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3945593/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5118979/ http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/44102/9789241597906_eng.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5118979/ https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/htdocs/lt_rpts/tr371.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14748556

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1035211/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11128877

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1567945/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15146215

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15125995

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3822682

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8840379

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3366500/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4341412/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3443608/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21783468 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3933258/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16787454

http://www.healthy-communications.com/msdssodiumlaurylsulfate.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17908190

https://www.spectrumchemical.com/MSDS/S4160.pdf https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2017213

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4651417/#b5-ehi-9-2015-027

Epstein, Dr Samuel, Safe Shoppers Bible, P.190-19

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22612478

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18022535

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7790106

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10861466

Chapter 2 - Carrier Oils

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3289865/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4428202/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20523108

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20129403 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15629254 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21211559

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22585103

http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/14818/1/IJNPR%203(3)%20366370.pdf

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18376654

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21305631

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25212146

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20579590

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19052401

Chapter 3 - Dilution & Dispersion Guide

https://www.chem.purdue.edu/gchelp/solutions/whatis.html

http://www.thermopedia.com/content/274/

https://www.britannica.com/science/surfactant

Chapter 4 - Basics of Body Care

http://www.ewg.org/research/exposing-cosmetics-cover-up http://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2008/03/natural-products-contain-carcinogeniccontaminant

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/search.php?query=paraben&h=Search http://www.ewg.org/research/down-drain/%C2%BB-phthalates http://www.ewg.org/news/news-releases/2011/04/08/national-academysciences-formaldehyde-causes-cancer

http://www.ewg.org/research/ewgs-guide-triclosan http://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2007/12/ask-ewg-what-fragrance http://tisserandinstitute.org/safety/safety-guidelines/ http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm378393.htm http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0891584912018229

About the Author

The Essential Oils Apothecary

The follow-up to the national bestseller, The Healing Power of Essential Oils, get the confidence that you need to treat and manage the symptoms of 25 chronic illnesses, including insomnia, low libido, fibromyalgia, COPD, cancer, anxiety, depression, diabetes, dementia and more!

SABRINA ANN ZIELINSKI is a certified group fitness and martial arts instructor, health coach, wife (since 2006), mother of 7, lactation consultant, and a natural health guru.

The mastermind behind the allergy-friendly food recipes and do-it-yourself remedies featured on NaturalLivingFamily.com, she’s known as “Mama Z” to many fellow moms who are looking for natural ways to care for their families.

Now visited by more than six million natural health seekers every year, NaturalLivingFamily.com has rapidly become the number one online source for biblical health and non-branded essential oils education.

The Essential Oils Diet

The first diet program that harnesses essential oils and bioactive foods for weight loss and disease prevention, from the nation’s trusted authority in essential oils and natural remedies. Discover how essential oil plant compounds can aid in weight loss, boost energy levels, balance blood sugar and beat autoimmunity.