Essentials For Your Skin

No matter what your skin type there's an essential oil for you! One of the most common questions I am asked is "What can I use on my face?" I always recommend starting out with The Happy Soul Pure Bath Cleanser. It's fragrance free, paraben free, and sensitive to all skin types. It can be used all over, including on your face. You can customize your own cleanser by adding the essential oils of you choice. Add about 30 drops to a 12 ounce bottle, or just a few drops to a couple of tablespoons to experiment.

Lavender is a good one to add for all skin types because it tones and revitalizes.
Geranium as also a versatile one, it balances sebum production in oily and dry skin.

• NORMAL SKIN - Lavender and Geranium or Rosewood.
• DRY SKIN - Lavender and Ylang Ylang is a great combination, Rosewood can soften dry skin.
• OILY SKIN - Lavender and Lemon or Orange.

Remember, if using any citrus oil such as Bergamot or Sweet Orange DO NOT GO OUT IN THE SUN!!! THEY ARE EXTREMELY PHOTOTOXIC AND YOU WILL END UP WITH A SEVERE SUNBURN. IF YOU APPLY THESE OILS TO YOUR SKIN AVOID DIRECT SUNLIGHT FOR 24 HOURS!!!

Since it is summertime, if you do get a sunburn Lavender is a must. It's one of the only oils that can be applied directly to the skin, which I highly recommend for a sunburn. You won't believe how well it works!

Here's a great recipe for a Gentle Polishing Facial

2 Tablespoons Oatmeal (the old fashioned kind)
1 Teaspoon Cornmeal
1/4 Cup Distilled Water
5 Drops of Lavender

Grind the oatmeal in a blender of coffee grinder. Stir in the cornmeal and Lavender oil, mixing well. Add just enough of the water to make a thin paste. Gently massage onto face using circular motions for about 2 minutes. Rinse clean with warm water then follow with a splash of cool water. Pat dry. Your face will be fresh, soft and smooth!

Tip! If you have any left over it will keep in the refrigerator for about 1 week.

Recipes for the Kitchen

Here's one for a great countertop spray.....Add 20 drops each of Lavender and Sweet Orange oils to 4 ounces of distilled water in a spray bottle. This works well because Lavender is antibacterial and Sweet Orange is a great cleanser and degreaser. One of the best things about it is you can clean the counter and fix dinner on it right away and you don't have to worry about what kind of chemicals are getting into your food! This also makes a great refreshing room spray!

Another good one is this recipe for a Lemongrass Trash Can Spray...Add 20 drops of Lemongrass, 25 drops of Lavender and 15 drops of Sweet Orange into 2 ounces of distilled water in a spray bottle. Spray the inside of the trash can each time you empty the trash or change the bag.

Always remember to swish your sprays around before you use them to mix up the water and oil.

Lavender for the Kids

Here's a great way to use your Lavender Essential Oil for the kids. Simply put a couple drops into a tablespoon of grapeseed oil in the palm of your hand, rub your hands together and massage the kids feet with it just before they go to bed. They'll be out in no time! You can also make a Lavender room/linen spray for them. Add 40 drops of Lavender into 4 ounces of distilled water in a spray bottle. Swish it around and spray the linens and the room at bed time.
Nighty Night!!!!

Stinky Stuff

At a recent Happy Soul party I was asked alot of questions about stinky stuff...and here are some answers to a few of them.

Question #1 "What essential oils can you use for stinky feet?" Tea Tee, Lemon Lavender, Peppermint and Clove could all be helpful. You can make a good deodorizing foot wash by adding 7 drops of lemon and 3 drops of tea tree to 2 ounces of water, then wash your feet thoroughly. Peppermint and clove will also make a good foot bath. To help with shoe odor, especially tennis shoes, add 20 drops of tea tree, 10 drops of lemon, and 10 drops of lavender to 1/2 cup of baking soda, and sprinkle into your shoes. Several applications may reduce existing odor, but it is a great preventative measure to keep the "stink" from starting.

Question #2 "What essential oils can you use for a stinky dog?" Lavender and Geranium are great for dog odor. Add 20 drops of Lavender, 20 drops of Geranium, and 5 drops of Lemon to to 4 ounces of distilled water in a spray bottle. Hold it about 10 inches away from the dog and spray directly on him/her, but make sure you don't spray on the face and head. If the dog has a skin problem that is causing the odor, you can also add 5 drops each of geranium and lavender into 2 teaspoons of grapeseed oil and massage it on the afflicted area to help it heal.

Question #3 "What essential oils will help eliminate the smell of cigarette smoke?" Apparently citrus oils are the best for removing that nasty stale smoke odor. I think one of the best ways to combat it would be to create a nice room spray. I would start by adding 20 drops each of Bergamot and Tea Tree to 4 ounces of distilled water in a spray bottle (you can scale it down if you want to...10 drops of each in 2 ounces of water). Bergamot and either Pink Grapefruit or Sweet Orange could be another good combination. For the smoke that has absorbed into the carpets and furniture add some of the same oils to some baking soda, sprinkle it on and let it sit for a little while before vacuuming (be sure to test it on an inconspicuous spot to test for colorfastness, some citrus oils can have a "bleaching" effect...especially lemon).

Hope this helps to start getting rid of some of those really foul smells. Let me know what works best for you!

FOR CAT ALLERGIES - MY NEWEST DISCOVERY

I found a great remedy for allergies to cats! My 7 year old nephew was sleeping over and he has a really bad allergy to cats. It's bad enough that he has to take allergy medicine every time he comes to my house, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Since he was spending the night I decided I would try out some essential oils and see if they would bring him any relief. I read that Lemongrass and Rosemary would help alleviate the symptoms he gets...red itchy eyes, stuffy nose, endless coughing and sneezing. Well guess what...The Happy Soul "Happy Thoughts" roll-on blend has Lemongrass, Rosemary and Pink Grapefruit in it, so I decided to give it a try. We put some on each wrist and rubbed it in, and I told him to take a whif of it every now and then. He was so excited when a little while later his symptoms were all gone...not even a little bit of a stuffy nose remained!

Here's why it works. Rosemary has an aroma similar to Eucalyptus. It has a clearing and energizing effect when inhaled and is helpful in treating respiratory conditions, including allergies. Lemongrass' vasolidating (dilates the blood vessels), anti-inflammatory, and sedative properties help relieve congestion, promote easier breathing, and relieve inflamed bronchial tubes and sinus passageways.

Another great way to cut back on medications and get awesome results!