Creating a Home Spa

Someone enjoying a foot scrub at last year's Lavender Days Festival at the Young Living Lavender Farm.

I was just introduced to some small books that I think are just beautiful. It is a home spa series and the gal who loaned them to me (thanks Ellise!) bought them at Pier 1. There are quite a few books in the series, but the three I have looked over are called Home Spa: Relaxing, Home Spa: Refreshing, and Home Spa: Rebalancing. They have quite a few tips on how to use essential oils in your home to create a spa-like feeling.

On page 50 of Home Spa: Relaxing, by Jo Glanville-Blackburn, it gives 10 ideas for relaxing rituals. These are some of my favorites:

*Spritz a little lavender water (six drops of lavender essential oil in two ounces water) over your skin and shoulders--anytime. Breathe in the mist.

*Soak aching feet in a hot foot bath with four drops of peppermint essential oil and a handful of Epsom salts. (As you can tell from the picture above, we love this idea at the lavender farm!)

*Place a lavender bag under your pillow for a restful night's sleep.

*Whenever you feel overwhelmed, detach yourself from stress and escape to the sanctuary of a warm bath.

Gifts That Make Scents

Need a little inspiration to help you finish (or start, in my case) your holiday shopping? Here are five creative gifts that just make scents! These gift ideas are also a great way to build traditions with your own family, inviting you to embrace nature this holiday season.

SMELL- Holiday fragrances evoke memories of happy times together. If you want to bring the smells of the season into your home or if you have someone on your shopping list who is fond of fragrances, give them a Young Living diffuser with Christmas Spirit essential oil blend. The sweet, spicy blend of orange, cinnamon, and spruce essential oils tap into the joy of the holiday season. Or if you're buying for a true nature lover, give him or her a bottle of Balsam Fir (Idaho), Douglas Fir, or Evergreen Essence essential oils wrapped in a basket of pinecones. By adding a few drops of essential oils on the pinecones, the room will be filled with the crisp, invigorating aroma of winter in the woods.

TASTE- For the aspiring chef, print out your favorite peppermint dessert recipe (think peppermint brownies, peppermint frosting, you get the picture!) on a holiday card and tie with raffia to a bottle of Young Living peppermint essential oil. Myrecipes.com lets you browse lots of popular peppermint recipes. Peppermint essential oil is a natural flavoring that is excellent in holiday recipes. (Note: Young Living essential oils are pure and stronger than artificial extracts, so it takes less oil than an extract when flavoring foods. Start with a tiny amount, as you can always add more. Use a toothpick or the end of a butter knife to swirl in the flavoring.)

SEE- The Wise Men's gifts included gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Share these treasured gifts with a loved one by giving them an Essence of the Season collection. This gift box includes frankincense and myrrh resins, as well as the essential oils. These aromatics were used throughout the ancient world for religious and state services, as well as for medicinal purposes. Place the resins in a fire to produce a sweet smelling smoke that has been described as a "heavenly aroma", and see the glow on children's faces as you read them stories of the Nativity by the fire.

TOUCH- The winter weather is known for its harsh effects on the skin, often drying it and causing it to crack. Essential oils are extremely beneficial for the skin, nourishing and protecting it. Domino Magazine features a great recipe for a calming scrub with Young Living geranium essential oil. Add a jar of sea salt (make your own with 1/2 c. Dead Sea salts and 1/2 c. Epsom salts) and Young Living V-6 Enhanced Oil, and you've got the perfect skin-care gift!

HEAR- Ring in the New Year with a bottle of NingXia Red! This naturally delicious, nutrient-infused wolfberry drink will have everyone cheering for health and prosperity in 2008. Add some party favors, and your host or hostess will be set for celebrating!

Winter Health Tips

Comfort and Joy
The winter months should be a time of comfort and joy, but oftentimes due to germs and viruses, they're a time of sniffling and sneezing. If you're feeling under the weather, or just want to be prepared with a winter first-aid kit, check out Martha Stewart's Web site for some natural remedies to help you get through the cold and flu season. Type the key words "essential oils" and you'll have access to excellent articles, tips, and recipes.

Martha Stewart featured Young Living's Director of Science and Education, along with respected fashion designer Donna Karan (from Donna Karan New York or DKNY) on The Martha Stewart Show on May 24, 2007, where they discussed the benefits of essential oils, how they can be incorporated into daily activities and routines, and the health advantages essential oils provide. Her Web site and magazine, Body+Soul, are excellent resources.

The Young Living Lavender Farm's herbs and plants produce the highest-quality essential oils, which can be the healthiest way to restore and revitalize your health. Here's a great recipe for easing congestion and coughing: Add five to eight drops of Young Living eucalyptus essential oil to a small pot of near-boiling water, drape a towel over your head to create a tent, and breathe in the steam for three to five minutes. The deep breaths will fill your lungs with the wonderful scent of eucalyptus, while easing congestion and coughing.

Let It Snow
After our first big snowstorm last week, a friend mentioned that while driving down the mountain during the storm, she had been gripping the steering wheel so tightly that the following morning her neck muscles were extremely sore. Eucalyptus essential oil is also great for easing muscle tension in your neck:

1. Add one to two drops of Young Living eucalyptus essential oil in your palm
2. Add one to two drops of Young Living peppermint essential oil in your palm
3. Rub your palms together, then massage the back of your neck with upward strokes.

I love the smell of eucalyptus and peppermint blended together!