Happy two year oil-iversary to me!
It’s crazy that it’s only been two years since essential oils were introduced to me and changed our lives. My friends know me as the crazy witch-doctor oil lady, Chris is obsessed and is constantly telling coworkers and strangers about them, and Ellie has never known life without her oils. They are truly a part of our every day life.
I have to admit that when I think of the word collagen, I think only of the skin on my face. I know that I have less of it as I get older – mostly because I can see that I have less of it – but I thought I could only get more of it via skincare. I’m learning that that’s only part of the story…
I had to invite Ellie in on this review since this is a natural product all for her. She’s a typical two-year-old who wants to do everything Mama does, but all by herself.
I’m not about to hand over my nail polish (even if it is 5- or 10-free polish!!) but I happily provided her with Kidlicks’ organic edible nail polish for her to go to town with. All by herself.
When it comes to washing my face, I’ve always had a habit of wanting to get it squeaky clean – as if that was the only way to properly CLEAN it. I’ve learned in the past couple of years that too much scrubbing and harsh cleansers can strip natural oils from your skin so maybe hearing it squeak isn’t the best thing to strive for.
I’ve tossed my aggressive scrubs, alcohol-laden astrigents and other cleansing devices and replaced them with gentle cleansers and exfoliators and….
Now that we know WHY antioxidants are so important to our health and well-being, I wanted to share some of my favorite products that are rich in antioxidant ingredients – and what they can do for you. <<Some discount codes are provided>>
It should also go without being said – but I’ll say it – that I will only ever recommend products that I know to be natural, non-toxic, cruelty-free, and kind to our planet.
Free Radicals and Antioxidants: A simple explanation
I think it’s safe to say that we all are familiar enough with the terms free radicals and antioxidants to know that free radicals are “bad” and antioxidants are “good.” But up until recently, if someone were to ask me why, I don’t think I could have explained it in my own words very well. I needed a simple explanation.
Below, I break it down in plain and simple English, thinking that if we understand the what and the why, we’ll be more likely to take the necessary actions to make ourselves healthier.
I hate to sound like a complete whiner, but it’s been soooo hot lately. And our house has little to no insulation and it just BAKES. Poor Ellie naps in a room that is 90 degrees, and we have about a million fans running at all times. You can find us at the beach or in a pool (even a plastic wading pool in the backyard) any chance we get.
Although they are no substitution for A/C or good insulation, there are a few things I’ve been turning to for some heat relief this month. Any little bit helps!
It was a quick 3 days but it was one of those getaways that felt longer than it was. In a good way. In a refreshing way. Heading into the trip, I couldn’t quite think past how we’d survive the 5+ hour drive with a potty-training 21 month old who had never been on a car ride longer than 2 hours (which she slept half of). She’s been on over 20 plane rides in her life but being restrained in a carseat, or anywhere for that matter, is not something she’s cool with.
You can read more here about how and why I started exploring essential oils, and how the first oils I bought were the Digestive Blend and Lavender to help with Ellie’s reflux as a newborn. I can’t keep track of how many times I’ve blended these oils in the last year and a half. It’s the only blend I have in a BIG roller bottle, and I swipe it on E’s torso at any sign of tummy discomfort (including gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea…)
I go to bed every night with a large glass of water on my nightstand. It’s like a security blanket, I would panic if I didn’t have it…but I rarely use it. I drink a few sips before going to bed (with my nightly magnesium pills) and in the morning I have almost a full glass of room temperature water to drop my lemon essential oil into. I’ve built it into my daily routine, and here are the reasons why: