Friday, January 10, 2014

Lavender Massage Oil helps support a calm composure and self-expression perfect for Valentines

Lavender Massage Oil by Jessiepearl

Lavender Massage Oil - 6oz bottle - helps support a calm composure and self-expression. It reduces irritability, insomnia, panic attacks

Lavender Massage Oil - 6oz bottle - helps support a calm composure and self-expression. It reduces irritability, insomnia, panic attacks

Touch and fragrance combine when you massage with this natural lavender body oil. Soothing to the skin, this oil blend encourages the "letting go" of muscle tension.

Ingredients: Essential oils of lavender and sweet orange are blended into a rich body oil of safflower, coconut and almond oils.

Available in 4oz and 6oz bottles.

We suggest allowing massage oil to warm in your hands before applying to body.

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A Few Important Properties of Lavender as reported on the Purple Haze Lavender Farm web-site.

It is antibacterial, anticonvulsive, antidepressant, antiinflammatory, analgesic, antirheumatic, antispasmodic, antitoxic, antiviral, anticoagulant, carminative, cholagogue, cicatrisant, cordial, cytophylactic, deodorant, decongestant, diuretic, emmenagogue, galactogogue,hypotensive, insecticidal, nervine, parasiticidal, rubefacient, restorative, sedative, sudorfic, tonic, vermifugal, and vulnerary.

Common Uses
Ideal for physical and emotional support. Lavender as a whole is an 'adaptagenic' essence with a relationship to all Body Systems. It is nicknamed the ultimate 'first aid in a bottle' oil. Lavender produces an Anti-Allergic Essential oil, with an inherent antibiotic action. It is also an astringent as well as moisturizing to skin. It alleviates aches, pains, and swelling from arthritis to injury to headache. Lavender also alleviates motion sickness.

Emotionally, lavender helps support a calm composure and self-expression. It reduces irritability, insomnia, nightmares, apprehension, panic attacks combined with uncontrollable shaking, stress, nervous tension, hysteria and is generally balancing to the psyche, as well as the body.

Internal Possibilities
Research is proving that lavender is beneficial with regard to support for hyperglycemia, hypertension, indigestion, arteriosclerosis, digestive complaints, kidney stones, fragile capillaries, anemia, and heartburn. It is non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing.

Safety
Some say lavender should be avoided in the first trimester of pregnancy. It should not to be used with preparations containing iron and/or iodine.

Available in 6oz and 4oz sizes.at https://www.etsy.com/listing/167228842/lavender-massage-oil-6oz-bottle-helps?ref=related-1

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Convo us about our reorder discounts. You will love our soap, lotions and soaps for life.
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Be My Valentine with Honey Almond Massage Oil by Jessiepearl

Honey Almond Massage Oil by jessiepearl
Be My Valentine with Honey Almond Massage Oil - 4 Fl Oz -

The fragrance of Honey almond is blended into Grapeseed oil resulting in a rich body massage oil for yourself or as a gift for those you care about.

Touch and fragrance combine when you massage with this natural body oil. Soothing to the skin, this oil blend encourages the "letting go" of muscle tension.

Our Grapeseed Massage Oil is 100% pure, expeller pressed Grapeseed oil. This 100% natural oil is often cited for it's smooth glide and amazing absorption plus it is very rich in vitamins and minerals.

Sweet Honey Almond Massage Oil is naturally high in vitamins A, B1,B2,B6 and E making it great for people with dry itchy skin and inflammation.
Store your massage oils in dark glass bottles and keep them in cool dark places.

Do not pour massage oil directly on your skin - pour a small amount into your palms and warm it. Warm up oil before doing any massage including your fingertips.

Available in 6 fl oz for $9.00 / 4 fl oz for $6.50 / 2 fl oz for $3.75

See link below to order:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/164861888/be-my-valentine-with-honey-almond?ref=shop_home_active_3

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Convo us about our reorder discounts. You will love these oils for life.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Offer may expire without notice posted on this Blog-site.

Monday, January 6, 2014

Get prepared for Valentine's Day February 14th.

Soap is a much desired and loved gift. Don't think of it as just getting clean. Think of aromatherapy, mood alteration, spa pampering, moisturizing to feel like luxury living.

Read our soap descriptions. You will find that there are many feelings and benefits to various our essential oils besides aromatherapy. Each soap has it's own characteristics that will enhance the feeling that you and your partner are looking for.

Be it one bar or our soap a month club, the result is the same - An obvious expression of love and caring.

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Sunday, January 5, 2014

FYI 160 Herbs with Their Uses and Benefits in detail

Now that we have discussed Essential Oils in some depth ( but with more to come), we can switch gears and talk about a great site for Herb information which will be useful in soap our making. 160 of them to be exact.

Visit:

http://www.herbs-info.com/list-of-herbs.html for links to informative information about each of the herbs listed below.

On this page you will find our alphabetical list of (now) 160 herbs!

Every herb in our list has its own dedicated page on this site - with pictures and very detailed info!

Follow the links to learn more about each herb.

The goal of the individual herbs' pages is to gather information about the plant in one place, so that anyone researching it can have quick access to information.

Please bookmark this page so that you can use it as a "quick lookup" when you want to learn all about a herb. You can also share our image on Facebook and Pinterest. Each herb page follows a similar format -
starting with names for the herb in different languages, then giving background and history, common and traditional uses of the herb, scientific research, esoteric uses and safety notes.

Our method of organization intentionally follows the style of the old herbals, which listed the plants in alphabetical order and often compiled the writings of other herbalists from past times. There is much material to work through and so this list is continuing to expand.

Ok, here is the list!

http://www.herbs-info.com/list-of-herbs.html for links to informative information about each of the herbs listed below.

Our method of organization intentionally follows the style of the old herbals, which listed the plants in alphabetical order and often compiled the writings of other herbalists from past times. There is much material to work through and so this list is continuing to expand. Ok, here is the list!

The Herbs:

- See more at: http://www.herbs-info.com/list-of-herbs.html#sthash.9dgaHdsO.dpuf

See more at: http://www.herbs-info.com/list-of-herbs.html#sthash.9dgaHdsO.dpuf

For Soap Making Herbs you can't beat the Bulk Herb Store
Great selection of bulk herbs, books, and remedies. Articles, Research Aids and much more.
We want to do more than sell quality herbs. We want to teach you what we know and inspire you to learn and research beyond that.

FYI Five Best Essential Oils For Pain Relief

Essential oils can be really much more powerful than you might think and some of them are really great for pain relief and not only pain relief, they can also help with muscle tension, neuropathy, inflammation or migraines and much more. It is surprising that people do not use this amazing natural product more.

Aromatherapy might be something new for you, but in fact it is very old. Science still has no real proof that it is actually efficient, but many people believes that it is, so it is just up to you if you are going to give it a try or not. In this short article I would like to present five best essential oils for pain relief.

Essential oils can be used in many ways when you need to ease pain and they should be efficient to many different kinds of pain. You can for example use these oils in various lotions or creams, you can also use them in bath, mix them with bathing salts, you can use them in massage oils or in classic aromatherapy.

Essential oils can be really great addition to your medicine, but of course they are usually not so efficient to completely substitute them. You should also know that pure essential oils are usually very concentrated and very strong, so they are not usually used in this form and they are usually mixed in some other oil, because pure they might to more bad than good to you, especially your skin and eyes could be severely damaged by some pure essential oils.

Peppermint Oil

If you have problems with headaches and not using peppermint yet, then it is really big mistake. Peppermint is just great for this. Even it is known tha eating peppermint in fact can start your migraine or even make your migraine worse, when you use the peppermint oil the right way, it should actually help you. Just four drops of peppermint oil in one tablespoon of olive or similar oil applied gently on your temples can help a lot. Some people even suggest adding lavender or even rosemary essential oil, it should enhance the effect, but I have never tried it.
Lavender Oil

Lavender oil is sometimes called “king of essential oils”, because it has many various positive effects. Lavender essential oil is relaxing, pain and stress relieving, also has antimicrobial effects and helps with migraines and muscle tension.

I just love lavender oil, because I have sometimes problems with sleeping and lavender is really great for this. If you have these problems also, then you can use lavender oil in bath before you go to bed and you will fall asleep more easily and should also have much more quality sleep. Why this is good for pain relief? Well, it is quite simple, when you have quality sleep you will feel much less pain. It is suggested to use lavender oil with chamomile oil, together it has strong pain relief effect.

Chamomile Oil

Chamomile Oil is very well known for its amazing and really strong anti-inflammatory effects. Really, it is something what works very well. It has been used for very long time for neuralgia, migraines, headaches, stress or PMS. It is something what works even much better when used together with lavender oil. these two together are very strong weapon again many kinds of pain.

Eucalyptus Oil

Eucalyptus Oil is another one that belongs among my favorite ones and among those which are very famous. I’m sure that everyone knows that beautiful smell eucalyptus has, but it has much much more. It is anti-inflammatory when used topically and also analgesic. Using this is very simple, you use it as cream or as lotion and just massage those areas of your body where you feel the pain coming from. If you feel that is is like whole your body is in pain, then it is good to use eucalyptus oil in bath. It is also very often recommended for the treatment of strong muscular aches and pains, strains and/or sprains, and nerve pain.

Juniper Oil

Juniper oil is another one of those essential oils I like because it has so many uses and one of them is also pain relief. Why? Because this essential oil has strong antispasmodic and also strong antireumatic effects. Usually is this essential oil used as lotion or cream that will help you with muscle spasm and also with joint pain and muscle pain. Juniper oil also strengthens your nerves, and is also sometimes helpful in patients with neuropathic pain if used regularly. Juniper essential oil also has strong stimulant properties and it should always be used in the morning or during day, and never near bedtime, because you might have problems falling asleep then.

Originally Posted with purchase recommendations at:
http://healthtipsblog.co/five-best-essential-oils-for-pain-relief/
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Friday, January 3, 2014

FYI 21 Things You Should Know About Using Essential Oils

21 Things You Should Know About Using Essential Oils

Lord help me, people. I’ve spent the last two days trying to write a concise, easy guide to essential oils and their safety, and it ended up being just an enormous dump of information that no would want to ingest in a single blog post.

Therefore, you’re getting the quickest, easiest 21 facts you need to keep in mind. These things include safety measures, essential oil facts, therapeutic uses, and more. You’ll like this better. I promise.

However, at the end of this post, I am going to give extensive references to those of you who would like to learn more about the fascinating world of essential oils, as well as a list of my top 7 recommended essential oils for any household to have.

21 Things You Should Know About Essential Oils

Essential oils are not really oils. They do not contain the fatty acids that constitute what we would consider an actual oil. Valerie Gennari Cooksley, author of Aromatherapy: Soothing Remedies to Restore, Rejuvenate and Heal defines essential oils as “highly concentrated plant constituents possessing potent medicinal and cosmetic qualities.” However, I think Stephanie Tourles nailed it in Organic Body Care recipes when she said, “I consider essential oils the life force or the soul of the plant.”

Most essential oils are high in antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties: This makes them an excellent addition to your homemade cleaning preparations. Oils that are best for cleaning are: Lemon, grapefruit, eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree, lavender, and rosemary.
Essential oils are miniscule in molecular size, which means they are absorbed well by the skin – making them perfect ingredients in personal care items intended to heal, soften, and nourish. However, they do not accumulate in the body over time – they simply offer up their healing properties and then pass on through.
Scientific studies have shown that rosemary essential oil helps your brain perform. Specifically, smelling rosemary essential oil helps memory recall and performance on tests. Interestingly, this study also showed that groups that inhaled either rosemary or lavender essential oil felt much more relaxed than those who inhaled no odor at all.
Fragrance oils and essential oils are NOT the same thing. As a rule of thumb, if you see the word “fragrance” or “fragrance oil” or even “perfume” on anything, you can assume this is synthetic and NOT natural. (Even if it says natural fragrance.)
Essential oils are wholly natural and cannot be patented; which means that you’ll never see an essential oil in a pharmaceutical drug. As such, you can expect that the vast majority of mainstream healthcare practitioners will never recommend essential oils as therapeutic alternatives to drugs. More importantly, because essential oils cannot be patented, drug companies will not waste money studying them. This limits our scientific knowledge of essential oils GREATLY, and the majority of what we know about them are things that have been passed down through thousands of years of personal use and experimentation.
Enormous amounts of plants are needed to produce essential oil. In fact, on the extreme end, it takes 4000 pounds of Bulgarian roses to produce 1 pound of essential oil. Other plants like lavender only take 100 pounds of plant material to produce a pound of essential oil. Still, can you imagine how concentrated essential oils must be, in light of how many plants are used to produce them?

Most essential oils should never be used undiluted on the skin. Instead, they should be combined with “real” oils (called carrier oils), waxes, butters, alcohols, or other diluting measures. Because they’re so concentrated, if you don’t dilute, you may end up with an unfortunate reaction (and unhappy skin).
There are a few essential oils that are generally recognized as safe to use undiluted. Of course, there has to be a few exceptions to the rule. Again, in Organic Body Care Recipes, the author points out that the only essential oils that are widely acknowledged as safe to use undiluted (sparingly) are: lavender, German chamomile, tea tree, sandalwood, and rose geranium.
Never use an undiluted essential oil on a baby or child. Children have much thinner, more delicate skin than adults have, and tend to be very sensitive to the potency of essential oils. In fact, even if you do use essential oil in a recipe for children, only use half of the essential oil recommended in the recipe. That’s all they’ll need, anyway. (Here is a list of 19 essential oils that are safe for babies and children.)
Avoid the following essential oils while pregnant or nursing (and skip EOs completely in your first trimester): Aniseed, cedarwood, chamomile, cinnamon, clary sage, clove, ginger, jasmine, lemon, nutmeg, rosemary, sage (this is only a partial list of some of the more common essential oils – view the full one here).
To test if you’re sensitive to an essential oil (which is probably best to do before using it in a skincare preparation): Combine one drop of essential oil with 1/2 tsp carrier oil (like olive, jojoba, or sweet almond). Rub this on the inside, upper portion of your arm and wait a few hours. If no redness or itching develops, you’re most likely not sensitive to that essential oil.
Keep all essential oils out of the reach of children – and avoid contact with your eyes. This is just standard safety precautions, but must be mentioned.
Do not take essential oils internally, especially oils like wintergreen and eucalyptus. While some essential oils may be used well-diluted in something like toothpaste with safety, it’s generally recognized that there’s no need to take essential oils internally. In fact, there are several toxic essential oils that should be avoided even through skin contact. Luckily, these are NOT common essential oils, and most of them you’ll never find in the store.

Not all essential oils are created equally, nor does more expensive necessarily mean “better.” There are certain brands I will use in a less therapeutic fashion (like for cleaning), because they’re far less expensive than their counterparts. When you see a wide fluctuation in price between, say, lavender essential oils, you can bet that the far less expensive one is likely lower in quality. However, a small variation in price differences on the higher end will NOT mean a better essential oil. It will just mean a higher price. (A little birdie also told me that there are also only a handful of essential oil distilleries in the world, which means that most essential oils come from the exact same places – thus there is little difference in quality between the more “typically priced” EOs.) What I’m saying here is: Understand that you DO have to pay for quality, but that if you’re just using essential oils in non-therapeutic fashions, it’s okay to use less expensive oils (like the Beeyoutiful ones pictured at the top of this post, or NOW brand essential oils). But if you want high quality, I suggest using Mountain Rose Herbs or another ethical supplier that offers organic essential oils (grown without pesticides or toxic fertilizers).
To test your essential oil to see how “pure” it is, put a single drop of it on a piece of construction paper. If it evaporates quickly and leaves no noticeable ring, it is pure. If you have a ring left, then it is likely diluted by the manufacturer with an oil of some sort (this test will not work for myrrh, patchouli, and absolutes).
Essential oils will last for at least 5 years (if not 10), so one bottle could literally last you a decade. Hopefully that thought will help mitigate the cost involved in purchasing some essential oils. Because they are SO concentrated and only a tiny amount is needed in anything you do, they’ll last you a very, very long time. The only exception to this rule is citrus oils, which will see a reduction in potency after a year or two.
Store your essential oils in dark glass bottles (which they were probably packaged in) and out of direct sunlight. This is simply to help preserve their potency.
Remember that what you’re allergic to in food, you will be allergic to in essential oils. So if, for some reason, you can’t eat sage without breaking out in a rash, steer clear of sage essential oil (or any product containing it).
USE ESSENTIAL OILS TO HELP YOUR MOOD. Lavender, peppermint, grapefruit, chamomile, lemon, ylang-ylang all help produce happy, joyous moods. Clary sage helps with PMS (although there have been reports that overuse of clary sage can lead to intoxication). Rosemary increases focus and concentration. Don’t forget the mood benefits of essential oils. Here’s an information packed aromatherapy reference chart to refer to.
The recommended usage of many essential oils is hotly contested throughout the aromatherapy profession. The majority of oils you find in the supermarket are absolutely safe (though you should research them before using them); however, once you start digging into the world of essential oils, you’ll find that professionals – even within the same organization – debate extensively over the use of certain oils. If you’re ever unsure about an oil or its use, do the research you can, and if you still cannot make up your mind as to its safety – avoid it. But, by all means, do NOT be afraid of essential oils. Just use them with care and respect, and all will be fine.

Recommended Essential Oils to Get You Started

“What essential oils do you recommend I buy?” is the number one question I receive.
It’s a tough one to answer, because what EOs you buy depends on what you’re going to use them for. Nonetheless, I’ve narrowed it down to 7 essential oils to consider when starting to use them in your personal care products or homemade cleaning supplies.

Peppermint (good for lip balms, oily/acneic skin, and cleaning products)
Rosemary (good for hair preparations, oily/acneic skin, and cleaning products)
Sweet orange (good for all skin types and very soothing in room sprays for children)
Rose geranium (good for all skin types, creating perfumes, and for use in homemade moisturizers)
Tea tree (great for healing, getting rid of dandruff, oily/acneic skin, and cleaning products)
Lavender (great for all skin types, for relaxation, hair preparations, and cleaning products)
Lemon (great for lifting moods, cleaning preparations, and sparingly in toners and products for oily skin)

All of these essential oils also happen to be some of the least expensive and easiest to find. Bonus!
Where should you buy them?

Mountain Rose Herbs
More Than Alive (who graciously supplied Crunchy Betty with the Beeyoutiful essential oils found in the first picture)
Whole Foods/Trader Joes (or your local natural foods store)
iHerb (use my personal code OZE706 at checkout to get $5 off your first purchase there)

Want to Learn More About Aromatherapy and Essential Oils?

Here are some of my favorite references for learning more about how to safely and effectively use essential oils in skincare, aromatherapy, and cleaning products.

Aromaweb is the best source for all things aromatherapy on the internet
Wavelengths Natural Health has an abundance of information on essential oil profiles and aromatherapy
All of the essential oil profiles on Mountain Rose Herbs contain descriptions, usage, and precautions (so it’s my favorite place to look up a single essential oil)
The book Aromatherapy: Soothing Remedies to Restore, Rejuvenate, and Heal contains an incredible amount of level-headed knowledge and recipes using essential oils
The Essential Oils Book by Colleen K. Dodt is small, but chock full of great info
And The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy is one last book to look for when learning more (and for more great recipes)

Would you believe that, even though this post is about 3000 words shorter than the original, you still learned THAT MUCH in 21 facts?

Unfortunately, there’s still so. much. more. to. talk. about. SO MUCH MORE.
So have at it.

Any questions? Anything you think other people should know about essential oils that I didn’t cover? Add to the wealth of knowledge and leave your comment.

Originally posted by http://www.crunchybetty.com/21-things-you-should-know-about-essential-oils

FYI Essential Oils for Eczema

Eczema is a chronic condition characterized by extremely dry skin, inflammation and red clusters of bumps that can become scaly, thick and crusty.

This is never fun to deal with and trying to get rid of it can be a constant battle. Although a natural treatment may take longer for healing, however there are some amazing essential oils for eczema that have a more lasting effect without the negative side effects of drug therapy.

Essential Oil Blends
One of the best ways to use aromatherapy oils for eczema is to make a blend. In order to do this, you should mix a carrier oil with several drops of healing essential oils. It is very important to dilute your blend, as essential oils are highly concentrated and could make your skin worse if applied directly to the skin. Ideal carrier oils include primrose, avocado, almond or jojoba oil; all of these are rich in omega fatty acids and other nutrients. For every two ounces of carrier oil, blend twenty-five drops of essential oil in with it. Make sure to store it correctly, in an airtight plastic or glass container, away from heat and light.

What Essential Oils Should I Use?
This is a good question to ask yourself when deciding which aromatherapy oils to use for your eczema. There are a variety of oils that can help; here is a list of a few and their specific properties:
• Geranium Oil: Often used in skin treatments for its normalizing and balancing properties.
• Lavender Oil: Has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, calming, and normalizing properties. It also supports immune health and is extremely beneficial for alleviating stress.
• Sandalwood Oil: Works as an antiseptic and a skin moisturizer.
• Tea Tree Oil: Protects the skin from infection, as an antiseptic, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal oil. This does not blend as well with other oils because it has a distinct smell.
• Clary Sage Oil: Is an anti-inflammatory and helps minimize stress and anxiety.

Most oils have a great deal of health benefits, and by using them you will do more for yourself than just treat eczema. They are all used for aromatherapy and can reduce stress and anxiety, a common trigger for eczema. Give these aromatherapy oils for eczema a try.

As a form of alternative medicine, aromatherapy is gaining momentum. It is used in a diverse range of applications for pain relief, mood enhancement and increased cognitive function. Aromatherapy is something anyone can start doing to provide increased health and wellness to themselves and their family.

Grab a carrier oil and your favorite essential oils and get started! By Emmy E Bill

Originally posted on http://www.medimiss.net/2013/04/essential-oils-for-eczema.html

FYI The top 10 best uses for peppermint essential oil

Peppermint essential oil is one of the most versatile essential oils available.

I carry my bottle with me everywhere I go. It's always in my purse when I am doing errands, working, traveling or at home.

I run into so many instances where I can use and share this wonderful essential oil.

Peppermint essential oil is incredibly powerful. Just one drop equals 28 cups of peppermint tea! Knowing this fact, you can appreciate how effective the oil can be when using it for the therapeutic applications listed below.

Also, my suggestions below are for an AFNOR/ISO certified therapeutic grade peppermint essential oil, such as Young Living's essential oils. Any other grade of essential oil will not produce desired results. But as I always say, be sure to know the growing, distillation and packaging methods of your essential oil supplier before purchasing essential oils.

The top 10 best uses for peppermint essential oil are:

(and in no particular order)

1. Soothe your digestive discomforts like nausea, diarrhea and indigestion:

Rub 1 or 2 drops on your stomach. Or, put one drop under your tongue or in a cup of water. It will relax the muscles of the stomach and intestines, helping you feel better, fast.

Actually, this is how I got involved with essential oils. My friend gave me a couple of drops of peppermint oil to put on my stomach when I was feeling nauseous. Three minutes later my belly felt completely normal. I was sold! And have been an avid essential oil user ever since.

2. Lower your fever:

Rub 3 drops of peppermint essential oil on the bottoms of your feet. It will penetrate the pores of your feet and enter your bloodstream within minutes, working to cool your body and lower your fever.

This method for reducing fevers is especially beneficial in children. If your child is under 2, dilute the peppermint in an organic olive oil before applying it to their skin. I recommend diluting 1 drop of peppermint to 1 drop of organic olive oil.

3. Clear your stuffy nose:

Dab small amounts of peppermint essential oil on your cheeks and forehead. Within seconds your congestion should begin to lessen and you should be able to breathe easier.

Be very careful not to get it into your eyes! It will burn and make your eyes water! But if this happens, relieve the burning sensation by dabbing some organic olive oil in and around your eye. Olive oil is safe to use in your eyes to reduce the burning. Or you can just wait it out! The burning only lasts a minute or so.

4. Freshen your breath:

Use a smidge of peppermint essential oil on your tongue. You don't need much! It will kill the bad breath bacteria and make your breath smell minty-fresh!

Using it as a breath freshener is a great replacement for chewing sugary gum or sucking on mints. Better for your teeth, too!

5. Cool you off from a hot flash or heat exhaustion:

Rub 1-2 drops of peppermint essential oil on the back of your neck. It will begin to produce a cooling and tingling sensation as it works to cool your core temperature.

A great recipe for cooling off on a hot day is...1 drop of peppermint essential oil in 1 gallon of water. Shake well, pour over ice and enjoy!

6. Energize your tired feet:

Fill a foot basin with warm water. Mix 1 cup of Epsom or Dead Sea salts with 3 drops of peppermint essential oil. Add the salt mixture to the foot bath and soak. The oil and salts will revitalize your aching feet by helping to decrease inflammation and swelling.

If you get pedicures, you can bring this salt mixture and have your nail tech add it to your soaking water for a refreshing pedicure.

7. Relieve your soreness due to inflammation, arthritis and overuse:

Rub 1-3 drops of peppermint essential oil on your area of discomfort. For an added boost, apply heat, like a microwavable heating pack, to drive the oil in deeper. It has high anti-inflammatory properties.

8. Improve your concentration and focus:

Rub 1 drop of peppermint essential oil on your temples whenever you feel scattered and unfocused. Studies have shown that diffusing it increases mental accuracy by 28%.

I love to use it when I'm driving late at night. It helps keep me awake until I arrive home. I also use it for overcoming writers block. I'm wearing it as I write this article!

9. Relieve your headaches and migraines:

Rub 1 drop of peppermint essential oil on your forehead and back of your neck. If you have nausea with your headaches, you can rub it on your belly and also a dab it on your tongue.

It feels great on your skin when you have a headache. Lay a cool towel over the places you dabbed peppermint and the cooling sensation will intensify, bringing much needed relief.

10. Curb your appetite:

Inhale peppermint essential oil 5-10 times per day or whenever irrational hunger strikes you. You can even put a dab on your tongue to deter the cravings.

I personally like to indulge my irrational cravings every once in a while, but try this tip if you're watching what you eat.

Peppermint essential oil tackles many different ailments. It's one of the most versatile essential oils on the planet. Even though I've only listed my top ten list here, there are many, many more uses for peppermint.

The next time you're experiencing one of these health challenges, reach for your bottle of peppermint essential oil. You won't be let down, I promise! By Christa McCourt

Originally Posted by http://www.medimiss.net/2013/02/the-top-10-best-uses-for-peppermint.html
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DIY How to Make Essential Oils By Distillation

How to Make Essential Oils

Essential oils are highly concentrated, volatile oils that can be extracted from aromatic plants. Their use dates back to ancient times, and their wide variety of therapeutic, medicinal and culinary uses has ensured their continued popularity.

About 700 different kinds of plants contain useful essential oils, and there are several methods employed to extract them, the most common of which is distillation

While essential oils can be very expensive to buy, they are relatively cheap to distill at home. This guide provides basic instructions on how to extract the oils using the relatively simple and effective water-and-steam distillation process.

Steps

Obtain or build a still (the apparatus used for distilling). You can purchase one specially designed for distilling essential oils; these generally cost a couple hundred dollars or more, but if you plan on doing a lot of distilling and you're not particularly mechanically inclined, this is probably the way to go. If you want to try building a still, you've got plenty of room for creativity - there are thousands of still designs, and even today, many stills are homemade. The key components of a still are:
- The heat source or furnace, which is used to boil the water. Direct fire, a fire built under the retort is the oldest method for heating the still. Today, we can also use gas, such as propane or butane, and electricity. Fuel costs are a major factor when considering a heat source for you distiller;
- The holding tank or retort, which holds both the water and, just above the water on a grate or false bottom - picture a vegetable steamer - the plant material to be distilled;
- The condenser, which collects the steam and cools it, usually by piping it through a tube immersed in cold water, and...
- The separator, which separates the essential oil from the water vapor. The separator, or Essencier, is one of the most important pieces of apparatus a distiller can have. This enables the distiller to separate the essential oils from the distillate in a passive manner.
Harvest your raw material. The quantity of essential oils contained in a plant varies over the course of the plant's development, so it is essential to harvest at the right time. This will depend on the type of plant, so you need to do some research to determine when to harvest.
It is also critical to harvest the plants correctly - careless handling, harvesting the wrong parts, even harvesting at the wrong time of day can reduce the quantity and quality of the essential oils. Again, research the plant you wish to distill.
If you're buying harvested material, you don't have much control over the harvesting process; look for plants that appear healthy and undamaged, and ask the seller when they were harvested. Generally plants that are in whole form (not crushed or powdered) are best.
Dry the plant material. Drying reduces the amount of oil in each plant, but can greatly increase your yield per batch because you will be able to fit more material into each batch. Drying should be done slowly and NOT in direct sunlight. You can choose not to dry your plant material. Commercially grown plants such as lavender and peppermint may be allowed to dry in the field after cutting for a day or so. The ideal drying method varies from plant to plant, but in general you should not overheat the plants - drying in the shade or even in a dark room minimizes the oil lost - you should not over-dry them, and you must not allow the plants to become wet again before distillation. Distill as soon as possible after drying.
Add water to the tank of your still. Use clean water, ideally filtered or distilled and as soft as possible. If you're using a manufactured still, follow the manufacturer's direction. Otherwise, simply make sure you have enough water in the still to complete the distillation; depending on the plant and on the quantity, distillation can take anywhere from a half-hour to six hours or more after the water boils.
Be sure that the water level is close to, but not touching, the false bottom that will hold the plant material.
If you are performing a hydrodistillation (this is useful for delicate flowers or powdered roots, bark or wood), you will need to have your plant material free floating IN the water.
Add your plant material and pack it tightly in the still. You do not need to chop or cut the plant material, and doing so will cause you to lose some of the oils. The plant material should rest on the false bottom or grate above the water and should touch the sides of the still as little as possible. The layer of plant material can be quite thick as long as it is below the steam outlet (a couple inches below the outlet for a small still, a foot below for a large one).
Close the still and boil the water. Most plants will release their essential oils at 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit, the normal boiling point of water.
Keep an eye on the still. After a while the distillate should begin to come through your condenser and into your separator. The process should be fairly hands-off, but you will want to ensure that you do not run out of water in your still. Depending on the length of the distillation process, you may also need to change the water in the condenser so that the cooling process continues to work. Follow the instructions for the particular plant you are distilling.
Filter the collected oil (optional). Once your distillation is complete you may filter the oil through cheesecloth or similar dry cotton fabric. Ensure that the cloth is dry and clean - detergent residues as well as dirt can contaminate the oil.

Pour the oil into a container for storage. Do this as quickly as possible. Most essential oils can be kept for at least two years, but some have extraordinary shelf lives. To maximize the useful life of your oil, keep it in a dark glass bottle or stainless steel container. Use a clean funnel to pour the oil into the container, and make sure the container is impeccably clean before pouring the oil into it. Store in a cool, dark place.
Decide what to do with the hydrosol. The distillation process produces the essential oil and a hydrosol, the term for the water that has been distilled and which collects in the separator. Some hydrosols are usable themselves - rose water or lavender water, for example. If you do not wish to save the hydrosol you can pour it into the still for the next batch (if you will be distilling another batch immediately) or you can discard it.
You can also place plant material directly into the water. This method is easier, but the quantity and quality of the resulting oil will be reduced. The best distillation method is steam distillation, in which the water is boiled in a separate retort and then pumped into the retort which holds the plant material. This method makes the best quality oil and allows you to control the process better, but it is more complicated (and more expensive) to set up.
Percent yields vary from plant to plant. You will need a lot of plant material to make a little essential oil. You may just decide to make hydrosols. If that is the case a small distiller such as a 5 liter or 10 liter copper distiller will be adequate. If you plan to make essential oils, consider obtaining a larger apparatus. A 40 liter rotating column alembic distiller, for example, will enable you to make up to 5 ounces of essential oil and a large quantity of hydrosols.
Most essential oils are held in the plant's oil glands, veins and hairs, and these are very fragile. If you disturb or break them, you will reduce your yield of oil, so it is essential to handle the plants with care and to handle them as little as possible.

Stainless steel and glass are the best materials for your distillation components. Do not use plastic tubing. Copper pots are traditionally used for the retort, and these work well for a variety of plants, but some plants contain chemicals that react with copper to produce unwanted impurities - heavily tinned copper is suitable in all cases, however. Aluminum can also be used, but not with plants, such as wintergreen and cloves, the oils of which contain phenols.
While distillation removes many impurities, pesticides and herbicides can contaminate your oil. For this reason it is best to use organically grown plants, whether you purchase them or grow your own.
Essential oils are extremely concentrated, and it is often advisable to dilute them in a carrier oil before applying them to skin.
The most popular carrier oils are almond oil and grapeseed oil, but a variety of different oils can be used. They can be added during the bottling process or mixed with the pure oil just prior to use. The latter is often preferable because you may not want diluted oil for some uses, and carrier oils often have a shorter shelf life than essential oils.

Warnings

Organic does not mean that pesticides or fertilizers were not applied to the plant, just different from commonly used synthetic pesticides or fertilizers (which some are less toxic than types of organics). Try to find a local grower who can inform you about how the plant was grown.
Most essential oils should not be ingested, especially if undiluted, and many should be diluted even when applied topically. Also, some essential oils are toxic. See the external links for more information.
For the distillation of most flowers, skip the drying process and distill soon after harvesting.
When drying plant material, exercise care not to allow the material to become contaminated with dirt, dust or other contaminants. Contamination will reduce the quality of your oil and may make it unusable.
Do not distill a batch for too long (check recommendations for the specific plant), as this will add little additional oil but may possibly contaminate your batch with unwanted chemical compounds.

Things You'll Need

Distillation equipment, including at least a tank or retort, a condenser, a furnace or other heat source and a separator.
Glass tubing to connect distillation components
Plant materials from which to extract the oils
Containers made of dark glass or stainless steel in which to store the oils

Sources and Citations

Edited by james_uk, Waited, Jack Herrick, Jlassroxursox and 29 others
Originally Posted by http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Essential-Oils
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Wednesday, January 1, 2014

2014 - The year to start using or start making Better Soap for your body

Have a great new year "LAVENDER" SOAP BY JESSIEPEARL'S HANDMADE SOAPS. The most common purpose for lavender today is aromatherapy. Well known as a sleep-promot...

"LAVENDER" SOAP BY JESSIEPEARL'S HANDMADE SOAPS. The most common purpose for lavender today is aromatherapy. Well known as a sleep-promot...

2014 - The year to start using or start making Better Soap for your body

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