Tag: essential oils

The Only 2 DIY Yoga Mat Cleaners You’ll Ever Need

My love affair with essential oils continues! From skin care to household cleaners, I put drops of essential oil in everything. I was a bit scared at first because the last thing I wanted my house and my body to smell like was a hippie. No offense, I know some hippies that I absolutely love, but I sure do gag at the smell of patchouli (shout out to Ithaca, NY! i love you guys!).

Anyway, the other day, I was about to start my home yoga routine because I’m like #yogaeverydamnday. I rolled out my mat and was greeted by the ghost of workouts past. My yoga mat smelled like the rankest of gym bags. Horrified, I ran and grabbed my pillow mist from my bedside table and sprayed the yoga mat down. I did my routine, but I knew that I had only masked the odor of sweat and that my poor little, hard-working yoga mat still wasn’t clean.

DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner With Essential Oils

So, armed with essential oils, white vinegar, and distilled water, I was able to disinfect and freshen up my mat in no time at all! Here are two quick recipes that I alternate between about every two weeks.

DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner

DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner with Essential Oils

What You Need

  • small spray bottle (I’ve been using these glass bottles for all of my green beauty products)
  • distilled water
  • witch hazel (fun fact: if you don’t have witch hazel, you can use Vodka instead!)
  • essential oils (peppermint + lavender +tea tree= what I imagine heaven smells like)

Directions

  • fill your bottle about 3/4 of the way with distilled water
  • add about 1/8 tsp of witch hazel or vodka
  • add anywhere from 5-15 drops of essential oils (I used about 5 drops each of peppermint, lavender, and tea tree oil)
  • Shake the bottle and spray your mat
  • Wipe the mat down with a clean damp dish towel
  • Allow your mat to dry before you try to do King Dancer Pose!

DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner without Essential Oils

What You Need

  • Small spray bottle (I’ve been using these glass bottles for all of my green beauty products)
  • distilled water
  • white vinegar
  • fresh lemon

Directions

  • Fill your bottle about 3/4 of the way with distilled water
  • Add about 1/8 tsp of white vinegar
  • Squeeze a few drops of fresh lemon juice.
  • Shake the bottle and spray your mat
  • Wipe the mat down with a clean damp dish towel

Store your yoga mat cleaner the right way!

  • The mat cleaner containing essential oils can be stored in your gym bag, or any cool dry place.
  • The mat cleaner containing fresh lemon should be refrigerated.

Image Credit: Sophie Uliano

Homemade Whipped Body Butter

DIY Homemade Whipped Body Butter—Spa Days at Home

Here’s a recipe that serves as a base for all natural, homemade body butters. Once you master this recipe, you’ll be able to make your favorite body butters at home for a fraction of the price!
Homemade Whipped Body Butter

Homemade Whipped Body Butter

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup each of organic
  • cocoa butter
  • shea butter
  • coconut oil
  • olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon of essential oils

Directions

  1. Add cocoa butter, shea butter, coconut oil and olive oil into a double boiler. If you do not have one, use a glass or metal bowl over a pan of boiling water.
  2. Heat until melted, mixing with whisk. Remove whisk and put mixture into fridge for one hour or until firm.
  3. With hand mixer, whip oils until creamy and light. Add essential oils and mix again.
  4. Spoon your body butter into glass jars. Mixture may seem a bit moist after whipping but will firm up after a few minutes.

***Essential oils are what give this body butter its ‘flavor’ and there are so many combinations to choose from!

Try these combos:

  • grapefruit+lavender
  • orange+bergamot
  • rose+ylang ylang
  • lemon+lime

Source: Homemade Whipped Body Butter – Lia Griffith

3 Ways to Make Your Home Smell Like Christmas

Christmas Potpourri

So you’ve decked the halls with awesome Christmas decorations. You’ve been gorging yourself on freshly baked cookies, and washing it all down with delicious cocktails. The holiday season really is in full swing. Decorating, baking, and bartending are all great ways to make the holidays memorable, but perhaps the best way is to fill your home with the familiar fragrances of the season.

1 Cinnamon Sticks, Pine Cones, and Cloves

Cinnamon and Cloves

This is the ‘no fuss, no muss’ method. Place cinnamon sticks, pine cones, or cloves around your house and let them work their magic. For a little extra kick, you can add a couple of drops of an essential oil like peppermint or vanilla directly to your cinnamon sticks or pine cones to enhance the fragrance. Display them in a decorative bowl, or even use them as Christmas tree ornaments.

2 Pomander

Pomander

A pomander is a piece of fruit (typically an orange), studded with cloves, and then hung by a ribbon or decorative twine. You can even display them in a small glass bowl right on your mantel, or a side table. Not only do they let off a very consistent and soft aroma, but they’re also really pretty to look at. Check out the full tutorial here.

3 Stove Top Christmas Potpourri

Christmas Stove Top Potpourri
Image Copyright: iheartnaptime.net

This requires a little more work than the other options, but it’s well worth the effort. There are plenty of combinations to choose from. You just have to add the ingredients of your favorite potpourri recipe to a pot of boiling water, reduce the heat to low, and enjoy. Never, ever leave an unattended pot on the stove (Bailey cares). Just give your stove top potpourri time to humidify and perfume your home, then shut the stove off 🙂 My personal favorite recipe calls for fresh cranberries. You can find the full tutorial here.

What are some of your favorite Christmas scents? How do you get your home ready for the holiday?

 

 

 

Holiday Themed Sugar Scrubs: Spa Days at Home

Sugar Scrub

There are so many wonderful fragrances that remind me of the holiday season.  Peppermint, vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chocolate all get me in the holiday mood. So for this Spa Days at Home post, I thought I’d share some DIY Sugar Scrub recipes inspired by my favorite holiday!

Sugar scrubs are so easy to make and to customize. With one cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of oil, and a few drops of your favorite essential oils you’ll be well on your way to a relaxing spa day at home. They also make a perfect and thoughtful gift for the holidays.

I found this neat infographic on U-createcrafts.com that perfectly illustrates this very basic sugar scrub recipe.

DIY Sugar Scrubs

This sugar+oil formula is the foundation of every single sugar scrub you’ll ever make. Super simple! The real fun is in what you choose to add to it. Here are my top 3 holiday-themed sugar scrub recipes:

1 Peppermint Sugar Scrub

http://thefrugalgirls.com/2014/02/peppermint-sugar-scrub.html
Image Copyright: thefrugalgirls.com

Super Simple Recipe: Sugar+Oil+10 drops Peppermint Essential Oil

2 Cinnamon Vanilla Sugar Scrub

Image Copyright: theidearoom.net
Image Copyright: theidearoom.net

Super Simple Recipe: Sugar+Oil+3 drops Cinnamon Essential Oil+7 drops of Vanilla Essential Oil

3 Chocolate Mint Sugar Scrub

Image Copyright: sugarandcloth.com
Image Copyright: sugarandcloth.com

Super Simple Recipe: Sugar+Oil+2tbs Unsweetened Cocoa+10 drops Peppermint Essential Oil

These sugar scrubs smell divine and will leave your skin feeling super smooth. These are my top 3, but please feel free to share your favorites with me!