Summer is the time of the year when we can show off our skin and hair, but not if we are embarrassed! Thankfully, nature has already provided a way to have healthy skin and hair through essential oils! A real food, clean diet, along with quality sleep and lots of water help tremendously, too. Learn more about these powerful plant compounds here!

To learn the essential oils basics, like why and how to use them, please visit the Discover Essential Oils page first.

Toxic Chemicals to Avoid in Cosmetics and Skincare Products

We could literally do a whole other class just on the toxic chemicals founds in personal care products and cosmetics! However, we don’t like dwelling on the negative, so we will just hit the highlights.

It only takes 26 seconds for products we place on our bodies to enter the bloodstream – do you know what’s getting in your bloodstream?

The skin is the largest organ on your body – what we put on our skin and hair MATTERS as it’s literally being distributed all over the body. It is so important that we use products that do not contain toxic and harmful chemicals, which sadly abound in today’s shampoos, conditioners and body washes. The worst ones of all are those from places like Bath and Body Works which are heavily scented with artificial fragrances, which are known to irritate and aggravate the respiratory system.

The reason there are so many toxic products on the market is for two reasons: The American government doesn’t require health studies or pre-market testing of the chemicals in personal care products, even though just about everyone is exposed to them. And secondly, products are much cheaper to make when they can be man-made in a lab insteading of coming from nature.

Here are the most common ingredients you’ll find and a little bit about what makes them dangerous (from the ewg.org):

Formaldehyde: “A potent preservative considered a known human carcinogen by the International Agency on Research on Cancer. Formaldehyde, also an asthmagen, neurotoxicant and developmental toxicant, was once mixed into to many personal care products as antiseptic. This use has declined. But some hair straighteners are based on formaldehyde’s hair-stiffening action and release substantial amounts of the chemical.”

Fragrance: “It may help sell products from face cream to laundry detergent, but do you know what’s in it? Fragrances are in everything from shampoo to deodorant to lotion. Federal law doesn’t require companies to list on product labels any of the chemicals in their fragrance mixture. Recent research from EWG and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found an average of 14 chemicals in 17 name brand fragrance products, none of them listed on the label. Fragrances can contain hormone disruptors and are among the top 5 allergens in the world. Our advice? Buy fragrance free wherever possible.”

Oxybenzone: “Sunscreen agent and ultraviolet light absorber, found in the bodies of nearly all Americans, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In human epidemiological studies, oxybenzone has been linked to irritation, sensitization and allergies. A study of 404 New York City women in the third trimester of pregnancy associated higher maternal concentration of oxybenzone with a decreased birth weight among newborn baby girls but with greater birth weight in newborn boys. Studies on cells and laboratory animals indicate that oxybenzone and its metabolites may disrupt the hormone system.”

Parabens (specifically Propyl-, Isopropyl-, Butyl-, and Isobutyl- parabens): “Parabens are estrogen-mimicking preservatives used widely in cosmetics. The CDC has detected parabens in virtually all Americans bodies. According to the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Products, longer chain parabens like propyl and butyl paraben and their branched counterparts, isopropyl and isobutylparabens, may disrupt the endocrine system and cause reproductive and developmental disorders.”

Helpful articles: http://www.ewg.org/research/exposing-cosmetics-cover-up

Top Tips for Safe Products – http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/top-tips-for-safer-products/

 

Pamper Aging Skin With These Oils

Young Living’s lavender is highly regarded for skin and beauty. Today, we use lavender to cleanse, support normal sleep, ease occasional stressful moods, and soothe sun-exposed skin.

Frankincense supports the skin and helps to smooth fine lines and aging skin.

They would also be appropriate for younger folks as well, helping to keep the skin clear and clean.

 

Orange Blossom Facial Wash

Orange Blossom Facial Wash™ is a gentle, non abrasive, free-rinsing cleanser that removes dirt and makeup without stripping skin of natural oils. It contains MSM (methylsulfonylmethane – a sulfur compound) to promote healthier and clearer skin, wolfberry seed oil to hydrate, and essential oils to soothe with aromatic benefits. Added botanicals protect skin from free radical damage.

It contains: lavender, patchouli, lemon, rosemary, decyl polyglucose, calendula extract, chamomile extract, rosebud extract, orange blossom extract, St. John’s wort extract, algae, aloe vera gel, kelp extract, Ginkgo biloba extract, and grape seed extract, among a few other botanically-derived ingredients.

 

Satin Mint Facial Scrub

Satin Facial Scrub™ Mint is an advanced cleansing formula designed for normal skin. It cleans, nourishes, and stimulates without damaging the skin’s natural pH balance. Safe, gentle ingredients help to exfoliate and rejuvenate the skin for a fresher, smoother appearance. Contains MSM (a sulfur compound that strengthens hair & skin), shea butter, antioxidant vitamins, aloe vera, peppermint essential oil, with extracts of rosemary, chamomile, and grape seed.

The peppermint in it makes it so fresh and uplifting and a great way to clear your skin so it can start fresh and new each week.

The suggested usage is once a week.

 

Oils for Challenging Skin

Have a teenager in the house or have some problem skin you’d like to clear up? I suggest these oils as I have used them with great success!

Melrose is a blended oil of tea tree, naouli, rosemary and clove. Tea Tree supports clear, healthy skin and is well known for skin care.

Just add a few drops to your daily fash wash or lotion, or make a roll on with 1 tbsp. of your favorite carrier oil, like Young Living’s V-6, and 5-10 drops of one or both of these oils!
You could also make a roll on out of these oils, with 1 tablespoon of your favorite carrier oil, and 5-6 drops of one or both of these oils. Roll on the troubling areas several times a day.

 

Lavender Mint & Copaiba Vanilla Hair Care

Young Living’s shampoo and conditioners are all natural, plant-based, environmentally responsible, non-toxic and safe – which is something you can’t say about most shampoos and conditioners out there. Most of them add to the toxins we already get on a daily basis.

I have long been making my own shampoo and conditioner with Castile soap and apple cider vinegar until now! I am absolutely taken by the Copaiba Lime shampoo and conditioner as I have very dry, curly hair. My hair is so soft and silky!

Lavender Mint Daily Shampoo & Conditioner contain rosemary, lavender, peppermint and spearmint essential oils.

Copaiba Vanilla Shampoo & Conditioner contain rosemary leaf extract and lavender, copaiba, geranium, and lime essential oils with Vanilla Absolute.

 

Lavender Volume Hair Care – All Natural, Sulfate & Paraben Free!

Lavender Volume Shampoo™ gently cleanses and volumizes fine hair while nourishing and restoring balance. Long known for its ability to improve the appearance of hair and skin, lavender oil works its fragrant magic to enhance the natural beauty of your hair. Added botanical extracts, vitamins, and essential oils remove buildup that comes from commercially sold hair products while maximizing body. Renewing and invigorating, Lavender Volume Shampoo contains MSM, a sulfur compound that is known for strengthening hair.

Lavender Volume Conditioner™ gently conditions and volumizes fine hair. A fabulous follow-up to Lavender Volume Shampoo, it is formulated with MSM, milk protein, and vitamins to strengthen limp and weak hair. Essential oils are added to ensure that nutrients penetrate the hair follicle and leave the hair clean and perfumed.

 

DIY Hair Serum & Deep Conditioning Treatment

Rosemary and Geranium are two wonderful oils for the hair. They even help support the skin of the scalp!

All you need is a glass medicine dropper bottle, rosemary, geranium, and olive oil.

Fill your medicine dropper bottle with 5 drops of rosemary and 5 drops of geranium.

Fill rest of bottle with olive oil. Done!

Apply to your hair one hour before showering. Cover with a shower cap so the heat from your head will help drive the oils deeper into your hair and scalp. Wash and condition as normal.

You could also do it before bedtime and sleep with the serum on your hair, then wash and condition in the morning.

Other good essential oils for the hair include Tea Tree, Ylang Ylang and lavender.

 

Bath and Shower Gels from Young Living

Lavender Gel – cleanses and rejuvenates your skin while it soothes and relaxes your mind.

Morning Start: refreshing with Peppermint, Lemongrass, and Rosemary

Dragon Time: calming and soothing, especially during a woman’s cycle. Contains Mandarin and Lavender

Sensation: encourages relaxation with Ylang Ylang and Jasmine to balance female energy

Evening Peace: refreshes the skin and calms the mind. Contains Sandalwood, Roman Chamomile, Ylang Ylang, and Geranium

All are free of chemicals and synthetic preservatives and contains plant-based ingredients such as coconut oil.

How to use: Pour in bath water for a luxurious bubble bath or place on a loofah and lather.

 

DIY Body Wash with Pure Castile Soap & Essential Oils

Making your own body wash is very easy! This recipe is as pure as it gets, with Castile Soap which is made from olives, so it is free of sulfates like sodium laureth sulfate, which is a detergent and strips your skin of it’s natural sebum.

Supplies: 1 foaming soap pump (if plastic, choose PETE plastic), liquid castile soap, 10-15 drops of your favorite essential oils, water

Fill bottle 1/4 of the way with castile soap. Add the oils to the soap. Fill to the fill line with water. Done!

Suggested essential oils to use:

• Relaxation, soothing: Stress Away, Gentle Baby, lavender, Ylang Ylang, geranium, cedarwood, sandalwood,
• Refreshing & uplifting: rosemary and peppermint, eucalyptus, Citrus Fresh
• Grounding: Valor II, Idaho Balsam Fir, Shutran (for men)

 

Bosweilla Wrinkle Cream

Boswellia™ Wrinkle Cream nourishes skin for a smoother, more youthful appearance. Its primary ingredient methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) supports collagen to improve skin firmness and minimize fine lines. Essential oils geranium, myrrh, sandalwood, and ylang ylang soothe and soften the skin, while frankincense and wolfberry oil enhance collagen formation.

How to Get Started with 24% Off

Young Living is a referral-based company, so make sure to ask the person on the Whole Life Oils team who referred you to this post so you can join under them, or contact us here and we will connect you to the right person! In the meantime, learn more about how to get started here, so you can get 24% off all of these products!