Wax and Bubbles

Essential oils are all around us, just like with herbs. The benefits of essential oils goes beyond what most modern-day medicine practicing doctors can prescribe, but getting the benefits of the essential oils in your own home is really very easy. A holistic approach to your ills and moods is the main area where essential oils shine through. With using essential oils in your products you can create custom blends as well as products within your own home. They are very earth-friendly and super easy to make at home. No basic knowledge of making products needs to be known. All you will need to make your custom blends is the essential oils, a carrier oil as well as some patience.

Blending of essential oils:

• Calm Alert Blend:
13 drops of lavender essential oil
8 drops of coriander essential oil
4 drops of grapefruit essential oil

• Invigorating Blend:
17 drops of rosemary essential oil
8 drops of peppermint essential oil

• Relaxation Blend:
20 drops of lavender essential oil
3 drops of ylang ylang essential oil
2 drops of frankincense essential oil or can be substituted for sandal wood essential oil

• Sensual Blend:
10 drops of sweet orange essential oil
10 drops of sandalwood essential oil or can be substituted for cedar wood essential oil
5 drops of ylang ylang essential oil

• Calming into sleep Blend:
10 drops sweet almond oil
10 drops Roman chamomile essential oil
5 drops lavender essential oil

• Anti-Depression Blend:
1 drop Rose essential oil
3 drops sandalwood essential oil
1 drop sweet orange essential oil

Lavender has a soothing property to it in oil, or dried bud form. Just one smell and you immediately feel more relaxed with the world and what’s going on around you. Making a lotion to use during these occasions or just having a salve for when your hands are dry. It is a great way to cure the blues and heal those happed hands.

What you will need:
• 10-15 drops lavender essential oil

• 1/2 cup dried lavender flowers (either grow your own or pick them up at any health food store or herb specially shop)

• 4 tbs. grated beeswax or beads

• 1 cup light olive oil

• Double boiler

• Glass measuring cup

• Cheesecloth

• Storage container with a tight fitting lid

Pour 1 cup olive oil into the top of a double boiler. Add 1/2 cup dried lavender flowers. Gently heat olive oil and lavender flowers over simmering water for about 15 minutes. While you are waiting, cover the measuring cup with a piece of the cheesecloth and secure it with a thick rubber band.

Remove the olive oil mixture from the heat. Carefully strain through the cheesecloth into the measuring cup. When most of the oil has been filtered through the cheesecloth, remove the rubber band and gather the cheesecloth up and squeeze as much of the oil out of the lavender flowers as possible. Using latex gloves or kitchen cleaning gloves will help control the oil on your hands. If you do the squeezing with no gloves on your will need plenty of paper towels around because your hands will be covered in oil.

Place the measuring cup in the double boiler. Using a glass or plastic dropper, carefully add 10-15 drops of the lavender essential oil. Add 4 tbs. of the grated beeswax beads. Stir over simmering water until melted. After it has been completely combined with the oil and lavender mixture pour your finished oil mixture into your containers. Place in the refrigerator for several minutes. If it is too hard add more olive oil, if it is too soft add more beeswax. Let it harden for about 2 hours.

This recipe makes about 1 cup of salve

Our hands are the most important tools to our well being. In the garden as well as everyday tasks, we depend on them to plant, pick, pull and haul things around for us.

To keep your hands looking and feeling their best, use this rich handmade cream before and after you work outdoors as well as when they get dry from everyday usage. Especially during the winter, we can suffer from dryness. With SPF of about 6; if you burn easily, use a commercial sunscreen as well with this hand cream. The lavender is a traditional insect repellent. Keep a jar next to all of your sinks, desk, and outdoor faucets when you wash you hands then apply the hand cream.

What you will need:

3 tablespoons grated beeswax
1/2 cup dark sesame oil
1 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoon spring water
2 to 3 drops of lavender essential oil
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Combine all the ingredients in a heat-resistant container or a double boiler. Gently heat in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium high heat, stirring often, do not allow the mixture to boil or it will burn. Heat until the wax and oils melt completely. Pour the mixture into a container or a jar and allow to cool. After the mixture has cooled completely, give it a final stirring and place on a tight fitting lid. To u, massage the cream into clean hands. As stated above, this mixture is a great after washing cream for outdoor activities. This recipe makes roughly about 4 ounces of hand cream.