Lavender Rose Bath Soak

Here’s a sweet little recipe to add some pretty into your day!

We all know the feeling of tired, aching muscles. After a long day, sometimes you come home feeling like you can barely crawl into your bed!

Bath soaks are wonderful for relieving tension and loosening up tight muscles- perfect after a long day at the office or a challenging workout. Add in a few drops of lavender essential oil to calm and relax your mood and mind and you’ll be ready for one fantastic night of sleep!

You’ll need:

• 1 1/2 cups Epsom Salt (or blend of Epsom and Dead Sea Salt)
• 1/4 cup Rose Buds & Petals
• 5-10 Drops Lavender Essential Oil
• Lidded Jar

Start by mixing the essential oil into the salt. Make sure that you thoroughly blend the oil throughout, breaking up clumps as you go.

Next, add in the rose petals. I used 1/4 cup of petals and buds, but feel free to increase or decrease this amount based on your preferences.

Stir the petals into the salt mixture. For me, I wanted to see the rose petals speckled throughout the salt (not too heavy, but not too light either) so 1/4 cup was just the right amount.

Transfer the mixture into a lidded jar for packaging and storage.

To use:

Add the desired amount of the soak mixture to warm bath water. Soak for at least 20 minutes to relieve muscle tension and relax your body.

ENJOY!

PS- This recipe would make a wonderful gift!

Source:  bulkapothocary.com

DIY: Soak Away Stress Bath Oils

The most relaxing baths are warm, not hot! Hot water causes muscles to contract while warm water calms it by increasing circulation and relaxes the muscles. If you are looking to release stress and anxiety, add this essential blend to your warm bath or foot soak.

3 drops bergamot essential oil
2 drops clary sage essential oil
2 drops sandalwood essential oil
2 drops neroli essential oil
2 drops lavender essential oil

DIY: Face Cleansing Oils

In 2014,  oil cleansing officially became "a thing" in the beauty industry. Face washes formulated with oil took the world by storm, and at $40 to $60 a bottle, these wonder tonics promised smooth, ageless skin.

It was a surprising turn of events, since oil had previously been viewed as the enemy of a beautiful complexion for years. As far back as the Victorian era, women powdered their faces with everything from chalk to talc to arsenic to give their skin a matte look. Even today, entire aisles of drugstores are dedicated to products that tout "oil-free" ingredient lists and the ability to kill shine and absorb excess grease.

But unfortunately, many of them do more harm than good. Those grapefruit-scented antibacterial foaming face washes actually dry out the skin, stripping the complexion of naturally occurring hydrating oils along with makeup and residue from the day. Without those natural oils, which keep skin in check, it has to work overtime to produce moisture and rebalance itself—and that only serves to bring on way more oil than normal. And then: greasiness, shiny, uneven skin, and more pimples.

The surprising (and somewhat unbelievable) solution to the problem of acne and shiny skin? Fight fire with fire. Or rather, oil with oil.

Cleansing skin with oil actually dissolves dirt and pimple-causing oil that's sitting in the pores, leaving skin clean and soft. And you don't need to spend $60 on a bottled cleansing oil product—we'll show you how to make your own, totally customized version for a fraction of the cost.

DIY Facial Cleansing Oil
The rules are simple: Use two base oils, and add whatever essential oils you like for your skin. Just like in aromatherapy, different oils have different effects on pores, so it takes a little bit of exploration to find your perfect fit.

• For your two base oils, we recommend castor oil and one more emollient carrier oil. Castor oil is a bit more viscous than most oils and acts as an astringent, but it's also anti-inflammatory and very healing.

• Then pick a carrier oil—jojoba, sweet almond, apricot, avocado, and grapeseed are all gentle options that won't aggravate skin or clog pores for most people.

Mix your oils together in a small bowl, or in the palm of your hand if you don't mind getting a little messy.  Massage skin gently with your oil blend for about 30 seconds to remove makeup and dirt, then add a little water with your fingertips and continue to work the oils into your skin.  For extra pore-opening power, run hot water over a washcloth and lay over skin for about ten seconds. Then, buff skin with a wet washcloth to remove oil.

The result? Soft, clean skin that may not even need a ton of moisturizer. Your skin might be a little funky for the first few days of oil cleansing, but be patient and play around with the combination of oils until you find one that works for you. We've laid out our favorite blends for every type of skin below.

Oily and acne-prone

Start with a ratio of 30 percent castor oil to 70 percent carrier oil. Don't go too crazy—a little of this cleanser goes a long way! For added beautiful skin benefits, try adding a few drops of tea tree, rosemary, or sandalwood oil into the mix.

Combination

Because your skin produces less oil naturally, you can get away with 20 percent castor oil to 80 percent of a carrier oil like sunflower seed oil or sweet almond oil. Balancing, soothing essential oils like cedarwood, lavender, and lemongrass can be added into the mix for a more even skin tone.

Dry

For skin that's on the drier side, skip castor oil altogether. (The biggest advantage of this oil is its astringent properties, and if your skin is delicate already, you really don't need it.) Instead, use a super softening blend of a carrier oil like jojoba or argan oil and essential oils like rose, geranium, ylang-ylang. Lavender and myrrh can help keep mature skin looking youthful, fresh,  and clear.

You should immediately notice a difference in the look of your skin after oil cleansing—but the real changes will take a few weeks to show up on your face. Stick with it, play with different oils, and see how it goes!

DIY: Body Scrub

Why it works: The cane sugar and salt gently exfoliate the skin, while the lemon zest, vanilla extract and spice add a beautiful, natural fragrance. The almond oil moisturizes after the skin is exfoliated. The fresh lemon juice helps reduce the oil a bit, so your skin (or your tub) won't be too greasy!

• 1 cup organic cane sugar
• 1 cup table-grade sea salt
• Fresh lemon zest
• 2/3 cup almond oil
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1 teaspoon of spice (I use garam masala, but I also suggest nutmeg or cinnamon)

Directions: Stir dry and wet ingredients together and spoon into jars. Essential oils may be added, if desired.

DIY: Natural Face Scrub

Face scrub (for dry skin)

• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil 

Directions: Warm the coconut oil to its liquid form to make mixing easier. Combine ingredients and stir.

Why it works: The honey naturally draws moisture to your skin, and the brown sugar acts as a gentle exfoliate. The coconut oil is a moisturizer with a small molecular structure, so it’s easily absorbed and doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy.

Alternate face scrub (for all skin types)

• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup powdered milk
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• Petals from 2 dried roses

Directions: Mix for about 45-60 seconds in a blender. Pour about a teaspoon into your hand and add warm water. Mix into a spreadable paste and gently scrub onto your face, avoiding the eyes. Rinse thoroughly.

Why it works: The rolled oats soothe the skin. The rose petals also have a number of soothing properties: antibacterial, moisturizing and anti-inflammatory.

DIY: Natural Foot Scrub

Why it works: The sea salt exfoliates, the baking soda deodorizes and the lime acts as an anti-bacterial agent. The coconut oil moisturizes, the peppermint reduces pain, and the sprigs of fresh rosemary add a natural fragrance.

• 1 cup Epsom salt 
• 1 cup of sea salt, table grade
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• Zest of a lime
• Juice of a lime
• 3/4 cup of coconut oil 
• 1/4-1/2 cup of canola oil, enough to allow blender to whip
• 4-6 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• Essential oil of peppermint

Mix sea salt and Epsom salt. Add lime zest, stir and pour into blender. Add coconut oil, canola oil, lime juice and rosemary sprigs. Mix for 60-90 seconds. Pour into a bowl and add baking soda. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes. Add peppermint essential oil and mix. Store the scrub in a jar and use within a few weeks of making.

DIY: Lip Scrub

Why it works: The sugar exfoliates, and the honey sweetens and soften lips. It also acts as a natural humectant, helping you skin retain moisture. The jojoba moisturizes and protects. 

You can add vanilla, but it's quite tasty as is!

• 3 teaspoons of jojoba oil
• 3 tablespoons of honey
• 3 tablespoons of cane sugar
• Vanilla (optional)

Scrub your lips gently and follow with a lip butter.

DIY: Stress Relief Bath

Natural Spa Treatment

Once a week for at least 20 minutes, sit in a hot bath that contains:

Epsom Salt - handful

10 drops lavender essential oil

1/2 cup baking soda

Draws out toxins, lowers stress-related hormones, and balances your PH levels.