Essential Oil Clarity Blend

May 16, 2013

Pink Grapefruit

Pink Grapefruit smells amazing – it’s like diffusing sunshine!  I use it in my favorite diffuser blend when I need clarity, energy and focus, like when I am writing for my blog or concocting skincare recipes.

12 drops pink grapefruit – Citrus paradisi – uplifting, fresh citrus scent
12 drops bergamot – Citrus bergamia – emotionally uplifting, combats stress
8 drops rosemary – Rosmarinus officinalis ct camphor – for clarity and energy

You can find my favorite diffuser on amazon.  I have several of these in my home and vary the recipes depending on the time of year and my aromatic goals.

http://www.amazon.com/Greenair-Advanced-Wellness-Instant-Healthful/dp/B004GJRG3K

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Fresh Fruit Facial – Strawberries

April 24, 2013

Tested out a new DIY fresh fruit facial for a friend teaching an aromatherapy class!  I feel more pressure when I am sharing a recipe – and honestly, (sometimes working with fresh fruit can take a little work to get the right consistency), but this one worked.  Phewwww….

This fruit facial recipe is a great way to exfoliate and soothe your skin! Yogurt has natural anti-bacterial properties, and I use a thick, rich yogurt to blend with natural fruit acids.

Strawberry + Yogurt Facial:

  • 1 cup greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp grapeseed oil
  • 4-5 strawberries
  • 3-4 drops lemon essential oil

Yogurt - natural source of lactic acid, to smooth and exfoliate skin.

Grapeseed Oil – rich source of anti-oxidants

Strawberries – natural source of salicylic acid

Lemon essential oil– anti-bacterial and astringent

Blend all ingredients together until smooth.  I use a Magic Bullet, which does a great job blending, but any small blender will do.  Apply the fruit and yogurt facial to a freshly cleansed face, and leave on for 10 minutes.  You may feel a slight tingling from the fruit acids at work on your skin!  Cleanse thoroughly with a warm washcloth and apply sunscreen.

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Custom fruit smoothies for the Eagles?

April 18, 2013

Loving this idea from the Philadelphia Eagles new coach, Chip Kelly. Wish I could read some of these personalized recipes!

From what I’v read, he has fresh fruit available for his athletes as well.  Hope it helps my team :)

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000160767/article/chip-kelly-debuts-personalized-smoothies-for-eagles

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blend, drink and apply!

April 9, 2013

Blended my kids a fruit and carrot smoothie this morning, then added papaya and 2 drops lemon essential oil for an easy, DIY facial!  Banana, carrot, organic flax-seed oil, lemon eo, strawberry and papaya.  All of these fruits have natural antioxidants and fruit acids to gently exfoliate and treat your skin.  Strawberries are a natural source of salicylic acid – i use them to naturally (and gently) exfoliate!

DIY facial with strawberry, banana, carrot and lemon

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fresh aloe – amazing skin treatment

April 3, 2013

For my “mature” skin, there’s nothing like a fresh aloe treatment.  Whenever my skin looks inflamed or a little irritated, I apply a thin coat of fresh aloe in the evening before bed.  When I wake up, my skin feels cleaner, tighter and less inflamed!

Here are some reasons to give it a try:

  1. chemical-free!
  2. inexpensive
  3. easy to use
  4. great results

Amazing natural skin treatment

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Pineapple/Papaya Enzyme Mask

March 26, 2013

DIY Pineapple/Papaya Enzyme Mask

This easy-to-blend mask has just a few simple ingredients.  I love using pineapple and papaya, which are both natural sources of enzymes.  This recipe is ideal for gentle exfoliation of dead skin cells and to give you a beautiful, natural glow!

  • 1/2 cup organic pineapple
  • 1/2 cup papaya
  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
  • squeeze of fresh lime

Cleanse face with a warm washcloth. Apply this gentle enzyme mask and leave on skin for about 15-20 minutes.  Rinse to reveal soft, smooth skin!

 

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Can’t get enough – natural salt baths ♥

March 12, 2013

Natural Salt Baths

When talking about the benefits of salts baths we’re always surprised by how many beauties aren’t taking salt baths on a regular basis. Does taking time to relax in a warm tub seem too decadent? Too sinful?
We think of mineral-rich salt baths as much more than a luxury! We use them as a part of our regimen to relax, de-stress, soothe sore muscles and condition our skin.The high mineral content (calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper and more) helps us relax and makes a warm bath feel like a guilty pleasure, even when it’s not.
Reasons to consider a warm salt bath:
*Less calories than chocolate
*Less sugar than a glass of wine
*Less expensive than a massagePink Himalayan and Dead Sea salts are on sale at http://www.makeminebodycare.com this month. Any two salts $40, regularly $50.  Online only.
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On the Aromahead Blog Tour!

March 5, 2013

Thrilled to be included with so many wonderful, informative blogs as part of the Aromahead Blog Tour! Check some of these out:

http://www.aromahead.com/blog/book-tour/featured-blogs-on-tour/

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monday morning detox juice

March 4, 2013

monday morning detox juice

Easy, refreshing and a great way to detox after a weekend of food and fun:

  • apples (1 green, b/c they have less sugar than red apples)
  • beets – 2, sliced
  • carrots – 2, large
  • cucumbers – 1 large organic

I used my new Juice Fountain Crush for this delicious combination of flavor and nutrients.  Yum!

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Juicing with Friends

February 22, 2013

I had fun blending and juicing with friends today!

We did a taste comparison with the same recipe, using two different juicer models and the Vitamix.  We’re all in love with the new Breville Juice Fountain Crush!  I’ve been using a Breville juicer for years, and I’ve overlooked how noisy and messy it was b/c it changed my life!  But, for Valentine’s Day I gave myself the Juice Fountain Crush – and I have a new love :)

This slow masticating juicer produced a delicious, nutrient-rich juice with much less fuss. It was also wayyyy more quiet, easier to clean with much less waste.

Prep

And, yes, I made handouts(dork :)  Here are the recipes from today:

Green Juice (Breville Juice Fountain Crush)

My favorite green juice – gives me lots of energy!

Honeydew melon is a rich source of vitamin C and copper, both of which are important for the health of your skin.  (Healthy skin from the inside-out is a little obsession of mine!)

Vitamin C and copper are both involved in collagen product and skin repair.

  1. 5 kale leaves (or, handful of red kale or, 2 collard green leaves)
  2. 1 large english cucumber
  3. 1/2 small bunch of parsley or cilantro
  4. 1 cup honeydew melon
  5. 1 green apple
  6. a few mint leaves (makes everything taste a like a mojito!)
  7. squeeze of lime (I don’t run my citrus thru the juicer unless it’s organic – too many pesticides
  8. Tip: Juice the kale first – the other ingredients will help rinse what is left of the kale into your drink.

Green Smoothie (Vitamix/Blender) – adapted from Vita-mix demo Whole Foods, Annapolis

  1. 2 cups green grapes
  2. ½ banana
  3. ½ cup of pineapple
  4. 1 cup spinach
  5. 1 apple (I use green b/c they have less sugar)
  6. thin slice of lime
  7. ½ cup spring water or coconut water (chrissy’s suggestion)
  8. 1-2 cups ice

Blend ingredients 1-7 on high until mixed well.  Add ice and blend til smooth. Everyone really enjoyed this one.

Blending with my Vita-mix

As usual, everything in the Vita-mix was delicious and easy-to-make. For our final morning blend, I winged it….blueberries, oranges, mango, strawberries, and a few cups of spinach…plus whatever I had in the fridge… with some ice, raw organic shelled hemp seeds for protein and healthy fats, plus acai berry powder as rich source of antioxidants.

Yumm…I could hear everyone’s agreement that this blend was a win.

Next time, maybe a juicing cocktail hour? :) xoxo

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