Botanicals are a great way to nourish and enrich our largest organ, the skin! Through a variety of botanical treatments we can feed our bodies much needed vitamins and minerals and improve our physical, emotional, mental and psychological daily health and wellness!

Body Lotions:

Petal Power Body Lotion

Settle nervous energy and worry with this all over emotional lotion!

This blend is profoundly calming and soothing, which is so helpful during times of situational anxiety or stress. It’s a quick blend that can be made and stored or made in the fly as needed!

The synergy of these essential oils quiets the nerves, relaxes the tension, and supports the mind and spirit, helping you manage excessive worrying and overthinking.

Ingredients

• 2 drops of Ylang Ylang [Cananga odorata] essential oil
• 2 drops of Neroli [Citrus aurantium] essential oil
• 6 drops of Roman Chamomile [Chamaemelum nobile] essential oil
• 60ml unscented natural lotion

Supplies

1 - 60ml amber PET plastic bottle with pump or flip cap

Directions

1. Blend the essential oil in 60ml of unscented lotion.
2. Mix with a glass stir rod or metal spoon.
3. Apply to your neck, throat, and chest 3 times a day.

Safety & Dilution

• This blend was created at a 1% dilution.
• There are no safety concerns or contraindications to be listed.
• Carries the HgH Littles Safe Seal: Safe for children 5 years and older.

Storage and Shelf life

• Store in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight.
• If stored correctly product shelf life should be a minimum of 12 months.

The Aromatic Actions of this Blend:

Ylang Ylang Essential Oil is heralded for being helpful with stress and anxiety. It's also used in cases of depression or when trying to cope with anger. Ylang Ylang Oil in blends is intended to focus upon energies of happiness, gratitude and celebrating blessings. Ylang Ylang is also considered an aphrodisiac when used in higher doses. Topically, Ylang Ylang Oil has been praised for helping combat acne and oily skin. It is clinically evidenced as a botanical that may help with alopecia (hair loss). Be careful when first using Ylang Ylang Essential Oil as it can cause headaches for some individuals, especially if diffused in high concentration.

Neroli Essential Oil is sometimes known as Orange Blossom Essential Oil. Neroli is a very beneficial essential oil to use both within skin care and for emotional needs. Its uses include helping to ease feelngs of depression and sadness, combating grief, supporting peace and encouraging happiness. Neroli Essential Oil is intensely floral, citrusy, sweet and exotic. It blends well with many other essential oils and aromatics including floral, citrus, wood, spice and herb families. It is highly concentrated, and a little goes a long way. The complexity of Neroli Essential Oil is best explored and appreciated when enjoyed in very low dilutions.

For anyone that is under stress, is going through a period of depression, loneliness, intense fear or is challenged by anxiety or post traumatic shock disorder, Roman Chamomile Essential Oil can help bring a sense of calm. Roman Chamomile is also a suggested oil for use during times of anger or irritability.If you've ever enjoyed a cup of Chamomile tea, you are already familiar with the aroma and sense of calm that chamomile offers. The aroma and sedative effect of the undiluted Roman Chamomile Essential Oil, however, is much more fragrant and powerful.

Roman Chamomile is known to be especially helpful in combating insomnia. Roman Chamomile Essential Oil is one of the few essential oils that most agree is especially safe to use, well diluted, with “The Littles” . When diffused, it can help to calm irritable babies and soothe a toddler's nasty temper tantrums. Roman Chamomile Oil is also heralded for its anti-inflammatory action. It can be used to help calm inflamed skin and to ease arthritis, headaches, sprains and muscle aches.

Contraindications as per Industry Standard:

“Essential Oil Safety” [Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014]

Tisserand and Young indicate that Ylang Ylang Essential Oil may pose a moderate risk of skin sensitization and recommend dermal maximum of 0.8%. They caution to avoid use for those with hypersensitive/diseased/damaged skin and in children younger than 2.

Tisserand and Young do not indicate any special precautions when using Roman Chamomile Oil.

Tisserand and Young do not indicate any special precautions when using Neroli Essential Oil.

Source: Aromatics International

Bath Teas:

Summer Garden Bath Tea Recipe

Dry herbs from your garden or purchase dried herbs to make a bath tea that lasts for months and keeps summer alive well into the snowy months of winter!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons yarrow [Achillea millefolium] aerial parts
1 tablespoon Rose [Rosa spp.] hip
2 tablespoonsLemon [Citrus x limon] peel
2 tablespoons Lemon Balm [Melissa officinalis] aerial parts
1 tablespoon Chamomile [Matricaria chamomilla] flower

Directions

• Fill a 120g/4oz airtight container with 2 tablespoons yarrow. Lightly tap the container on the counter as needed to evenly settle herbs. Repeat as necessary after adding each ingredient.
• Add 1 tablespoon of rosehips as the second layer, followed by 2 tablespoons of dried lemon peel as the third layer. Lastly, add two tablespoons of lemon balm and 1 tablespoon of chamomile on the top. Mix well to blend.
• Cap, label jar, and store in a cool, dark place.
• To make a bath tea, fill a small, reusable, natural muslin or linen drawstring bag with up to 2 tablespoons of your summer garden bath tea mix. Hang the bath tea bag from the faucet while the bathtub is filling with water. Let the water filter through the tea first, or tightly close the bag and steep in warm bath water, allowing it to float in the water beside you.
• Either way, you can soak up the aromatherapy and stress-relieving benefits of herbs and citrus in this summer garden bath tea. After soaking, discard the herbs in the bag and hang to dry until your next bath tea soak.

The Herbal Actions of this Blend:

The soft, creamy flower clusters on feathery silver-gray foliage of Yarrow have been used since the time of the ancient Egyptians and Greeks (McIntyre, 1996). It was during this time that yarrow earned its namesake Achillea from the Greek hero Achilles. Yarrow is a valuable garden plant, widely grown for its multipurpose use as an excellent cut flower or fresh or dried herb for teas and tinctures. The foliage of yarrow has a clean herbal fragrance that can be truly enjoyed in a summer garden bath tea. The relaxing, antispasmodic nature of yarrow also happens to be helpful for menstrual cramps (Edwards, 2000) among other things.

Dried Rose Hips are high in vitamins A and C, and they are also a good source of potassium, folate, magnesium, and calcium (SELF Nutrition Data, n.d.). This makes rose hips a wonderful addition to a summer garden bath tea. A timeless symbol of love and beauty with origins in ancient Persia, the Rosa family now boasts over 100 species (Boskabady, Shafei, Saberi, & Amini, 2011). The early use of rose likely began due to its aromatic scent and heavenly taste as a flavoring for wine and as decoration and a bath herb. While the leaves, buds, and petals can be used to make tea—the rose hips are the fruit of the rose.

The term lemon peel encompasses the zest, rind, and outer shell of the fruit; basically, the peel is everything but the fruit inside. Zesty, tart Lemon Peel is a popular addition to herbal teas for aroma and taste enhancement. Even the ancient Greeks and Romans recorded the many benefits of every part of the lemon fruit, including its peel (Arias et al., 2005). Lemon peel contains limonene, a powerful antioxidant, and high levels of vitamin C which can give our skin a healthy boost and fight free radicals to reduce the signs of aging (Stanway, 2013). In addition, it also contains astringent properties that detoxify the body making it a powerful, yet sweet, aromatic addition to a summer garden bath tea (Earle, 2016).

Fine, heart-shaped leaves with scalloped edges and clusters of tiny, white flowers in late summer are visible traits of Lemon Balm. The sweet citrus scent and mildly lemon flavor of the leaves are what makes this herb perfect for tall cold glasses of lemony tea or an infused warm bath. To herbalists, lemon balm is synonymous with uplifting. It soothes anxiety, depression, and nervousness (Hoffmann, 2003). Not only aiding with anxiety, lemon balm is also an ally for insomnia and sleep disturbances (Taavoni, 2013).

Well known throughout the world for its gentle nature, Chamomile’s sweet-smelling, dainty white flowers bloom all summer along and have been collected and dried for centuries as a flavorful calming, restorative tea. We all know that chamomile tea is used to aid digestion and support better sleep, but did you know it is also reported to help relieve stress? In one study, chamomile was shown to have a significant anxiolytic effect in patients with a mild to moderate anxiety disorder, easing anxiety and tension (Amsterdam et al., 2012).

However, the benefits of chamomile don’t stop there. In another study, chamomile eased premenstrual syndrome (PMS) by significantly reducing the emotional symptoms (Sharifi et al., 2014). All the better for a soothing ingredient a bath tea.

Contraindications as per Industry Standard:

“Herbarium Herbal Monographs”

Yarrow: People who are sensitive to plants in the Asteraceae family may be sensitive to yarrow. Contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation.

Lemon: Currently there are no warnings or contraindications for the use of Lemon. When using topically it may cause contact dermatitis or Photosensitization in high doses.

Lemon Balm: There are some pre-clinical (in vitro and in rats) research on extracts and isolated constituents from plants including lemon balm that indicate potential for those constituents to interfere with thyroid hormones (Auf'mkolk et al., 1985), but searches on PubMed have not resulted in any clinical studies on humans and whole lemon balm confirming this potential but unlikely effect.

Rose Hips: No known safety concerns.

Chamomile: Exercise caution when taking German chamomile internally with contraceptive drugs, estrogen pills, medications that pass through the liver, and sedative medications. Do not take internally if on blood thinners. Some people allergic to plants in the Asteraceae family may be sensitive to chamomile. One anaphylaxis-related fatality was reported when a chamomile enema was given to a woman in labor; the woman went into an allergic shock and her newborn suffered from asphyxia and died the following day (Jensen-Jarolim et al., 1998).

Source: Herbal Academy

More on Botanical Baths:

Herbal foot baths with mineral rich salts are so therapeutic and good for us. We really should make sure to fit them into our schedule on a more regular basis. In general, it’s really important to schedule in time for relaxation, no matter what form that takes. But a warm, soothing, herbal foot bath is definitely a great idea whenever you need some time to chill.

Floral Tonic Bath

Ingredients:

• 7 tbsp Dead Sea salt
• t tbsp Epsom salts
• 2 tbsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp each dried rose petals, calendula flowers, and lavender flowers [Rosa spp., Calendula officinalis, Lavandula spp.]
• 240 drops essential oils (My favourite combination for this is 150d Rose Geranium [Pelargonium roseum], 60d Lavender [Lavandula angustifolia], 30d May Chang [Litsea cubeba])
• 1 tsp olive oil

Instructions:

1. Put salt ingredients on a large, flat pan.
2. Bake salts in oven at 200°F for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
4. Mix all solid ingredients together well.
5. Mix essential oils into salt & flower blend.
6. Store in a glass, airtight container.

To Use:

• Add a healthy helping (3tbsp to 1/4 cup) to warm water bath and soak away the tension while being enveloped by graceful timeless aromatics.

The Herbal Actions of this Blend:

Dendritic Salt

Dendritic Salt is an all natural, high purity, free flowing fine grain salt that has been crystallized to provide greater surface area.It doubles as the absorption factor of fragrance or essential oils and retains scent longer than other salts. It Retains scent longer than other salts. Anti-caking properties in dendritic salt reduce clumping. It dissolves quickly in water.

**Add essential oil directly to Dendritic Salt and mix well prior to incorporating other ingredients. Then, blend Dendritic mixture with other salts. It's important to add the fragrance directly to the Dendritic, and then add that mixture to the rest of the salt. Stability studies performed to date on dendritic salt have not shown any change over time. For this reason, no expiration date or retest date are applicable.

Epsom Salt

The two main ingredients of Epsom salt are magnesium and sulfate. It is believed the combination of both ingredients stimulates detoxification pathways. Magnesium is a natural substance that aids a variety of bodily functions, including the removal of toxins. Sulfate can strengthen the walls of the digestive tract and make releasing toxins easier. There is little scientific research documenting the detoxifying effects of Epsom salt. However, advocates of it argue that an Epsom salt detox bath may have the following benefits:

Soothe the skin

Epsom salt bathwater can soften rough, dry skin, and exfoliate dead skin cells. It may also soothe skin affected by skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis. It is a good idea to check with a doctor before soaking in Epsom salt if a person has a skin condition, as it may make the symptoms worse.

Reduce soreness and pain

An Epsom salt bath may provide pain relief and reduce swelling in people living with certain types of inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, gout, and psoriatic arthritis.

Low levels of magnesium can ease the pain in people with arthritis. Epsom salt contains magnesium and may help the body get rid of toxins responsible for exacerbating inflammation while also reducing swelling, stiffness, and pain.

Reduce stress

Healthy magnesium levels can boost brain neurotransmitters that are responsible for inducing sleep and reducing stress. Magnesium may also promote melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone. People feeling stressed and overwhelmed may benefit from taking an Epsom salt bath. Some research has found that people who are suffering from mental and physical stress benefit when their magnesium levels are managed. While the study looked at oral supplements, Epsom salt could have a similar effect.Taking a warm bath can also help a person relax by allowing them to release muscle tension and recuperate after a long day.

Promote foot health

Epsom salt may help treat athlete’s foot and ingrown toenail infections. A person can bathe in a tub with Epsom salt water or soak feet in warm water and Epsom salt to help feet heal faster and relieve itching. Soaking the feet in Epsom salts may also help reduce foot odor.

Draw out splinters

Splinters can be difficult to remove without pushing them further into the skin. Soaking in an Epsom salt bath for a few minutes can reduce inflammation in the affected area, soften the splinter, and make it easier to remove.

Baking Soda

Adding baking soda to your bath may have additional benefits, many of which are skin-related. Some of these uses are described below:

Yeast infections

Baking soda baths can soothe and relieve yeast infection symptoms such as:

• itching
• burning
• swelling

Baking soda may also have a positive effect on vaginal pH.

A 2014 study found that baking soda killed Candida cells that lead to yeast infections. Baking soda has also been found to have general antifungal affects.

Diaper rash

If your baby has raw skin from a diaper rash, you can soak the affected area in a baking soda bath three times per day. Do this for only 10 minutes at a time. The baking soda may help soothe the raw skin and promote faster healing. Make sure you pat the area dry completely before putting on a new, clean diaper.

Use only 2 tablespoons of baking soda for babies and young children. Don’t use too much, as baking soda can be absorbed into the body through the skin in a process called alkalosis.

Eczema

A baking soda bath can help to soothe and heal eczema. Add 1/4 cup of baking soda to your bath to relieve itching. It’s important that you moisturize your skin immediately after your bath while your skin is still damp.

You should also avoid scrubbing your skin with a towel to dry it. That can irritate the skin. Instead, use your towel to gently pat your skin dry.

Poison ivy and poison oak

Bathing helps to limit further contamination of yourself and others if you have a poison ivy or poison oak rash. You should also bathe as soon as possible after exposure. This helps to prevent the oils from soaking into your skin and causing a rash.

A baking soda bath can help to reduce itching and irritation.

• Dissolve 1/2 a cup of baking soda in a tub of warm water.
• Soak for up to 30 minutes.

Psoriasis

Medicated baths are often one of the first lines of treatment for psoriasis. Research from 2005 supports the use of baking soda baths to treat psoriasis. Baking soda baths were shown to have a beneficial effect on psoriasis including promoting less itchiness and irritation.

Detox bath

Baking soda has cleansing and detoxifying properties that may help to purify your body and boost immunity. It can be combined with Epsom salt, sea salt, and ground ginger to make a detox bath. You can also add essential oils and other natural ingredients of your choice.

Chickenpox

Baking soda baths can be used three times per day to relieve itching caused by chickenpox.

• Use 1 cup of baking soda for every inch deep of lukewarm water.
• Allow you or your child to soak for 15 to 20 minutes.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Soaking in a baking soda bath may help to neutralize the acid in your urine, remove germs, and aid in healing. It may also relieve painful urination.

• Add 1/4 cup of baking soda to the bath.
• Soak for up to 30 minutes, or 10 to 15 minutes in young children.
• Do this twice per day.

Vulvar vestibulitis

Soaking in a baking soda bath may help to soothe vulgar itching and burning.

• Add 4 to 5 tablespoons of baking soda to a lukewarm bath.
• Soak up to three times a day for 15 minutes.

Constipation

Taking a baking soda bath may help to relieve rectal pain caused by constipation. It can also help you to relax your anal sphincter and have a bowel movement.

• Add 2 ounces of baking soda to your bath.
• Soak for 20 minutes.

Safety

Generally, baking soda baths are well-tolerated by most people.

Do not take a baking soda bath if you:

• are pregnant or breastfeeding
• have high blood pressure
• have diabetes
• are under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• have any open wounds or serious infections
• are prone to fainting

Always do a skin patch test before using baking soda on your skin. Apply a baking soda paste to the inside of your inner forearm. Rinse it off and then wait 24 hours before taking a baking soda bath to see if any reaction occurs. If you’re making a detox bath and are adding essential oils, you should do a skin patch test for these as well.

Talk to your child’s pediatrician before using baking soda baths for babies. It’s usually safe as long as you use only a small amount of baking soda and limit their time spent in the bath. There has been at least one reported case from 1981 of a baby getting hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis by absorbing baking soda through the skin

Rose Petals

A timeless symbol of love and beauty with origins in ancient Persia, the Rosa family now boasts over 100 species (Boskabady, Shafei, Saberi, & Amini, 2011). The early use of rose likely began due to its aromatic scent and heavenly taste as a flavoring for wine and as decoration and a bath herb. While the leaves, buds, and petals can be used to make tea—the rose hips are the fruit of the rose.

Calendula

Calendula acts as an immune stimulant as well as being antibacterial and antiviral, so it is considered beneficial when colds, flu, and other infections take hold. Taken internally as an antimicrobial, calendula is used to help the body resist pathogens. Research has shown that calendula is effective against flu and herpes viruses (McIntyre, 1996). A hot calendula infusion acts as a diaphoretic, moving energy outward by stimulating circulation and promoting sweating. This action helps kill the infectious pathogen (and subsequently reduce fever) as well as removing toxins from the body. McIntyre (1996) suggests that in the case of chickenpox or measles, calendula helps the virus erupt on the skin and expel toxins. Calendula is a lymphagogue, meaning it cleanses the lymph system by moving clogged lymph fluid, removing toxins from the lymph, and decongesting swollen lymph nodes. Keeping the lymph system is moving and functioning as intended is vital for a strong immune system.

Calendula is an anti-fungal herb used both internally and externally for fungal skin infections (e.g. athlete’s foot and jock itch) and yeast overgrowths (e.g. candida in the gut, thrush, and vaginal yeast infections). Calendula’s antimicrobial action is also employed in cases of eye infections such as pink eye/conjunctivitis.

Calendula is an ally for healthy menstruation due to its antispasmodic, emmenagogue, and estrogenic effects which regulate menstruation, resolve delayed menstruation, ease tension, cramping and pain associated with menstruation, and soothe menopausal symptoms (McIntyre, 1996; Hoffmann, 2003). Herbalist David Hoffmann considers it “a normalizer of the menstrual process.”

Safety

Calendula is considered a very safe herb. Should not be used during pregnancy as it promotes contractions (McIntyre, 1996). Possible allergen for people with known allergy to Asteraceae family (Hoffmann, 2003).

Lavender

The name lavender comes from the Latin word lavare, “to wash,” originating from the Romans who used lavender to scent their baths.

Lavender has long been used for cleansing purposes, and was strewn about households to ward off plague and tucked into cupboards and drawers to repel insects. Lavender’s volatile oils are antibacterial and are effective against staph, enterococcus, streptococcus, and pneumonia (McIntyre, 1996; Cavanagh & Wilkinson, 2002).

Lavender's strong scent is repellent to flies, mosquitos, and moths, and it effectively kills lice and parasites (Berger, 1998).

Due to its antibacterial and antiseptic properties, lavender is useful for disinfecting cuts, wounds, and sores while it soothes pain and aids healing (Foster, 1993; McIntyre, 1996). It also soothes the itch and pain of insect bites. As a burn treatment, lavender essential oil reduces the severity and scarring of the burn and speeds healing (7Song, 2013; Berger, 1998). After frequent application of lavender to an oven burn, my hand showed dramatic improvement within 24 hours. For this purpose, the essential oil can be mixed into a thick aloe vera gel and applied after the burn has cooled. This could also be applied to sunburned skin, since antioxidants in lavender oil also reduce skin damage from sunburn while it cools and soothes pain.

Lavender really shines as a nervine tonic for treatment of nervous system complaints such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, and headache. In an anxious or stressful situation, inhaling the scent of lavender or drinking its tea can calm and relax the anxious mind, bringing perspective and enabling the clearer thinking necessary to ease the situation. Several scientific studies suggest lavender alleviates anxiety and depression (Koulivand et al., 2013; Cavanagh & Wilkinson, 2002).

By relaxing tension, lavender also may bring relief to headache sufferers. Rubbing lavender essential oil mixed with a carrier oil on the temples often brings quick relief. A clinical trial concluded that inhalation of lavender essential oil may be an effective and safe treatment for migraine headaches (Sasannejad et al., 2012; Koulivand et al., 2013).

Lavender is a gentle tonic for strengthening the nervous system in the case of nervous debility or exhaustion (Hoffmann, 2003). The sweet spirit of lavender uplifts and balances emotions, eases mild depression and restores strength and vitality. It’s like a mother’s hand on your back, gentle and loving yet strong and supportive. As such, it can also be an ally during grieving.

Lavender acts as a mild sedative to resolve insomnia. Scientists hypothesize that chemical constituents in lavender interact with the part of the brain that controls the wake-sleep cycle (the reticular activating system) to induce sleep (Edwards, 2000; Bennett, 2014). Several scientific studies suggest lavender treats insomnia and improves sleep quality (Koulivand et al., 2013). A cup of lavender tea, a few drops of lavender oil on a pillow, or a sleep pillow full of lavender flowers are all lovely ways to ease into sleep.

As a carminative and antispasmodic (Hoffmann, 2003), lavender relaxes spasms in the digestive tract associated with tension and anxiety and relieves gas (McIntyre, 1996; Berger, 1998). Both 14th-century abbess Hildegard of Bingen (Berger, 1998) and modern-day herbalist Kiva Rose (n.d.) suggest lavender as a tonic for the liver, particularly for conditions involving tension and heat due to its relaxing and cooling nature.

Finally, lavender contains a class of compounds called monoterpenes, one of which is perillyl alcohol, which has been shown to stop cancer cells from dividing rapidly through a number of mechanisms, causing them to lose their tumor-like characteristics (Edwards, 2000; Bennett, 2014). “Perillyl alcohol has produced complete regression of breast tumors in laboratory animals and shows encouraging results against leukemia and other cancers, including those of the liver and pancreas” (Edwards, 2000).

Safety

Some sensitivity reactions and have occurred with the essential oil. A very small study in 2007 (Henley et al.) claimed to link tea tree oil and lavender in body care products to breast development in three prepubertal boys.

Aromatic Description: Rose Geranium Essential Oil

Rose Geranium Essential Oil smells floral, somewhat rosy and green. It is similar in aroma to Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens/Pelargonium asperum) but has a slightly more rosy fragrance.

Aromatic Description: Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender Oil has a beautiful, versatile aroma. It is anti-bacterial and is a must-have for your first-aid kit. Its calming and sedative properties make Lavender Essential Oil a wonderful oil to help relax, fight stress and to promote sleep. And when properly diluted, it's amongst the safest of essential oils.

Aromatic Description: May Chang Essential Oil

May Chang Essential Oil smells sharp and has a complex lemony aroma.

Olive Oil

Olive oil acts as an excellent antioxidant and contains the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Some of these vitamins may be beneficial for the skin. Olive oil has been shown to have antibacterial properties. Olive oil is a popular natural moisturizer that is often used to soften both skin and hair.

Whipped Body Butters:

Whipped Sleepy-Time Body Rub

A luscious homemade body cream to apply to lather yourself in sweet dream! Apply before bedtime and drift away to dreamland!

Ingredients

1/4 cup of Cacao (or Cocoa) Butter

1/4 cup of coconut oil

20 drop of Lavender [Lavandula angustifolia]

12 drops of Vetiver [Vetiveria zizanoides]

10 drops of Frankincense [

** Other oils to use: you can substitute any of the above oils with Ylang Ylang, Roman Chamomile, Cedarwood, or Clary Sage. All these oils promote relaxation and a restful night’s sleep!**

Instructions

• Add the coconut oil and the cacao butter to a small pan and simmer till melted.
• Let rest on the counter for 10 minutes.
• Add the essential oils to the pan and then put it in the fridge for an hour.
• You want it to be firm but not too hard. Then whip it on high with an electric mixer until the mixture softens and forms peaks.

HOW TO APPLY:

• Take a small pea-sized amount and massage it into your feet or your children’s feet before bed.
• Sleepy tight!

The Botanical Actions of this Blend:

Cacao butter is high in fatty acids, which is why it's often touted for its ability to hydrate and nourish the skin and improve elasticity. The fat in cacao butter forms a protective barrier over skin to hold in moisture. ... One common use of cocoa butter is to smooth scars, wrinkles, and other marks on the skin.

Coconut oil is linked to some potential benefits for skin, including reducing inflammation, keeping skin moisturized and helping heal wounds. The medium-chain fatty acids found in coconut oil also possess antimicrobial properties that can help treat acne and protect the skin from harmful bacteria.

Lavender Essential Oil is well known for its sedative properties and for its ability to help calm stress and anxiety and to help promote sleep. If used in excess, however, Lavender Oil can actually act as a stimulant.

Vetiver Essential Oil is remarkably soothing and calming. It is a good choice for use if you need to unwind or de-stress. Vetiver Essential Oil is a good choice for managing anxiety, addressing anger, fighting burnout/exhaustion and coping with fear or insecurity.

Frankincense Essential Oil is deeply grounding, calming and relaxing without being sedating. The aroma is resinous, earthy and also has a slightly fruity/sweet, warm, spicy attitude to it. The country of origin and quality of the frankincense tears play a big part in the overall aroma of the essential oil.

Contraindications as per Industry Standard:

“Essential Oil Safety” [Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014]

• Tisserand and Young do not indicate any special precautions when using Lavender Essential Oil.

• Tisserand and Young recommend a dermal maximum of 15% for Vetiver Essential Oil.

• Tisserand and Young precaution to avoid use of the oil if it has oxidized. Skin sensitization is more likely when using oxidized Frankincense Oil.

Creating an At Home Botanical Mini-Spa is fun, creative and a healthy way to spoil yourself! Follow us on social for more DIY recipes and authentic free educational material and safety data! Learn more about the HgH Clean & Green Philosophy from an expert herbalist, aromatherapist and botanical chemist/formulator!  

Wishing you all the Happiest Mother's Day ever from one Mama's Heart to Another!