Let's head to what I like to call 'The Doghouse' today... (basically my house....full of dogs...lol)
One of my dogs has trouble with allergies. He is under veterinary care and we have a whole regime for him. One of the things that I have found to be really helpful, is wiping him off after he comes in from outside. So, I'd like to share my super simple and easy, DIY dog wipes, that I make for him. These also work great if you are trying to keep a clean house and want the whole household to 'wipe their paws' before coming in...with your help, of course :)
Grab:
- A glass container with lid (you can use plastic, just make sure it's a heavy duty PET plastic, 'cause remember essential oils degrade plastic, so you need a heavy duty plastic that can stand up)
- Cut up an old t-shirt/blanket/towel/etc. into rags the size of the container and enough to fill the container 3/4 way full (once you do this initially, you will keep re-using the rags so it gets easier-lol!)
- 1 cup distilled water
- 1 TBS carrier oil (I like fractionated coconut oil (aka-FCO)
- 10 drops Lavender essential oil
Then:
- Add the rags to the container.
- Add the FCO & Lavender essential oil to the water, give it a stir, pour over rags, and let it sit until rags soak up water.
Ta-da...
Leave them by the door and when your dog comes in from outside....take one out..squeeze any excess liquid out and wipe your dog off.
You can then throw the rags in the laundry, re-using them over and over, and your laundry gets a nice scent boost!
For more recipes like this, click HERE and join 'The Weekly Oiler'. Essential oil recipes, tips, tricks, and hacks for you, your dog, and horse, delivered straight your inbox every week!
Also, if DIY isn't your thang....I got you! Young Living's™ Seedling™ Baby Wipes works wonderfully instead! Check them out HERE
Have you ever got to the barn, went to grab your horse and found the mane tied up in knots?
Ancient legend has it that the fairies have come thru the stable at dusk. They twist the mane up in knots to use for stirrups and then gallop thru the night.
It's a fun legend and we all need a little magic in our lives, right!?
However, I have a mini and a pony that those darn fairies just overuse, and I get tired of combing the mane out all the time!
So , I started using an all natural mane detangler that I like to make, and it makes it so much easier to A) comb the mane out and B) keep the fairies at bay throughout the week.
With only 3 ingredients, it's quick, easy, and cost effective. I generally spray and comb thru the mane twice per week to make it hard on the fairies!
So grab an all natural conditioner ( I like to use Young Living's Copaiba & Vanilla Conditioner), a glass spray bottle-8 oz. works well, and the essential oils ya want to use.
If you'd rather use a plastic spray bottle, just make sure its a high quality PET chemical resistant spray bottle as essential oils degrade plastic.
My fave essential oil combo is equal drops Rosemary, Cedarwood, and Lavender. All good essential oils for the hair and it gives the spray a nice calming aroma. Equal drops Frankincense and Cedarwood work well too and give the hair a nice shine.
If ya wanna catch the video I did on Youtube and see it made in action,
click HERE
Be sure to grab my free guide where we go over what you need to know to use essential oils safely and easily with your horse, including safety and dilution, click HERE
So if you're googling using essential oils, you have been told to dilute....and yep, I agree, in most cases, that's a great idea!
Now what tho? How do I dilute? and with what?
First we want to understand a few things about EO's.
They dont like water, they like fat, so when we are gonna dilute we want to use what we call a carrier oil. A carrier oil is a fatty oil usually pressed from the seed of a plant. Think avocado oil, apricot kernel oil, coconut oil...
Carrier oils are the best way to dilute for topical use cause the eo will bind with the carrier oil, be absorbed slower and stay on the skin longer. That decreases the chance of a reaction, makes it easy to target large areas, and makes your essential oils go a long way. This is especially important if you are using EO's with your fur kids! But that's another blog :)
What carrier oil is best? Well that depends....on what your goal is...certain carrier oils are better for the skin than others. Some have their own aroma, or we might prefer one that has no aroma. Maybe we want a really thick oil, or maybe we want one that absorbs super quick...
If ya don't have a specific goal, my top 3 are:
- Fractionated coconut oil
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil
Why? 'cause most of us have these in our kitchen and so ya don't have to go buy anything special, and they work well with most recipes.
If ya want more deets, click HERE to read my other blog post where we go a tad more in depth with info on carrier oils.
Once you pick your carrier oil, simply add a dollop or squirt in your hand, add your drops of EO's, rub your hands together, and apply.
You can also make a roller bottle, if ya need deets on that, click HERE
Let's get oiling!
So.... we've chatted smellin' our oils and eatin' 'em.....Now let's chat gettin' 'em on!
I can't stress enough, ya gotta read your labels, they will tell you how the essential oil is safe to use. The label will tell you if you can use it topically, as a supplement (orally), or by simply inhaling. It will tell you if the oil is a photosensitive oil (meaning increases sensitivity to sunlight). It will also tell you if ya need to dilute it first.
Let's chat a minute about photosensitive oils...we just learned that they may increase our sensitivity to the sun and our skin may burn more easily and quicker in the area of application.. So, what do we do?! We apply at night or under clothing...generally 12-24 hours prior to sun exposure is adequate.
If ya do need to dilute before application....how do ya do that, you ask?!
You simply mix it with a carrier oil. What is a carrier oil?!
A carrier oil is simply a fatty vegetable oil, usually derived from the nuts and seeds of plants (think olive oil or coconut oil) that is used to 'carry' the essential oil. For more info on dilution and carrier oils, check out my blog post "Should I Dilute My Essential Oils?...And With What?! HERE....
I like to keep things simple, so here is my 'easy button' for dilution....take a swipe of coconut oil with your finger, put in palm of hand, add a drop of essential oil, rub your palms together and apply. I like olive oil too 'cause I have it in my kitchen and don't have to purchase anything different.
Making a rollerball is also an easy way to dilute and have your oils ready to go. If ya don't know how to make a rollerball, download my step by step guide HERE
While we're on the topic of dilution, you may have heard of the term 'hot oil'. What is a hot oil?! A
hot oil is an oil that may cause redness or irritation with application. Oils high in phenols such as Oregano, Thyme, Cinnamon, Clove, and Basil are some examples.
It doesn't mean ya can't use these oils, just means ya need to dilute or find the best way to use them. Let's take Oregano for example- I don't want to smell like a pizza all day long, so I might take Oregano Vitality™ in a capsule for my immune system, rather than apply topically....
Here are some ideas to get you started with topical application:
- Make a rollerball (need help-grab my freebie 'How To Make A Rollerball' HERE)
- Use in a massage oil
- Make a liniment
- Make your own perfume (need help-check out my blog post on 'DIY Perfume' HERE)
- Make your own deodorant (download my fave recipe HERE)
- Add a drop to your natural face cream, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toner, lotion (really any natural skincare product you have to make it better or give it an added benefit)
Our Skin is our largest organ so supporting it is never a bad idea!
If you are using a roll on, massage oil, or liniment, you might ask-where should I apply?! Answer is, it depends on what you're using it for.... for example:
- perfume...wrists, back of neck pulse points
- deodorant...underarms
- Massage oil or liniment....target area that you want to support
If you're ready to start gettin' those oils on and easily incorporate them into your day, sign up for my weekly newsletter full of tips, tricks, hacks, and recipes HERE
Oil on!
Welcome back to 'Ya got some oils-Now What?!'...lol...last week we chatted bout a fun way to use your oils by simply smelling them, if ya missed it...check it out HERE
This week let's chat about another way you can use your oils, by 'eating' them. Say what?! We can 'eat' our oils?! Short answer....YES!..... but it does depend......on what, you ask? Well, there are a few things you should know.
- Only ingest an essential oil labeled for use in this way... How do ya know that? Simple, read your labels. Any essential oil you buy will have a label and that label should clearly state directions for use, or do not ingest. If it isn't stated, don't eat it! I like Young Living's Vitality™ Line, a complete line of essential oils labeled specifically for internal use! (easy peasy)
- Quality matters! One of our goals with using essential oils is to try a more natural approach and be the gatekeeper of our homes, barring chemicals that are bad for us. We sure don't want to be eating more chemicals!
- You can also check out the FDA's GRAS list (google it) GRAS stands for generally regarded as safe....
- Remember, a little gos a long way. There can be the equivalent of around 75 lemons in one 15 ml bottle of Lemon essential oil. Wowza!
Now you may be asking how? This is the fun part, so many options! Here's my favorites:
- Add a few drops to a capsule to support wellness
- Add a few drops to honey, then add hot water and make a tea
- Infuse honey, salt, vinegar, or olive oil
- Add to recipes to boost flavor
- Substitute in recipes for the dried herb
For a handy e-book with guidelines, substitution amounts, and some of my favorite recipes all in one place, click HERE
Stay tuned for a re-cap on topical essential oil use…and in the meantime….’Oil On’
…and if ya haven't done so yet…be sure to click HERE
and join my online community where we chat oils, horses, dogs, and even some massage!
