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DIY Recipes
DIY Rose Hydrosol
Friday, May 23, 2014
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Over on the Facebook page I asked you:
Post by Apothekayla.
This recipe is simple, yet amazing! There are other, more complicated methods of making this hydrosol (aka: flower water).
- You will need several roses, from a garden that does not use chemicals.
- A strainer or infuser.
- Large bowl.
- Pot for boiling water
- Glass jar for storing your hydrosol.
-Place rose petals (petals only) in your infuser or strainer, place in your large bowl.
-Boil water, carefully pour boiling water over the rose petals in your strainer/ infuser.
-Allow the rose petals to remain in your strainer/ infuser in the water as it cools.
-Press excess water out of the petals as you remove the strainer/ infuser from the water.
-Press excess water out of the petals as you remove the strainer/ infuser from the water.
-Let cool to room temperature, then pour into glass jar for storage.
-Let your hydrosol cool completely before using.
I will be back next week with a few smart ways to use hydrosol. Until then let me know what you think about this simple recipe in the comments section below or recommend a way for me to use it!
Cinnamon and Honey: Does it work?
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
First of all, don't you love my tiny glass bowl in the photos! =DBack to the topic at hand: I noticed Sunday night that I had a cold coming on, when I had to take a nap between going to IKEA and watching Game of Thrones I knew something was wrong.
The good news is that I have been relatively healthy since I started my all natural journey; with the exception of the occasional kidney stone giving me trouble and one bladder infection I have not been sick since December of 2012.
When I felt this cold coming on I knew what to do immediately and I ran.. slumped rather.. into the kitchen and mixed up this age old remedy.
Yes, I was hit hard with this cold and spent most of the day Monday in the bed. I continued to take the cinnamon and honey 3x a day and now, on Tuesday, I have enough energy to work, take photos & blog about my cold, and catch up on all that I have missed while being sick on Monday.
I'm still taking the mixture of Honey and Cinnamon and I will continue to do so until all symptoms have passed but I can assure you that I've never gotten over a cold this quickly.
Do you use Honey and Cinnamon when you have colds? What else do you use this mixture for? Let me know in the comments section below!
Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a copy of my book (giveaway ends 5/9/2014).
Remember: "Sharing is Caring" use the tiny social media buttons below to share this info with your friends!
Thanks for reading! -Kayla
**Update 02/18/2018: While I fully believe in the power of honey and cinnamon I would strongly suggest that you visit your doctor for a diagnosis when you are feeling symptoms of a cold. It could be a cold, it could be something else. I would hate for you to think that you have a cold and actually have bronchitis!**
D.I.Y. Hairspray
Thursday, April 10, 2014
A super simple recipe that works without making your hair feel crunchy..
Well.. as it turns out Raw Sugar, water, and grapefruit essential oil are the ingredients for an awesome all natural hairspray recipe!!
The trick is in how you mix these ingredients!
To start out you will take a small sauce pan and boil 2 parts water with 1 part raw sugar. Once the sugar has dissolved you will remove the mixture from the heat and add in your favorite essential oil. Add to the container of your choice, I use the small brown one pictured in the photo above because it has a fine mist atomizer, which ensures even coverage.
This hairspray is the perfect blend, I am amazed at how well it works! It does not leave your hair feeling sticky or crunchy, it simply holds.
I hope to investigate the world of all natural hair dye at some point. I am proud to say that after 14 years of continual abuse to my scalp I quit coloring my hair cold turkey over a year ago. =)
As far as the essential oil goes I use grapefruit essential oil because the scent reminds me of summer! Usually I choose an essential oil such as rosemary or peppermint when it comes to my all natural hair care routine, however since I bought this grapefruit essential oil from Eden's garden I can't get enough of how awesome it smells!
If you are interested in my complete haircare routine you can read more about that in my brand new book! Apothekayla Year One =)
Thanks for reading, please let me know what you think about this recipe in the comments section below!
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Love Potion
Monday, March 10, 2014
To be honest when I first came up with this perfume I was mixing this blend because these are some of my favorite scents. I had no idea that they were so healing and romantically intense!
This spray smells amazing, and you can spray it on your pulse points (neck or the back of your wrist for example) or you can spray it onto your pillows to enhance the "mood" in the bedroom!
The blend is super simple:
Fill your container with witch hazel. Then add 20 drops of Rosemary Essential oil, 15 drops of Ylang-ylang Essential oil, and 10 drops of Patchoulli Essential oil.This is the blend I use, you can adjust the ratio a little or add in 10 Drops of Clary Sage to change up the scent.
You can wear this as your daily perfume if you like, just because you spritz your wrist does not mean you will have men falling over you at the market.. The best part about this mixture is that it will smell different on each person that applies it.
The essential oils in this mixture work on the aromatherapy level to sooth any emotional tension you have around "love"; whether it is self love, or frustrations in relationships.
If you want to know more about raising your libido and how aphrodisiacs work check out this article.
Hemp Lippie
Thursday, January 23, 2014
As most of you know by now I love hemp oil!
I use it in healing salve, rejuvenating lotion, sunscreen, I use it in oil pulling, and I recently concocted a new toothpaste recipe with it! (I will share that recipe soon!)
I can't believe I didn't think of making a lip balm with it before now!
This lip balm is more glossy than my last recipe; to be honest it goes on smoother and lasts longer than my first lip balm recipe as well.
Which hemp oil do I use? Good question! I only buy Certified Organic/ non-GMO Hemp Oil email me for the details kayla@healing-salve.com
Notes:
-One batch of this recipe made several (around 15) tubes of lippie.
-Rosehip is an amazing oil for cosmetic use, and while you can still make this recipe without the Rosehip oil I suggest trying it. Rosehip is extra nourishing, smooth, and gives the overall recipe a silky feeling.
What do you think about this recipe? Leave a comment or post about it on facebook/ or twitter/ to let me know what you think about it! Thanks for reading! -Kayla
Simple Odor Solution
Monday, September 23, 2013
If your home has a room (or rooms) that have a problem with odors; whether it be the bathroom, the kitchen, or the room with the litter box in it this two ingredient room deodorizer should help!
This recipe is so easy I will not have to make a recipe card for it.
What: baking soda and essential oils of choice
How: put the amount of baking soda you wish into the container of your choice and drop a few drops of your favorite essential oils or essential oil mixture.
When you notice the odors coming back simply shake the mixture, you can shake the mixture for at-least three months before you will need to replace it.
Let me know in the comments section which mixture of oils you used. Remember that shaking the mixture will release more scent into the air but with all air fresheners if you live with them and smell them daily they wont smell as fragrant to you as they would to a visitor to your home.
This recipe is so easy I will not have to make a recipe card for it.
What: baking soda and essential oils of choice
How: put the amount of baking soda you wish into the container of your choice and drop a few drops of your favorite essential oils or essential oil mixture.
When you notice the odors coming back simply shake the mixture, you can shake the mixture for at-least three months before you will need to replace it.
You can find a glass jar with a slotted lid at any thrift store, or you can make your own using cheesecloth and a bit of twine. For that you will need a glass jar with a lip (a mason jar will work), cut a piece of cheese cloth to fit over the top and tie it on around the mouth of the jar. If you have a mason jar with the original lid you can simply cover with the cheesecloth and screw on lid without the inner plate.
Baking soda naturally wicks away odors, by adding your favorite essential oils you then replace the odor that the baking soda took away with your favorite scent.
The first time I made this air freshener I used only peppermint oil. It was nice but something I got tired of after a few days. The second time I used a mixture of lemon, wild orange, and lime. This mixture smelled like a bag of skittles and was delightful.
Many people use this recipe, from the farmers wife to the store owner it has been around and loved for many years. The first time I used the recipe was when my chicks were living in their brooder box in the basement; it definitely came in handy!
My favorite thing about this mixture is how simple it is and how simple it smells. I'm not sure if you have ever noticed the burning sensation in your nose that some candles, sprays, or fresheners give off, but you don't have to worry about that with this recipe.
Let me know in the comments section which mixture of oils you used. Remember that shaking the mixture will release more scent into the air but with all air fresheners if you live with them and smell them daily they wont smell as fragrant to you as they would to a visitor to your home.
Thanks for reading!
-Kayla
All natural foaming hand soap recipe
Saturday, August 31, 2013
One of the things in our home we couldn't go without was our foaming hand soap. There is nothing that compares to the pleasure of foaming soap. Don't ask me why but I love the way the foam feels compared to regular hand washing soap. Since I made this soap recipe I have had to refill our container several times, and honestly it's nice to know people are using it. As nice as it is to have foaming hand soap it is equally disturbing to see a hand soap container with dust on it sitting in someones bathroom. Trust me there is no time for dust with this hand soap. Every one in our home loves it, and like I said I've had to refill it several times! So, where is that recipe?
-Final Notes
*The Container... Usually I tell you to use the container of your choice however, with this recipe you will need the right pump to get the foam! You can follow my lead and use a recycled container or buy a new one.
**Always use the essential oils you enjoy best. The first time I made this recipe I used Lemon Essential Oil, and Lime Essential Oil. Since then I have stuck with Wild Orange Essential Oil mixed with Lime Essential Oil. If you are mixing oils, I would advise to only use 5 drops of each oil. If you are using a single scent use 10 drops.
Make sure to add the essential oils to the soap before adding in the water. Otherwise your essential oils will float to the top and remain separated from the soap and water. This isn't the worst thing ever, but it will leave your soap scentless until the last few pumps.
Dr. Bronner's Magic soaps are wonderful. I have purchased two containers so far. The first container I bought was the smallest size they had so I could try it out. The second time I bought it I got the 32 oz. size. I have had this container for a few months and because the soap is so concentrated it really lasts for a while. You only need a little bit per recipe, with this soap a little really does go a long way.
This recipe is SO simple, and treasured in my home! Leave your comments below letting me know what you think of this recipe and which essential oils you chose to use if any.Thanks for reading! -Kayla
All Natural Raw Sugar Scrub
Sunday, August 11, 2013
The first natural product I ever made (at 15 years old) was a recipe very similar to this one. I don't remember all of the details of what we used in that particular recipe; but I can tell you I used this mixture as sparingly as possible because it worked so well and I didn't want to waste the beautifully fragrant, exfoliating scrub that I made. This recipe can be shaped so easily to meet your personal needs. If you work a physical job and need to relax your muscles at the end of the day you can add peppermint oil to the recipe, there are so many options I'll get into more detail as we go.. but first let me introduce you to this facial/ body scrub!
After I made this oil for the first time (at fifteen years old) I have never been able to find an exfoliating product that comes close to matching it. Most that you buy in the store leave your skin feeling dry and rough, and the exfoliant in the store bought scrubs is usually a tiny gummy feeling bead that sticks to everything (skin, shower, towel, hair).
-Final notes-
-The raw sugar helps to break away dead skin, and the hemp oil jumps in behind it to seal in the moisture, to be honest I don't need any lotion after I use this because my skin is so hydrated (not oily, but hydrated). I only recommend using this scrub two or three times (maximum) a week. It is very effective and you do not want to break into any new skin, I personally only use it twice a week.
-*Oil of choice- While some of you may say "my oil of choice is hemp oil" others either do not have access to it or simply prefer another oil. You can replace Hemp oil for Olive Oil, Sunflower Oil, Rose-hip Oil, Grape-seed Oil, Jojoba Oil, pretty much any carrier oil will do the job. I prefer hemp oil because it has all of the nutritional values of all the oils mentioned above plus a few. It heals the skin, hydrates the skin, prevents the formation of unhealthy skin cell growth, promotes the growth of healthy skin cells and detoxifies your skin.
-When I say essential oil of choice I mean what would you like your Sugar scrub to accomplish for you? Are you fighting body and face acne and need a little help with a deep cleaning essential oil/ raw sugar blend? Let me give you a few examples:
I'm pretty sure I summed up all the information I needed to in this article. You would think for a recipe that consisted of very few ingredients and very little effort there wouldn't be much to write about! I hope you all enjoyed this post and I'm excited to see what essential oil blend you choose. If you have any essential oil blend requests e-mail me Kayla@healing-salve.com and I will try to find a good solution for you! Thanks for reading, share with those you love, and enjoy!
Namaste, Kayla
After I made this oil for the first time (at fifteen years old) I have never been able to find an exfoliating product that comes close to matching it. Most that you buy in the store leave your skin feeling dry and rough, and the exfoliant in the store bought scrubs is usually a tiny gummy feeling bead that sticks to everything (skin, shower, towel, hair).
-Final notes-
-The raw sugar helps to break away dead skin, and the hemp oil jumps in behind it to seal in the moisture, to be honest I don't need any lotion after I use this because my skin is so hydrated (not oily, but hydrated). I only recommend using this scrub two or three times (maximum) a week. It is very effective and you do not want to break into any new skin, I personally only use it twice a week.
-*Oil of choice- While some of you may say "my oil of choice is hemp oil" others either do not have access to it or simply prefer another oil. You can replace Hemp oil for Olive Oil, Sunflower Oil, Rose-hip Oil, Grape-seed Oil, Jojoba Oil, pretty much any carrier oil will do the job. I prefer hemp oil because it has all of the nutritional values of all the oils mentioned above plus a few. It heals the skin, hydrates the skin, prevents the formation of unhealthy skin cell growth, promotes the growth of healthy skin cells and detoxifies your skin.
-When I say essential oil of choice I mean what would you like your Sugar scrub to accomplish for you? Are you fighting body and face acne and need a little help with a deep cleaning essential oil/ raw sugar blend? Let me give you a few examples:
- Acne or black head clearing scrub: Use 5 drops of tea tree (also known as melaluca), 5 drops of lemongrass, and 10 drops of Lavender
- Muscle aches or hot flashes: 10 drops of peppermint
- To reduce cellulite and tighten elasticity of skin: 5 drops Rosemary, 5 drops Lime, 5 drops Lavender
- Energizing: 10 drops Lemon
- Stretch Marks (or others scars): 5 Drops Frankincense, 5 Drops Myrrh, 5 Drops Lavender
**Container Issues: If you are going to keep this oil in the shower at all times I recommend using a plastic container or an old spice container (not the fragrance old spice, but an old garlic powder or onion powder container). Why? Well when you go to dip your hand into this mixture your hand will be oily and if you use glass in a shower.. you may end up needing healing salve! Also if you put this mixture into an old spice container you do not have to scoop out anything, you can shake it out through the large holes. If you plan to use this after you shave your legs or on your face and you will be using it outside of the shower a glass container is an okay choice. If you want to know why mine is in a glass container, let me explain: I made a base mixture (of the raw sugar and hemp oil), I mixed it up and now I store it in this container. Since I may only need an acne scrub for a week or two I didn't think it made a lot of sense to make a whole batch of acne scrub, because I only get the occasional pimple. I have an acne scrub, a muscle ache scrub, and I have the choice to whip up a new essential oil blend to add to my base at any time; so you see why I keep mine in a glass jar. I keep this glass jar out of the reach of children with the other ingredients I use to make my recipes.
I'm pretty sure I summed up all the information I needed to in this article. You would think for a recipe that consisted of very few ingredients and very little effort there wouldn't be much to write about! I hope you all enjoyed this post and I'm excited to see what essential oil blend you choose. If you have any essential oil blend requests e-mail me Kayla@healing-salve.com and I will try to find a good solution for you! Thanks for reading, share with those you love, and enjoy!
Namaste, Kayla
Natural Sunscreen
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
My grandfather is a very important person to me, for the last few years he has been dealing with melanoma. When I started looking into natural treatments for myself I was convinced there was something I could make that would be useful to him for his skin. My grandfather enjoys spending time outdoors and uses sun screen every day, religiously!
As many of you know the chemicals in sunscreen are worse for our skin than if we wore no sun screen at all, and I figured I could find a way around that for him. The recipe I'm presenting you today is called "Paul-Screen" I named it after my grandfather, who seemed hesitant to try it, but now loves it. He said "I only have to use a tiny bit, and it lasts all day" he also said "I can tell a difference". After he had used if for a week he ate dinner with us for fathers day and I could really see a big difference in his skin. It wasn't inflamed or red like I'm used to seeing and it looked "youthful". For those who are interested in natural sun screen or would like the additional moisturizing benefits in Paul-screen please give this recipe a try, you wont regret it!
Final Notes:
-I actually used Hemp Oil in my recipe. "Hemp oil, which is widely regarded as a “super food,” contains omega 3, omega 6 and gamma linoleic acid. This concentration of gamma linoleic acid (GLA) is 5% higher than any other plant known to man. GLA is known to help with a wide variety of disorders, ailments and diseases, including breast and skin cancer. GLA helps promote healthy cell growth, thereby neutralizing cancer cells" (1).
-The beeswax acts as a water repellant, keeping the mixture on your skin so you do not have to re-apply it all day!Beeswax is known for its healing properties. "Beeswax locks in moisture, fosters cells and protects skin from damaging environmental factors. Beeswax is a naturally nourishing moisturizer as well as being anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-allergenic and a germicidal antioxidant. Beeswax has an irritation potential of zero and doesn't clog pores. Nonallergic, Beeswax sustains sunscreen action with its water repellent properties, combines well with multiple ingredients, and contains elasticity and provides greater permanence on skin or lip surfaces" (2).
-Coconut Oil has many amazing health benefits, including natural skin moisturizer and protector. Learn more about coconut here.
-Aloe Vera Gel helps wounds heal faster, and protect the skin. Aloe Vera has been a highly regarded plant in the medicinal world for many years and it's uses in the practice of medicine are still being discovered.
-Vitamin E oils destroy free radicals in the skin and encourage new healthy skin cell growth. It also acts as a natural preserver (since my grand-dad thinks the small jar I gave him will last a year). =]
-Frankincense is one of the many essential oils (unlike most big pharma medications) that can
break the blood-brain barrier. "They penetrate the Blood- Brain-Barrier, a network of blood vessels with closely spaced cells that makes it difficult for potentially toxic substances (such as anticancer drugs) to penetrate the blood vessel walls and enter the brain. This makes a convincing argument for the efficacy of aromatherapy. When diffused or used topically, essential oils enter through the olfactory system, cross the Blood-Brain-Barrier and work with the Central Nervous System to promote healing" (3).
I hope this recipe helps you or someone you know. Please share your thoughts, feelings, or experiences with this recipe in the comments section below. As always feel free to e-mail me if you would like a specific recipe, info about purchasing product I've made or product information. Thank you for reading! Namaste, Kayla
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