Shark Week + Essential Oils: Yes, Please!

At the close of Shark Week 2018, we thought that Suzanne Rodolfich's Shark Week-themed posts were too good not to share on our blog! Enjoy:) 

Shark Skin? No, Thanks! Best Essential Oils for Skin Care 

Essential Oils are a great, natural way to take care of your skin! 

Did you know that shark skin actually looks and feels like little interlocking teeth? Um, no thank you!

Young Living offers SO many options for your skin! Here are a just a few top skin oils:

Top Essential Oils for Skin

• Frankincense—helps create youthful appearance 
• Tea Tree—cleanses skin
• Geranium—helps provide healthy, clear, glowing skin
• Cypress—smooths skin
• Copiaba—reduces redness
• Sandalwood—soothes, tightens, cleanses
• Blue Tansy—soothes, reduces redness, provides antioxidant
• Kunzea—provides antioxidant benefits (check out the pics of how the Kunzea plant affects a barbed wire fence)

DIY Skin Care Recipes

My Toner Recipe

• Witch Hazel  
• Equal parts Frankincense (glow), Lavender (soothe), Lemon, (brighten), Copiaba

My Skin Cream Recipe

I originally created this as a diaper cream, but now I use it for all sorts of skin issues.

• Coconut oil
• Shea butter
• Equal parts Frankincense, Tea Tree, and Lavender

My Facial Serum Recipe

• 3 drops Frankincense
• 2 drops Myrrh,
• 1 drop Rose

Lots of options, right? I love that we can take care of our skin with non-toxic products that meet our skin’s unique needs!

Do you sleep like a shark? Best Oils for Sleep Support

So many sleep support oils, which are your favorites? 

So apparently there’s lots of controversy about how and if and when sharks sleep:

• They seem to be very active at night
• Most species have to remain in motion, so for years scientists thought sharks didn’t sleep
• However, now scientists think they enter periods of rest where they slow down, but their eyes are open, and it’s not a true deep sleep

Did I describe any of you with those facts? Maybe your kids?

I think many of us seek out essential oils because we need sleep support—that was my reason 5 years ago!

But just like there are lots of things we don’t know about sharks’ sleeping habits, there are so many variables with our own sleeping habits that finding an Essential Oils combo for sleep support can be trial and error.

Best Oils for Sleep Support

• Lavender: Most people start with Lavender—this doesn’t work for me or Jonna 
• Frankincense: this is a fav in our house and a Lavender + Frankincense combo can be powerful
• Stress Away
• Peace and Calming

If you really want to sleep like the dead, then consider these heavy hitters:

• Valor
• Valerian
• Rutavala
• DreamCatcher

And then there are a few that kids especially find calming:

• Gentle Baby
• Roman Chamomile 
• SleepyIze

And finally, you may want to consider WHY you aren’t sleeping: Are you worried? Is your child needing a little extra security? Sometimes if we can support our emotions, we can sleep better.

Suzanne's Picks

So—what do WE use for sleep support in our house?

The Kids

• Jonna (6)—Frankincense, Valor, or Palo Santo
• Zanna (5)—Frankincense,  Valor, or Palo Santo
• Mila (3)—Palo Santo and White Angelica
• Vin (1)—Lavender or Peace and Calming

The Adults

• Me—Valor or Rutavala (the kids would use the Rutavala, too, but that’s liquid gold and I’m a little stingy with it )
• The hubs—whatever I’m diffusing 

And despite this lengthy post, there are still more options—I feel like I am leaving so many good ones out!

Maybe you can help me out—what are your family’s favorite oils for sleep support?

Skip the Blue Shark Blues: Essential Oils for Mood Support

No need to feel like the Blue Shark! Try out these tried and true mood boosting oils. 

This is the blue shark—according to my friends Google and Wikipedia, they are sort of sluggish and lethargic in their movements. 

Top Oils for Mood Boosting

If you’re feeling the same way, maybe a little down, a little blue, here are some oily tips to try:

• A drop of Frankincense Vitality daily under the tongue (this is a my go-to mood lifter)
• Frankincense + Lemon in the diffuser
•  A few drops of Joy in your hands and inhale
• Ylang Ylang + Orange in the diffuser
• Super B an energy and mood lifter all in one—do you know how much our body NEEDS B vitamins? They are vital! I made this a part of my daily routine after I had Vin.
• NingXia Red—daily, daily, daily! In addition to about a hundred other things, it supports healthy energy levels and regulates blood sugar (anybody else get HANGRY?)

Raise your hand if you had fun with Essential Oil SHARK WEEK! Share any skin, sleep or mood support tips below. Bonus points for Shark-themed ideas:) 

May Promo MVPs: Ravintsara & Valor

Every month, we like to give extra insight on any unusual and exciting promo freebies, and today we’re doing just that with Ravintsara and Valor. If you’ve already earned them, (woo hoo!) we hope this quick look helps you enjoy your new oils, and, if you’re still planning your May purchase, here are a few reasons why you’ll love what you earn.

Ravintsara & Valor aren't just May Promo MVPs, they are daily MVPs. 

Ravintsara (earned at the 250 PV level)

Ravintsara is a little like Lavender. If you know and love the “Swiss Army knife” of essential oils, this is exciting news. This gentle oil has many applications.

A quick glance:

Source: Ravintsara is steam distilled from leaves and branches of Cinnamomum camphora in Madagascar.

Supports: As we alluded to, Ravinstara is an oily MVP. It helps support the respiratory system, immune system, skin, adrenal glands and helps provide spiritual grounding.

Use It:

• Aromatically: Diffuse for 30 minutes at a time for up to three hours daily. Great for respiratory support and focus during meditation.  
• Topically: Apply directly to area of concern, you can dilute with your favorite carrier oil.

Valor (earned at a new level, 340 PV!)

Valor is an all-time fave Young Living blend...and it was out of stock for over a year. So, we’re all pretty excited about the May promo over here.

A quick glance:

Components:

Let’s look at the oils that make Valor a Young Living bestseller.

• Black Spruce offers emotional support.
• Camphor (a member of the rosewood family) provides skin support and creates a feeling of peace.
• Blue Tansy supports the liver and lymphatic system.
• Frankincense may help promote a positive attitude.
• Geranium comforts with its aroma and pampers skin.

Supports: With a name like Valor, it’s no wonder this blend is beloved for its empowering, confidence-supporting aroma. On the other hand, it’s also a calming blend, like another all-time fave, Peace & Calming. Beyond mood, Valor can also support the spine, muscles, bones, skin, and the nervous system.

Application:

• Aromatically:
  • Diffuse in the morning to kickstart your day
  • Wear as a perfume for a midday pick-me-up
•  Topically: Apply to bottom of feet (6 drops per foot)

What’s your favorite oil blend? Let us know in the comments!