Essential Oil DIY Recipe: Baby Powder

Ready for another naturally great DIY Essential Oil recipe? This one is mom-approved, baby-approved and cloth diapering safe! This week we give you essential oil-infused Baby Powder! As always, you can throw our recipes together with household staples and your favorite essential oils.

Keep baby's skin soft AND your peace of mind? That's a win-win with this DIY Baby Powder. 

Supplies & Ingredients

Supplies

• Glass Mixing Bowl
• Measuring Cups
• Mixing Spoon
• Storage Container (Mason Jar or glass shaker)*

*Store in a dark, dry place.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Arrowroot powder**
• 5-10 drops of (pick one):
• Lavender
• Roman Chamomile
• Ylang Ylang
• Melrose
• Gentle Baby

**You can also use ¼ cup cornstarch and ¼ cup Arrowroot, but again, we prefer Arrowroot. It’s best for sensitive skin and does not promote yeast growth like cornstarch can.

How It’s Done

Another “why haven’t I tried this before” two-step process!

1. Combine all ingredients in your glass mixing bowl.
2. Store in your chosen container.

Use Today

Baby powder helps absorb extra moisture to keep your baby’s skin soft and smooth. Add your favorite soothing oil to keep your baby smelling fresh and a smile on your face, even during diaper changes. Plus, giving your baby a signature scent will give you an instant connection to sweet baby days whenever you happen to smell the oil you use in your powder recipe, even years later!

For baby,

1. Shake powder out onto your hand (avoiding baby’s face).
2. Apply with every diaper change and after every bath.

For You,

Don’t let baby have all the fun! This recipe is also great for parents (and non-parents). Apply in the morning and throughout the day to keep your skin sweat-free and soft.

Do you DIY? What’s your can’t-live-without-it homemade beauty product?

Oil of the Week: Lavender

Lavender...where to begin? So many uses, so little time! I don't know if I could think of one person who could not benefit from Lavender! We love having it in our family; all 4 of us have at least one way to use it on a regular basis.  

Lavender: An Oil for Every Member of the Family

Lavender is versatile. We love it as a part of our nighttime routines, skin soothing support and, of course, its fresh scent. So many uses make it a great starter oil. 

#1 Baby Benefits

This is my favorite way to use Lavender currently! I have a 10 month old who is not quite old enough to communicate why she may be fussing. Mamas, you know the drill:

• Does she have a tooth pushing through?
• Does she feel warm?
• Is it a season change that’s causing the sniffles?
• Is she restless?

You never quite know the answer! But I can tell you this, I always have the same answer...rub some lavender on! It is so versatile and supports so many systems that chances are, it will give her relief in one way or another!

I just apply it on her feet, and then on her chest for respiratory support and to help her relax.

Fun fact: Did you know our feet are our most porous part of our body? Apply an oil to the feet and it will absorb and know just the right spot to travel to!

#2 Toddler Triumphs   

In addition to our sweet little girl, we have a sweet (but tough!) 31/2 yr old boy. I must say Lavender is great to have around for soothing the many bumps and bruises of toddlerhood! I apply straight on at times, or dilute with some coconut oil when he's a little more sensitive.

#3 Happy Hubby Habits

My husband has a lot of stress from day to day and needs a little extra assistance calming his mind at night. To help, we start it in the diffuser a little before bedtime. We both love how it promotes a relaxing atmosphere as we get ready for bed.

DIY Tip: I've heard of others making a linen spray and spraying it on their sheets and pillows as well!

#4 Mama Merits

As far as I'm concerned I have two favorite uses for lavender. Sorry I tried to narrow it down to just one, but I couldn't!

Game-Changer at Season Changes

The first is during the change of seasons. This was actually how I was introduced to essential oils! I used to battle sinus irritation whenever the temperature changed (which happens pretty frequently in Arkansas!). One weekend, I was staying with a dear friend who used essential oils. She recommended a few and after that I was hooked! Now when I sense a change in the weather I apply a drop or two directly over my cheekbones and along my neck. Sometimes, I put a drop under my tongue as well for quicker relief!

After-Sun Soother

I also have another dilemma: You see, I'm a girl who loves the sun! Like I really feel like I can never get enough of it! Unfortunately, my German descent doesn't agree with this. Yup, I have the blonde hair blue eyes and very very fair skin, so I usually have to suffer the consequences after a long day in the sunshine. This is where lavender becomes my best friend! When I get home or even throughout the day while I'm out, I take a few drops of lavender, mix it with coconut oil and rub it wherever needed! I love the smell of the coconut/lavender combo and it's very soothing to the skin!

Lavender Vitality: A Refreshing Recipe Addition

Another great way to use Lavender? In recipes! Yes, Young Living makes a Lavender Vitality oil that can be ingested!

Honey Lavender Lemonade

Check out this summertime favorite on the Young Living blog. It’s so cool and refreshing!!

Lavender Blackberry Scones

Take a good scone recipe and mix in a handful of blackberries. Then, make a frosting of powdered sugar, lemon juice and a drop of Lavender Vitality. Drizzle on top of your freshly baked scones....mmmm.

Here are a few other creative ways to use Lavender...

• Add a drop of Lavender to your tube of mascara to support healthy lashes.
• Add a few drops to wool dryer balls to refresh your laundry (I especially love to do this for our sheets and my little ones "blankies").
• Get some raw Shea butter and mix with coconut oil, add a few drops of Lavender for a luxurious whipped body butter!
• Apply a drop under the tongue or along the neck before mowing the lawn for preventative respiratory support.
• Diffuse with other oils for a lovely smelling home. Some of my favorites to mix with are lemon, orange or eucalyptus blue.

What's your favorite way to use Lavender? We'd love to hear about it! Any questions? Contact me at inspirationsbyrae@gmail.com

Top 10 Essential Oils for Pregnancy

My little boy is 2 and embodies the phrase “Oil Baby.” You may not have heard this term before (I hadn’t before he came along), but it has definitely become common in my vocabulary. I was introduced to Young Living Essential Oils a couple years before he was even a "twinkle in our eye," as they say, and when I became pregnant I was very cautious of anything I used. I work in a Children’s Hospital (specifically the ICU areas) so I’m a little more paranoid than most, but I quickly discovered that there were several oils that made me feel better than I had ever before. So you could say, he was an Oil Baby even before he was born!  

My Oil Baby!

And now with #2 on the way, I’m enjoying this one (almost) as much! Let’s be honest, with a 2-year-old and a full-time job, sleep isn’t quite as attainable. So I may be a little sleep deprived…ok, maybe a lot, but other than that I feel great! But, like I told the OB, I just don’t tell other pregnant women for fear that they may assault me in the Waiting Room! 

But today, I’m sharing my top 10 Oils (and a few products) that I can't live without while pregnant! But quick disclaimer first: I am not a medical professional and I cannot confirm nor deny whether these are safe to use during pregnancy, always check with your primary doctor.

My Top 10 Favorite Essential Oils for Pregnancy

1. Thieves 

Thieves is great for immune support during pregnancy. 

I was working in the Emergency Room when I was pregnant the first time, and not just the ER, but the waiting rooms of the ER with all the sick kiddos. Let me just say throughout my entire pregnancy I did not get sick once! I put it on the bottoms of my feet every day before work. Oh and added bonus…it helps with stinky feet ;) 

2. Peppermint

Ward off congestion and exhaustion with a little Peppermint. 

This is good for those early days when you feel a little (or a lot) woozy. And it can help alleviate head pressure and congestion that comes along with pregnancy. Oh and when you feel a little sleepy but you don’t have the option of a nap because a 2-year-old is running around your house? Breathe a little of this to perk you up! 

3. Lemon

Say goodbye to the queezies with Lemon. 

I’ve heard many women comment on lemon oil helping with the queezies. I didn’t know about this the first time around, but I definitely used it this time! And personally I love the taste and smell much better than peppermint. Lemon is also a great one to have around to keep your spirits up and help you stay positive!

4. DiGize

DiGize is great for all stomach discomfort. 

Anyone who does not have this oil in their possession (pregnant or not) needs to get a bottle. DiGize has saved me so many times! This stuff supports normal digestion and promotes healthy intestinal function and gastrointestinal system comfort -- after every meal. It also helps with that burning sensation you can get when you've eaten a few too many slices of pizza...you know that fun feeling that usually takes hold in the latter part of pregnancy…not looking forward to that…

5. Peace & Calming

Take the edge off of pregnancy stress with Peace & Calming. 

I used this my entire pregnancy on a daily basis. I started off using it for deodorant because I didn't want to come in contact with all that aluminum and other yucky stuff. I loved the smell and I mixed it with coconut oil. I’m convinced this is why my baby was ridiculously calm and chill as an infant, but can’t say for sure. Regardless, it kept me at peace to better handle all the stressors of being pregnant—and just life in general!

6. Gentle Baby

Add this to your daily regime to reduce your stretch mark risk. 

Gentle Baby helps prevent stretch marks. Unfortunately, I was not diligent the first go-round with this daily regime, but I learned my lesson. I’ve been using it like crazy for Pregnancy #2! I actually just whipped up some body butter made with Raw Shea Butter, Coconut Oil and Gentle Baby, and I love it!  Smells great and it’s super smooth and creamy.

7. Lavender

Lavender is great for so much! Try it for congestion, skin support and more. 

Lavender is the “Swiss Army Knife” of oils; it has so many uses and it’s so gentle I always felt ok using it. It promotes healthy respiratory function, the body's natural response to skin irritation and so much more! When in doubt, I pull out that lavender!

8. ClaraDerm Spray

Keep this handy for "down there" issues. 

This is a wonderful blend of oils combined with a carrier oil all in a super convenient spray bottle. ClaraDerm spray is great for all those “down there” issues that no one wants to talk about. It’s also great for prepping and recovering from labor and all the unspeakable things that happen with that!

9. OmegaGize

Help your pregnancy brain with OmegaGize. 

These are great capsules to help your pregnancy brain. Many people recommend taking fish oil while pregnant to help you and the baby. OmegaGize is a great alternative. Many fish oils go rancid quickly, sometimes before you even buy them. The way these capsules are produced and packaged you don’t have to worry about that, and they’re infused with essential oils to help you absorb the nutrients even more efficiently.

10. True Source

True Source vitamins are derived from the true source!

I absolutely love these vitamins! I did hours of research the first pregnancy to make sure these vitamins measured up to the prenatal vitamin standards. I also discovered many other tidbits of info along the way such as many synthetic vitamins can be dangerous to have too much of, like Vitamin A. So the great thing about these is they’re not synthetic and come from the true source! You can tell when you look at them too, the colors naturally reflect what they're made from. The one minor drawback: the set of 3 capsules can be hard to stomach in the beginning, but they are well worth the struggle! I feel great, my hair and nails grow wonderfully, and, the best part, I don’t have the negative side effect that arises from most other prenatal vitamins…the constipation. But even if you did, you could use peppermint or DiGize noted above to support your digestive system!   

Learn More

So as I was saying my little boy is an Oil Baby. I’ve used Young Living Essential Oils with him from the womb and now he asks for them! When he doesn’t feel good, he’ll go find the oil bottle and hand it to me. And I’m sure this next one will be the same way, except she’ll have Mom and big brother “oiling her up” to face the world. I wouldn’t have it any other way! 

If you would like to learn more about how my family incorporates essential oils into our everyday life, I would love to talk to you! Feel free to contact me at creationsbyrae@outlook.com or 408-250-0648.  Or if you're ready to just jump in, visit my website, youngliving.org/rachelzachary to sign up!  

Oily Mommas: What are your go-to pregnancy oils?