Essential Oils: An Overview

Without fail, at least once a month I get a version of the following text: talk to me about essential oils. Where do I start? I am overwhelmed. How do you know how to use these?!?

Well. I am a nerd. I read and research. I am also preppy with some pretty solid hippy leanings. I also don't trust modern medicine until I have to. (Of course I vaccinate my kid. Can we not get into this right now?). I don't think that essential oils are the reason that we haven't had to give Lyla antibiotics yet, but I do think that they have helped fend off some nasty stuff and get rid of the nasties that she has contracted. Kids are petri-dishes of germs. I figured that instead of responding with the same text information over and over and over, I would just make this post as a resource for you oil loving mommas/humans/babies. And for you oil curious folks. I see you!

1. Just order the starter kit from Young Living. 

There is a ton of research out that that supports my decision as to why I trust Young Living over anything else, but just go with this tidbit: I will not put any oils directly on my skin (or either of the LB's) that are NOT young living. Sometimes, especially at work, I will diffuse some non-YL oils because they are cheaper and I am mostly going for smell. I just trust YL, but do your own research. 

Here is what is in the starter kit... priced separately this stuff would be over $200 and it really just gets you rockin' and rollin'. 

• Dewdrop Diffuser
• Premium Essential Oils Collection (5-ml each) Lavender, Copaiba Vitality™, Peppermint Vitality™, Lemon Vitality™, Frankincense, Thieves® Vitality™, Purification®, RC™, DiGize™ Vitality™, PanAway®
• Stress Away™ 5-ml
• AromaGlide™ Roller Fitment
• 10 Sample Packets
• 10 Love it? Share it! Sample Business Cards
• 10 Love it? Share it! Sample Oil Bottles
• 2 NingXia Red® 2-oz. samples
• Product Guide and Product Price List
• Essential Oil Magazine
• Essential Edge
• Member Resources

When you click on that starter kit link, you can also look at the other options for starter kits. Honestly, the only other one I would recommend starting with would be the Thieves kit. But let's chat if you're confused by which one to start with. 

I don't do their NingXia Red thing, I am starting to get into the Thieves cleaning stuff because that is the miracle oil, and until right this second, I haven't had a membership or ordered a starter kit because I didn't want to sign up for ANOTHER thing. I wasted so much money doing this. Ordering oils from friends separately was ridic.  

So back to the point: don't be me. Order the starter kit. And likely another bottle of Thieves. It's amazing. 

*** Want to get overwhelmed by choices? Look at this thing. It lists all of the oils separately (as well as more research). 

2. Order this Book: The Bible of Essential Oil-ing

This book answers the how do I use all of this stuff questions. It lists out all the momma and baby illnesses that occur (hand, foot, mouth, anyone), and the essential oil recipe to help treat or prevent it from becoming worse. You just have to have it. 

3. Fractionated Coconut Oil

You use this to dillute the oils for babies and kids. It's a must do. (You don't need to order the fancy YL V8 whatever oil to dilute. This will work just fine). 

4. For Babies and Kids Specifically

Order Sniffleease oil when you order your starter kit. It's freaking amazing and around $18. I would put it on my chest when Lyla was congested as I breastfed her and she could breathe. I now diffuse it in her room and lather her in it with every cold. I have re-ordered this 6 times. Count them, 6. 

So, questions? Help? Thoughts? You can email me as well if you don't want to leave your comments in the comments. I hope that this is a better version of the rambling texts that I send to my friends and family who have questions. :) 

*This post contains affiliate links and if you order the starter kit from YL, you'll be in my "business line." I truly am not trying to build a business out of this... I would however, take all of the oily discounts and oils that I can get. You can email me questions about this as well. :) 

**I am not a doctor. Or a pro at oils. At all. I just like them and how they have helped my family. 

Denver Photographers House Stalking

Meet Angela and Preston:

(photo credit: steve stanton)

You don't even have to say it. They're adorable. Angela Terrell, who just happens to be dating our wedding photographer, Preston Utley, is not only adorable and wonderful, but she also takes photos like these of kids and families here in Denver:

She's crazy talented and luckily enough for you, she keeps a photography blog and you should can contact her for Denver family photography. Whenever we have babies, it's not even a question of who is going to be forced to take their pictures. She's that good.

We've been lucky enough to become friends with these two annoying talented photographers. I guess that we will stay friends with them given that we've now successfully exploited the friendship by begging Angie to let us virtually house crash her and Preston's pad. So, welcome to their house. It's comfy, so you'll want to stay a while.

The curved windows out front make my heart flutter and the red trim somehow TOTALLY works on this brick charmer.

After Angie and Preston brought in a contractor and the folks at The Bakery to add some special touches, their kitchen now looks like this:

In that picture above, you can see the metal beam across the top of the kitchen where the wall used to be. It's pretty incredible.

These custom walnut shelves from The Bakery in the kitchen open the space up even more than blowing out the wall... and don't even get me started on that farmhouse sink from Ikea. The stove is smaller than it could be, but according to Angie & Preston, they wanted to go higher end with the stove and gain more counter space. "It's not like we are going to be cooking a turkey in here!" (They're both veggies).

 

The island is what sets this bad boy apart in my mind. Incredible.

These sweet ceramic cups were also crafted by The Bakery peeps and I LOVE the way they play off of the wood touches throughout the space... and peonies. Enough said.

Can we just with the scale and the incredible, handcrafted cutting board.

On to the living room and the custom-built bookshelves. Angie said she traded rent with an old roommate who built these bad boys... it makes me want a handy roommate STAT. That's what they all do right? Install built-in wonderfulness in your house?

 

The couch is from Z Gallerie and... what's that? You spotted the adorable dog? Everyone, meet Juno. :)

The bedroom, with the other room being used as these two creative genius photographer's office, is small, crisp and clean. I am LOVING that chandelier.

The bathroom boasts an incredible DIY/Thrift store vanity that Angie picked up for $30 and made into the perfect spot for her double sinks.

Just having two sinks makes the bathroom feel SO MUCH BIGGER!

We end with their super sweet backyard that Angie has turned into a garden oasis. Her and Preston pulled onions out of the ground when they had us over for dinner and I have never been the same since. They had this custom pergola built by (you guessed it) the fine folks at The Bakery!

We love their house and immediately went home and thought of blowing out our wall between our kitchen and living room. (Spoiler alert: we didn't do that yet... BUT MAN, that wall is just asking for it). Angie took all of the photos for this post, so leave Angie and Preston some comment love y'all.

Also on Thursday Style, I Gotta Create, From My Front Porch to Yours, and A Delightsome Life!