Head-to-Toe Baby Salve

My children inspired me to pursue a cleaner, healthier lifestyle, and alternatives to everyday household products.  At their very young ages, I, as a parent, am so limited in what I can do to take care of them.  I hated hearing that there was really nothing I could do for them for so many things. When I had success with essential oils for myself, I branched out and started using them with my kids.

Now, I will stress that I absolutely trust that I am getting a clean, pure, therapeutic grade essential oil from Young Living, which is the only brand I use on my children. You can learn more about getting started with YL HERE! I will also point out that a parent’s discretion and judgement is critical. If you are going to use essential oils on your children, please use only the best quality, and keep them well diluted for their sensitive skin.  Begin with the gentlest oils, like lavender or frankincense and follow labeling instructions (label dilution guidelines are a minimum.) Never use oils in or around a baby’s eyes, and I recommend avoiding hands as well, since they so often go right in the mouth. My recipes are intended to support a healthy child. If you suspect your child is sick, please seek the help of a medical professional!

Now, finally, for my favorite, most useful, most versatile baby recipe: head-to-toe salve. Get your pen ready…

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 drop lavender

That’s it. Give it a stir and store in a glass jar. DONE.  Seriously!  I used this on my son, from about 3 months, literally, from head to toe.

Rub it on his head before a bath for a healthy scalp (give it about 10 minutes before washing out.)

Rub it all over for a soothing, moisturizing lotion (it is the best baby “lotion” I’ve ever used!)

Rub it on his little booty at diaper changes.

Rub it on tiny feet for restful sleep.

Rub it on tummies after eating (use a circular, clockwise motion around the navel to promote things moving things through the bowels).

Rub it on the jaw for teething discomfort.

If you’re the abundantly cautious type, notice skin irritation or discomfort (extremely unlikely, but possible!), have a preemie, or a baby with very sensitive skin, just add more coconut oil, making it 1 drop to 2 tablespoons or even 1 drop in ¼ cup. If your child is a little bigger, getting into the toddler range, 1 drop per teaspoon or so, will probably suit them better.

All that’s left to do is snuggle and sniff that sweet smelling head!

Getting Inspired to Do It Yourself

I've been doing some things myself around my house for a while now and my creativity has always come from a problem solving place. We needed curtains and throw pillows and art for the walls, and those things are expensive, so I did it myself! I'm a problem solver by nature. I was good at math and science, but I do have an artistic bent. So whatever your strengths, whatever your personality, there are DIY solutions out there for you! Blogs, Pinterest, and YouTube are all full of recipes of varying difficulty and varying topics. I'm here to try to help you find the easiest solutions. Trust me, I'm a busy mom of 2 small kids. If it weren't easy and economical, and if I didn't find homemade products that were at least comparable, if not better than what I was buying, I would not have stuck with it. But I've found success in all of those areas. I'm here to share with you what I have found that works for me and my family.

I like to compare DIY's to cooking. Once you understand the lingo, learn how to read a recipe, familiarize yourself with common ingredients, and keep your favorite ones on hand, it's smooth sailing! DIYing, also like cooking, in that it puts you in control. That's really the best part. You control the quality and selection of ingredients! Eliminate the junk that is not good for you, and only use the best!

Getting started with homemade everyday products, for me, began with my first exposure to essential oils. I have an old friend who is a DIY and essential oil pro! She's been doing it for years and I saw on my Facebook feed she was attending an "Essential Oils 101" event online. I'd been curious about essential oils. I had no idea what they were or where to get them. I really knew nothing! So I jumped in the class. This was right around the time that my second child was just getting big enough for me to start to think about something besides all baby all the time (he was about 3 months old), and I was ready for something for myself. I needed something to be interested in, something to learn about, something just for me. I was fascinated by what I learned! I learned what essential oils are, why quality matters, what the most popular ones are, and some simple ways to use them. My wheels were spinning. I was immediately thinking of all the things I could do, and all the people in my life who would love them too! I ordered my Premium Starter Kit (learn more about that here) and hit the ground running. My team, Young Living, and those resources I mentioned above have all been vital in educating me. They've helped me to learn how to put basic recipes together, but also taught me about the ingredients and how to customize recipes for me and my family to meet our specific needs. My friends, I have learned how to fish! And I can teach you too!

So, this blog will feature both recipes and education about ingredients. Most of my recipes will have 2 parts: the basic components that are required to make it work, and the customizable part to make it work for you!  Because that's really the point! What works for me may not be what's best for you. I want you to succeed, and I know you can do it! I highly recommend investing in a third party reference guide for YLEOs. This will help educate you on the full scope of use for all of Young Living's oils, both singles and blends. You can use it to look up your personal needs and see which oils may be a good choice for you. There are several companies that all publish "pocket" reference guides, and some that even have apps for your phone: Abundant Health, KRE, and Life Science Publishing all offer good choices for a reasonable price.

This video has a run down of Essential Oils, similar to the class I got started with! Check it Out!