DIY Dusting Spray With Essential Oils

We finished homeschool last week, so I have two weeks off from school and therapy before summer therapy starts again.  Two entire weeks with no appointments, no school, and no obligations except taking the kids to karate, ju jitsu, and Boy Scouts.  

As much as I would love to use that time to get through my DVR and Netflix queue, I'm using it to spring clean my house.  Yes, I know it's almost summer, but I just can't devote the time to deep cleaning while I'm homeschooling and have appointments almost every day.

We started cleaning Friday, and I've already taken 3 trash bags and 3 large boxes to donate.  The less we have, the less I have to clean, right?  

I was cleaning my room and couldn't find my dusting spray.  I didn't want to have to stop to run into town just for that, so I started experimenting with some DIY dusting spray recipes.  There are a few variations floating around the Internet, so I made three recipes to decide which one I liked best.

Homemade Bug Repellent Candle Melt Recipe

Repel mosquitoes and other bugs naturally with these homemade bug repellent candle melts. Put one in your wax melter and let it diffuse the essential oils to keep bugs away.

Last weekend, we grilled dinner and spent the evening outside.  We made ribs and grilled garlic Parmesan asparagus.  If you've never grilled asparagus, add it to next week's menu plan.  It is a wonderful summer side dish because it's so easy

The kids played with the dogs and jumped on the trampoline while the husband and I played cards on the patio. It was a great evening except for some uninvited guests.

Bugs.  

We were swatting mosquitoes, gnats, and other bugs away until I lit a bug repellent candle.  Finally, we got some relief from our flying foes.

I like burning candles with essential oils to naturally repel bugs, but I always ruin my candles because we don't burn them long enough.  You should burn a candle one hour for each inch of diameter or it will start to tunnel in the middle.  Eventually, you won't be able to light it because the melted wax will drown the wick.  

Sometimes I only need the candle for an hour.  Sometimes we plan to be outside for the evening, but then something comes up and we have to leave or head inside.  

So I thought why not make a candle melt?  They are easier to make than candles because you don't have to worry about using the right wick.  I can burn one for 15 minutes or several hours, and I don't have to worry about ruining the candle.  

Best Natural Beauty Balm Recipe for Clear, Beautiful Skin

This best natural beauty balm recipe from guest blogger, Rebecca D. Dillon of Soap Deli News, is a wonderful natural holistic skin care recipe that you can craft at home for clear, beautiful skin.

As we learn more about the effects that the ingredients in beauty and skin care products can have on our skin and our health, there's been a shift in the beauty industry toward more holistic skin care products. However, in an effort to make that change to healthy, natural products without potentially toxic or cancer causing side effects, this trend has also led to a rise in costs.

Companies spend more to provide natural, healthy beauty options that are ethically sourced, use certified organic ingredients and have zero animal testing free of synthetic ingredients and preservatives.

Nonetheless, as beauty companies compete to offer the newest and best in holistic skin care, their marketing costs rise. Then so do the cost of their products. Unfortunately not all of us are able to afford these expensive luxury beauty products. From mascaras with $21-$24 price tags to anti-aging creams in the $68-$98 range and up, it gets expensive rather quickly.


What we should really be spending that extra cash on are healthy food choices, not exterior beauty products. The right nutrition helps us to stay beautiful both inside and out. From a healthy skin to a healthy gut, beauty is after all, way more than just a pretty face. So rather than buying all of your natural skin care products - because I know I lust over the latest and greatest too - you can actually save money by making your own holistic skin care products at home.

While the start up cost of making your own holistic skin care recipes can be high at first, you can use those ingredients in any number of natural skin care recipes. I find that when I place a supply order I'm able to make dozens of natural beauty products over the course of the year, thus lowering what I'm spending in the end. This is assuming, of course, you don't get addicted. Or shop online with a glass a wine in hand. Which, I do confess, I have been guilty of.

WHAT ARE HOLISTIC SKIN CARE PRODUCTS?

Holistic skin care products in this instance simply refers to topical beauty products containing almost 100 percent natural ingredients. These natural ingredients may include herbs, plant extracts, phytonutrients and antioxidants, and essential oils.

While holistic skin care products are gaining increased popularity among both aestheticians and consumers, FDA regulations and labeling have not yet caught up to every realm of holistic skin care. Therefore it's important to not always believe the hype about a holistic skin care company or product without first doing your own research.

By making your own natural skin care products, like my best natural beauty balm recipe, you know exactly what ingredients are being used and where they come from.

Made using nourishing natural skin care ingredients like rosehip seed oil and pomegranate oil, this best natural beauty balm recipe is a fantastic moisturizer for dry or maturing skin. Additional ingredients including jojoba oil and sea buckthorn oil help to clear up and prevent acne. While the organic blend of essential oils balance skin and further promote skin health. This natural beauty balm recipe is also great for acne scars and helping to diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

If you'd like to learn more about the carrier oils used in this natural beauty balm recipe, there's a great article that explains the benefits of carrier oils and their uses here.

BEST NATURAL BEAUTY BALM RECIPE

Links in this post may be affiliate links, which means that I earn a small commission from sales.

© Rebecca D. Dillon

Ingredients

• 2 oz. fractionated coconut oil
• 1 oz. cosmetic beeswax
• 0.5 oz. rosehip seed oil
• 0.25 oz. jojoba oil
• 0.15 oz. pomegranate seed oil
• 0.1 oz. sea buckthorn oil
• 12 drops lavender essential oil
• 12 drops manuka essential oil
• 12 drops bergamot essential oil
• 6 drops ylang ylang essential oil
• 6 drops tea tree oil

Directions

Step #1

Using a digital scale weigh out the carrier oils and beeswax and combine in a double boiler. Gently heat the ingredients until the beeswax has fully melted.

Step #2

Remove the melted beeswax and carrier oils from heat. Then using a dropper or a graduated transfer pipette, add the essential oils.

Step #3

Stir the melted ingredients for this best beauty balm recipe to combine. Then pour the beauty balm into two 2 oz. amber glass jars.

Step #4

Once your natural beauty balm has cooled and fully solidified, screw on the caps. You can then decorate your jars as desired for personal use or to give as homemade gifts.

More Holistic Skin Care Recipes

If you like my best natural beauty balm recipe, then you may also enjoy some of these other holistic beauty and skin care recipes.

Homemade Eczema Relief Salve
Matcha All Over Moisture Stick Recipe
Homemade Callus Treatment Balm Recipe
DIY Sheet Masks for Acne Prone Skin
Summer Citrus Soap Recipe with Essential Oils
Homemade Hot Oil Treatment for Hair
Natural Pain Relief Salve Recipe
Coconut Milk Soap Recipe with Lavender Essential Oil


I hope you have as much as fun as I do creating your own homemade holistic skin care recipes. If you want more ideas for natural beauty and skin care recipes, then be sure to follow me across your favorite social media platforms! You can find me on G+, Pinterest, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Or simply subscribe to Soap Deli News via email for future updates, DIY projects and recipes.

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Anti-Aging Face Serum Recipe

DIY Makeup Setting Spray

Roll On Lip Gloss Recipe

Time to Glow Up

This conversation is sponsored by Olay. As always, all opinions are my own.

Ten years ago, I had a newborn, a 2 year old who never sat still, and a kindergartener. I was a stay at home mom who was freelancing to help support our income. Did I mention that the two- year-old didn’t sleep through the night until he was five?

I don’t think I got more than three hours of sleep at a time for six years. I was exhausted and trying to function on copious amounts of coffee.

It was taking its toll. I had bags under my eyes. My skin looked dull, and I looked tired all the time.

Thankfully, I’ve grown up in the last 10 years. I dare say that I’ve had a glow up because so much about me has changed.

13 Hot Process and Cold Process Handmade Soap Recipes

One reason that I love making soap is that there are so many ways to customize it and make unique bars.  I normally post melt and pour soap recipes because I just don't have the ingredients and equipment for traditional soap, but it's on my summer bucket list to make more real lye soap.

Great Wolf Lodge Sandusky, Ohio Review

Thank you to Great Wolf Lodge Sandusky for inviting us to play for a day.  I was not compensated for this post.  

Friends, it has been a long school year.  This was David's first year of college.  Although we were confident that he would do well, starting college at 15 isn't easy.  Caleb has had a lot of school work to do plus therapy three times a week, so it makes for some long days.  Dakota has worked hard to get all of her work done, but she's needed more help as 5th grade focuses more on writing and harder math concepts.

To say that we needed a break was an understatement.  Normally, we celebrate our last day with a trip to get ice cream at a local dairy farm and then do something small but fun the next week.  This year, we were invited to spend the day at Great Wolf Lodge in Sandusky, Ohio.  Even though we won't be done with school work until Tuesday or Wednesday of this week, it was a great reward for working hard all year!

GREAT WOLF LODGE SANDUSKY

Great Wolf Lodge in Sandusky is a hotel resort with an indoor water park geared towards families.  In addition to the water park, they also have several dry activities for children.  The Sandusky location is their smallest one, but that was nice because we got to park very close to the building, and it wasn't crazy busy that day.  

DRY ACTIVITIES

When we arrived at the resort, my kids got Paw Passes.   Paw Passes, and their counterpart for the littles Pup Passes, are a great deal to enjoy the dry activities at the park.

Paw Passes are available for $79.99 per child and include:

• MagiQuest Game and Wand.  This is a fun game where the kids explore the hotel area of the resort on a quest to find treasures.   They wave their wand at the picture and to find things for their quest and earn points.  
• Great Wolf Kids Character.  They pick their own fun animal character and watch it get stuffed.  
• Arcade Pass.   They have a decent sized arcade with a lot of fun games for kids and adults.  My husband and I enjoyed the arcade too.
• Serving of Bulk Candy.  The kids got to choose their favorite flavors of Jelly Beans to fill a container.  I think this may have been Caleb's favorite part of the dry activities.
• Great Wolf Googles.  This was nice because two of my three forgot goggles.  Guess which one remembered? 
• Glitz Glitter Tattoo.  They have several designs to choose from, and the kids can get a glittery tattoo that lasts about a week.  The boys didn't want theirs, but Dakota loved getting three of them.
• Leathery Treaty Name Bracelet.  They got to choose their own bracelet and get it engraved with their names.

Caleb and Dakota, 12 and 10 respectively, really enjoyed the Paw Pass and activities.  At 16, David was too old for mort of it, but he did like the arcade and the MagiQuest.  We were told that there are two versions of the MagiQuest so younger kids will still enjoy it. 

We had a nice lunch provided by the hotel and got to meet some staff members and the manager and learn more about the resort.  

Since we weren't staying in rooms, we got to tour two rooms.  They have different sizes of rooms with different accommodations.  We saw two styles of rooms, and both looked very comfortable for our family of five.  

WATER PARK ACTIVITIES

After we saw the rooms, we were able to enjoy the water park. There was a small play area with shallow water for the littles.  I saw crawling babies and toddlers there with their parents, but my kids were too old for that part. 

My kids went straight to Fort Mackenzie, a large tree house full of fun water activities.  It has slides and lots of fun ways for the kids to play.  At the top, there was a large bucket that filled up and dumped water on everyone standing in front of it every 5 minutes or so.  Caleb and Dakota really like this area, and David even did the slide a few times.

There are some smaller slides for older kids and then some even bigger slides.  Dakota was the only one brave enough to do the big slides in our group.  

We spent a lot of time in the Raccoon Lagoon, which is a shallow pool that you can swim and play in or play basketball in.  

There are also two hot tubs: a warm one for families and a hot one for adults only.  Since David is 16 and old enough to watch his siblings, my husband and I got to enjoy the adult hot tub.  That may have been my favorite part of the trip.  

We had a very fun day.  The resort is really family friendly, and it's a great place to go if you have littles.  At 10, 12, and 16, my kids still had a lot of fun and can't wait to go back this summer.  

One thing that really stood out was how friendly the staff was to everyone.  Every person from the management to the clerks in the store, they were all nice to the kids and very helpful.

The lifeguards also did a great job.  There were some sitting in their lifeguard stands keeping watch, but then there were several that stood beside the pools walking back and forth, never taking their eyes off of the water.  

IS GREAT WOLF LODGE AUTISM FRIENDLY?

I would say yes,  Since they limit the number of guests to those who are staying in the resort and don't sell day passes, it limits the number of guests.  Yes, it's busy, but we were there on a busy Saturday and had plenty of room to move through the resort and the water park.

Since there are wet and dry activities, there are other things to do if one activity becomes too overwhelming.  While we didn't have a room, they are spacious enough to go there for a break if needed.  

The arcade was very loud both in the noise level and the colors  But it's an arcade, and that's really to be expected.  Caleb wanted to do the arcade first, but we had to leave and come back later after some quieter activities.  

They don't have an autism pass like an amusement park does, but we didn't need one anyway.  There was a short line for the slides, but it wasn't terrible.  I think the longest the kids waited was about three minutes.  

Overall, it was a great day, and we all can't wait to go back!

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Silk'n Infinity Home Hair Removal Review

Friends, let's talk about something that I know is a popular subject but no one wants to talk about: 

unwanted body hair.  We all have it, yet we are almost all embarrassed by it.  I don't know why it's so taboo because I don't know too many women who don't struggle with hair removal options.  

I was seriously considering getting professional treatments to get rid of my excess body hair.  I have really thick, fast growing hair, so the idea of not having to shave my legs or underarms was appealing too. 

I hadn't scheduled any appointments because I know that it will be expensive, and I will have an hour driving time plus treatment time for each session.  I simply don't have the extra time for several appointments right now.  

Thankfully, there's a new home hair removal system that works.  The Silk'n Infinity is their newest and best hair removal device for home use.  Keep reading to learn more about it and how it works.

Homemade Eczema Relief Salve

Make this homemade eczema relief salve for natural relief.  

I didn't have eczema until about five years ago.  After we moved to the farm, my allergies got worse and I got eczema.  I think I'm allergic to some type of tree or plant on the farm, but there are hundreds of trees and plants, so I have no way of knowing which kind without getting an allergy test.  I probably should get one just so I know, so maybe someday when I get fed up with the itching I will.

Until that day, I'm using natural ways to treat my eczema because the prescriptions didn't help much.  I've been working on a homemade eczema relief salve, and I think I've got it right.

Even if you don't have eczema, this is still a great salve.  I'm also using it on my heels and cuticles with great results.

DIY Liquid Hand Soap Recipe for Eczema

If you have eczema, try this DIY liquid hand soap recipe for eczema.  It's good for the whole family, and you can use it for dry skin even if you don't have eczema.

When my kids were babies, I fully expected at least one to battle eczema.  Caleb had several allergies and immune problems, so I was just waiting for a skin rash to pop up as well.  Fortunately, none of them had anything more than dry skin.

Unfortunately, the eczema hit me.  I'd rather it be me than them because it's really uncomfortable and so hard to get rid of.  

I know that I can't use most hand soaps or I'll have a flare up.  I'm in a flare up right now, but I don't know what, if anything, caused it.  After talking to a few people, eczema seems to flare up worse in the spring when it's allergy season.  My allergies have been awful this year, so this could have some truth to this theory.

Regardless of how it started, I need some relief.

The first eczema recipe that I'm sharing is my DIY liquid hand soap recipe for eczema.  It's gentle on your skin and has a carrier oil and essential oils to help promote skin healing and calm irritated skin.

I'll have several DIY eczema recipes coming in the next few weeks, so be sure to sign up for my newsletter if you don't want to miss the recipes.

Don't let the title of this post scare you away if you don't have eczema. Simply swap out the carrier oil if desired and use up to 20 drops of the essential oil of your choice.  Of course, you can also make it with no essential oils.

How to Save Money & Energy on Laundry With Tide PODS

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Tide at Walmart. The opinions and text are all mine.

When we moved to the farm five years ago, we didn't know how much our lives would change. We knew we wanted to get back to a simpler life, and we knew that it would be a lot of work growing our food and tending to animals. There were still are few challenges that we didn't anticipate.

We had always had city water. We were thrilled to have a well and thus eliminate one bill. With the well comes the responsibility of using less water. We have three wells on the property, but the expensive of hooking up another well will be high, so we are trying to conserve water when we can.

Since we are in the middle of nowhere, we don't have natural gas. Instead, we have propane tank in our backyard. Propane is very expensive compared to natural gas, and we have to budget ourselves to get a refill because it's a fairly big expense.

We live within a few miles of a small town that produces its own power. Since they are a small company servicing only a few thousand homes, their prices are higher than large electric companies.

I love where we live; it's a beautiful piece of property. We live a simpler life that I enjoy, despite our energy and water challenges.

DERMA E Advanced Peptipes & Collagen Review

I've been having so much fun posting DIY beauty recipes, bath recipes, and essential oil information that I've fallen behind on my beauty reviews.  DERMA E is one of my favorite skin care brands.  They sent me two boxes of goodies that I'd like to share with you because I just know that you'll love them too.

Derma E sent me products from their Advanced Peptides line, which is new to me.  I have used and loved several of their products, so I'm sure I'll love these too once I give them a month or two to test them.  I usually post my favorite products in my Instagram stories, so follow me over there for more information later.  

How to Live More Boldly

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and The J.M. Smucker Company, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #1850Coffee #1850CoffeeatMeijer  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

I'm a creature of habit. I wake up, drink coffee, check my email, and schedule my social media.  Then I start homeschooling the kids, eat dinner, go to our evening activities, work more, and go to bed.  I have the same routine every day, and I don't like it when my routine changes.

Although I am comfortable, I know that I need to push myself out of my comfort zone at least a little bit.  After all, I spend my days pushing my son just a little bit out of his comfort zone as part of his autism therapy.  So why wouldn't that apply to my own life?  Now I'm living more boldly, starting with 1850 Brand Coffee each morning.

This year, there are a few goals that I have.  One is to live life more boldly.

At first, my introverted self was shocked that I would even make such a goal.  Living boldly doesn't mean that I have to jump from an airplane or do something that is miles out of my comfort zone.  I can still be a work at home mom of three kids in the country and live boldly.

HOW TO LIVE YOUR LIFE BOLDLY

Although I'm trying to live more boldly and to vary my routine, I still start each day with coffee.  I'm a firm believer that with coffee all things are possible.

I recently switched to the new 1850 Brand Coffee, which is a premium coffee from the makers of Folgers.  It's bold and smooth without being bitter.  It's strong like coffee shop coffee, but it's available in other roasts besides dark.  It's fire-roasted and ground for a rick aroma and taste, perfect for starting my day.  I found it at Meijer.

Visit Meijer from 5/6 - 6/2 and take $1 off any 1850 Brand Coffee Product with the mPerk digital coupon (while supplies last).

1850 Brand Coffee is so named because J.A. Folger started a bold and innovative way for prospectors to help seek their fortune.  They say that living boldly starts with the first bold choice.  Today, we can drink 1850 Brand Coffee as a bold way to start our days.  It fuels ideas, commitments, and brave endeavors.  It's more than just a coffee.

LEARN TO EMBRACE FEAR

I don't mean that you have to accept extreme fear, but learn how to embrace a little bit of fear.  Push yourself a few feet out of your safe zone.  Next time, push yourself a little bit more.  Each time you do this, you'll get more confidence.  

CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS

Every time you catch yourself saying something negative about your choices, repeat something positive to yourself.  Surround yourself with positive words and positive friends.

BE BOLD VICARIOUSLY

I'm a firm believer that you are what you surround yourself with.  Read the biographies of successful bold people that you look up to.  

ASK FOR ENCOURAGEMENT

You don't have to be bold on your own.  Ask your spouse or friend for help.  They may offer some great suggestions and cheer you on along the way.  

JUST DO IT

When I have to do something bold, I just close my eyes and jump in.  If I think about it, I'll talk myself out of it by going over all of the things that can go wrong.

CELEBRATE VICTORIES

No matter how small, celebrate each step.  Last week, I wore bold makeup in public for the first time.  I silently cheered myself on every time I passed a mirror.

No matter how you define bold, start off your day with the bold blend of 1850 Brand Coffee.  What bold thing have you done recently?

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This fun DIY Star Wars Galaxy melt and pour soap recipe is so much fun to make!

May the 4th be with you!  Yes, I'm a geek girl at heart and the mom of two boys, so we are all about Star Wars.  Well, the original 6 movies.  I won't discuss 7 and 8.  Ahem.  

In honor of Star Wars day, we are having a community party at our local community center complete with Yoda Soda, Wookie Cookies, and more fun themed foods.  The kids are going to make light sabers out of pool noodles and then defeat the Storm Troopers.

The hubby and I didn't have costumes, and we didn't want to spend a ton of money on them.  I have a heat press, so I made us t-shirts.  We got a lot of chuckles and smiles, so I think they were a hit!

I bought the cut file for my Silhouette on Etsy if you'd like to make your own shirts!

I also made DIY Star Wars galaxy soap out of melt and pour soap base.  I love melt and pour because it's quick, inexpensive, and I'm not out much time or money if it doesn't turn out right. 

I've never made galaxy soap before, so I played around with it.  I think it turned out great!  

DIY STAR WARS GALAXY MELT AND POUR SOAP RECIPE

Links in this post may be affiliate links, which means that I earn a small commission from sales.

The inspiration for this soap was my Star Wars JELLO mold.  JELLO molds work great for melt and pour soap, too!  I can usually find them in fun designs at thrift stores, so I grab them when I see them.  This one I bought new a few years ago in a kit at the grocery store.

When you use a JELLO mold or even a shaped mold, sometimes it's hard to know how much soap it will hold.  Luckily, there's an easy trick to figure out how much soap to make.

Just fill the mold with water and dump the water into a measuring cup.  That's how many ounces by weight of soap you'll need.  Since a liquid ounce of water weighs an ounce, this works.  This has helped me so many times when I've repurposed a mold.

If you want to add a fragrance, use a soap safe fragrance oil or essential oil.  Use 0.5 ounce fragrance oil or 0.25 ounce essential oil per pound of soap.  Since this is a multipour soap, I would measure the soap and fragrance or essential oil in thirds or fourths.

INGREDIENTS  AND SUPPLIES

• Melt and pour soap base (I used white Crafty Bubbles soap base, but you can use clear)
• Soap dye
• Glitter (optional)  this is the one I used
• Star Wars mold
• Pyrex measuring cup
• Knife
• Spoon
• Spray bottle of alcohol

DIRECTIONS

STEP #1

Weight your soap base and cut into 1" cubes.

Since I wanted galaxy soap, I wanted to make layers.  If you want to do yours all one color, then melt all of your soap at the start, add the colorant and glitter, and pour.  

I melted about 2 ounces of soap base in the Pyrex measuring cup for 30 seconds in the microwave.  I added pink colorant and glitter and poured a little into each shape in the mold.  Spray with rubbing alcohol to remove bubbles.

STEP #2 

Next, I added a few more chunks of soap to what was left of the pink soap and melted it.  Then I add blue soap colorant to make purple and some more glitter.  I didn't want true layers, so I propped the mold up with a measuring spoon so the soap would pour at an angle.  Again, spray with alcohol.

STEP #3

Then I added almost all of my soap except for 2 chunks and melted it again and made it blue.  There was still some purple left in the measuring cup, but I just let it mix with the blue.  More glitter. I laid the mold flat and poured again.

STEP #4

Finally, I melted the last chunk of soap and made it pink to add to the top.  Let cool completely and unmold.  If it doesn't pop out right away, put it in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Some of my layers were thin, so they set up before the next pour.  The thicker purple layer did not fully set up, and that's fine with me.  I wasn't going for an exact look.  

You could even melt pink and blue separate and pour them both at the same time so they mix.  I was going for more of a swirled galaxy look, but I do like my results.  The colors are so vibrant and fun.  The different colored glitter really shows too.

Have fun experimenting with this.  The worst that happens is that it doesn't look quite right, but it will still work just fine.  

If you like this DIY Star Wars galaxy melt and pour soap recipe, check out this fun Star Wars soap recipe from Soap Deli News.  

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