Tag: essential oils

Categories
herbal skincare Herbs and Herbalism Hygge Recipes

Autumn Spice Botanical Hand Soap

DIY botanical hand soap is incredibly simple to make and can bring lovely, refreshing scent, moisturizing properties, and natural ingredients to the sinks in your home. It also makes a nice house-warming or holiday gift!

It is something extra special to concoct your own personalized soap from some of your favorite natural ingredients. You can capture the season, cozy vibes, and your favorite scents all in something you use many times a day! And the process of very easy and fun! My eight-year-old daughter especially enjoys creating this hand soap with me.

Simply combine castile soap, water, herb-infused oil (such as coconut, jojoba, sweet almond, or olive oil), and essential oils (these are optional but help add a stronger scent). You can also add ingredients like vegetable glycerine and/or aloe vera for extra moisturization, and vitamin E oil to extend the shelf life.

For this particular batch of hand soap, I invoked an autumnal energy by including rose-infused jojoba oil, orange essential oil, frankincense essential oil, cinnamon sticks, star anise, dried orange, and a few cloves. The dried botanicals and spices are added for accent and visual appeal, and they are hard enough so they won’t break down too much in the soap mixture to interfere with the soap. If you’d like, envision a warming and cozy intention while adding these to this soap your family and friends will use in your home.

Here is the recipe!

Autumn Spice Hand Soap

Materials:

Instructions:

Starting with a clean jar, add 1 cup water. Add 1/2 cup castille soap and all other ingredients. Replace lid and carefully swirl vigorously to mix. If the jar looks too empty, top up with a bit more water and castille soap.

The mixture will be a bit foamy at the top, and will be thin but luxuriously moisturizing for the skin.

Note: you may need to give it a swirl once in a while as the ingredients can separate while it sits and settles. Also, if very young children or anyone with skin sensitivities will be using the soap, you can omit the essential oils.

Would you make DIY hand soap? Which ingredients or scents would you use in yours?

For educational purposes only. Not intended for medical advice. Always consult your physician.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you choose to buy something from a link that I share, I will make a small percentage of the sale *at no extra cost to you*.

Categories
Folklore Herbs and Herbalism Recipes

Protection Carpet & Sweeping Powder

This time of year, the quest for protection from illness lines right up nicely with the folk idea of protection from negative energy, unfriendly spirits, and the like. Whether you are seeking one, the other, or both forms of protection, there is a simple and cozy way to invoke that sentiment, freshen your house, and refresh the energies of your home: herbal carpet powder!

Did you know that strewing herbs on the floor goes way, way back? From the ancient Romans to the Middle Ages, and even up to about the 18th century herbs were strewn over the floor with rushes and straw to release a pleasant aroma and repel unwanted pests. Some households swept them up each day and replaced them with fresh herbs, while others left them for a longer interval. Rosemary, lavender, chamomile, hyssop, sage, and marjoram were among the many herbs commonly used for this purpose. Modern carpet / vacuum powders aren’t left on the floor for very long—you let them sit for 15-30 minutes before vacuuming back up—but they certainly hearken back to this practice.

While you can easily buy ready-made carpet powders at the grocery store, it is incredibly easy and fun to make your own and stir a bit of intention and personalization into the mix. If you have pets and small children, it would be best to leave out any essential oils or only use the gentlest ones you’re already used to using around your small people and creatures. Otherwise, you can experiment and create your own blend that combines the scents and intentions you prefer!

For this recipe, I’ve used rosemary for protection and remembrance (for the upcoming sabbat of Samhain); allspice and cinnamon for prosperity, luck, and healing; and orange for lovely, cozy, and uplifting vibes. And all these ingredients have antibacterial and antimicrobial properties!

Ingredients:

3 cups baking soda

3 tsp rosemary powder

1 tsp allspice powder

1 tsp cinnamon powder

20 drops sweet orange essential oil

OR 1-2 tsp orange zest

Method:

Mix ingredients well in a bowl and transfer to a glass jar. I used an empty Himalayan pink salt shaker jar because of the convenient shaker lid! Sprinkle on your carpet (and even wood or tile floors if you like), allow to sit for 15-30 minutes, and then vacuum up thoroughly. You can also sprinkle a bit of this powder around doorways and windowsills to repel insects (and maybe more? 👻).

For educational purposes only. Not intended for medical advice. Always consult your physician.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you choose to buy something from a link that I share, I will make a small percentage of the sale *at no extra cost to you*.

Categories
Hygge Recipes

Autumn Rain Candles

It has been so very dry where I live lately…but today, we finally got some much-needed autumn rain! It was the perfect time to pull out this Autumn Rain candle and light it to add to the cozy vibes of the day.

For these candles, I combined beeswax, a bit of coconut oil, and essential oils for a natural scent option. (Make sure you do your due diligence in choosing ethical essential oil companies to buy from).

The essential oils I used to emulate the scent of autumn rain (after some experimentation) are ylang ylang, juniper, cypress, grapefruit, and frankincense. To me, this combination evokes the sweet, earthy, and green scent of rain on autumn leaves. That fragrance is a very special sort of magic, isn’t it?!

Here is how I made the candles, if you want to try making your own!

Making 6 4-oz candles—

Materials:

Double boiler (optional)

6 four-ounce jars

6 candle wicks

Wick positioners or popsicle sticks

3 cups beeswax pellets

¾ cup coconut oil

Essential oils:

Ylang Ylang – 40 drops

Cypress – 40 drops

Juniper berry – 25 drops

Grapefruit – 15 drops

Frankincense – 20 drops

(I recommend combining your essential oils beforehand in a glass eo jar to let the scents mix and do their thing before making the candles!)

Method:

Prepare your area; wax will be dribbled! Protect your work surface if you prefer.

Melt the beeswax pellets and coconut oil in the double boiler (can also be microwaved). While they melt, prepare candle jars with wicks, using positioners or popsicle sticks.

Once the wax is melted, remove from heat and carefully add and stir in essential oils. They will not mix or dissolve completely, but will disperse well enough with mixing.

Carefully pour hot wax into jars. Allow wax to cool and set nearly completely before topping with optional adornments. (I used juniper berries and autumn leaves!)

((A trick to avoid wick tunneling: pour the candle wax about half to three-quarters full and allow to cool a bit (you might put them in the fridge to speed up the process). Using a toothpick, poke three or four deep holes into the mostly-set wax and then pour the rest of the hot wax on top. This helps the wax to settle flat and not tunnel around the wick, for some reason!))

Trim wicks and allow candles to cure for a minimum of 24-48 hours before burning. (Longer is better!)

For educational purposes only. Not intended for medical advice. Always consult your physician.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you choose to buy something from a link that I share, I will make a small percentage of the sale *at no extra cost to you*.

Categories
herbal skincare Hygge Recipes

September Perfume Oil

I decided to whip up an adorably tiny roller bottle of September-inspired perfume oil recently! I love teeny roller bottles because I can make a small amount to test out the scent combination, and I don’t have to worry about making too much if it’s something I’m only going to use for a short period because it’s intention is geared to a specific occasion or month.

The basis of this essential oil blend is Ho wood and benzoin, which are creamy, vanilla-esque scents that I find very cozy. Combined with these are notes that are spicy, woodsy, sweet, and a hint of floral. To me, this combination evokes early autumn: the sweet and creamy scents are rich, yet sunny and light, and the spice is subtle enough to hint at autumn without being too heavy.

If you have sensitive skin, you probably ought to cut back on the EOs when making this recipe, and you can leave out the cinnamon and cardamom if they might be irritating. (The cinnamon chips included will gradually infuse in the base oil anyway!)

And, as always, be sure to source and use essential oils responsibly and from reputable, sustainable sources. (Not an ad and not sponsored at all, but I get most of my essential oils from Mountain Rose Herbs and Simply Earth.)

Materials:

5 ml roller bottle

Dropper

Carrier oil of choice (I like olive oil even though it’s a bit unorthodox—I used calendula-infused olive oil to make it extra special!)

Cinnamon stick chips

Essential oils, in drops:

3 Ho wood

3 benzoin

2 cypress 

2 sweet orange

1 geranium

1 cinnamon

1 cardamom

Method:

Add a few pieces of cinnamon stick chips. Fill the bottle about halfway with carrier oil using a dropper. Carefully add the essential oil drops, then top with more carrier oil—make sure to leave room to insert the roller ball top. Add the roller and cap tightly, shake to mix well, and let it sit a day or two before using.

What scents put you most in mind of September?

Categories
herbal skincare willow & sage

Willow & Sage Autumn 2023

Have you ever read Willow & Sage magazine? It’s a lovely publication that shares recipes, crafts, gardening, uses, and packaging ideas for handmade botanical bath, body, and natural home products. Many creatives contribute these recipes, articles, and photos which make up this unique magazine.

I am so excited to share that a photo I took is on the cover of Willow & Sage magazine’s latest issue, and two articles I wrote are inside! You can find this issue at, among other retailers, Barnes & Noble and Joann, both of which I did on August 1 to see it out in the wild with my own eyes. I am very excited and proud to be a part of this publication!

I wrote the cover article with the recipe for warming ginger lotion bars, as well as an article and recipe for coffee and rose aromatherapy oil. I loved crafting these cozy and creative botanical projects, and I can’t wait to follow the other recipes in this issue to make some amazing creations by all the other contributors.

Thank you to Willow & Sage for this opportunity! I am so thankful for this chance to flex my creative muscles and brew up recipes such as these.

Thank you so much to everyone who purchases a copy or subscription of Willow & Sage, too! I am so grateful for all the ways you support my work.

Categories
Tea wheel of the year

Lavender Earl Grey Ostara Candle

I don’t know why exactly, but spring makes me think of Earl Grey tea. Maybe it’s the citrusy bergamot, or the fact that I’m just more in the mood in spring than any other season to drink black tea…it’s more stimulating than caffeine-free herbs, but lighter than coffee. Maybe flowers and tea parties just make me think of spring? I don’t know, but let’s go with it!

In that spirit…I decided to make a lavender Earl Grey teacup candle to welcome Ostara. To me, Ostara, or the Spring Equinox, is the true start of the new year: the awakening. What better way to brighten the sweet first morning of spring than lighting this candle to add to the warmth of the sun, and enjoying a mug of Earl Grey tea?

The essential oils I chose to scent the candle with do have associations that fit quite well with the spirit of the occasion:

Lavender- love, protection, calm, peace, insight

Bergamot- happiness, harmony, love, courage

Benzoin- purification, prosperity

Cardamom- creativity, strength, focus, healing

Benzoin oil imparts a warm, creamy vanilla-like scent which reminds me of adding milk to tea, and cardamom adds a tea-like quality. I also topped the candle with amethyst, quartz, lavender buds, and a bit of actual lavender Earl Grey tea.

Here are the instructions, in case you’d like to make one of these sweet candles yourself!

This Ostara season I’m planning to enjoy this little candle with tea and shortbread cookies with the two of my three children that actually like tea. (Two out of three isn’t bad, and he will still eat the cookies!) —cookie recipe soon to come.

How will you mark the Spring Equinox / Ostara?

Categories
herbal skincare Herbs and Herbalism Recipes

Flower Garden Tea Party: Perfume Oil

Are you as ready as I am for spring? Late February seems to always be like that for me, with sneaky early warm days making me itch for the real thing. And the fact that the first crocuses are beginning to pop up doesn’t help!

Between that and reading books about Beatrix Potter lately, I am in a distinctly flowery-tea-party mood. Not the fancy or stuffy kind, however; the unfussy, cozy, enjoying the bounty of nature and the comforts of home with friends kind. The sort with lavender Earl Grey in mismatched cups and a fresh-picked garden bouquet in a jam jar on the table. The type of flowery tea party I think Miss Potter herself would have enjoyed.

Imagining this scenario brings me to the simple little perfume oil I recently made to capture that feeling. I combined lavender-infused almond oil that I made recently with a few essential oils: geranium, bergamot, cardamom, and benzoin. This combination of scents is dreamy and floral, with a hint of sweet vanilla and warm spice. It’s nourishing to the skin and has a lovely calming effect.

The particular botanicals I chose also relate to this tea party I dreamed up. Geranium figured prominently into Beatrix Potter’s gardens and especially window boxes, with their cheery flowers and lovely rose-like scent. Bergamot, of course, is the key ingredient in Earl Grey tea, which was a bit of a special-occasion luxury to those in the Lake District at Beatrix’s time. Cardamom is more of a personal addition, but it’s my favorite and is the spice that I think ties florals, fruits, and musky scents together just right. And benzoin resin oil is an affordable alternative to vanilla with a distinctly vanilla creaminess; it also is traditionally used in incense to lift the spirits.

If you are also interested in folk and spiritual associations of botanicals, here are a few of the many associations I found for these:

Lavender: love, protection, calm, peace, insight

Geranium: uplifting and protection, balance, joy, beauty

Bergamot: happiness, harmony, love, courage

Cardamom: creativity, strength, focus, healing

Benzoin: purification, prosperity

If you’d like to join me at this imaginary tea party, here is the recipe!

Materials

One 10 ml essential oil roller bottle

Lavender-infused almond oil, or your carrier oil of choice

3 drops geranium essential oil

2 drops bergamot essential oil

2 drops cardamom essential oil

1-2 drops benzoin resin essential oil

Method

Add lavender almond oil to the roller bottle until it is half full. Add the drops of essential oils. Top with more lavender almond oil, leaving about 1/4 inch head space. Securely place the roller top and lid on the bottle, then shake to mix. I like to let a perfume oil sit and infuse for a few days before using so the scents develop fully, but you wouldn’t have to.

Wear this perfume oil where you’d normally place perfume, and dream about springtime tea parties on sunny days! Just don’t forget to send me an invitation and let me know when teatime begins!

Categories
herbal skincare Recipes

Lavender Peppermint Lip Balm

I don’t know about you, but for me, lavender is a scent that makes me think of spring. (I’m not sure why, because it’s not in-season where I live until the summer!) Since I am dreaming so, so much about spring, and since I had just strained some lavender-infused almond oil and mint-infused coconut oil recently, I decided to make some relaxing lip balm with a springy scent to carry me away in my daydreams of warmth and sunshine.

Lavender is such a relaxing scent, and it pairs really well with uplifting peppermint. Also, both herbs have antimicrobial and skin soothing and replenishing properties. Most people find both to be gentle for use on the skin, but if you’re sensitive (or making this recipe for young children), you might want to eliminate one or both essential oils in the recipe, or use less of both.

Lip balm is not too tricky if you’re new to making body care products. Here’s the recipe, if you want to give it a try!

Lavender Peppermint Lip Balm

(Makes 7 0.5-oz containers of lip balm)

Materials:

7 lip balm tins, 0.5 oz

Double boiler (optional)

28 g shea butter

20 g beeswax pellets

16 g almond oil infused with lavender flowers

8 g coconut oil infused with peppermint leaf

4 drops lavender essential oil 

3 drops peppermint essential oil (or leave out if you have sensitive skin)

Method:

Prepare your supplies and area; you might want to put down a layer of parchment or waxed paper in case of dribbles. I place mine on a baking sheet.

Melt the beeswax pellets, shea butter, and infused oils slowly over low heat in the double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, set a large glass mixing bowl over a small saucepan containing about 1 inch of water, put your ingredients in the mixing bowl, and it works the same way. 

Once the ingredients are melted, remove from heat and carefully add and stir in essential oil if you’re using it. 

Carefully pour the hot liquid into your lip balm tins. Allow to cool completely for a good long while before using—I like to have my tins on a baking sheet and transfer that to the fridge for quicker setting, but that’s optional.

Once the lip balms are finished setting up, they’re ready to use!