Thrive Simply

I don't know about you, but I get dry lips all winter long. I used to love the flavoured, sparkly popular lip balms when I was growing up. I'd smear them all over my lips multiple times a day and think nothing of ingesting who knows what was in them! In university, I thought I was being wise and economical by using straight up petroleum jelly on them. It gave a nice glossy finish, and it was waterproof, right? But it was also a petroleum byproduct ... on my mouth ... and in my mouth ... and yuck. Just yuck. After that realization, I tried to purchase only lip balms that contained ingredients I recognized whenever I could. So, naturally, once I had some of my own essential oils on hand, I decided lip balm would be a great gift for my friends and family! And it was! Here's the recipe I used: Homemade Lip Balm 4 tablespoons coconut oil 2 tablespoons beeswax (I use this ) 1 tablespoon cocoa butter or shea butter (I use this or this ) 1/2 teaspoon of vitamin E o...

It's been a long time since we have used one of the big toothpaste brands in our home. Between the triclosan, microbeads, fluoride and other nonsense it them, we've decided they're just not for us. We have experimented with a few of the "natural" and "organic" brands with great success, but on the whole they can be quite pricey. Besides - if I can make it myself, why not? This toothpaste recipe is really similar to the deodorant which is sort of funny on one level, but reassuring on another. After all, if I can't trust something on my body, why should I trust it in my mouth? (and vice versa). Honestly, this is pretty salty and it's not for everyone. My husband is not a fan, but I've grown quite accustomed to it, and my oral health has never been better! AND, if you want fresh breath without fresh chemicals, test out the homemade mouthwash below. Homemade Toothpaste 1 wooden, ceramic, or plastic measuring spoon *do NOT use metal whe...

Peppermint is one of those highly versatile oils that is familiar to many. It is steam distilled from the entire peppermint plant and its most active component is menthol. Interestingly, the peppermint plant is actually a hybrid of the spearmint and water mint plants. If you ever have a stuffy nose, you'll want to try putting a drop of peppermint essential oil on the palm of your hand. Rub your palms together, then, at a short distance from your face, inhale the refreshing peppermint. It's invigorating and your sinuses will feel so free! If you're feeling hot or if you have any neck tension, rub those oiled palms across the back of your neck before you go and wash with soap and water. You'll notice a refreshingly cool sensation on your neck. Peppermint is uplifting and invigorating and it's also a wonderful antispasmodic, which makes it handy for those with overactive bowels. I love to use it in my lip balm , toothpaste , mouthwash , in my seasonal roller (boo...

Ok, so you've got your new oils in hand and you're excited to get started. You've been inspired by their many uses and can't wait to really try them out for yourself. Roller bottles are one of the most convenient ways to use essential oils. They're affordable, quick to fill, and are very portable. The most common size of roller bottle is 10 ml. I like to buy them from My Essential Business Canada and Voyageur Soap and Candle . I prefer to buy the coloured glass ones because the tinted glass helps to shield the oils from light. I've had great experiences with those that use a plastic or stainless steel roller ball (I think I prefer stainless steel). I have not yet tried glass roller balls. My Essential Business Canada has a nice explanation on their website about when to use which type of roller ball. Long story short, glass lets out the least amount of oil, then stainless steel. Plastic roller bottles release the most about of oil (so they type of ball ...