Thieves Oil

The story goes that during the middle ages, there were four grave robbers.  The black plague was killing off people in droves, but these grave robbers never caught it.  They were given leniency in exchange for telling how they avoided contracting the plague.  The combination of essential oils they used came to be known as Thieves Oil.

This oil mixture is antibacterial, antiviral, and prevents infections.  You can clean with it, and kill mold, viruses, and bacteria with it.  It is good for purifying the air and boosting the immune system. 

You can make your own by infusing olive oil or any carrier oil with a mixture of cloves, lemon, cinnamon, rosemary, and eucalyptus.  You can also purchase it ready made.  I've done it both ways.  My homemade version had a slightly different scent than the purchased one, but that may have had to do with the proportions of ingredients or the type of carrier oil used.

 

 

I purchase Plant Therapy oil on Amazon.  The scent is lovely - something like a Christmas candle.

 

 

Some of the ways to use Thieves Oil include:

 

Cleaning and Disinfecting:  Use 1 drop per ounce of water in a spray bottle.

 

Air Freshener:  1 drop per ounce of water in a spray bottle.

 

Massage:  Use 1 drop Thieves Oil to 4 drops of carrier oil.  Never use Thieves Oil on the skin without diluting it.  Massage it into the bottoms of feet to boost immunity and at the first sign of a cold or flu.  Massage lower back, neck, and ears for fatigue or aches and pains.

 

Diffuser:  Use 15-20 drops and diffuse for 15 minutes to kill germs in the air.  This is great to do if you are sick.  It gets into your respiratory tract and kills germs in the air and air passages.

 

Hand Sanitizer:  Mix a few drops in the hand lotion in your purse.  Use it like you would one of the gel hand sanitizers.  It's much less drying and smells wonderful.

Spring Cleaning - Cosmetics

I am a makeup and skin care junkie.  I have boxes of makeup from all different brands.  With all the news reports of products containing dangerous chemicals that are harmful to humans, I decided it was time to cull out the stash.

It was hard to do because if I find the "perfect" color for me, I'll go back and buy several more before the company discontinues that shade.  This is all stuff I'm throwing out from my dressing table drawer.  Many of these are unopened.

I am a fan of Physician's Formula makeup, but can't find on the package where the products are made.  The decision is still out on that brand, but I threw out everything from E.L.F., which has some very good products, particularly in their Studio line.  Sally Beauty has some gorgeous eye shadow shades, but alas, they are in the circular file now.  Ulta has some great products that are affordable, but they have been tossed.  These products may be perfectly safe, but I'm no longer willing to take the risk.  Many high end brands also come from China, so read the labels.

Now, having said that, I previously reported that Maybelline was all made in the USA.  Most of the products say that on the label, but my favorite Maybelline cream blush says it is made in Korea, so it pays to look at labels carefully before you buy.  I, for one, will be carrying a small magnifying glass in my handbag so I can read the tiny lettering.  While going through my makeup, it was annoying to have to peel up a label on the back to see the country of origin on some products.  If these are packed in a bubble pack, there is no way to know without opening them in the store, which I'm sure the store wouldn't appreciate, especially if you don't end up buying it. 

I am not afraid of products made in Canada, Eastern Europe, the U.K., or Australia.  Some other countries have manufacturing practices that seem to be less controlled. 

Then there is the label that says 'made in the US of materials from USA and other countries'.  Who knows what that means?  Also questionable is the label that just says 'distributed by ABC Company.'  This one in particular says to me that they don't want you to know where it was made and it's not necessarily safe.

The waters are shaky for consumers and we can only do so much to insure the products we use are safe.  Hopefully things will change.  Many people are boycotting products made in China and other countries in the far east.  To keep our business, these companies need to clean up their factories and practices and use safe materials in products before consumers will purchase their wares. 

I only scratched the surface on this topic and still have lipstick to go through.   It feels good to purge and neaten up things, and even better to remove potentially dangerous products from the makeup I use.

Homemade Deodorant

Concerned about the aluminum in antiperspirants?  Here's a wallet friendly version you can make at home for pennies with no worries.  It reminds me of the old Secret deodorant that came in a jar when I was a teenager.

I've been using this homemade version for a few months and am very happy with it.  Here's how to make it:

Mix equal parts cornstarch, baking soda, and coconut oil.  (I used 1/4 cup each).  Warm the coconut oil until it melts.  Mix baking soda and cornstarch into the coconut oil.  If you want it scented, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.

Spoon mixture into a jar.  In warm weather, it will be softer and in cooler weather will harden up.  To use, rub onto arm pits with finger tips.