It’s that time of year when you hurry through the grocery store trying not to breath too deeply. All around you people are coughing and sneezing, spreading this year’s strain of the flu bug and who knows what else!

The last thing you want to do is get sick and spread it to your kids and husband. I can’t think of a better time than now to be proactive in diffusing antimicrobial essential oils at your house. 

Safety First

Before we consider which essential oils to use, we need to remember how to safely diffuse essential oils around babies and young children (see this post for more information on children and safety with essential oils in general) :

• Don’t diffuse essential oils with children under the age of six months. 
• Once children reach the age of six months, you can diffuse child-safe essential oils for short periods of time for acute conditions, such as a cold or flu.
• Keep in mind that eucalyptus and certain chemotypes of Rosemary should be avoided on children under age 10. Don’t use peppermint with children under age 6. This is due to the possibility of slowed respiration caused by menthol and 1,8-cineole in the essential oils. (These guidelines apply to both topical use and inhalations.)
• When diffusing essential oils, run the diffuser for about 30-45 minutes minutes. Then shut off for about  60 minutes. Do not run it continuously. 
• Please check for interactions between any medications/herbs/supplements you may be taking and any oil you want to diffuse. Additionally, if you have a chronic illness, research any oils that may be contraindicated for your condition. Healthnotes is a site that may be helpful for this, as is ND HealthFacts.

Now that we know how to properly use essential oils, let’s look at the antimicrobial essential oils that are safe to diffuse with children over the age of six months. We’ll start with a quick definition of antimicrobial.

What Are Antimicrobial Essential Oils?

Antimicrobial essential oils are oils that have antiseptic (disinfectant) properties, meaning they reduce microbial growth. Using antimicrobial essential oils and a diffuser to help clean the air in your home is a potent weapon to have in your arsenal of natural health tools. 

But keep in mind that it doesn’t mean that each essential oil kills ALL the various bacteria, virus, and fungi out there; instead, each one is effective against certain ones.

Here is a study from PubMed for you to read to get familiar with some of the properties of a few oils: Antibacterial and antifungal activity of ten essential oils in vitro.

According to Kurt Schnaubelt, Ph.D., in The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils p. 136,

“Diffusing them [essential oils] into rooms will lower the count of airborne microorganisms significantly, reducing the risk of infection especially in offices and waiting rooms. Diffusing essential oils in rooms and houses has even been reported to be effective in expelling mold from infested buildings.”

?Which Essential Oils Have Antimicrobial Properties and Are Safe for Children?

Let’s get to the list of oils that are safe to use with children. This isn’t exhaustive by any means, but contains common essential oils that you may have at home already. For each oil, I will list the core respiratory applications and the psyche/emotionapplications. 

This is helpful because when we diffuse oils, they benefit us in two ways:  through inhalation and through olfaction. Inhalation benefits our respiratory system and olfaction benefits our limbic system in the brain (emotions, nervous system, endocrine system, and so on. Each oil has other benefits for other body systems, but since those are not benefits you get through diffusing, I will not cover those.

Common Antimicrobial Oils Safe for Diffusion with Children Over 6 Months

Would you like to receive a free PDF of the Antimicrobial Chart and recipes? Just fill out the form below. (If you don’t see the email, check your junk mail folder.)

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Recipes for Diffusion

Now let’s look at some recipes for diffusing the essential oils. For water-based diffusers, you can use anywhere from 5-10 drops of the pure essential oils. Do not dilute the essential oils in a carrier oil before adding them to the diffuser. This will gunk up the diffuser. Of the oils listed, you can use any one singly, or you can mix them together to create a powerful synergy. Here are some suggestions of possible synergies to get you started:

Synergy #1

• 5 drops Lavender
• 5 drops Lemon

Synergy#2

• 3 Drops Geranium
• 7 drops Lavender

Synergy #3

• 5 drops Lavender
• 3 drops Lemon
• 2 drops Roman Chamomile

Synergy #5 (This blend has more of a medicinal smell due to the tea tree oil.)

• 4 drops Lemon
• 3 drops Lavender
• 2 drops Cypress
• 1 drop Tea Tree

What are your favorites?

Do you have any favorite synergies that you already use that are kid-safe? I’d love for you to share them in the comment section.

Thanks for reading about diffusing antimicrobial essential oils. I hope you have a healthy year!

Note: If you would prefer not to make your own synergy, I do create custom orders for people. You can also contact me for more information.

Botanically me,

I took this picture for an Instagram post last month and love it so much because it captures some of the botanical products I make or aromatherapy ingredients/tools I use for Botanically Me. I thought I’d explain a little about each item.

We’ll start at the top left and move clockwise.

1. #1 is a one-0unce beautiful glass jar with shiny silver lid that I use for my Rose Facial Balm. It can be difficult to find pretty jars for my products, and I was so happy to find this one.
2. #2 is a green perfume atomizer I found at a discount store. I haven’t tried it out yet, but I will when I make an alcohol-based perfume.
3. #3 is a vintage glass bartender stirrer that I discovered at my favorite vintage store. Glass stirrers can be hard to find today, as so many of them are plastic. Glass is perfect for using with essential oils because the glass won’t absorb the oil. I use these all the time when I’m making my products.
4. #4 is a stunning glass perfume bottle that I found on my husband’s and my trip Kick Up Some Dust trip across the country last year. I got it at a discount price because one of the glass flower petals had fallen off and they had glued it back on. It’s barely discernible. I will have to make a very special perfume indeed to go in this special bottle.
5. #5 is one of my heart-shaped pure beeswax candles that I make for my Etsy shop.
   
6. #6 is a tin of my Love Blessings Beeswax perfume that I make for my Etsy shop. It’s prominent notes are rose and sandalwood.
7. #7 is a glass jar filled with dried rose petals. I just love working with rose petals and can’t stop myself from smelling them every five seconds. I use them in everything from sugar scrubs to bath teas to oil infusions.
8. #8 is a handy little tool I found that removes orifice reducers from essential oil bottles. These can be particularly hard to get off, and this tool makes it much easier. I just wipe it off with alcohol before using it on another bottle.
9. #9 is a set of my Blessings Beeswax Taper candles from my Etsy shop. These were very popular over the holidays.
10. #10 is a tin of my Baby’s First Salve product. This is perfect to use as a diaper cream or on other irritated skin of baby. It’s even safe for newborns because there isn’t any essential oil in it.
11. #11 is a tiny 2-ml glass bottle that I use when creating a custom perfume for a client. I like to use these to hold perfume samples.
12. And finally, #12 is a bottle of Angelica essential oil. Angelica is used in the perfume industry and is a herbaceous, earthy, spicy aroma. It is either a mid or top note, depending on what else it’s blended with. It also has therapeutic properties for the respiratory, digestive, and reproductive systems. It’s known as an aphrodisiac and antispasmodic and can be useful for a depressed state of mind.

Thanks for taking a peek into some of the tools I use and products I make in my business. If you have any questions, please just ask in the comment section.

Botanically me,

In Essential Oils in the Bible Part 1 and Part 2, we looked at whether using essential oils and botanicals are a viable option and how they were used during Bible times.

In this post, we are going to look at ways Christ-followers can use botanicals and biblical oils today in their faith practice.

Quick Definition of Aromatherapy

First of all, I want to start by defining aromatherapy:  “the art and science of using essential oils for physical and emotional healing.” This is where I differ with many of the mainstream aromatherapy teachings today. They also say that EOs can heal us spiritually, but I disagree with that. Oils help us emotionally because they work in our limbic system through inhalation and can help with stress, depression, and anxiety. And they can help us physically as they relieve inflammation and pain and other assorted ailments, but I believe that only God has the power to heal us spiritually.

Now let’s look at some practical ways to use these oils in our faith practice.

As a precursor to devotion time.

If we are full of stress, diffusing essential oils can help alleviate that. Oils such as sweet orange, grapefruit, lemon, tangerine, frankincense, lavender, bergamot,  Roman chamomile, geranium, jasmine, rose, vetiver, cypress, sandalwood, and ylang ylang can help us relax just so we are better able to receive from the Lord what He has for us during our time of Bible reading and study.

In Isaiah 61:3 God says, “To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

Proverbs 27:9 says “Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart.”

During Ministering Prayer.

If you are part of a prayer ministry at your church or just on your own, and you pray over other people, you can anoint them with oil as you pray just as James 5 instructs us.

How To Make an Anointing Oil

• Take a small glass vial or perfume bottle of 1/3 oz or 1/2 oz size and fill with olive oil.
• Add 3 drops of frankincense oil and shake lightly to mix.

During Personal Prayer.

During personal prayer you may want to diffuse some essential oil if that helps you to better focus on the Lord. One obvious choice would be frankincense, or you could purchase an “adoration” blend, which would be a synergy of several essential oils such as frankincense, ylang ylang, and lavender.

Prayer Beeswax Candles

Another idea is to use a botanical beeswax candle while you are praying. Sometimes you may be

discouraged in praying for a request when you have not seen any progress. I had the idea of lighting a taper candle while I was praying for these requests as a type of “covenant” with God that I would keep praying for them. Blow out the candle at the end of your prayer session. This also serves the purpose of giving you an actual visual reminder to pray. And as the candle gets smaller and smaller, you’ll be reminded of how much you have prayed.

I love this verse: Psalm 141:2 : “May my prayer be set before You like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.”

Diffuse Uplifting Oils as You Sing Praise Music to God.

Any of the essential oils for stress listed above would be wonderful.

Other favorite verses:  2 Corinthians 2: 14-16 14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?

Finally, the Bible tells us that our bodies are now the dwelling place of God. His Spirit dwells in each one of us instead of now residing in the tabernacle. We should care for our bodies in a way that would make a fitting place for the Holy Spirit to reside. Essential oils help us care for our bodies through the use of botanical creams, balms, oils, perfumes, and so on that are made with essential oils and herbs.

Recipe for Today

If you’d like to try a DIY recipe using frankincense and myrrh, here’s a simple one you can mix up using either an unscented cream or oil.

Frankincense and Myrrh Skin Blend

• 2 ounces unscented cream or vegetable oil, such as sweet almond oil, fractionated coconut oil, regular coconut oil, or olive oil
• 2 drops of Roman Chamomile Essential Oil
• 7 drops of Frankincense Essential Oil
• 9 drops of Myrrh Essential Oil
• 18 drops of Lavender Essential Oil

Mix the synergy of all your essential oils together first. You can use a small shot glass or other glass or ceramic vessel. Don’t mix them in plastic. Stir the synergy into the cream or oil and mix well. Once the synergy has been mixed into an oil or cream, it can then be stored in a plastic or glass container. Smooth onto skin as needed.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this three-part series on essential oils in the Bible. Please leave any comments or questions below. I’d be happy to answer them.

Botanically Me,

Note: As always, the information here is for your personal use and not meant to replace your health professional’s advice. Use essential oils with caution. Pregnant and nursing women should check with their doctor or midwife or a certified aromatherapist before using. You can check any interactions with medications you may be taking on WebMd.com. Links in this post to products are products that I make and sell in my personal Etsy shop. You can also most likely find similar products in stores in your local area.

 

 

 

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For as long as I can remember, Valentine’s Day has been a time for exchanging heartfelt notes and gifts with our loved ones. It’s a day to celebrate love ♥ with your sweetheart and friends.

Botanical Ways To Celebrate Valentine’s Day

As I was thinking about how to celebrate Valentine’s Day, I wanted to focus particularly on botanical ideas that were both pampering and healthy. Enjoy!

Scent the Air

To start the day, let’s put everyone in a happy mood by diffusing some uplifting essential oils. Sweet orange or grapefruit are both excellent choices as citrus oils are uplifting and anti-anxiety. Almost everyone loves the aroma of these two happy oils.

Please keep in mind, though, NOT to use essential oils (in any way) on or around babies younger than six months. Babies have thinner skin and immature immune systems, so they can’t tolerate powerful essential oils.

However, from the age of six months to two, children can handle diffused child-safe essential oils for short amounts of time. In addition to sweet orange and grapefruit, lavender and lemon are also safe for this age group. For a long list of safe and unsafe essential oils for children, reference this post from clinical aromatherapist Lea Star Harris.

As you are diffusing the oils, I would recommend diffusing for about 15 minutes and then shutting off the diffusor for 90 minutes. Adults should diffuse in this on-again, off-again manner as well. It’s better than leaving the diffusor continuously running.

6 Months and Up Diffusor Recipe

• 2 drops of Lavender, Lemon, Sweet Orange OR Grapefruit (or other safe list EO)

Directions: Add a total of 2 drops to the water reservoir of a diffusor and run for 15 minutes. Shut off. Start with this low dilution rate as we don’t want to overwhelm baby’s sensitive system. If you don’t have babies or young children, you can add up to 10 drops of essential oils to the diffusor.

Pamper Your Baby or Child with an Herbal Bath

Herbs and hydrosols are much safer to use with infants and children than essential oils. The following herbs are all gentle and soothing for children: chamomile, lavender, calendula, and rose petals. My favorite is chamomile. German chamomile is a powerful anti-inflammatory, wonderful and soothing for the skin, as well as being calming to the mind.

Children’s Herbal Bath

• One handful of herbs
• One cotton bag or nylon sock

Directions: Before putting the baby in the bath, fill the bag with your chosen herbs and tie the bag to the bathtub nozzle. Run the water through the bag. Once the desired temperature and depth of water is reached, allow the bag to float in the tub while your little one soaks.

Celebrate with Your Sweetheart

For a massage oil that both men and women like, try using lavender oil. It’s a cross between sweet and spicy, so both sexes often enjoy it.

Lavender Body and Massage Oil

• 2 oz of carrier oil (almond, fractionated coconut oil, herbal oil, etc.)
• 30 drops of Lavender essential oil (This is a 2.5% dilution, a nice rate for massage)

Directions: Pour the carrier oil in a 2-oz. bottle and add the essential oil to the oil. Shake or roll gently and label.

Diffusor Recipe

• To add a romantic spin to the diffusor recipe above, add a few drops of rose, jasmine, patchouli, or ylang ylang.

Cozy Up with Beeswax Candles  

With their light honey scent, beeswax candles add a warm, lovely touch to Valentine’s Day. For a candlelit dinner, choose beeswax taper candles or a fun heart novelty candle. For an intimate setting, try tiny floating heart candles. They burn for about an hour and look beautiful in a bowl of water sprinkled with fresh flower petals. In the picture to the left, I used carnation petals.

Botanical Gift Ideas

 

Houseplants are a perfect idea for a “Galantine’s” (girls celebrating Valentine’s day with their girlfriends) gift—especially welcome if you live in a cold climate area of the country. At this point in the winter, we’re all ready for a bit of greenery. Succulent plants are easy to care for and extremely popular right now. I just purchased one myself.

Of course you can never go wrong with flowers. They don’t have to be expensive, either, if you’re on a tight budget. I just bought this beautiful bouquet of carnations at Walmart, and they were only about $4.50.

Finally, botanical beeswax perfumes are pampering gifts for Valentine’s Day any woman will appreciate.

However you celebrate this year, I pray it’s your best botanical holiday yet!

Happy Valentine’s Day,

*I just want to be clear that the gift links in this post are to my shop on Etsy.

 

 

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I love going to get a facial, but it’s usually a rare treat for me. For about three days after, my skin glows and fine lines and wrinkles are diminished. Wouldn’t it be nice to get similar results more often?

Well, my daughter Amber and I recently discovered we can when we use a French green clay mask. I’ve used bentonite clay powder before, mixing up a wonderfully effective bee-sting remedy for the occasional stings my husband and I get as beekeepers. But I hadn’t tried any other type of clay until last week.

After reading about the benefits of green clay, I picked some up at my favorite place for such sundries, at the herb room at Good Earth health food store in Indianapolis. Amber and I happened to be together

during a vacation, and we were both excited to try it. Even though we have different skin types, this green clay powder worked for us both.

Why are Clays Good for Your Skin?

First of all, all clays have absorbed goodness from the earth and help to rejuvenate the skin and protect it from aging. According to Valerie Worwood in The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy, green clay is the finest of clays and can be used for all types of skin including acne, oily, dry, and aging skin. I know it seems too good to be true, but it worked for my aging skin and Amber’s oily skin. French clay is rich in the following minerals: calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium, and it energizes the connective tissue. It is also antiseptic, healing, and emollient, with the result being silky skin. Besides those more obvious results, it performs the important task of increasing the lymph flow and circulation, which helps to eliminate waste products from your body.

What Did I Notice After Using my Green Clay Mask?

Here’s what I noticed after washing off my face mask:

1. my skin felt silky
2. fine lines were diminished
3. my skin tone evened out

As a nice side benefit, just the very act of giving myself a home facial was very relaxing and pampering. Amber and I had so much fun doing this together too.

French Green Clay Recipe

This clay is very versatile. To make one application for a facial, here’s a basic recipe:

• 3/4 tsp French green clay
• 1/2 -3/4 tsp liquid, depending on how thick you like the mask

I know this sounds like a tiny amount of clay, but trust me, it’s enough for one application. Here’s a picture of how much it made in my bowl and how much was left after I applied it.

As far as the liquid goes, you can use water, but my favorite ingredient to use is rose hydrosol or rose water or another type of hydrosol. Or you could brew a cup of chamomile tea and add that to the clay. I like to use a tiny whisk, stirring until the mixture is smooth.

Once you have your liquid of choice mixed in, consider adding 1 drop of an essential oil. This ups the healing properties of the mask as it can be tailored to your skin type and makes it an aromatherapy experience as well.

Here are a few suggestions of essential oils to add based on skin type to get you started:

1. For acne, try adding 1 drop of tea tree or geranium essential oil.
   

   After applying the French green clay to my skin.

2. For aging skin, add one drop of rose essential oil.
3. For sensitive, inflamed skin, add 1 drop of German or Roman chamomile.
4. To help you relax, try adding 1 drop of lavender.

The recipe is very adaptable to experimentation. If you don’t have a local source for French green clay, you can purchase it from my Square Shop.

Let me know if you have used a green clay face mask and what your favorite facial recipe is.

eScentually yours,

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If you’re like me, you struggle to get every last drop of essential oil out of the bottle.

And especially when it comes to the more expensive oils like rose, sandalwood, and jasmine, I don’t want to waste anything. Every drop is expensive.

I came up with an easy solution to using those last few stubborn drops. You can hear it in the one-minute video below.

How about you? Do you have any tricks for using up every precious drop? If so, I’d like to hear them, so please share in the comment section below.

eScentually yours,

 

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