DIY Perfume Using Essential Oils - Homemade Fragrance

So many things we use in our daily life are filled with toxic chemicals, including sweet smelling perfume!  As Dr. Mercola puts it: " Hidden behind some perfume's pleasant scents are toxic chemicals linked to hormone disruption, reproductive problems, and even cancer."  The average perfume contains 14 chemicals that are not listed on the label (identified only as "Fragrance") among the average of 15 chemicals that are listed.

Some common chemicals include:

• Parabens: Synthetic preservatives known to interfere with hormone production and release.
• Phthalates: Another synthetic preservative that’s carcinogenic and linked to reproductive effects (decreased sperm counts, early breast development, birth defects) and liver and kidney damage.
• Synthetic musks: These are linked to hormone disruption and are thought to persist and accumulate in breast milk, body fat, umbilical cord blood, and the environment.

So, let's make our own perfume -- then we know the EXACT ingredients that we are using, and avoid toxic chemicals that can cause health issues for us and our family.

We will be using pure essential oils from my friend, Alethea, who owns Essential Anew. She has taught me to make my own perfume and I am sharing that with you now.

First some information on mixing perfume. Essential oils must be used in an oil base. For perfume, Jojoba oil is best but Grapeseed, Apricot kernel or Almond oil will work just as well.

Then we will be using vodka. It is best to add equal amounts oil and vodka, so, these recipes are for a base of 1 T. of each oil and vodka.

INGREDIENTS
1 T Oil (Jojoba, grapeseed, apricot kernel or almond oil)
1 T Vodka
Essential oils (some good oil combinations are below)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Mix together the ingredients as listed, oil and vodka first, in a dark glass container with a lid.Then add the essential oils.

2. After the essential oils are added it is important to let the mixture sit for two weeks prior to use. Be sure to store the oil in a dark bottle in a cool place.

3. Shake 3 times a day.

4. After 2 weeks,you can either use the same glass container you stored the mixture in, or move it to another container with a spray top or dropper top.

Here are some delicious recipes you can try:

Amorous: 3 drops Jasmine 3 drops Neroli 4 drops Orange

Amor For Men: 2 drops Coriander 3 drops Lime 4 drops Sandalwood

Amor For Women: 3 drops Bergamot 2 drops Jasmine 3 drops Sandalwood

Young at Heart: 9 drops Grapefruit 1 drop Rose Geranium 1 drop Ylang Ylang

Mysterious: 8 drops Sandalwood 3 drops Lavender 1 drop Cedarwood Spicy

Ardor: 8 drops Sandalwood 2 drops Orange 1 drop Patchouli 1 drop Ylang Ylang

Feeling Happy: 5 drops Bergamot 5 drops Grapefruit 1 drop Rose Geranium

Hopelessly Devoted: 1 drop Clary Sage 3 drops Patchouli 2 drops Rose 4 drops Rosewood

The thing about making your own perfume is that you can always add more of one oil or less and personalize it. My absolute favorite mixture combination is lemongrass, jasmine and sweet orange, and I do about 7 drops lemongrass, 10 drops jasmine, and 5 drops sweet orange.



About Me: Hi! I am Rebecca :) I am the owner of Purify Your Body Detox Foot Pads. I love natural health and wellness, and I love to eat real food. :) 

I love my family, and my pets. I actually love all animals -- they are much nicer than most humans! I don't watch TV and haven't watched a movie in the theater for more than 9 months. I would much rather read a book!

I love to garden and make homemade products -- body butter, toothpaste, perfume, cheese, yogurt, etc. It tastes better when it's made from scratch!  Contact me here: sales@purifyyourbody.com

Best Natural Deodorants - Non Toxic Ways To Smell Fresh!

Thai crystal deodorant

I have tried quite a few natural deodorants. Some of them work quite well but are time consuming (and I am lazy), others don't work as well. I found one that seems to work the best for me, and it is all natural and super easy to do!

Here is a list of natural deodorants and how well they worked for me:

1. Thai Mineral Stone. This works ok, especially in cold winter months when you don't sweat a lot. It lasts a LONG time, I could see one stick lasting 18 months or longer.

Sunshea Products Pit Stick

2. Pit Stick Natural Deodorant by Sunshea Products. This works well in keeping odor out but you still sweat with it, making it hard to use where I live in Panama when it is 85-90 degrees every day. It smells FANTASTIC and I do recommend this product to those who want to try it. It is one of the least expensive natural deodorants I have found, and lasts a long time (not as long as the Thai crystal deodorant stick though!)





3. Slice of Lime. Seriously. This stuff rocks your socks off. We have a lime tree in our backyard and during its season I just cut up a lime and used it in my armpits. I did not have any issues using it right after I shaved, however, a friend of mine said it did irritate her skin. You don't sweat as much with this one, but right now it is inconvenient since I don't have any limes, and I always forgot because then I would have to go to the kitchen, open the fridge, etc right after my shower and it didn't work with my scheduling (see, I am lazy!). And, It does end up being expensive if you have to purchase your own limes. One lime per week ends up being about $3-4 per month.

primal pit paste

 4. Primal Pit Paste. This stuff is a clay-based deodorant that seems to work well, many people give it good reviews. I have had friends make a homemade version with baking soda and bentonite clay, but it caused red irritation in their armpits. I have not tried the homemade version, but the Pit Paste works well!

I have not heard of anyone who said the Primal Pit Paste did not work for them. So this is a safe bet if you want a good non-toxic deodorant.

neutralizer gel and deodorizing essential oil blend

5. Neutralizer gel and deodorizing synergy blend essential oil. This is my new favorite as it smells SO good and causes absolutely no irritation. I purchased the essential oil thinking I would try making a DIY clay-based deodorant recipe. But when I got it, I smelled it and wanted to try it right away. So I just took a small pea sized amount of the neutralizer gel that I have, added 2 drops of the essential oil, and rubbed it together in my hand, and then used it on my armpits. Heavenly! And I still smell good the next morning.

You can use that essential oil blend with a DIY deodorant recipe of your choice. I am so happy that there is no irritation whatsoever. And I am happy that I had neutralizer gel on hand. It is great for so many things, from sunburn relief, to skin care, etc.

Whatever natural deodorant works best for you, know that you are doing your body a great service by not using traditional toxin-filled anti-perspirants. And, if you want to get rid of the toxins in your body you can do that by using my detox foot pads -- a great way to detoxify and pull the chemicals from your body that can wreak havoc on your health.

What Is All This Hype About Essential Oils?

Everywhere I turn on Facebook, Pinterest, Google+ and blogs, I hear about essential oils.

"They cure this. They cure that" are heard everywhere. When people ask a question -- from "how can I cure my colicky baby" to "my husband has sinus issues, how can I help him" to "I am overweight how can I lose weight" everyone seems to say "Use essential oils! They work!"

So, let me first explain that I LOVE essential oils. And they DO have their uses. And they DO work. At least to a certain extent. I am not opposed to using them.

But I *HATE* that people think they are the end all, be all of alternative medicine.

There are so many amazing alternative medicine modalities. And I love most of them (except yoga, no matter how hard I try, I am not cut out for yoga but that is another story!)

Some of my favorite go to remedies for healing many common ailments include:

NutraSilver -- this potent form of colloidal silver has been proven to combat MRSA, Morgellons, Lyme disease, Influenza, and more.

Ozone / Oxygen Therapies -- these will always be my favorite types of therapies because they are what got me started on my natural healing / natural medicine journey back when I was a teenager and devoured Ed McCabe's Book "Oxygen Therapies".

Acupuncture -- This stuff is amazing if you see a REAL acupuncturist (and not a chiropractor who took one weekend class and now can perform acupuncture on you).

Herbology -- again, another very good and very reliable way to heal yourself, whether it be herbal capsules, herbal tinctures, herbal teas, etc. Again, you need to know what you are doing when you are using these, so working with a naturopath or herbologist is something I recommend.

 Nutritionist - you CAN change your health and your life by what you eat. It is extremely important to use this approach especially when you are dealing with IBS / leaky gut / autoimmune diseases.

Energy Healing -- many folks have energy blocks in their body. Acupuncture and Yoga may be able to help with some of these. Many go a lot deeper, and you may need some other form of energy work. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) or The Emotion Code are two ways to get those emotions released, but one session won't cut it. You may need dozens of sessions.

Homeopathy -- this is another one of my favorite healing modalities. It is based on Hahnemann's principle of "like cures like" and many people think it is a hoax. (I don't). I have seen miraculous results with it.

Detoxing -- of course this is one of my favorites because I own Purify Your Body Detox Foot Pads and I know how awesome they are. But other methods of detoxing include far infrared sauna, ionic foot baths, internal cleanses and fasts, clay baths, etc.

Flower Essences / Bach Remedies  -- infusions of flowers in water, that are potentized and then stabilized in a solution of brandy and water. Extremely useful on animals and young children especially.

Essential Oils -- these oils have become extremely popular in the past decade, mostly thanks to multi level marketing companies and "get rich quick" schemes of hosting in home parties with your gullible friends.



Oils DO work. I am not dissing them at all. But I do have a few gripes with everything that is going on in this "essential oil world" out there. Here they are:

1. Improper use. HOLY COW. Unless you are a certified aromatherapist or have some other credential (like a Naturopathic Doctor who went to MEDICAL SCHOOL). DON'T tell people how to use essential oils. This is UNSAFE.  Do you know how many times I see or hear people telling others to use essential oils directly on their baby's skin, or take internally? This scares me because while you may not see immediate contraindications, over time you may really screw your body up.

This is one of my favorite articles about essential oils, and I think it is a must read for anyone who is interested in getting involved with essential oils, or just using them personally. Note that ONE DROP of pure peppermint essential oil is equivalent to 75 cups of peppermint tea! Would you recommend for someone to drink 75 cups of tea because they had an upset stomach? I would hope not.

Essential oils can cause a LOT of bad reactions, and it is better to not use them improperly to begin with.

2. Name calling. So much name calling has been going back and forth between some of the popular essential oil companies. It sickens me. I don't like buying from multi-level-marketing companies to begin with, as I hate high pressure sales and overpriced items. But to hear the "sales consultants" from each company bashing each other's brand really gets me.

If you have a good product you shouldn't resort to bashing the competition in order to make your product look better. You should let it sell itself.

3. They are NOT the "end all - be all."  Yes, I just said that. There are many other methods of treating illnesses that may work better than essential oils. You need to find out what YOU need. And you need to see a SPECIALIST or NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR or someone who is TRAINED to help guide you. So many people will listen to their "sales consultant" when they may have some underlying issues that need specialized treatment. (i.e. thyroid and adrenal issues, or other hormonal issues caused by excess cortisol, stress, etc. or food sensitivities that cannot be identified except via blood tests requisitioned by a doctor, for example).

Sure, eucalyptus essential oil can "help" ease lung congestion, and peppermint oil can definitely help with nausea. Thieves / On Guard may help prevent getting sick (I don't know first hand because each time I go on trips and have to fly, I get sick, whether I use Thieves / On Guard or not).

When people think that essential oils are ALL they need, they need to re-evaluate. When I am sick I want chicken broth (homemade, as that is the most beneficial), I want to take my NutraSilver, dose up on extra probiotics, and I want to ozonate my water. I also want to up my minerals and vitamins. I will use my detox foot pads, and then use some oil of oregano and depending on what my symptoms are, I will use other oils appropriately. My Naturopathic doctor has explained some ways to use the oils correctly so I am confident in my use.



Essential Oils are NOT bad

I am not saying that essential oils are bad. They are not. Although they have not cured my hypothyroidism, and have not cured my migraines (thankfully a diet change and my detox foot pads have!) they have helped me to relax and help decrease some symptoms that I have when I am sick.

 But before you use them undiluted, or take them internally, PLEASE do your own research. And don't think of them as the only way to cure your ailments... and of course, don't use them on your babies especially, without the consultation of a certified aromatherapist!

All that being said... here are my favorite essential oils that see a LOT of use in my house:

1. Peppermint.
2. Frankincense.
3. Lemon. (I use this especially for cleaning EVERYTHING).
4. Lemongrass (my favorite scent of all times)
5. Lavender (in many of my homemade products mixed with Lemongrass).




What are YOUR favorite essential oils?

This post was to share my opinion about the over-use of essential oils and to encourage you to do your own research. You don't NEED to spend a lot of money to get good quality.