The Smoothie Vegetarians

If you've been reading our blog for awhile then you may know that I absolutely LOVE essential oils! I use them in my defuser, in my homemade skin care products, in my homemade cleaning supplies, and in any way else that I can use them! So, you can imagine my excitement when I found out that Simply Earth has an essential oil subscription box! The box includes 6 recipe cards that help you create a healthy and chemical free home for your family. In the box I received, there were recipes ranging from diffuser oil mixes to a mud mask! Most of the ingredients I needed for the recipes were included. The items that were not included were perishable items and they are clearly marked on the recipe cards. The box cost $39 for the monthly subscription, $45 for one box every three months and $49 for a one month box and shipping is free in the US! Each box is valued at +$150! So that is a pretty great deal! Use my code STELLAEVANSFREE to get ...

I have been using essential oils for years. They are perfect for when I need uplifting, need help sleeping or if I want to use a more natural air freshener. The possibilities really are endless when it comes to essential oils. When people ask me about oils I always tell them that you can have as many as you want but make sure you have these “essentials”. Most diffusions will call for them and they are super versatile. Here is my top five “essential” oils! 1.)     Tea Tree Oil This oil is important for many reasons. I use it when I cut myself, when I want to cleanse the air when I am sick and so on. I tend to have itchy, dry scalp in the winter so I add a few drops to my shampoo and no more flakes. I make homemade deodorant with it to kill bacteria that causes stinky pits. You can also add it to DIY household cleaners to get rid of mold and mildew! 2.)     Lavender Oil This one is a personal favorite of mine. I love the smell of i...

Let me start this by saying that I totally understand if you looked at the title of this blog post and rolled your eyes. Essential oils seem like just another fad that people want you to buy into so they can make money and while on one hand you wouldn't be wrong, not all essential oil lines are ones where you have to sign up under someone else and essential oils have been mentioned as being used by the Egyptians during their embalming process. Since then & possibly even during those times as well, essential oils have been used for things ranging from helping someone sleep better throughout the night to healing bug bites! Below I will be telling you about six different oils and their helpful uses. In my part two post, which you will be able to view next week, I will be telling you about different ways to use the oils & about carrier oils to more safely use essential oils. Peppermint Oil This oil has properties that has anti-nausea benefits and can also ...

Summer is upon us once again and that means going outside, hiking, swimming and a lot more. It also means bugs. A lot of the bug sprays on the market are made using chemicals and a lot of other gross things that are not good for you and your family. But there is good news! You can make it using a few simple and all natural ingredients that are healthier and better for you. All of the ingredients in this bug spray are designed for very specific reasons. The essential oils used are great against certain bugs and the witch hazel is fantastic for your skin! They are not harsh or will harm you but they are super effective and will help make your summer so much better. Let’s explore the ingredients before we get to how to make it. Lavender oil is great for repelling mosquitos and spiders. In fact, it can be just as effective as citronella oil against mosquitos. It also smells nicer. You can use this on its own in the bug spray but combining it with other oils means you will ...

In the last year or so I have been on a huge kick to reduce the number of chemicals I am using in my daily life. One of the ways I have been doing this has been to make my own cleaning supplies. I have started to make my own laundry soap, face wash and moisturizer. But when I decided to also work on being zero waste I needed to find a good hand soap. We use a lot of hand soap at my house. My sister, who lives with me currently, is OBSESSIVE about washing her hands. I buy a few bottles of hand soap every month or so just for the bathroom. I hate how drying the soap is, especially in the winter when my hands are already dry, so I wanted to make a soap that would be better for our skin. That’s when I acquired a foam soap dispenser. My aunt had a few that she bought a while back but didn’t need them so she gave them to me. I have been using it for a month now and I won’t ever buy again. What I love about this soap is that you can easily customize it for whatever room...