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 ...

I thought I would share one of my natural cleaning recipes today. Since we had a pretty mild winter we have been having an awful time with pests.  Since in my home we try to avoid harsh chemicals, pest spray would never be able to make that cut. After quite a bit of research, I developed this recipe as a general pest control spray. Each ingredient has a purpose. These essential oils will help keep away bugs, roaches, spiders, and ants. All you would need to do is spray it around the entry points in your home. This would be places like doorframes, windows and any holes or cracks in the walls. I also like to wipe my counters down with it. Another helpful tip is to make your home as uninviting as possible. You can do this by making sure all food is covered and put away. Crumbs are whipped up off the counter and swept off of the floor and any spills are whipped up right away.  What are your favorite ways to keep the pests away? -Stella- ...

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 ...

I love my natural hair and dedicate quite a bit of time to keeping it healthy, so I spend copious amounts of time searching on the internet for natural hacks to add to my hair regime. Several months ago I was looking for a replacement for shampoo (I try to shampoo as infrequently as possible due to having extremely dry, curly hair) and I came across a Youtube video with the perfect solution. Now when I tell you what I have been using in my hair and on my skin I don’t want any judgement. I was skeptical in the beginning too, but when something works it works! Okay, are you ready? I have been using….. fermented rice water. I know that it sounds disgusting and smelly, but let me tell you it is UH-MAZING for you! The longer the rice water has a chance to ferment the more potent it becomes and the more noticeable the effects of it are. Rice water is rich in antioxidants, vitamins B & E, and minerals making it extremely nourishing for your hair and skin. Wit...

When I was younger I thought the best way to combat my oily skin was simply by not applying a moisturizer. I would dry out my face with cleansers thinking that was going to get me the results I wanted. I always felt I couldn’t wear actual makeup because my skin was so oily. Now, as an adult, I realize I was making my face produce more oil. When the skin is dried out it overproduces oil to help – exactly what I didn’t want. But I was still struggling with oily skin even though I started toning and moisturizing. What was I to do? The key is to finding the right products and fighting oil with oil. What? Why would you use oil to combat oil? Your skin produces oil for many reasons. One reason is because your cleanser and toner are taking away too much oil so it helps by making more. By adding more oils, the right kind of oils, back into the skin then your skin will be at a healthy level. The best thing I have found is making my own face oil. I use this after I wa...

For the last three months are so I have been OBSESSED with essential oils! I have incorporated them into just about every aspect of my life. From my beauty routine to cleaning, to a quick fix for a headache. My box of oils has a solution to any problem I throw at it. Today I am going to go over the essential oils I use in my beauty routine and the benefits they have. If I missed your favorite essential oil, let me know in the comments below! ~Stella~ Frankincense Essential Oil Frankincense oil is wonderful for all types of skin. It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits. These benefits make it best for acne-prone skin. You can also use it as a toner. It can reduce the appearance of pores and helps even the skin tone. It also helps encourage new cell growth. This will help tighten skin, reduce wrinkles and the appearance of scars. It also is wonderful for soothing chapped or dry skin. Lavender Essential Oil As if Lavender oil...

Recently I have done a whole lot of research in different ways I can incorporate essential oils into my day to day life. The information I found was so mind blowing that I just had to share it with you guys. Before I get started I would like to say that I am not a doctor, I do not suggest ignoring a medical professional advice. I believe knowledge is power and in this case the results will speak for themselves. I hope by reading this post you will have an opportunity to open and expand your mind to a different way of healing. This is quite possibly the oldest way of healing.  Essential oils have been used for healing for as long as humans have been writing things down. Healers would take different plants and grind them together to make medicines. In the Bible, it says that a bottle of lavender essential oil would be worth a year wages. So you know it was very valuable. There is so much information about essential oils that I have decided to break it up into a few differe...