It is never easy to know what to get Mom. How can you show her how much you love her with just a card or a gift? Perhaps this year some Do-It-Yourself gifts can come close to showing your mom or the mother of your children just how much you love them. These simple DIY essential oil recipes and gifts are great to make mom’s house smell wonderful or to help make mom feel wonderful. Try a couple of these simple recipes and see how you can make this Mother’s Day very special.

A Quick Look at Essential Oils
The use of essential oils as fragrances dates back almost 6,000 years, and they’ve been used by a variety of cultures and ethnicities. Essential oils are primarily used in therapeutic settings to help achieve a positive mood and bring about relaxation. Studies indicate that certain essential oils may help with the occasional stress and anxiety associated with everyday life.

Keep in mind that essential oils are highly concentrated botanical extracts that should never be ingested or applied to skin at full strength. Consult a healthcare professional, not just a salesperson, for advice on how to use these powerful oils.

Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy oils are harvested directly from their natural sources. When these natural extracts are added to water and vaporized through a diffuser, they can inspire, energize, soothe, and encourage wellness and peace of mind. In order to effectively use essential oils for aromatherapy, a diffuser must be utilized. An oil diffuser will transmit the benefits of the oil across a room or throughout an entire house. The best diffusers use an ultrasonic method, instead of heat, so the diffuser can maintain the integrity of the essential oil and its holistic properties. A diffuser is perfect for daily use and is a healthy alternative to synthetic room fresheners and scented candles.

Diffuser Blends: Add each of the oils into a diffuser and let the refreshing smell fill the room.

  • Energizing Summer Fun Recipe: 1 drop each of lavender, peppermint, and grapefruit oils
  • Relaxing Flower Garden Diffuser Blend: 8 drops Chamomile with 4 drops of Lavender
  • Stress Reducing Diffuser Blend: 6 drops Grapefruit Oil, 2 drops Tea Tree Oil, 2 Drops Ylang Ylang Oil
  • Relax and Breathe Diffuser Blend: 4 drops Lavender, 4 drops Lemon, 4 drops Peppermint
  • Citrus Smile Blend: 6 drops Orange with 4 drops Grapefruit
  • Orange Energy Blend: 8 drops Orange with 2 drops Ylang Ylang
  • Jumping Ginger Blend: 6 drops Orange with 4 drops Ginger
  • Sunshine Flowers Blend: 2 drops of Lavender, 2 drops Ylang Ylang, 6 of Grapefruit
  • Immune Boost Diffuser Blend: 2 drps pepp, 2 drps clove, 2 drps eucalyptus, 2 drps cinn,2 drops orange
  • Increase Focus Blend: 6 drops Orange, 6 drops Peppermint
  • Hop and Skip Blend: 6 drops Grapefruit and 4 drops Ginger
  • Happy Days Blend: 4 drops Frankincense, 2 drops Lemon, 4 drops Peppermint
  • Run 3 Miles Blend: 5 drops Lemon, 5 drops Grapefruit, 2 drops Ylang Ylang
  • Breathe Deeply Blend: 6 drops Eucalyptus, 6 drops Tea Tree Oil, 2 drops Lemon
  • Energy, Energy, Energy Blend: 3 drops Orange, 3 drops Frankincense, 3 drops Cinnamon
  • Grandma’s Baking Again Blend: 6 drops Cinn,, 6 drops Orange, 5 drops Vanilla, and 2 drops of Clove
  • Candy Cane Blend: 10 drops Peppermint, 2 drops Ylang Ylang
  • Autumn Chai Tea Blend: 6 drops Cinnamon, 2 drops Clove, 2 drops Orange, 1 drop Ginger


Bath Blends:

Lavender Bath Oil Blend:
2 ounces of Almond Oil with 20 Drops of Lavender Oil
Add ¼ ounce of the oil blend to hot bath water just prior to entry.

Sore Muscle Massage Blend:
2 drops Ginger, 4 drops Peppermint, and 5 drops of Eucalyptus
Add  2 ounces of Coconut Oil and blend.
Place a small amount on your hands and start massaging.

Anti-stress Bath Salt Mix:
3 cups Sea Salt, Himalayan Pink Salt, or Epsom Salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
Add 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil and mix very well
Add 20 drops Lavender Oil, 5 drops Eucalyptus, 2 drops Frankincense
Mix well and place in an airtight jar. Use 1/2-1 cup of salt mix per bath.

Essential Oil Recipes for Skin Care:
Essential oils are easily combined with beauty supply materials to make wonderful personal care products. Here are a few of our favorites:

Youthful Face Scrub:
1 cup organic coconut oil    
2 tsp. organic honey
15 drops. Peppermint essential oil
15 drops vanilla essential oil
2 Vitamin E capsules (optional)
3 tbsp. of organic coffee grounds
1/2 cup organic brown sugar
1/2 cup organic granulated white sugar

In a large bowl, combine ingredients in a large bowl thoroughly until they are well combined. If including vitamin E capsule, poke the end with a pin and squeeze the oil from inside onto other ingredients. Place in airtight container(s). Store in a cool place or refrigerate, allowing ingredients to solidify.

Cleansing Skin Mask:
3 TBSP of European clay (from a beauty store)
4-5 TBS water
3 drops of Tea Tree Oil
2 drops of Lavender Oil
Mix ingredients together in a bowl to a creamy paste. Apply to face and neck area. Allow 10-15 minutes to dry, then rinse off with warm water and apply moisturizer. Avoid sensitive areas and use 1-2 times weekly as needed. NOT intended for internal use.

Foot Scrub Blend
2 TBSP sea salt
2 TBSP Jojoba or Almond Oil
2 drops Peppermint
1 drop Rosemary1 drop Lavender
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and massage into each foot for 1-2 minutes.
Rinse off with warm water and discard any leftover product.

Essential Oil Recipes for Health and Wellness:

Headache Relief Compress
3 drops of Peppermint Oil
3 drops of Lavender Oil
3 drops of Chamomile Oil
2 cups of warm or cool water
Mix ingredients together in a glass bowl. Wet and ring out a washcloth. Apply to forehead while lying down and repeat as needed.

Basic Cold and Flu Chest Rub
1 drop of NOW Lemon Oil
2 drops of NOW Eucalyptus Oil
1 drop of NOW Rosemary
1 TBS Almond Oil
Add ingredients together in a glass bowl and apply to chest and neck area. May also apply to forehead, cheekbone, and nose areas. Discontinue use if irritation occurs.

Around the house cleaners:

All-Purpose Cleaner – keep your countertops clean and germ free by adding 3 drops of tea tree oil and 3 drops of lemon or orange to a ½ cup of water and a ½ cup of vinegar. Use the water to soak your cleaning cloth for a fresh and healthy feel in the kitchen. If you have some chicken juice or other harmful bacteria source on the countertops try adding an extra 3 drops of Nature’s Shield to the water.

Shower and Bathtub Cleaner – start with a ½ cup of water, ½ cup of vinegar, and a ½ cup of baking soda with 5 drops of Bergamot oil. Place these in a quart sized spray bottle.

Window Cleaner – 3 cups distilled water,1/4 cup rubbing alcohol or vodka, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 20 drops peppermint or eucalyptus essential oil. Place these into a quart size spray bottle.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner – 1/2 cup baking soda,1/3 cup liquid dishwashing soap, 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide, 30 drops eucalyptus essential oil, 3/4 cup water; place these in a 20oz squirt bottle.

Furniture Polish – ½ cup of almond oil, ⅛ cup of beeswax, 10-20 drops of Orange, Lemon, Bergamot, or Lavender. Heat the almond oil and beeswax in a double boiler until melted. You can add more oil if the mix if it is too thick or more beeswax if it is too runny. When the desired consistency is achieved, remove from heat and add the essential oil to the mix. Pour the mix into a wide mouth jar and let it cool to a soft wax texture.

Floor Cleaner / Mop Solution – Mix ½ cup white vinegar to 1 gallon warm water. Add 10-15 drops lemon or a lemon/clove essential oil mixture.

We hope these essential oil recipes are incredibly helpful in making this Mother’s Day one to remember.

Stop in our Downtown Roanoke office to enjoy 10% off all essential oils and diffusers through May 16th.


 

Daryl C. Rich, D.C., C.S.C.S