During these cold, dry, winter months, it is not uncommon to have clogged sinuses, dry noses, and head colds. I hate reaching for over the counter cold-medicines, so I always try to use alternative remedies, like oils! Essential oils can be immensely beneficial both for opening up your breathing pathways and speeding up recovery with their healing properties. However, when you are sitting there stuffy and miserable, what is the best way to use them?

Steam inhalation introduces essential oils quickly and directly into the sinuses and lungs. When done correctly, steaming essential oils can be a great way to offer immune and respiratory support, along with helping clear the sinuses and mucus membranes. Sounds great, doesn't it?A naturopath recommended this technique to me years ago, and I have used it countless times since then! Go put the kettle on, and lets get started.

With a clean towel set aside, fill a glass bowl with hot steaming water. How hot, you ask? You want the water hot enough to steam, but not so hot that it will burn your skin or your sinus tissues.

Add one drop of high quality of essential oil into your bowl of steaming water.

Create a mini steam tent by placing your clean towel over the back of your head and shoulders, closing your eyes, and leaning over the steaming bowl of water. What should result is a lovely steam bath that should quickly provide relief!

Depending on your own judgement, lean further away or further in towards the bowl to find your ideal experience. Remember to keep your eyes closed so that you don't irritate your eyes with the oils. This should be a comforting and nourishing experience, not an uncomfortable or overpowering one.

I love to do this when I am feeling a cold coming on, or when I am desperate for relief from congestion or seasonal allergies. I've also found it helpful for insomnia and the occasional headache, so find what works for you.

(By the way, this is not recommended for young children, for people on medications, or for people over the age of 65, so I like to recommend checking with your doctor or a certified aromatherapist first if you have any questions or concerns.)

Have you done an essential oil steam bath? What is your favorite oil to help with sinus relief?

Looking around my home, you will notice a common theme... lavender hand soap, lavender bubble bath, lavender room spray, lavender candles, even lavender tea! Needless to say, I am absolutely in love with lavender!

Lavandula angustifolia, aka lavender, is known for its powerful relaxing qualities. Good for both the body and the mind, it should be staple in every household. I have always loved the variety of ways you can use it, and its positive effect on my life. In case you are in need of some inspiration, I compiled a quick list on how to add lavender into your life!

Drink a cup of lavender tea each evening, or whenever you are overwhelmed with stress. If you can, get the highest quality of loose lavender buds, brew it in a tea infuser like this one, add a tiny smidge of honey (if you must), and enjoy it about 20-40 minutes before bedtime. If you're like me, you might fall asleep before you even finish your cup!

Soak in a hot bath with a couple cups of epsom salts and a few drops of lavender essential oil. When my body feels tense, soaking in a lavender bath for at least 20 minutes releases any tension I have, softens the skin, and inhaling the lavender aroma calms my mind as well. When I am done soaking, the lavender scent stays with me long after I dry off.

In the summer, combine a drop of lavender oil with coconut oil, and apply it to sunburns or insect bites. This calms the skin and relieves itching, therefore allowing the skin a better chance to heal.

When doing laundry, insert a satchel of lavender buds to the dryer to result in yummy smelling clothing and sheets. 

Lavender plants are beautiful, smell wonderful, and are pretty hardy, so plant a few bushes in your garden so you always have access to some!

Use an essential oil diffuser to diffuse lavender into your bedroom at night, or to create a relaxing atmosphere in an office or treatment room. 

Put a sprig of dried lavender or a satchel of dried lavender buds in your car to freshen it up instead of using chemical-based air-fresheners.

Put a drop of lavender mixed with a carrier oil (like coconut or jojoba) on the bottom of your feet at night for a deep, restful night's sleep.

I rotate in a coconut oil/lavender oil combination into my skincare routine a few times a week to give my face a break from salicylic acid treatments, while still fighting off acne and clogged pores. I moisturize my face, then use the mixture for the rest of my body as well!

When sick, inhaling the steam of lavender can help fight of bacteria and infections due to its antibiotic and expectorant properties. If you are feeling under the weather and stuffy, fill a bowl full of hot water, add a drop of lavender essential oil, and lean over the bowl with a towel over your head and the bowl (trapping in the steam). Be careful the water is not too hot, as to not burn your face with the steam. 

If you are prone to depression, anxiety, or constant stress, keeping a vial of lavender essential oil nearby can be helpful. When I feel like my mental health could use a tune up, either wearing lavender or just smelling it seems to be the emotional boost I need. (Obviously, if your need of a "mental health tuneup" is severe, consult a professional.) Put a drop or two in your hands, cup them to your face, and breathe in slowly and deeply. 

Well, now that lavender is on my brain, I'm going to go put the kettle on to make a cup of tea!

Do you love lavender as well? What is your favorite use for it?

"There must be quite a few things a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them."

Sylvia Plath

Over the past year, I have experienced a lot of "life" (career changes, moving, medical emergencies, family death, etc.), and it was easy to find myself occasionally overwhelmed with stress.

Have you ever noticed how when you have a lot weighing on you emotionally, your body feels physically weighed down as well? It almost feels as if you are wearing a heavy coat of negativity. Not so fun...

When you are stressed, it can be hard to carve out time to just sit down and meditate. Therefore, I have found a quick solution that lets you (literally) scrub off some of those heavy thoughts: shower-time or bath-time meditation!

Since it is something that everyone does everyday (give or take), it can be a great way to squeeze in a little mental tuneup. Many times, people rush through washing up on autopilot: shampoo, soap, scrub, shave, done. This basic meditation allows you to bring a little mindfulness to your day, and do a little good for your emotional self as well. Depending on whether you prefer showers or baths, you can chose between the two meditations.

If you are showering: As you stand under the stream of water, envision it washing away all of your negative thoughts, as if they were mud stuck to your skin. Some emotions might take a little extra scrubbing, but as you lather up, release all of your fear, anger, and regret so that it may go swirling down the drain.

If you are soaking in the tub: Allow all of your muscles to sink into the hot water. Using a loofa or wash cloth, massage your skin from head to toe, visualizing any negativity within being released into the water. Once you feel truely relaxed and surrendered, unplug the drain and send the water that now carries all that detrimental energy away.

By the time I dry off after a shower or tub meditation, I always feel a lot better, both inside and out!

I always like bringing a cup of yummy tea in the tub with me as well!

I love to use natural bath and shower products, such as Epsom salts, essential oils, Jason shower gel, and my favorite homemade sugar scrub. What are your favorite natural products? Have you ever meditated in the tub before?

Next time you are at the store, pick up a tub of body scrub and check out the ingredients. I'll give you a preview: "chemical, chemical, chemical, artificial fragrance, chemical, chemical". Sounds like something you want to use on your body, right? Not!

There are some fantastic products on the market that are all-natural alternatives to chemical-filled body scrubs, but they can be pricey! So what is a girl to do?

Motivated both by my desire for an inexpensive body scrub and my weekend laziness keeping me from leaving the house, I whipped up a recipe for a scrub that you can easily make with ingredients you already have in your pantry! The result is a super cheap, delicious smelling, natural body scrub that leaves your skin silky and smooth!

Ingredients:
1 cup of cane sugar
1 cup of oil (coconut oil, light olive oil, and avocado oil all work great)
10-15 drops of your favorite essential oil

Mix the sugar and oil well, add your essential oils, and then mix a little more! Store in a glass container with a tight seal, and you're done! To use it, massage into wet skin and then rinse off. (Be careful as the oils can make your bathtub slippery, so make sure to wipe down the tub when you are done so the next person doesn't go head over heels!)

For my scrub, I used extra virgin olive oil and a blend of ylang ylang and lavender oil. As soon as I was done, I was so excited that I jumped immediately in the tub to use it! I have a feeling this batch won't last me very long with how much I love it, so I'm looking forward to trying other combinations of oils. I might try mixing in some coconut sugar in addition to the cane sugar as well!

Let me know what you think! What is your favorite combination of oils?

Over the past few months, I have been overwhelmed by the love and support for Blue Lotus! To show my appreciation and return the love, I'm doing a giveaway! Yippee!

I am giving away a Joyful essential oil spray, Rose Quartz pendulum, and a bundle of amazing tumbled gemstones!

First up is a Joyful essential oil spray! With a base of Vitajuwel crystal infused water (with a mix of amethyst, clear quartz, and rose quartz), it mixes essential oils of lemon, mandarin, bergamot, ylang ylang, rose geranium, and rose. This uplifting mix can be used as a cheering room spray, and I love using it as a daily perfume! Spray some in your hair, and you can smell wonderful all day!

Next is the rose quartz pendulum. Rose quartz is a beautiful crystal that encourages love for yourself and others! Since it corresponds directly with the heart chakra, this could be a great pendulum if you find yourself needing help finding answers that come directly from the heart. To learn more about how to use a pendulum, click here to check out my previous post! 

Finally, lets check out the assortment of crystals you will receive! They have all been cleansed and charged with a crystal singing bowl session, so you can be assured they have some fabulous energy to them. 

From left to right, starting from the top row:
- gold tiger eye (a protecting, grounding stone which enhances integrity, willpower, and confidence)
- hematite (protects and connects us to the earth that improves memory and concentration)
- rose quartz (stone of universal love, trust, harmony, peace, and self-acceptance)
- unakite (enhances your third eye, assists in sleep, and balances your emotions)
- sodalite (calms the mind, encourages intuition, and releases fear, phobias, and guilt)
- green aventurine (helps with love relationships, releases stress, and brings good luck)
- banded amethyst (boosts intuition, cleanses the aura, and repels negativity)
- apache tears (absorbs negative energy and comforts grief)
- green moss agate (balances emotional energy and enhances concentration)
- quartz (opens the mind and heart to higher guidance and is a good overall healing stone)
- snowflake obsidian (calming and soothing, and gives awareness of negative patterns)
- blue lace agate (calming, gives a sense of peace and tranquility, helps with expression)
- green fluorite (highly protective and enhances personal growth)

Enter below, and don't forget to share this giveaway with your friends!

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Lots of love!