Hot Hair Oil to the rescue!

I remember spending way too much money on a tiny tube of a name brand Hot Hair Oil in High School. Who would have thought you can make your own? It is quite simple, more cost effective, and hands down more natural and better for your hair.

Here are the ingredients of the "name brand" hot oil. As you can see, interspersed with very few good ingredients, the rest are chemicals!

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Cocotrimonium Chloride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Acetamide MEA, Hydroxyethylcellulose, PEI-1750, Polyquaternium-10, Quaternium-84, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, Ascorbic Acid, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein/Vegetable Amino Acids/Lysine Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Phytantriol, Biotin, Polysorbate 20, Oleth-20, Methylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance (Parfum), Yellow 6 (CI 15985).

I think it scares hair into being shiny with that group of preservatives!

The benefit to a hot oil hair treatment is that it deeply moisturizes where other things cannot. Hair is essentially dead, but it can be fortified from the outside in. Good quality oils can also strengthen hair, and help remove split ends. The oil is also fantastic at removing build up from hair products. Here are a few recipes to try.

Keep the oil in a 4-6 oz, squeeze bottle.

You can heat the oil slightly in your palm, or put it in the shower and let it warm before you apply. Do not put it in the microwave, as this kills the live enzymes in the oils and can also cause burns, etc.. You can also warm it in a warm water bath, while still in it's container. Just applying it and leaving it on for about 30-60 min. is also great. Follow up with a good shampoo and conditioner. I like to apply the oil liberally all over my hair, and then wrap it in saran wrap. This seals the oils in and drives them deeper into the hair and scalp. In all honesty, it is really fun to liberate yourself by wearing saran wrap on your head for an hour or two. Try it, you'll like it!

Basic Recipe
4 oz. coconut oil
25 drops of lavender EO
Mix well.

Restoring and Awakening
4 oz. grapeseed oil
20 drops rosemaryEO
10 drops tea trea EO
10 drops lavender EO
Leaves a nice tingle!

Sunshine
4 oz. olive oil
10 drops pink grapefruit EO
10 drops Spearmint EO
5 drops Lemon EO

Scalp Cleaner
4 oz carrier oil of choice
15 drops Tea Tree
10 drops Orange
5 drops Cypress

Carrier oil= a fatty base oil such as olive, grapeseed, coconut, almond, apricot, coconut, etc.

EO=Essential Oil

Here's to Happy Hair!

Q & A- Morning Sickness

Could suggest some Essential Oils / Herbs for morning sickness and pregnancy health in general?
-Kellie in Las Vegas

Hi Kellie-

Having experienced morning/all day sickness with all of my pregnancies, this is an excellent question.
I always try and reassure pregnant mamas that having some sort of nausea is a good sign of pregnancy. In my experience, it is rare to have morning sickness and miscarry. My mom told always told me that it is a sign that your body is adjusting to the pregnancy and the baby is growing. Scientifically, this is also proven. An interesting article on the subject can be found here: Morning Sickness Protects Mother and Child. That said, it can be a very miserable experience for some who experience severe nausea called Hyperemesis gravidarum- (see-Hyperemesis gravidarum - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia), which is like riding on a bad roller coaster over and over and is unrelenting. This can be a scary and hard to cope with this type of nausea, Here are some things that can help mild to severe "pregnancy nausea":

Prenatal Preparation: Balance those hormones. Did I say balance your hormones? You are right!

I would suggest-

Evening Primrose Oil

From Herbalogie.com

-Balance Tincture

-Extra Greens

-Synergy

-Green Stevia

Hormone balancing essential oils:
Clary sage, fennel,geranium, ylang- ylang (pronounced e-long, e-long, thank you Jeanne Rose!), grapefruit and lavender.

or

Essential Wellness Blends from Herbalogie.com

-PMS Support

-Beautiful Dreamer

- Pregnancy Mood Support

-Pick Me Up Spray- contains peppermint, spearmint and a bunch of citrus oils

If you are already pregnant, you can still balance your hormones using the herbs and using pregnancy mood support essential wellness oil or the above single oils. Spearmintor peppermint oil diluted and rubbed around the belly button and inhaled helps with nausea in the first trimester. I also apply the essential oils to my feet and pulse points. I kept a cotton ball with peppermint eo on it in my pocket at all times!

Other things that help:

-Ipecacuanha Homeopathic- this helped a lot with my twins
-Young coconut water- I drank literally gallons of this during pregnancy

How to use young coconuts for your vibrant health!- this site has the best pics of how to use it! You can find these by the case locally in Las Vegas at Chinatown Market, Whole Foods, Albertson's, and Wild Oats.

-Small frequent meals consisting of 50% raw foods

-Little dairy and no fried foods

-Red Raspberry Tea or pregnancy tea with spearmint- I like it cold with some agave nectar. Helps balance hormones and aid in nausea.

-Bananas- helps with low potassium levels and evens out blood sugar. Low blood sugar means more nausea.

-Lemon Drops

- Green Stevia- Blood sugar balancer

-All things Ginger- chews, ginger soother drink, etc... I LOVE the Ginger People- Welcome to The Ginger People - Home of the World's Best Quality Ginger t

Here's to a happy pregnant belly!

Question of the Week- Colds, Congestion and All Things Mucosa

Cecilia L. from Las Vegas asks:

How would you recommend using EO's in treating an 18th month old with a bad cold involving fever, runny/stuffy nose, and mucus build up so bad that he can't sleep because he can't breathe? (poor little one doesn't know how to blow his nose yet).

Oh Cecilia, your breaking my heart! (I couldn't resist-sorry!)

Having just come through a crazy bout of bronchial/cold issues and many of these symptoms with my 3 yr. old son, I can address this question with much firsthand experience.

Here are things I have done. Sometimes I do not use all that is listed. It depends on the severity and lengths of the illness. The best line of defense is catching it early, being aggressive with the things you are using at the onset, nipping it in the bud, and eliminating the virus/illness from setting up camp in the body. I would suggest intuitively choosing those things that speak to you and using those. All of the things listed, I believe, should be in every home. It really sets you up for being prepared for any sickness that comes our way.


Nutrition:

No dairy
Clear fluid
Young coconut juice from the coconut (rich in electrolytes and minerals)
Young coconut meat
homemade soups
Emergen-C drinks
Herbal tea sweetened with honey or agave nectar-I love peppermint and alfalfa or Cold Care from Traditional Medicinals



Holistic Hot Toddy from Sylvia Harber-
1/2 can OJ concentrate (I prefer trader Joe's)
1 Cup water

Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp. Honey
Dash of cayenne pepper-less for a small child
Put above ingredients in saucepan. Stir continually until hot not boiling. Drink warm. For adults, it is best to drink as warm as possible. Helps decrease and break up mucus. Also soothes throat and stomach.


Aromatherapy:
*Miracle Menthol Salve-rubbed on chest and down spine (he would beg for this. The light massage and feel/smell of the salve seemed to calm him immensely)- you could also use essential oils such as eucalyptus, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, etc..
*Immunity Essential Wellness Oil-rubbed on feet and inhaled
*Breathe Easy Essential Wellness Oil-carefully placed over the bridge of his nose
*Essential Oils diffused in the room(ex. Lemon, Clove with any citrus oils, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Lavender, Cypress, Ravensara)
* Bliss Essential Wellness Oil or Lavender, Mandarin, Roman Chamomile, Coriander, etc.. for calming a child. It is so hard when they are little and don't understand why they can't breathe through their nose.


Herbal
**Kid Viral or Infection Fighter tincture- helps decrease infection, virus', etc..
**Chill tincture-soothes mucus membranes, clears throat, etc.
Lobelia tincture- soothes throat, eases coughs, strengthens lungs, bronchials, etc.
**Colloidal Silver Lozenges or Slippery Elm Lozenges



For Fevers-*Cool Down Essential Wellness Oil or peppermint essential oil diluted in a carrier oil-rubbed on the feet works wonders. It helps bring down the temperature naturally for comfort, and still allows the body to burn the fever at it's own pace.
-Avoid astragalus when a fever is present. It tends to not allow the fever to decrease.


* Desert Rose Organics product available at Herbally Grounded or DSRTROSELV@aol.com
**Available at Herbally Grounded or Herbally Grounded.com

Product of the Month-Out n' About Spray

One of the first things I made to use with my children (after soap) was antibacterial hand spray. I am a germaphobe by nature, and wanted something that was good for the skin and still made the world magically clean! I refused to use the hand sanitizers on the market that were just becoming popular because of the huge amounts of alcohol and preservatives they had in them. They also dried out my hands horribly. So I formulated my blend out of some well known antibacterial essential oils, put it in a spray bottle and have been happy ever since. My kids know that after the park, grocery store, etc., they hold their hands out and get a spray. They love the smell, and I love the effect.
The "Out 'n About spray has become my closest friend. It accompanied us to Disneyland, where the year before we had left the magic kingdom with some nasty pink eye. It accompanies me to the grocery store, when I happen to pick up a leaky piece of meat and find no bathroom in site (or possibly that raw meat juice on my hands is the better choice between entering a grocery store bathroom), and also works on the cart, as I don't have enough arms to carry in a bulky shopping cart cover. I spray where my kids sit and anywhere they will touch. It is sprayed on the backs and arm rests of chairs at the movie, much to my husbands chagrin. He now accepts my germaphobia and likes to watch me scramble to see if I can spray his seat before he quickly sits down. It also doubles as a first aid spray, air purifier, and for over all wellness.

Essential oils by nature are more antibacterial than anything chemical or natural, so using them in our environment is both safe and effective. It makes me feel happy when I have my spray, and distraught when I don't. It also came in handy one time when a little girl barfed up her breakfast in the hallway at church. Everyone was grateful for the sweet smell of eucalyptus, tea tree and lemon that day! Out n' About Spray can be purchased locally at Herbally Grounded or by e-mailing DsrtRoseLV@aol.com.

Lavender Blue, Dilly, Dilly

I love Lavender. It is the most common, well liked essential oil. I know why. It is good for everything, and I mean everything. From burns, cuts, bruises, pain, relaxation, bruises, bumps, scrapes, to bites, skin issues, anxiety, depression, sunburns, overexertion, etc..
Lavender, I love you!

Here are a few of my lavender stories. I love anecdotes, so if you have any on lavender or other oils, please let me know.

I have a bad habit of burning myself. The oven, my 450 degree flat iron, the sun, and glue guns. My husband has banned me from using the latter after near fatalities. :)

Usually, I burn, I blister, I am in pain, it hurts, but not since I started using Lavender on a regular basis about 12 years ago. When you burn your skin, all of the moisture is sucked out of your skin. To accommodate and protect the skin, a blister forms full of fluid. If you are a "picker" like me, you sterilize a straight pin and lance that sucker yourself. If you are squeamish, you take a day off work, & enter into a self proclaimed bed rest. Blisters hurt!

Once I was carefully removing a cookie sheet of cookies from the oven. I haphazardly let my finger slip off the hot pad and literally grabbed the pan bare fingered. Oh, I was in pain. I am not a pain person. In fact my husband has nicknamed me "egg shell", because I am easily hurt by seemingly small things. Of course this does not apply to childbirth, where I have been able to give birth naturally, for 3 out of our 4 children, the latter 2 being twins. Some how a blister derails me, but childbirth...no biggie! ;) So, back to the burn. I quickly applied lavender neat on the burn. 'Neat" means straight on, no dilution. There are only two oils deemed safe to apply "neat" and those are lavender and tea tree. I of course have others I will use that way, when it is needed. The lavender literally took away the pain immediately. I applied it every 15 minutes as this was about the time the searing hot pain would return. I did this for a 24 hour waking period, and noticed there was no blister. There was also barely any tenderness, redness or pain. It was then I learned about how essential oils can carry oxygen molecules along with them to the wounded area. Some may dispute that, but I have had too many occurrences tell me I am right on. After this incident, I hardly ever left the house without lavender.

Another incident I had involved ill fitting walking shoes. I had forgot that my shoe size gets 1/2 size bigger each time I am pregnant. Trying to get back into shape after my twins, I slipped on my old Nike's. Ignoring the pain on the back of my heal, I had walked a few miles before I felt a sharp knife-like cut. I took off my shoe and had rubbed my heal raw with about a 2 inch blister about to form. I had to walk home shoeless and close to tears. By the time I got in the door, I was wanting a morphine drip. By the time I wobbled into the kitchen, I would have OK'd amputation. Yes, it was that bad! I grabbed my trusty lavender and literally poured it on the closed wound. Yes, not exercising any caution, but it was an emergency. Immediately, once again the pain was dulled so completely, that I could not believe it. I kept reapplying all day, and though still a bit sore as it healed, it was not bothersome. Needless to say the Nike's went into the donation pile.

I have seen lavender work for my children so well, that I made them all their own lavender rollers (available for purchase) my 3.5 yr old only daughter, likes to ask for permission and anoint whoever may have the teeniest scratch or "owie". Of course when one of her older brothers comes in crying from outside after some bike or scooter mishap, she is the Florence Nightingale of the family and makes it all better. She has the precision of a juggler and the nurturing hands of a woman far older than she is. Yes, I will say it, she is adorable. She sometimes feigns imaginary "owies" so that she can apply the "Labindr".

I would like to close with a story where I did not use lavender. I seared the side of my neck with my flat iron while trying to figure out how to work the darn thing. It looked like a lovely hickey and being a married woman, I wondered what type of conclusions this would draw. In the depth of those thoughts, I forgot lavender. I forgot for a day. I don't know why, because it hurt. A blister appeared and the pain got worse. The blister popped (surprisingly a straight pin sterilized over a lone match flew out of nowhere and hit it- and yes, my mother always told me not to pop blisters) and a hard shell took it's place. It would get irritated and flake and started to scar over. By now I had the lavender, but I had not caught it as quickly as I should have. Luckily there was no scar eventually, and I attribute that to a lavender helichrysum blend I put together.

So, the moral of the long winded story is that lavender works for all things. It is amazing and should be used. No one should be without it, and if you are skeptical like I was, try it!

Valentine's Day

The love we give away

is the
only love we keep.

-Elbert
Hubbard

Everyone needs a little something special for Valentine's Day. Desert Rose Organics will be sponsoring the Random Acts of Kindness Valentine's Day Fundraiser. For every Valentine's Day gift kit purchased, another kit will be given through the Random of Acts of Kindness Club. This means that random people will be given these gifts. People we know, people we don't, a helpful sales person at the store, an overwhelmed mother walking to her car after shopping with screaming kids, a man pumping his gas after hard day of work. there are no limits to the giving! But, we need your help.

The aim is to lighten the load for others around us by giving unconditionally. By making a difference in someones life, we hope that they will be inspired to help others. Pay It Forward, so to speak.

I plan on blogging about the experience, and sharing about those who are chosen to receive.

About the Kits:
The kits are ready to give, packaged in a beautiful red organza bag. They are not gender or age specific. They could literally be given to anyone!

In the Kit:
Peppermint Cream (A DRO bestseller)- soothing to even the driest skin, uplifting and relieving Glossy Mint Lip Balm- a little bit of a tingle, and nourishing Shea butter shine
Lavender Fields Roller- portable and easy to use, for blemishes, first aid, headaches, & calming

The cost is $21 plus tax ($25 retail value)

Shipping: 2-3 day Priority Shipping is $4.05. If shipped to one address, the shipping fee is the same for up to 10 kits.

To Order: Please e-mail DsrtRoseLV@aol.com and put "Valentine's Day Order" in the heading. A paypal invoice will be sent to you. If you need more information, please contact us as well.

-All kits must be ordered by February 8th to assure Valentine's Day delivery.
-Paypal online payment only

San Valentino felice!

"Giving frees us from the familiar territory of our own needs by opening our mind
to the unexplained worlds occupied by the needs of others." -Barbara Bush

History of the Bath-Aromatic Bath Ideas

Ahhh baths. I could end this post here and be content. I love baths. I take a bath every night, as it is my reward for getting through the day. I look forward to baths like most people look forward to a hot fudge sundae after dinner. Of course, I am not talking about "fill the tub with water and get in" bath. I am talking about "creating an aromatic aromatherapy healing bath." Now doesn't that sound appealing? I love to just take a nice long soak, and I also like to take a nice long read. You can often find some of my books and magazines a little bit water logged.

Baths have deep roots in ancient history. Ancient aromatic baths were as much a part of the culture as eating. Common areas were often filled with large public baths. Royalty and those more affluent had huge area's of their homes dedicated to large baths. Precious essential oils, herbs, and milks were reserved for bathing and anointing the body. Fresh rose petals and other flowers were floated in the waters. It was an experience, not just a means of cleaning the body. It was symbolic of cleansing the spirit as well. The design of this aromatic bath was a renewal of sorts. To clean the entire soul. Because essential oil molecules are some of the tiniest to be found, and are so easily picked up by the olfactory system and carried to the emotion center of the brain (hypothalamus), the oils played a key role in this experience. They were primarily used for the skin, but mostly for the brain and spiritual senses. The herbs were chosen for their therapeutic effects on the body as well as overall cleansing powers.

Because the skin is the body's largest organ, a bath is a perfect way to nurture it all at once. It is believed that 60% of everything we put on our body is absorbed into the layers of skin, blood stream and organs. Everyday pollutants settle on our skin as well as anything synthetic we put on it.

Here are some ideas on creating your own healthy bath:

Salt- All salts are not created equal. Table salt is of no value to the skin as everything healthy has been stripped from it. The optimum salt for bathing is sea salt, preferable dead sea salt. I also love red Hawaiian sea salt, organic grey sea salt, and Himalayan pink. I keep a large pail of mixed salts by the bath. Every time we bathe we put a scoop in. If you have less than optimal public water, this helps counteract some of the grunge that is in our local water supplies.

As part of my business I used to sell bath salts. I still may again, but they are so easy to make I prefer to teach others. I like to put them in a canning jar and pour them in the bath. Making your own bath salts is a s simple as finding an EO that you love or making your own blend which I will blog about another time. You basically add your EO's to the salt and shake well. I like to grind up botanicals and herbs such as lavender, chamomile, plantain, red clover, etc.. and add to them. Not only do the botanicals make the salt look attractive, they have therapeutic benefits. I love this salt company: Click here: Sea Salt for Making Bath Salts

You can also get cool glass jars at Cost Plus and specialty stores.

Sea salt can be found locally at Herbally Grounded or at any Trader Joe's.

Essential Oils in the Bath

I love to sprinkle a few drops of EO's in my bath. There are some that should be diluted in a carrier oil first and then swished well in the water. These would include any of the citrus family. One of my favorite oils that I use once a month, that is known for it's hormonal effects is Clary Sage. It is my PMS oil. It calms me, smooths out the frayed edges of my soul and just puts me at ease. When pregnant with my twins, my Midwife would rub this on my belly, so it has a powerful memory attached to it. Many women seem to not like the smell, but I challenge them to smell it during their "moon time" of the month, and see if it speaks to them then. I don't add my EO's to my bath until I get in. Because they are volatile and disperse quickly into the air, I like to be right there to enjoy them. I sprinkle a few drops on the surface of the water and swish gently. You can also add them to a carrier oil, milk, or salts.

Here are some of my favorites:

-Rose EO is a special treat, as well as Jasmine for sleep.

-Rosemary lightens my mind and makes me more aware. I like to add that EO if I don't want to be sleepy to stay up and read, etc...

-Eucalyptus and Lemon is a favorite if I am feeling physically or emotionally congested.

-Bergamot is a lifesaver, and can ease sadness and the blues.

Botanicals and Herbs

As mentioned above, these are great to add to the salts. You can also us them alone. I don't like to have a messy botanical bath to clean up, so I add them to a muslin bag. I add the bag to the water, let it soak a bit and then squeeze it gently to release the benefits of whatever I put inside. I also like to add powdered goat's milk, coconut milk, whole milk and buttermilk as well. Cleopatra was known for her milk bath's and I certainly know why! Her recipe was simple- a few couples of whole milk added to the bath. You can also add whole oats to aid the skin and don't forget honey too!

I like to grind my herbs and botanicals up a little first. This releases the scent as well as the oils in the plant itself. You can make up a big batch, keep it in a jar or ziploc (I prefer glass over plastic). You can wash out and reuse your muslin bags and fill as needed. You can also add to sealable tea bags found at Herbally Grounded or craft stores. This way, you can just throw one in each time and throw it away when done.

I love taking out this time for myself. The house is quiet, everyone is asleep, and it feels like such a luxury. I get out feeling so rested and renewed. I encourage everyone to make their bath not just a task, but an experience. It need not be expensive, and you can keep it as simple as you want. It truly is worth the effort. You can begin simple, by just picking a rose in full bloom and scattering the petals in your bath.

Book Recommendation: The Healing Aromatherapy Bath by Margo Valentine Lazzara

This book has beautiful meditations and ideas

Bath Salt Recipes:Click here: Bath Recipes - Bath Oils - Bath Salts