All Natural Essential Skin Care

Did you know that your skin is the largest organ in your body? Like anything else it needs love and attention, all natural preferably. Organic, natural living doesn't stop in the kitchen. When we decided to rid our home / bodies from chemicals it included our skin care regimen. Did you know that anything your skin absorbs goes directly into your blood stream? What difference does it make watching what were eating if we put poison on our face? Not only do I want to be able to pronounce all the ingredients in my food, but I'd like to be be able to understand everything I put on my skin as well.

I get a lot of questions about all natural skin care tips, so I decided to put together a list of all of the "products" I use / make for my face. We all know I love a reason to make homemade ANYTHING!

Tip #1: Utilize Nature's Gift!

Seriously, I use coconut oil for EVERYTHING! Coconut oil is not only healthy for cooking, its possibilities are endless. You can use it in your hair as a conditioning treatment (I do it overnight), it's great for oral health (oil pulling), skin care is no exception. I start with coconut oil as my all natural make-up remover (yup, even eye make-up). A teaspoon will usually do the trick. I rub it all over my face and concentrate on the eyes, then wipe with a warm wash cloth and watch in amazement. Eyes are clean and most importantly hydrated! I also use this as my night time moisturizer with a drop of Frankincense essential oil. Frankincense has long been known as a healing oil, I add this as a scar / wrinkle reducer. My skin looks refreshed, and I'm glowing in the morning.

Tip #2: Exfoliation is Key

Baking soda is so versatile, I use it in my homemade air freshener and mattress cleaner as well as an all natural face scrub. I create a paste using only baking soda and water until its the perfect consistency for exfoliating my skin. Then I add a drop of Geranium essential oil, but only one drop as geranium is very strong. This is great at absorbing any oils. Rub in circular motions until you've covered your entire face and rinse thoroughly with warm water. For problematic skin that may need a deeper scrub you can make the Himalayan salt scrub. Mix together grated Pink Himalayan salt with equal parts coconut oil with a few drops of geranium essential oil. Use the same application process.

Tip #3: Pores are not your Friend

Astringent's are known for being filled with harsh chemicals that can strip your face of natural oils it may need. Witch Hazel is an excellent natural alternative to astringent, you can find some at your local whole foods. You can also make your own astringent using equal parts Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and water, then spray onto a cotton ball and wipe thoroughly. I also add Lavender essential oil to for its soothing effects and to hide the smell of the vinegar (it works). Follow up with moisturizer.

These three steps can help keep your skin looking fresh and clean as naturally as possible.

Share your favorite homemade skin care remedy!


Essentially Yours,


Erika

Top 10 Tips for a Healthy Homemade Super Bowl Party!

"Are you ready for some footbaaaaaaaaaaaaawl?"

I'm not a dedicated fan to this high impact aggressive sport, but I do have fond memories of sitting on my dad's lap as a kid while he cheered on the 49'ers. The sound of football on tv in the background on Sunday afternoons brings me right back to my childhood. Once I was married, I sort of adopted my husband's team and followed them during the playoffs. Hey, I enjoy a good beer and wings were sort of my "thing."

Super Bowl parties can be loads of fun. Getting together with a room full of people excited to root for their team can be pretty exciting. Unfortunately, this can also mean enduring some not so healthy food options. I'm all for letting loose every once in a while, but some of the stuff that gets offered at these parties can be pretty scary. Does accepting an invitation to your super bowl party mean I have to subject myself to loads of preservatives, additives and GMO's?

Seriously?

So I decided to search for some pretty awesome Super Bowl party staples that could be tweaked in order to not completely abandon all my beliefs. For me, it isn't so much about the indulgence of it all. More so, when you've spent all year eating whole foods in an all natural well balanced diet, the guacamole stadium stacked with frozen/ boxed or canned food made of artificial flavors just doesn't seem appealing at all. If you've ever felt this way, then keep reading!

So here are a few tips that helped me to keep my family happy AND healthy this football season.

Tip#1 Recipe's Were Meant To Be Broken:

Daphne Oz: Relish Recipe

• Don't feel pressured to stick to the recipe. If there is an old favorite you absolutely love, you don't have to completely abandon ship. You can replace a few simple ingredients to turn a "heavy" dip into a simple and light surprise. I substitute sour cream or cream cheese with plain greek yogurt, it keeps the texture the same without the dense flavor. Daphne Oz's Fish Taco Coleslaw is the best I've ever had, I was able to substitute with plain greek yogurt and it was still amazing!

Tip #2 Up the Ante On Your Ingredients:

• You can switch all of your ingredients to healthier options i.e., organic, free range and grass fed dairy if any at all. During the holidays or for special events I will pay the extra for raw milk, it's a stretch for the wallet, but the fresher the ingredients the better the taste.

Tip #3 Keep It Conscious:

• I prefer fair trade whenever possible. You'd be surprised how different you can feel about a dish if you know its ingredients were naturally grown, cruelty-free or the employeespaid fair wages for their work. If I can't find organic or raw ingredients, then I shoot for locally grown fruits or veggies. I'm infamous for scouring the local farms on the weekend to gather my bounty. 

French Onion Greek Yogurt Dip w/
Kale, Pita & Carrot Chips

Tip #4 It's Never Too Late to Teach An Old Dog New Tricks:

• If your dedicated to your dip recipe, then try changing the sides for variety. Chips don't necessarily have the market cornered, feel free to change it up with some veggies or fresh toasted pita bread. 

Yummm..

Tip #5 Change Is Good (Or So I've Heard):

• Try changing how you prepare your dish. Skip the frying and try baking or roasting for a different, lighter approach. This alone will be appreciated by all party goers who are watching their waistline. The Crockpot is a wonderful friend in the kitchen, these Honey Bourbon Glazed Wings were made in my Crockpot and they were so tender and delicious! You can find the recipe here.

Tip #6 Get Creative, Be Inspired:

• I love the fried green beans appetizer at P.F. Changs, the boys just go wild over it. I'm addicted to their Spicy Mayo, so I decided to re-create it at home. One of the best parts of making everything from scratch is you get to put together all the pieces in your mind as you go along, using your senses. It makes it all the more rewarding when you finally nail it! Turns out, I like my Spicy Mayo a lot more!

Tip #7 Round Up The Troops:

• Don't commit yourself to just one set of recipe's. I like to mix and match different styles from some of my favorites. Ina Garten has a great Tomato Soup w/ Grilled Cheese Croutons recipe, and Giada's Beer Battered Cremini Mushroom Caps are a hit! Both excellent party options for the Super Bowl or any get together.

Quinoa Pizza Bites - just add your
favorite Marinara to dip!

Tip #8 Challenge Yourself:

• I always like to use special occasions / parties to help push my own limits. I use it as an opportunity to take an ingredient I'm not particularly fond of, and incorporate it into my theme. Therefore, I'm challenging my mind and my taste buds. Turns out I wasn't much of a fan of Quinoa, as healthy as it is I just wasn't interested in the texture. In this case the quinoa bites replaced the traditional pizza pie at most football parties. These Vegan Quinoa Pizza Bites helped to change my mind and inspire me to incorporate more quinoa in my repertoire.  Which leads me to my next tip..

Tip #9 Diversify Your Portfolio:

• Appetizers are like shoes, you can never have too many. I'm pretty sure that's a famous quote, right? It's always best to have some diversity for all the meat lovers, vegans, vegetarians or pescaterians in your life.

Tip #10 Have a Backup Plan:

• When in doubt, the Internet is your friend. If a new recipe is a total flop and you don't have time to get super creative, Pinterest can be a lifesaver. If you don't keep a well stocked pantry with a variety of different grains, spices or condiments, then you don't have time to sort through a million pins only to find out you are missing items. In which case, SuperCook is for you. It's an awesome website where you can type in the ingredients you have in your pantry, and it will provide you with a list of all the possible recipes you can make. Brilliant!

Bonus Tip:

Entertainment is key at any soiree, and that isn't exclusive to the adults. Sometimes the sitter cancels and being a parent I find it best to make other parents feel as though a gathering is "kid friendly". There isn't much we do without our little ones, so we understand completely. Making them feel apart of the occasion by providing crafts or activities is a great way to spend time with your friends and family. At the end of the day isn't that what it's all about anyway?

And so it begins..

What is your favorite go-to Super Bowl Party Recipe? 

Essentially Yours,

Erika

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte - "You're Welcome"

It's "Fall" here in lovely South Florida! Which means the afternoon high is eighty five degrees instead of ninety, and you can sometimes feel a breeze. But its underneath the darkest grey cloud you've ever seen five seconds before getting soaked with more water than you did during the ALS ice bucket challenge, and running to shelter from ear piercing bursts of lightning.

I digress.

It's still fall and just like any delusional NY transplant I fully intend on celebrating all of the perks that come with it. That means Pumpkin people. Pumpkin EVERYTHING! Like you haven't already rushed to Starbucks to get a sip of your first cup of their signature Pumpkin Spice Latte. That used to be me, until I found out that not only is their milk chock full o' GMO's but there isn't one trace of actual PUMPKIN in the coveted beverage. I don't know about you but that was enough for this lover of all things homemade, call me silly but I assume the name of the beverage was a foreshadowing of the actual ingredients.

I digress..

After much thought and research online I finally found an all natural alternative recipe that I looooove, and so will you!

You will need:

• 10 pitted dates
• 1 3/4 cups of water
• 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
• 1 star anise pod
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 2 vanilla beans

Soak the dates for twenty minutes, then drain. Put the dates and water into blender and blend until smooth. Add the date syrup and all of the rest of the ingredients to a small saucepan and cook on medium heat until the mixture is slightly bubbly. Strain the entire mixture through a cheese cloth to get rid of any large bits, then store in a bottle! Add two tbsp of pumpkin syrup to your coffee as desired and a little GMO free milk for your all natural homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte! These ingredients yield 2 cups.

I couldn't help but add a little cream and cinnamon!

You're welcome folks..

Essentially Yours,

Erika

Essential Oils: Ah, Ah, Ah....Allergies???

Gesundheit!

I hear it day and night, allergies are in an uproar this whole season and it seems its worse for everyone!
Either everyone I know who have always had allergies has it worse this year, or people who have never had this problem suddenly develop it well into adulthood. Is it a coincidence that allergies are strongest now more than ever and as a society we are riddled with chemicals now more than ever? Don't get me started

As always I like to find a natural alternative to deal with these kinds of issues and cut them off at the pass if at all possible.

Soooo... Here are some allergy fighting alternatives to over the counter antihistamines:

Purify, definitely one of my favorite oil blends! It's anti-bacterial pathogen killing properties make it perfect for fighting off all sorts of things. I use it in my homemade lysol spray (if sprayed on baseboards in your home can also be used as a natural pesticide, great for picnics!), in my homemade laundry detergent, I even pour a couple of drops on our a/c filters at home for cleaner air.

By applying a few drops of Purify topically, not only will you keep the bugs away but it can also help to protect you from unwanted reaction associated with seasonal allergies!


Wait! There's more...

Another popular line of defense in the oil community is what I like to call the "trifecta". A blend of three powerful go-to oils: Lemon, Lavender & Peppermint. Combining these three oils can help to bring down inflammation from your's body's allergic response, they are great for airborne allergies. There are a few ways you could use this oil blend, I've broken them down into three different methods:

Ingredients:

2-4 drops Lavender
2-4 drops Lemon
2-4 drops Peppermint

Method #1: Place all the oils in a glass with water or juice. Gargle, then drink.

Method #2: Place all the oils in a veggie capsule and swallow.

Method #3: Place all the oils in a spoonful of raw honey and swallow. (Excellent way to administer to children, especially since local honey is great for seasonal allergies)

For really young children and toddlers, you can blend all three oils and rub on the bottom of their feet and along their spine.

Breathe is another one of DoTerra's awesome blends that is wonderful to diffuse at night for added respiratory relief.

Side Note: DoTerra's oils are Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade, which is labeled as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) by the Food and Drug Administration. The same cannot be said for all oils. There are different grade oils and I only trust DoTerra for this reason.

These three oils together and separate are so powerful they are even offered in an "Intro Kit" by Doterra, you can find out more about this kit and all of their oils at: www.mydoterra.com/erikasessentials.

The new Tri-Ease Seasonal Blend Softgels are also a wonderful way to fend of seasonal allergies, this can also be found at the above mentioned website. The blending work has pretty much been done for you with equal parts distributed in each softgel if your looking for a shortcut.

As always, if you have any questions feel free to e-mail me at: EssentiallyErika@gmail.com!


Essentially Yours,


Erika

Stain, Stain, Go Away!

Stains. They are inevitable! Especially with two boys under the age of four. Around here, they are unfortunately a constant occurrence (insert my mother shrieking here). 

Refusing to use any laundry products with chemicals, I've somewhat backed myself into a corner where I'm either in denial about these stains or I've accepted them as the newest member to our family. Either way, I was in trouble. 

Until now!!!

I'm amazed at the power of essential oils and all they can do for my life! When I first started this blog I didn't intend on promoting any oils, but the change they've made in my day to day life is worth mentioning. The name I chose for this blog was actually just "catchy" and at the end of the day I'm essentially just me. I digress...

I introduce to you essentially the easiest stain remover recipe EVER! 

This concoction only has two ingredients!

You will need:

1/2 cup of vinegar

20 drops of Therapeutic Grade Lemon Essential Oil 

(For more info on different grades of essential oils you can visit:http://www.modernwellness.com/webinar-makeover-your-medicine-cabinet/, this webinar is lengthy but so worth it!)

That's it! 

Add to a glass spray bottle and spray those stains away.

Now, I'm always down on myself for not catching before and after pics for all my oil miracles. I'm still new to this blogger mentality and often race straight into "mommy mode" to fix an issue. But not this time! 

I finally snapped a quick before shot for you fine folks!

It seems my little guy is an artist like his father, I can't keep the crayons, paint brushes or markers out of his hands. It's amazing to watch his natural talent unfold as he tries to color inside the lines and watch his strokes, he's only two! That is until it's on my sofa, then it's no longer miraculous and now it's just inconvenient (ha, ha still cute though). Here is his latest masterpiece..

I've been looking to throw a pop of color in my living area, this wasn't what I had in mind...

A few sprays and a little scrubbing from my newest concoction and here you have it:

Back in action! We live to fight another stain!! 

To purchase doTerra's lemon essential oil, or any of their fabulous oils you can go to: www.mydoterra.com/erikasessentials

In my research I found tons of advice on how to remove crayon stains, some were quite "crafty", what's your all natural go-to stain remover?


Essentially Yours,


Erika

Essential Oils - Insect Bites

Summertime here in South Florida comes with all kinds of perks, including insect bites!
Mosquitoes aren't the only culprit in the sunshine state ants, spiders, you name it! I noticed that the recovery time and painful itching took a better part of the week, 4-5 days at best! I decided there had to be a better (natural) way of dealing with this.

I did my research and here it is! Purify those bites!

It never ceases to amaze me, what nature's pure essential oils can do for you. I diluted the DoTerra Purify blend with Fractionated Coconut Oil in a 1:1 ratio and added it to a glass roller bottle so I can use as needed.

Just a few swipes of this helped to relieve itching and also cut the healing time in half. These were three ant bites from a recent nature walk, by the next day they were flat and barely noticeable. Anyone who has had a Florida ant bite knows the bite comes to a head after the first day and forms this terribly itchy pimple for the next week!

Just another concoction I have to keep all stocked up, especially in the summertime!

www.mydoterra.com/erikasessentials



Essentially Yours,


Erika