The Paleo Mama

Homegrown and Handmade

DIY Beauty Recipes

Spiced Chai Lip Balm Recipe

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I love chai tea and the way the spices in a chai tea smell. I have been making my own lip balm for years now, usually I just put my All Purpose Salve on my lips, but I wanted something a little “fancier” so I created a delicious Spiced Chai Lip Balm recipe that I know you will enjoy.

I wanted to stay away from citrus essential oils because they are photo toxic and it is the summer! You can easily double or triple this recipe to make extras to give away to your friends!

A NOTE OF ESSENTIAL OILS: I only recommend therapeutic-grade essential oils. You can purchase therapeutic-grade essential oils at wholesale cost (CLICK HERE to learn more!).

DIY Spiced Chai Lip Balm

makes 10 3ml jars

INGREDIENTS: 

  • 1 Tablespoon of Coconut Oil 
  • 1 Tablespoon of Cacao Butter or Raw Shea Butter (can leave this ingredient out in the winter but it helps hold the balm together during the hot summer months)
  • 1 Tablespoon of Beeswax Pastilles
  • 1/4 Teaspoon of Castor Oil for shine
  • 1/4 Teaspoon of Vanilla
  • Essential Oils: 4 drops of Cinnamon Bark or Cassia, 4 drops of Ginger, and 4 drops of Clove. You can also substitute Black Pepper essential oil and/or Coriander Essential oil if you want! (where to buy)
  • Small Containers or reused lip balm tubes

DIRECTIONS: 

  1. Add the coconut oil to a small pan and simmer till melted.
  2. Add the beeswax pellets and cacao/or shea butter and simmer for about 5-10 minutes till melted.
  3. Add the castor oil. Stir and remove from stove.
  4. Let sit till the mixture is warm to the touch, but not thick. It’s easier to pour into containers when it is still liquid.
  5. Add in the vanilla and essential oils. Stir.
  6. Pour into your containers and enjoy!

Spiced Chai Lip Balm www.thepaleomama.com

Top 5 Essential Oils for Back to School

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Thinking kid

It’s just about that time again. Summer goes by so dang fast, doesn’t it? I went to the store the other day and saw moms and dads walking around with their shopping list in hand and a cart full of school supplies getting ready for their kids to go back to school.

But did you ever stop and think about how you can start to prepare your child’s body for school? Going from a safe home environment to a new class, new friends, new teachers, and new school is HARD on children. It’s a lot of NEW and lots of children do not do good with a lot of new.

So, I wanted to provide a list of essential oils that you can use to assist your child in settling into their new school environment.

A note on quality: I only use and recommend therapeutic-grade essential oils. All of these suggestions are based off the assumption that high-quality essential oils are being used. If you would like to get started using high-quality, therapeutic-grade essential oils, then you can CLICK HERE to learn how to get started!

Top 5 Essential Oils for Back to School:

  1. Peppermint & Wild Orange – this is a great blend to help your kids wake-up. They now have an alarm clock to wake up to, or you disturbing their slumber by turning on the light and singing, “school days, school days…good ole fashion rule days.” Put an essential oil diffuser in your kitchen and diffuse this “wake-up blend” while they are eating breakfast. Or you can put this blend in a roll-on bottle and roll it on their wrists and back of neck while you are “nicely” waking them up.
  2. Rosemary – Did you know rosemary can make you smarter? Rosemary is known to improve brain performance and mood. I recommend adding a drop or two to your children’s shampoo and using it to wash their hair, or rubbing a drop through their hair while they are eating breakfast before heading to school. You can, also, diffuse this oil before the kids leave for school or when they come home and work on homework.
  3. “Focus” Blend  – The focus blend contains oils that have been studied and used traditionally for their abilities to promote calmness, focus and a balanced state of mind. Many of these oils contain high levels of sesquiterpenes, which have been proven to pass the blood-brain barrier to reach the cells of the brain. It’s primarily used for helping ease stress and improve concentration. I like to apply this blend to the back of my children’s neck as they are eating breakfast. You can talk with your school about letting your children apply it during school hours.
  4. Lemon – Lemon is known as “The Oil of Focus“. It’s citrusy aroma nourishes the mind and aids in concentration. Lemon is a wonderful aid for children who are struggling with school. It is especially helpful in cases of learning disabilities. It pairs well with Rosemary, so you can make a roller bottle with Rosemary and Lemon and apply to the back of the neck or diffuse this powerful duo before school.
  5. “Calming” Blend  – Children who are hyperactive or have difficulty concentrating could really benefit from this blend. It contains essential oils that are often used to calm and soothe feelings of stress and excitement. It’s great to help wound up kids calm down and settle in for a restful sleep. I like to give my kids a detox bath at night using this blend or diffuse it in their room for an hour before bed. You can, also, apply it to the backs of their necks or feet before school (if they are very hyperactive) or at bedtime.

WHERE TO BUY THESE OILS: If you are wondering where to buy all these oils, you are in luck! I use all these oils on my children and started with purchasing a wholesale enrollment kit. I would love to help you start learning more about essential oils. You can CLICK HERE to see how so many have started their essential oil journey.

Top 5 Essential Oils for Back to School The Paleo Mama

Whipped Sleepytime Rub

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Winding down at night can be tough at times. I know my mind keeps going for minutes and sometimes hours after I lay my head down on my pillow. The same goes for our kids.

Sometimes we expect that as soon as we shut the door, they are going to be sweet little angels and fall asleep. Most the time we are proven wrong!

Our nightly routine has become essential at our house. I notice that the nights we go from dinner to bed is CRAZY. The kids are not ready to rush rush rush and then get in bed. So, I stopped expecting it from them and started taking our bedtime routine a little more seriously.

Now we eat dinner at the table as family and then we slowly start getting ready for bed. The kids take a nice relaxing bath, sometimes a detox bath, with certain essential oils in it, and then we get all snuggled up in our pajamas and read books.

During our reading time I apply essential oils to my kids. They absolutely love this! The 3 main oils I choose to apply are Frankincense, Lavender, and Vetiver because these oils promote a nice, restful sleep.

Whipped Sleepytime Rub

makes 1/2 cup

INGREDIENTS: 

Other oils to use: you can substitute any of the above oils with Ylang Ylang, Roman Chamomile, Cedarwood, orClary Sage. All these oils promote relaxation and a restful night’s sleep!

DIRECTIONS: 

  1. Add the coconut oil and the cacao butter to a small pan and simmer till melted.
  2. Let rest on the counter for 10 minutes.
  3. Add the essential oils to the pan and then put it in the fridge for an hour.
  4. You want it to be firm but not too hard. Then whip it on high with an electric mixer until the mixture softens and forms peaks.

HOW TO APPLY: 

  • Take a small pea-sized amount and massage it into your feet or your children’s feet before bed.
  • Sleepy tight!

Whipped Sleepy-time Rub
Yields 1
A luscious homemade body cream to apply to yourself before bedtime!
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
10 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 1/4 cups of Cacao (or Cocoa) Butter
  2. 1/4 cups of coconut oil
  3. 20 drops of therapeutic grade Lavender
  4. 12 drops of Vetiver
  5. 10 drops of Frankincense
Instructions
  1. Add the coconut oil and the cacao butter to a small pan and simmer till melted.
  2. Let rest on the counter for 10 minutes.
  3. Add the essential oils to the pan and then put it in the fridge for an hour.
  4. You want it to be firm but not too hard. Then whip it on high with an electric mixer until the mixture softens and forms peaks.
The Paleo Mama https://thepaleomama.com/
Whipped-Sleepytime-Rub-www.thepaleomama.com_

Tallow Butt Balm

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Tallow Butt Balm | www.thepaleomama.com.001

I’m so excited to have my friend Kate from Venison for Dinner (don’t ya just love that name!) sharing this AWESOME recipe on my blog today. Kate is a stay at home mom of 2 little boys living a homemade life on the West Coast of British Columbia. She enjoys to cook and bake from scratch. Through hunting and homesteading, Kate and her family produce more than enough to fill their own meat and dairy needs, happily helping others start their own homesteading journey along the way. Kate also has a passion for essential oils and home healing with natural medicine. You can follow her on HER BLOG and Facebook page as she hones her homesteading skills, making her ‘whey’ through one mountain of raw milk at a time. Maybe you too will be inspired to butcher your own deer or try your hand at natural medicine!

Please welcome Kate…

You know the scene, you’re changing a diaper, you open it up and baby’s got a sore bum. It hurts YOU to see their bum all red and you want that pain GONE!

So what do you reach for? You grab the the diaper rash cream and you smear it all over. But did you know that many of those commercial creams contain petroleum products, as well as oils that are most likely rancid, alcohols, and so many more ingredients I can barely pronounce! (And I’m a good reader!) Here a popular diaper rash cream company discloses every ingredient. I was shocked at how these are allowed to be put on our precious babies skin! Your other option is to buy natural creams, which, lets be honest, aren’t always that natural, or cost you a good chunk of change.

IMG_7390

After our second child was born we got serious about making all our own natural personal care products! My sister made us a fancy salve that we used and while terrific, it was complicated to make. I then came up with my 3 ingredient Diaper Rash Ointment and while it’s such a basic and effective ointment to whip together…Mama’s got a new balm in town!

TALLOW!

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When we originally made tallow from the milk cow we had to butcher, we only used it for cooking. Then recently we were lucky enough to be gifted loads of grass-fed Jersey fat from a friends steer and since it was fresh I got to work processing it. (using the same process as this lard.) After it was cooled down I made a balm since I’d seen ideas for it all over the web, and before I knew it, it had become my go-to “Butt Balm”! The beauty of this thick salve is that it’s pretty much the same texture at all average room temperatures (unlike the coconut oil based diaper rash ointment I also use that drastically fluctuates) and it works as a barrier cream AND a ‘medicated’ cream for rashes.

So what is Tallow vs Lard? Tallow is the rendered fat from a ruminant (Cow, Deer, Sheep, etc) whereas Lard is the rendered fat from a single stomached mammal (Pig, Bear, etc). Tallow has a stronger taste that lard so while it doesn’t pair as well with sweet foods, its amazing for savoury cooking. Why is our Tallow so yellow? Jerseys (And Guernseys to my knowledge) can’t process Beta Carotene. That’s what makes carrots orange, and it’s also in the hay and grass they eat. Instead of digesting it, they deposit it in fat! That’s why jersey cream is especially yellow (even more so in time of lots of green grass) and in the fat in their meat!


Why would I want to smear beef fat on my baby’s bum?! I bet you won’t take me just saying “Because you should!!: So here’s the top reasons we choose to make our own Tallow Butt Balm;

  • Tallow is high in saturated fats with a similar profile to those just below our skin, therefore it’s easily absorbed leaving skin feeling well nourished. This helps regenerate new skin. It’s important to use GRASS FED tallow to really reap the benefits.
  • Quality Control! I recommend you purchase therapeutic-grade essential oils. 
  • Frugal! I save loads of money by making my own Butt Balm. Yes I was given the beef fat for free, but even if you tracked down and bought it I bet you’d still save money. Better yet, if you’re buying 1/4 or 1/2 a cow, ask to get the fat back with it! You’ll find more uses that just a butt balm.
  • I want to use natural/as close to nature, well raised, animal products wherever I can because I believe good fats are good for you! (And I know Jackie agrees!) Petroleum products have no place on a person’s body!
  • Let’s just say Mama takes a dab for her face and hands on a regular basis two 😉 Might as well kill two lotion birds with one stone right!?

Tallow Butt Balm

Makes enough to fill a 1 cup ‘Salmon’ or ‘Jam’ jar. The amount of essential oils makes it a just below 1% dilution.

INGREDIENTS:

 

DIRECTIONS:

  1. GENTLY melt tallow and olive oil together over LOW heat, just until melted. If you’ve accidentally heated too much, no fear, but let it cool down until you can comfortably hold you finger in before adding in essential oils.
  2. Now slather away knowing you’ve made a terrific ‘butt balm’ for your baby! (I won’t tell if you put it on your own skin!)

tallow butt balm pinterest.jpg

My Daily Essential Oil Routine

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People are always surprised when I tell them that I don’t use face wash, moisturizers, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, hair dye, lotions, creams, or any other over-the-counter products on my body (or on my kids). Many times they think I am gross or stink really bad, have greasy hair, and am some backwoods hippy. Those that finally meet me actually end up hugging my neck a little bit longer to breath in my Sandalwood essential oil, rubbing their hands through my naturally-dyed hair and complementing the color, and touching my cheek and telling me how baby butt soft my skin is.

You see, you don’t need all that stuff. When I finally gave up all those unnecessary products and started using natural essential oils to clean and freshen my body, I knew I was actually giving my body nourishment instead of toxic chemicals to try to unload.

We use essential oils for everything. Not only has our health improved, but our pocketbook has too!

Many have asked me how I use the oils daily on myself and on my family. This routine changes when there is a sickness or something else that we are trying to get rid of. So, I wanted to share a daily oil journal on which oils I used and why! I hope it inspires you to do the same.

CLICK HERE to learn more about essential oils

My Chemical-Free Daily Routine

Wake up and shower. I do the “No Poo” shampoo method on my hair using a baking soda wash to shampoo and an apple cider vinegar wash to condition. In my conditioning apple cider vinegar rinse, I add a few drops of Wild Orange essential oil. The oil acts as a serum and, also, leaves a nice, fresh smell in my hair. If I was to shave my legs on this particular day, I rub a scoop of coconut oil on my legs and use it like shaving cream! You will be impressed at how awesome coconut oil works for shaving!

Wash my face. I scoop out a marble-sized amount of coconut oil and put it on my hand. Then I add a drop of Cedarwood and a drop of Geranium essential oil to the coconut oil. I rub this mixture all over my face and let it sit on my face for a minute. I then take a HOT washcloth and set it over my face to lightly steam and open my pores. I then sure the washcloth to remove the oil and rub circular motions over my face. Pat dry with a towel and then make my husband feel how soft my skin is!

Get dressed. I have my favorite everyday oil on my dresser, Sandalwood! I love the woodsy smell of it and I add a few drops to my neck and wrists and sometimes my diffuser necklace.

Brush teeth. I use my homemade remineralizing toothpaste with Peppermint. Click here for the recipe. 

Get kids up and ready. I apply a roller bottle blend on my kids (to the back of their neck)as they are eating breakfast. I use a “focus” blend and it’s great for calming and for enhancing a healthy thought process throughout the day. I, also, apply this to myself when I am sitting at my desk and working (like right now!)

Turn on diffuser. I use a diffuser daily (I like this one) and add different essential oils to it. In the morning I like to diffuse citrus oils, which is a very uplifting blend that smells delicious. 

Morning supplements. I take a multi-vitamin, fish oil, and different essential oils in the morning. I apply 2 drops of grapefruit essential oil under my tongue and then swallow. Grapefruit helps to balance progesterone. When our bodies are under stress cortisol inhibits our production of progesterone; grapefruit prevents cortisol from blocking progesterone production. 

Throughout the day. I drink water a lot throughout my day and most the time I add lemon essential oil to it. Lemon helps to assist in riding your body of toxins and it tastes so good too! I use peppermint for head and neck tension and on my belly when it’s upset. If you are feeling unwell, I use OnGuard daily on my family till everyone is feeling better. I, also, use my homemade all purpose Salve for minor skin irritations. 

At night and for bedtime. My kids love their nightly oil routine. Some nights they get a detox bath using whatever oils I feel like putting in there. Click here to see how to do a detox bath for kids. When they get out of the tub, they each get Lavender on their feet. We used Cedarwood and Geranium to knock out my daughter’s dry and irritated skin on her hands and face, and use that as needed. I apply Frankincense on the back of their neck, down their spine to promote a healthy, growing body! When the kids are in bed I like to diffuse my calming and drink a hot tea with ginger essential oil and lemon essential oil added to it.

That’s it! Like I said above, we adjust this when there are things going on that we need to relieve with oils.

Why not give essential oils a try? I recommend taking it one step at a time. Slowly get rid of one item, like your face wash, and try my method! You will not be sorry!

Click here to start using essential oils on your family! 

 

My Daily Essential Oil Routine | www.thepaleomama.com.001

 

All Purpose Healing Salve

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When you have little ones in the house, there seems to be an endless supply off boo-boos, bug bites, and itchy skin.  I like to keep things very simple, which is why I really love essential oils. I have, literally, traded so many products over to a very minimalistic shelf with essential oils and some other holistic remedies.

This all-purpose salve is good for so many things. The coconut oil and olive oil bring nourishment, while the beeswax is known to lock in moisture, foster cells, and protect skin from damaging environmental factors. For children, the BEST two essential oils to have on hand are melaleuca and lavender.

Melaleuca (tea tree oil) is renowned for it’s cleansing and rejuvenating effect on the skin.  Lavender is known as a universal oil that is extremely beneficial to helping many conditions. Combine these two together and you have a powerful weapon to aid in relief.

This salve is cloth diaper safe and newborn-safe. The essential oil dosages in this recipe do not exceed the recommendations for a newborn. I highly recommend using a very safe essential oils with therapeutic benefits like these. Keep this salve on hand for ANYTHING!

All Purpose Healing Salve

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup of Coconut Oil (where to buy)
  • 1/2 cup of Olive Oil (where to buy)
  • 1/4 Cup of Beeswax (where to buy online) – but find a local beekeeper! I got a 1 lb block for $6.99 at a local co-op!
  • 1 Cup of Calendula Flowers (where to buy online) – I got it for $.50 at a local co-op!
  • 15 drops of Melaleuca (add 10 drops more for children over 10)
  • 15 drops of Lavender  (add 10 drops more for children over 10)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Put the coconut oil and olive oil in a double boiler. Melt the coconut oil if it isn’t melted already.
  2. Add the calendula flower petals (dried) and simmer on low for around 2 hours. Make sure to stir a few times during the process. You can also add the oil and calendula to a crockpot and put on low for up to 3 hours.
  3. Strain the mixture into a bowl through a cheesecloth.
  4. Now add the calendula oil back to the saucepan and add the beeswax. Melt the beeswax.
  5. Remove from heat and let cool for around 15 minutes.
  6. Add the essential oils and stir.
  7. Pour into a glass jar and store for up to a year! Makes 1 cup!

Healing Salve Recipe
This all-purpose salve is good for so many things. The coconut oil and olive oil bring nourishment, while the beeswax is known to lock in moisture, foster cells, and protect skin from damaging environmental factors.
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Ingredients
  1. 1/2 cup of Coconut Oil
  2. 1/2 cup of Olive Oil
  3. 1/4 Cup of Beeswax
  4. 1 Cup of Calendula Flowers
  5. 15 drops of Melaleuca (add 10 drops more for children over 10)
  6. 15 drops of Lavender (add 10 drops more for children over 10)
Instructions
  1. Put the coconut oil and olive oil in a double boiler. Melt the coconut oil if it isn’t melted already.
  2. Add the calendula flower petals (dried) and simmer on low for around 2 hours. Make sure to stir a few times during the process. You can also add the oil and calendula to a crockpot and put on low for up to 3 hours.
  3. Strain the mixture into a bowl through a cheesecloth.
  4. Now add the calendula oil back to the saucepan and add the beeswax. Melt the beeswax.
  5. Remove from heat and let cool for around 15 minutes.
  6. Add the essential oils and stir.
  7. Pour into a glass jar and store for up to a year! Makes 1 cup!
Notes
  1. Source for therapeutic grade essential oils: www.thepaleomama.com/essential-oils
The Paleo Mama https://thepaleomama.com/