natural beauty

Nature’s Sweetly Scented Secret: Hydrosols

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Sunshine highlighting a path through long, golden grass

I love August’s sun-bleached golden grass. Most people don’t water their lawns here in the Seattle area, and apparently that’s unusual because I’ve had friends visit who positively gasp at the lack of green grass in the late summer. It grows back healthily in the fall, every single year, and considering the PNW’s rainfall the three seasons other than summer, can you blame us for not watering lawns when most of the year our clay soil yards are spongey and puddle filled. The sun works magic here July and August, recently extending its domain late into September and even starting in June some years, like this one.  

I welcome the burnt look of months of unchecked sunshine, but of course there are some downsides. Not being able to go for the smallest walks without sweating is one of them, and the lack of A/C here is another. Even just lazily sitting around inside somewhere near a fan can induce a deep longing for freshness. It is not convenient, or even possible, to shower multiple times a day, so that is where a hydrosol can step in and shine. 

*Hydrosols 

Traditionally made during the process of steam distilling essential oils, hydrosols are purely plant scented water. They are often used to make bath, body, and facial products because they are less concentrated than their essential oil counterparts. Their scent is notably lighter, but still delightfully present, and since they are less concentrated, they can be applied directly to skin. I use witch hazel as a toner, but I often add either rose, neroli, or rosemary hydrosol to the witch hazel for an extra boost. This combination of witch hazel and (any!) Hydrosol is also fantastic for spraying all over the body, or at least exposed parts, to freshen up when a shower is not possible. I keep a small spray bottle of this combination, mine currently consists of rosemary hydrosol, in my desk at work in case I decide to bike there again one of these days. More often though, I spray my face and arms with just a straight hydrosol, right now it happens to be neroli, about every time I go into my bathroom at home. It is a lovely little refresher, lifting my mood and providing a bit of a sweet scent without the heaviness of perfume. (I dab a perfume on my neck and wrists just twice a day during the summer and use a perfume body oil at night before bed.)  

Where to Find Hydrosols 

It is a mystery to me why these precious products are hard to find, but alas, they are. Not only that, but there are imposters out there too, so be sure to read the ingredients. Hydrosols are sometimes referred to as floral waters, but floral waters are generally distilled water with essential oils or even fragrance (eek!) added to create the light and bright feel of a true hydrosol.  

Neroli Hydrosol front label
Neroli hydrosol back label

I get mine from Mountain Rose Herbs, and they are not only authentic, but they are also organic to boot. They happen to have a 25% off site wide sale happening right now, so if you are in need of any herbs or herbal products, including hydrosols and essential oils, now’s a great time to check them out.  

The photos show my almost empty bottle of neroli hydrosol, so the label has been warped by use and hydration. I am buying some more this weekend which is what sparked this post. 

Stay fresh and live well☀️🌿🌹

*This post includes affiliate links.

Release Day

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Just a quick note before I head off to campus for work that today is the release day of my book in French. I love the French language and this just makes me so happy to see! Here it is on the publisher’s site. It looks like it’s coming to Amazon but I don’t know when. I need to reach out to the publisher and get one myself! Unless I can order it through an independent bookstore which would be ideal.

Enjoy your day!

Simple Summertime Hack

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Sunshine through trees

I realize we are heading toward fall here in the northern hemisphere, but where I live, we are experiencing a late heat wave so sunscreen is still on my mind. Also, it is my understanding that stinging bugs, like bees and wasps, start to get aggressive as summer winds down, so repelling insects remains more important than ever these days.  

Making your own bug repellent is easy and a great way to use all natural ingredients instead of toxic alternatives, but in a pinch it’s really easy to just add essential oils directly to sunscreen before rubbing the mix onto your body. The proportion should be about 2 drops of essential oil into about a tablespoon of sunscreen, with important precautions below.  

You can use just about any essential oil, though some essential oils are more effective than others, all have some repelling qualities to them. Just do not use any citrus oils, meaning orange, lemon, lime, bergamot, grapefruit, or any others that I might be missing. This is because citrus oils attract the sun and can cause hyperpigmentation, which undermines sunscreen. Also be aware that even though peppermint is particularly repelling to bugs, only use one drop in approximately a tablespoon of sunscreen because it is strong and can be irritating to skin. Other essential oils known for being excellent insect repellents are thyme, lemon eucalyptus (not a citrus), citronella, and all of the mints.  

I love Mountain Rose Herbs and have been buying herbs, essential oils, and related supplies for well over two decades, so I am thrilled to partner with them as an affiliate. Not only are they a reputable company with quality products, but they also sponsor my favorite public radio station, KEXP, which has increased my respect for them even more. When you find a company, organization, person, station, etc, that you just resonate with so fully, it’s just such a pleasure to share them with the world. I think these current chaotic times have just made me especially grateful for the like-minded people and organizations out there.

Here’s my short video on the hack that I put on social media:

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Happy late summer! ☀️ 

Quoi?! and Connection

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I just had to share that quite by accident I found out that my book is being translated into French! It looks like it will be available in October. Here’s the link if you want to see the French version on Amazon. This news just delighted me to no end and I hope to see it published in other languages as well.

In other news, I have become a subscriber to Tangle. I highly recommend checking it out, especially if you are in America and have relationships that are struggling due to political differences. It is a free newsletter, although there is also a paid version that is ad free, that takes a news item and gives a short synopsis of how the right and the left are presenting the event or situation. It then gives the founder’s take which sifts through the propaganda of both sides and drills down on key facts and his critical analysis. It is a rare gem in that it offers journalistic integrity that somehow manages to reach both sides of the political divide with an avid readership that spans the spectrum. Here is a link to yesterday’s newsletter.

I found out about Tangle through an episode on This American Life back before the November election. At the time I was too tired of the election coverage to look into it myself, but it stayed with me and I finally looked it up and am pleasantly pleased with what I found. If you are interested in hearing about it through great storytelling, check out the episode. You won’t regret it.

I hope you too have some unexpected, great news this week and that hope and connection find you, support you, and hold you tight.

I’m an Amazon affiliate.

Summer Bug Repellent Reminder

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Shady lane on a sunny summer day

In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s that time of year again when longer hours are spent outdoors alongside our insect frenemies. We can’t live without them, but I think we’d all prefer to not be their snack nor their targets for taking out their buzzy ire. If you find yourself particularly tasty to mosquitos or simply irresistible to their more combative cousins, one way to shield yourself from the unwanted attention is to use essential oils. Bugs do not like essential oils, so you can make a body spray or body oil to use daily, or simply add a few drops into your sunscreen or lotion if you are in a hurry as I wrote in the post linked above. Here’s a recap of that post if you don’t feel like clicking through:

Instructions:

To make your sunscreen or body lotion into a bug repelling screen as well, all you need to do is squeeze about a tablespoon of sunscreen into your palm. Add 5 to 10 drops of essential oils into the sunscreen, mix it together, and then lather it on your body. This hack is for your neck down, not your face. Start on the lower end of that 5-10 range, so 5 or less drops of essential oils per tablespoon, to make sure your skin isn’t sensitive and then you can add more drops next time if you wish.

Which Essential Oils?

Almost any essential oil can be used and will be effective, but do not use citrus oils because they can cause hyperpigmentation. Citrus oils are mostly obvious, such as sweet orange, lemon, and lime, with one exception, bergamot. Please avoid these and any other citrus essential oils in your sunscreen. Particularly effective essential oils are citronella (of course!), lemon eucalyptus (not a citrus oil despite the name), thyme, and all the mints but especially peppermint. Be a little cautious with peppermint because it is a cooling essential oil but just as dry ice can burn, so can peppermint at certain levels and everyone’s skin sensitivity level is different. Mixing essential oils is recommended because some bugs are repelled more or less by certain scents, so your end result will be more effective with two, three, or more essential oils.

Make Your Own

If you prefer to make your own dedicated spray and/or oil, which I highly recommend because it is a fun way to scent yourself for summer with the added benefits of less bug bites, I have all the deets on this post (linked) but if you don’t want to click through, here are the most important paragraphs:

Body Oil

One way to take a precautionary measure before even getting dressed in the morning is to apply a body oil with essential oils on your arms, legs, and stomach. To make a body oil, you just need a base oil or a mix of base oils such as sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, or jojoba oil, and add whichever essential oils you want to wear. Almost any essential oil or blend of essential oils will deter bugs, but especially good picks are lavender, peppermint, thyme, and lemongrass. You will want there to be 5-7 drops of essential oils per 1 teaspoon of base oil. (There are 6 teaspoons in an ounce, so aim for 30-42 drops of essential oils per ounce.) Make sure to shake the mixture before blending, and allow time for the oil to dry before putting your clothes on for the day to avoid oil stains. This can be reapplied throughout the day, but it is probably easier to make a spray for day time reapplication.

Body Spray

To make a bug spray, add essential oils to distilled water with at least a teaspoon of vodka, or use witch hazel instead, in a spray bottle (preferably dark glass) in the same proportion as above, 5-7 drops of essential oils per teaspoon of distilled water and vodka, or witch hazel. You can spray this as often as needed on yourself throughout the day and it will help deter bugs and also provide a nice little scent pick-me-up when you do so. Again, any essential oils will be helpful, but the ones mentioned above would be a great place to start. Of course, citronella is always an option too.

4573EC2A-90F2-4FA1-AEC9-5A5BAE907BA21.jpg

Travel

If you travel with essential oils, as I do, to secure your sleeping area you can put some drops on cotton balls to keep bugs away, especially around open windows or near your bed. I actually like to take a little terracotta diffuser with me when I travel. They are quite small and do not require any heat, so it’s a convenient option. These make cute little gifts as well, and are one way to easily use essential oils in your car or in other places where you don’t have the option to light a candle or use an outlet.

After Care

If you do happen to get bitten or stung by an insect, lavender can be applied neat to the area. Applying essential oils to the body without a carrier is 99% of the time NOT recommended, but lavender is one of the few that can be applied without a carrier and it actually is quite good for burns, bites, and other skin issues. Do use caution if you have sensitive skin though and always assume you do have sensitive skin and start small until proven otherwise.

Thanks for reading and enjoy your bug-free outdoor time! Please share this article with anyone who might be interested in flower powered bug repellent.

In case you missed the links above, here’s more information on making your own body oil: https://botanicalalchemyandapothecary.com/body-oils-diy/ and more details on making a body spray: https://botanicalalchemyandapothecary.com/essential-oil-sprays-for-body-and-home/.

Summer Hack for Repelling Bugs

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Sunny day along Juanita Bay

*This post includes affiliate links to Mountain Rose Herbs. I highly recommend their essential oils, herbs, and crafting materials, but use whatever you have on hand first!

A couple of weeks ago my niece mentioned that her sunscreen, which she loves, attracts bugs, which she does not love. I recommended putting essential oils into the sunscreen container because bugs do not like essential oils. I realized later that it’d be more useful to actually add the essential oils right before you put sunscreen on, and an easy hack for anyone who would like some insect protection along with their sun damage protection. I’ll explain how to do just that in a moment, but also want to remind you how easy it is to make your own bug repelling sprays and body oils for when you are heading outside and maybe do not need sunscreen, such as enjoying summer nights out, or you just want to be able to spray yourself repeatedly throughout the day. I have all the details on making your own bug repellent here.

Instructions:

To make your sunscreen into a bug repelling screen as well, all you need to do is squeeze about a tablespoon of sunscreen into your palm. Add 5 to 10 drops of essential oils into the sunscreen, mix it together, and then lather it on your body. This hack is for your neck down, not your face. Start on the lower end of that 5-10 range, so 5 or less drops of essential oils per tablespoon, to make sure your skin isn’t sensitive and then you can add more drops next time if you wish.

Which Essential Oils?

Almost any essential oil can be used and will be effective, but do not use citrus oils because they can cause hyperpigmentation. Citrus oils are mostly obvious, such as sweet orange, lemon, and lime, with one exception, bergamot. Please avoid these and any other citrus essential oils in your sunscreen. Particularly effective essential oils are citronella (of course!), lemon eucalyptus (not a citrus oil despite the name), thyme, and all the mints but especially peppermint. Be a little cautious with peppermint because it is a cooling essential oil but just as dry ice can burn, so can peppermint at certain levels and everyone’s skin sensitivity level is different. Mixing essential oils is recommended because some bugs are repelled more or less by certain scents, so your end result will be more effective with two, three, or more essential oils.

Let me know if you try this and how it works out for you!

Happy Bug Repelling 🐜🚫 and remember, it’s good for the bugs too because if they aren’t bothering you, you aren’t bothering them! ☮

A Balm for Winter🐾

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Here in the Seattle area, 2021 is going out with a bang. This summer we had record breaking heat and in the fall we had record breaking rainfall. Now, this winter is serving us a record breaking cold snap. Maybe 2022 will take it a little easier on the record breaking weather, but in the meantime my dog and I are walking over the snow and ice for two outings a day, and although she’s invigorated by the cold air at first, her paws would start to bother her after walking on the hard ice and having the snow pack into her pads. Someone told me about a balm they put on their dog’s paws before going out in this weather, so I decided to make one for Bailey and see if it helps. Sure enough on the first walk we took where I’d slathered her specially-made-balm on her paws she did great the entire walk! She didn’t stop, lie down, and lick her paws once, and we went for a slightly longer walk than her usual one. The balm is so easy to do too! I didn’t put any essential oils in it because dogs’ noses are just too sensitive for essential oils. If I’d had time to make an herbal oil and turn that into a balm, I would have used lavender buds, rose petals, and/or plantain, but just the oil and beeswax balm worked well. Here’s the (so easy!) recipe:

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Dog Paw Protective Balm

2 oz almond oil (you can use another oil such as grapeseed or olive oil)

1/8-1/4 cup beeswax (the more wax you use, the harder the balm)

Mix the two together in a double boiler set-up. I use a measuring cup in a pot of water. Turn the burner on medium, making sure the water never boils. Mix the combo occasionally with a chopstick until the beeswax is all melted. Pour into a container and let it cool before capping.

That’s it! For a vegan balm, substitute the beeswax with carnauba wax or use a butter instead, such as shea butter or cocoa butter. The final balm will be softer if using the butters and the waxes provide a better protective barrier so use those if you have them.

Look how cute they are! Little gifts for all your friends with pets next year!

Happy New Year Everyone! 🎆May it be a healthy, joyous year of growth and fulfillment for you and all those you love! ✨(Including your furry friends and family, of course🐶🐈🐰).

DIY Herbal Oil Quick Method

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Happy Equinox Weekend everyone! I decided to make some video tutorials that correspond with recipes in my book since the pictures aren’t necessarily step-by-step visuals of the process. I haven’t made a how-to video in over a year so this one is pretty rough. I’m feeling inspired to get back into the groove though so it feels significant that I restarted on Spring Equinox. This corresponds to page 94 of my book.

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Excerpt from My Book on MindBodyGreen on How to Make All-Natural Solid Perfumes

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Solids are a great way to carry a perfume around with you in your bag, especially when traveling, since there aren’t spillage concerns with solids. The excerpt from my book explains how to make an all-natural solid perfume, including vegan options because most solid perfumes use beeswax. Click on the link below or here to see it.

Excerpt of My Book on MindBodyGreen

Happy Crafting! 🌸🌿

Honey Lips👄

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I’ve been working on another writing project that has taken more time and energy than I expected, but I wanted to share this DIY lip therapy from the kitchen because it works crazily well. First of all I have to say that I have had dry lips all my life. I’ve tried every lip balm, both off the shelf and homemade, possible and still my lips continue to be dry. I have a theory this must have something to do with my intestines not being coated enough since I’ve always had digestive issues too and some face mapping would agree with this correlation, but I don’t have any proof of that nor does it really help my dry lip problem. Recently I read that some people use honey or beeswax on their lips to fight fine lines there, and I thought, ‘Of course! Honey is healing, why hadn’t I thought of honey before?’ I’ve had plenty of beeswax on my lips over the years but never honey so I thought I’d give it a try and wow, it works better than anything I’ve ever put on them, plus it tastes good! At first I just layered it on before bed, not a huge amount but a nice thick coating, but it worked so well I’ve begun dipping my finger in the honey jar in the morning too. I’ve been using this Manuka Honey from Manuka Health so I can’t say for sure regular honey will work as well since the healing properties of honey can vary widely.

Manka Honey from Manuka Health

Manuka honey is known for having superb healing benefits including wound healing, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory. If you have dry lips or aging lips (thinning and lines) I highly recommend putting some honey on them. It’s the easiest DIY from the kitchen since one ingredient facial masks! I hope you are all well and making the best of this strange year. Maybe a little bit of honey will sweeten things up! 🍯