soothing lavender bath soak – for stress, insomnia, aches and pains (or just because you’d like a nice smelling bath)

Although this isn’t the time of year that I would normally take a warm bath before bedtime, this is something that I made to help me sleep last night. I recently had a steroid IV treatment to hopefully relieve some new MS symptoms and it has left me jittery and sleepless, so this is something that I concocted to help calm things down a little and facilitate sleep.

Lavender essential oil has many uses, including treating migraines, headaches, anxiety, depression, nervous tension and emotional stress, inducing sleep, pain relief, treating respiratory disorders, immunity disorders (which is also a benefit in my case) and apparently even urinary tract problems. And failing any of that, it smells nice and makes you feel good.

I substituted some lavender essential oil and a couple of drops of peppermint oil (also a natural pain reliever) to the basic sore muscle soak that I have made before and added in some milk powder for an extra bit of luxury (it worked for Cleopatra). The milk acids help exfoliate and make your skin softer. So, it smells good, is soothing, reduces muscle aches and makes your skin soft – what’s not to like?

This makes enough for one bath, but feel free to double or triple the amount and store for future use. It would also make a nice gift packaged in a mason jar. And, if you are packaging it as a gift, you could add in a couple of drops of red and blue food colouring, mix it all together to make the salts purple or even add in a bit of dried lavender to make it pretty.

Soothing Lavender Bath Soak

• 1 cup Epsom salts
• 1/4 cup sea salts
• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup powdered milk (or 1 cup whole milk)
• 5-8 drops lavender essential oil (depending on how strong you like the scent)
• 2 drops peppermint essential oil

Combine all ingredients in a small container and stir well. Add to bath under running hot water, and stir it around with your hand to help the salts dissolve before you climb in. Soak for 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy! I recommend a cup of tea, a book and some music to go along with the soak. Then bed.

Linked to GNOWLFGLINS, Frugally Sustainable, Live Renewed

Mojito sugar scrub (a cooling body scrub)

I have to admit that although spending the better part of last week at the cottage in the sun and the water was great, it may have been a little hard on my skin. I’ve got some peely bits on my nose and arms that are not so attractive (I know, I should wear sunscreen, but it was so hot and we were in and out of the water so much, it really wouldn’t have stayed on anyway).

I used up the rest of my sugar scrub before we left for the cottage, so I’ve made up a new batch. Since my sister-in-law thought that the lemon olive oil scrub was more than edible, let’s see if she pours spiced rum on this one and tries to make a drink out of it. This batch has the extra bonus of the cooling properties of mint, so it’s a nice scrub to use on summer-time skin.

You can store it in the fridge to keep it fresh, or just use it up quickly. This doesn’t make a whole lot, so if you are using it a couple of times a week in the shower, it’ll be gone before it sours on you. Just be careful – the olive oil does tend to make the shower floor a little slippery.

Mojito Sugar Scrub

• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• juice (2 tbsp) and zest of one lime
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Put mint leaves and sugar in food processor and whir them until the mint is well blended in – or, you could finely chop the mint and muddle it into the sugar afterwards, whichever you find easier. Mix everything together in a jar and store in the fridge to keep it fresh (it does have real juice in it). Use it anywhere on your body that needs a little scrub, moisturizer or general healthy glow.

Linked to A Pinch of Joy , Like a Mustard Seed, Frugally Sustainable, Homestead Simple

lavender cooling spray

It’s stinking hot here right now. I’m not overly enjoying it, though I can imagine that the tall hormonal kid’s 6th grade teacher is enjoying it even less right about now. Imagine a classroom that you can taste.

Anyway, for anybody who might be a little heat intolerant like me, or experiencing hot flashes, here’s something I made that cools and smells nice.

• 1/4 cup rose water
• 8 drops lavender essential oil
• small spray bottle

Add rose water to the spray bottle. Add lavender essential oil. Shake the mixture vigorously prior to use. Spritz liberally to cool off.

* You can make it with peppermint essential oil too, but this smells more like summer to me.

safe enough to experiment with on your youngest child

Linked to Sorta Crunchy, Frugally Sustainable, A Pinch of Joy, Like a Mustard Seed