HOW TO MAKE A LAYERED CANDY CANE SUGAR SCRUB This homemade body scrub is quick and easy to make, but looks festive and unique. . Scented with vanilla and peppermint essential oil, it's the perfect winter pick-me-up. . Here's the recipe: – 1 cup white sugar – 2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted -1/4 cup sweet almond oil – 15 drops vanilla oleoresin or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract – 3-4 drops peppermint essential oil – 1/2-1 teaspoon cranberry powder or beet powder for color (can also use a few drops of red food coloring) Method: Mix all ingredients except the cranberry powder (beet powder...

There's nothing quite like the warm and comforting spices of autumn. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove just seem to bring about happy feelings and make you want to sigh with contentment. Why not bring that happiness to a morning bowl of granola? Or afternoon yogurt parfait topped with crunchy goodness? This pumpkin spice granola recipe actually came about by accident. You see, I usually make the following granola recipe with cinnamon alone, but this time I only grabbed the pumpkin pie spice by mistake. Thankfully it was a happy accident, with tasty results. Besides eating as simple granola or using in a parfait, this...

Plantain is excellent for treating all manner of wounds and skin irritations. Bug bites, cuts and scrapes are some of the most common issues treated with plantain. While it would be beneficial to treat such conditions with fresh plantain, it may not be available when you need it. Thus, the plantain salve is born. This plantain salve is good to have on hand when you are out and about. Apply to cuts, scrapes, and bites to reduce inflammation and promote healing. This salve is prepared using dried plantain since some may not have access to fresh. However, this could be...

Pumpkin pie spice is something that appears frequently in recipes during the fall (and also the Christmas season). It's good to have some on hand so dishes can be prepared at any time. It's always so frustrating to find a recipe and not have the spices to make it!). If you find yourself in a pinch, with no pumpkin pie spice on hand, or you'd just like to make your own, the following recipe will do the trick. It's quick and easy (and smells great!). This would make a lovely gift too. Just put it in a jar and add...

If you're looking for safer skincare and cosmetics, Beautycounter has you covered. Beautycounter has really impressed me and I am now using a ton of their products. I started out rather skeptically, but am now using Beautycounter hair care, skin care, and make-up! Honestly, I thought I would just use them for makeup, but I love their skincare too. I just started using their Overnight Resurfacing Facial Peel and it has done wonders for my skin. I'm not easily impressed when it comes to this type of thing. So, this is a big deal! What is Beautycounter? Beautycounter is a safe skincare and...

The Beautycounter Holiday collection is here and it's brilliant! These safer skincare and cosmetics are high performing and enjoyable to use. I'm addicted! I've had so much fun playing with all the colors. Which is totally new for me as I have never really been one to do that. Here I am with the colors from the Necessary Neutrals eyeshadow palette and Raspberry lip gloss from the lipgloss vault. What is Beautycounter? So, it may be better to ask “who” is Beautycounter? Beautycounter is a safe skincare and cosmetics company whose mission is to get safer products into the hands...

Elderberry syrup is a staple in most natural medicine cabinets. It's wonderful because it tastes good and helps boost the immune system. Elderberries are high in vitamin C and boast a generous amount of antioxidants and beta-carotene. Fresh elderberries contain a toxic compound that can cause some gastrointestinal distress. This compound is inactivated by cooking. So, if you ever decide to make a tincture with elderberries, be sure to cook them for 30 minutes. This recipe uses dried elderberries, but fresh ones could be used instead (since we are cooking them for 30 minutes), If you choose to use fresh elderberries, you...

How many salt lamps is too many salt lamps? I'm asking for a friend 🙂 I recently received a Grey Salt Lamp from So Well and it is one of my favorite things! Now I want one for every corner of the house! I've had salt lamps for many years and long been fascinated with the benefits associated with them. But none of the salt lamps I've owned previously can compare to this one from So Well. I've already written about the benefits of salt lamps, but want to reiterate just how lovely they are. Not only do salt lamps help neutralize...

Jojoba Oil is expressed from the seed of the jojoba plant, it is a shrub found in southern California, Arizona, and northwest Mexico. The oil has a long shelf-life which makes it ideal for use in body care products. It's actually not an oil, but a liquid wax. The great thing about jojoba is that it closely resembles the oil (sebum) produced naturally by our skin which makes it suitable for most skin types. It's also considered non-comedogenic which means it does not clog pores. It's also well-suited to sensitive skin. An excellent moisturizer, jojoba oil penetrates the skin easily...