Episode 007 Show Notes: How to Create a Non-Toxic Home Using Essential Oils with Janelle Settle

In this education-packed episode, I interview Janelle Settle, a Healthy Lifestyle Promoter, all about essential oils for the home and how we can begin to incorporate non-toxic products into our home care routine. Janelle shares great tips, resources, and recipes - you don't want to miss out on this amazing episode! Let's dive on in!

What are essential oils?

Essential oils are natural aromatic compounds extracted and distilled from plants (including their respective parts like seeds, bark, leaves, stems, roots, flowers, fruit, etc.) for health benefits. If you've ever come in contact with peppermint and lavender plants or orange peels, you've already experienced essential oils to some degree. 

What are a few misconceptions of essential oils?

• You can’t use essential oils for pets. Correction — you CAN use essential oils for pets. If oils are used properly, they can be really beneficial to pets. Check out the Essential Oil Vet on Facebook for tips.

• Essential oils are a waste of money because they don’t last very long. Essential oils can actually last a long time, even sometimes longer than herbs and food in your cabinet. But make sure you’re storing them properly. If they smell weird or are discolored, they probably went bad.

• Essential oils are just for diffusing. Essential oils aren’t just for diffusing! There are a myriad of ways to use essential oils — you can cook with them, clean with them, use them in your skin care routine, and more!

• All essential oils are created equal. All essential oils are NOT created equal. Make sure to do your research — if you’re seeing essential oils in the $1 bin, run away!

How can we work essential oils into our homes?

Essential oils can help you replace several toxic home care products like Clorox wipes, candles, and more. From garbage disposal refreshers to stove top cleaners to laundry, essential oils can be easily worked into your daily and weekly home care routines.

Resources

Connect with Janelle

Janelle is such a great example and living proof for how essential oils can truly help us live our best, non-toxic lives. With all of the great education she provides, she makes it easy for her community to switch over to non-toxic products throughout all areas of our lives. She’s such a wealth of knowledge and such an inspiration to live healthier and I’m so grateful she took the time to chat with us. Connect with her at the following places:

• Instagram: @naturalgracelifestyle

• Website

Learn More About Essential Oils

• Want to read more about Essential Oils? Janelle recommends the book “Modern Essentials.”

• doTERRA’s website

This Week’s Challenge!

I’m going to dive on into building a non-toxic home using Janelle’s tips — who’s with me?

Download this Simple Guide to a Non-Toxic Home

Join me on this Capsule Life journey!

• Subscribe to the Capsule Life podcast on iTunes

  • Like what you hear? We’d love it if you left a review! It helps us out more than you know!

• This Capsule Life Community

• This Capsule Life on Instagram

• This Capsule Life on Pinterest

Until next time Capsule Lifers — keep finding joy through minimal living.

Lavender is Life

Last weekend, Tim and I braved the 100℉ weather and ventured out to Oregon City for the Lavender Festival at the Oregon Lavender Farm. With views of Mount Hood and bright purple lavender all around us, it was so, so beautiful. Not to mention the scent! Imagine taking a luxurious lavender-soaked bath - that's what the fragrance was like walking through the fields.

A post shared by Bre 💕 thisdaintylife.com (@thisdaintylife) on Jun 26, 2017 at 12:22pm PDT

While wandering the farm listening to the awesome local bands, I sipped on lavender lemonade, which is probably the most refreshing drink I've ever had - yes, it was really that good. I mean, just look at the photo from my Instagram! The festival also hosted vendors - everything from handmade rugs, jewelry, and artwork to candles and natural beauty products. There was lavender wreath making and a distillation demonstration, which was so interesting! I've read about the process, but I've never seen it in person.

Tim and I also enjoyed lavender beer and lavender cider - serious yum. And on our way out we picked up a Killa Dilla, a quesadilla larger than our faces, to share 😋 It was absolutely delicious. We ordered the "basic dilla," which comes with mozzarella, cabbage, marinated red onions, and a "secret tangy dressing," and we added grilled veggies. Holy moly, you guys. I can't do its tastiness justice.

As the title of this blog post suggests, I use lavender constantly, so I thought I'd share how I work it into my daily and weekly routine.

My favorite ways to use lavender essential oil:

1. Combine your favorite non-scented, natural lotion with one drop of lavender to moisturize and treat yourself to a little at-home spa experience 💜
2. Put one drop into your mascara bottle to support strong, healthy lashes 💜
3. Diffuse 3-4 drops at night to aid sound sleeping or make a pillow spray with it for the same benefits 💜
4. Add 2-3 drops to your laundry detergent, especially when washing sheets or towels 💜
5. Add 3 drops to your wool dryer balls when drying laundry 💜
6. Use a roller bottle to experience lavender's calming properties on-the-go 💜

Do you love lavender essential oil? What are your favorite ways to use it?

Essential Oil Rollerball Blend for Energy

I don't know about you guys but I have been TIRED lately. I just cannot seem to wake up in the mornings. While there are definitely habits I should kick (like immediately looking at social media right when I wake up instead of just getting out of bed), I'll take any help I can get in the energy department. That's why I'm oh so excited to share this essential oil energy roller bottle blend I created over the weekend. 

And it's my first time diving into a how-to YouTube video! I'm so excited to launch my YouTube account at This Dainty Life. Check it out and subscribe if you want to stay updated on all things TDL, from DIY fun to essential oil goodness. I have a few upcoming videos I'm so excited to upload in the next couple of weeks.

How to Make an Essential Oil Rollerball Blend for Energy

1. Supplies needed: glass roller bottle (mine was gifted to me by my lovely friend Janelle! you can find it on Amazon), essential oils listed below, fractionated coconut oil
2. Pour 20 drops of peppermint and white fir into your roller bottle
3. Add 15 drops of grapefruit and wild orange
4. Continue with 10 drops of Motivate®
5. Once all of your oils are in the roller bottle, top off your blend with fractionated coconut oil
6. Attach the rollerball, screw on the lid, and shake it to mix together the oils a bit - you're done!

Benefits of These Energy-Blend Essential Oils

Peppermint

• Boasts a refreshing, pick-me-up aroma

• Promotes clear breathing and healthy respiratory function

• Helps combat occasional stomach upset

• Can be used in toothpaste for oral health

White Fir

• Energizes the body and the mind

• Elicits feelings of energy, stability, and empowerment

• Aids the body in relaxation

• Supports respiratory function and clear breathing

• Gives soothing support to sore joints and muscles

Grapefruit

• Helps reduce mental and physical fatigue

• Aids healthy metabolism

• Supports and soothes sore muscles and joints

• Helps combat oily skin issues

• Purifies and cleanses

Wild Orange

• Uplifting to the mind and body

• High in antioxidants

• Acts as a powerful cleanser and purifying agent, while protecting against seasonal and environmental threats

Motivate

• Promotes feelings of courage, confidence, and belief

• Counteracts negative emotions of cynicism, doubt, and pessimism

What rollerball blends have helped you increase your energy levels throughout the day? I'd love to hear about them; share in the comments below!