A Visit to Our Shop May 23, 2016 16:54 2 Comments

Although we sell many of our fabulous handmade products online, we believe that our physical store is definitely something worth experiencing! It has a very unique and tranquil atmosphere, and there are countless other amazing items here that we don't sell online at the moment. Plus, you can actually test out our essential oil blends and experience their therapeutic and mesmerizing scents in person! Whether you're a New York City native or just in town for the week, we encourage you to give our shop a visit and come relax here for as long as you'd like. 

A little background history: We began as a coffee shop and bakery, holding poetry readings and other community events. The owner of the store is a phenomenal cook and would hold free community dinners for all who wished to attend in the neighborhood! She was also a fashion designer and had a very popular online clothing business at the time, called Earth Speaks. In the cafe there was a rack of clothing that was for sale, the Earth Speaks Organic Fashion line. Soon the store evolved into solely a clothing store. It featured sophisticated women's apparel made from eco-friendly and sustainable materials such as hemp. Many years later, we evolved yet again and followed our passion for plants and gardening, and combined that with a love for art and design. We became an art co-op, selling handmade goods from local artists, as well as terrariums of our own creation. Now, we do all of that- the fashion, the co-op, the terrariums- and most recently, aromatherapy and organic skin care. These are all things that we had been involved in and practicing all-along, and ultimately decided to make a business of it. All of our products are tied together by our affinity for handmade and artist-made goods, as well as the concept of leading healthy, mindful and spiritual lives.

In this blog, I'd like to share some photos of our store and describe its contents in the form of a 'virtual tour,' just to give a general idea of our variety of products and what we do here. 

We have a wide variety of Buddha statues, ranging from the Nirvana Buddha to the Medicine Buddha, from big to small. Most are made of bronze or brass, but the one pictured above is ceramic. 

We believe that plants are essential to creating good energy in any space, not to mention the obvious benefits it has on your health and air quality. We have a large collection of plants, mainly air plants and succulents. 

Our vast collection of crystals, stones and geodes brings a calming and restorative energy to the space, helping to eliminate negative thoughts and feelings. Our collection includes (but is not limited to) geodes, quartz, malachite eggs, tiger's eye, jade, rose quartz, amethyst and more. We have all sorts of stones for different purposes and occasions. 

Earth Speaks is also technically an art co-op, because we sell handmade items from many different artists. Ranging from jewelry made with resin and crystals, to incredibly tiny handcrafted high-heel shoe earrings (www.etsy.com/shop/YinyingO), to beautiful earthy pottery, we can confidently say that we have a wide variety of talented artists here! 

Another shot of some of our favorite statuettes and clay pots. Featuring Buddhist figures of Kuan-Yin, goddess of compassion, as well as a wood-carved head of the Meditation Buddha and a bronze statue of Ganesh (top left). 

Earth Speaks was originally the name of our organic fashion line of hemp and silk clothing, and now has extended to a broader variety of products. However, we still sell Earth Speaks Organic Fashion in our shop and constantly are alternating the clothing selection and bringing in new timeless and beautiful styles. 

See it to believe it! Visit our shop today (if you are living locally) or anytime you pass through NYC. Everyone is always welcome-- 7 days a week-- to come shop, relax, learn new things and even let us make you a cup of tea. 

Located at: 139 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Hours: 12 pm- 7 pm, everyday. 

Earth Day Organic Fashion Event! April 15, 2016 14:43

7 Gift Ideas for the All-Natural Momma this Mother's Day April 8, 2016 14:57

Ideally, we should be praising our moms every day, but it is easy to get caught up in the rush of daily life and we forget to remind our loved ones of how awesome they actually are. Moms work hard day in and day out, and often sacrifice time that they could be spending on themselves to look after or care for others. That is why we've compiled a list of our favorite organic skin care products that are specifically designated for me-time. Taking care of our bodies and relaxing our minds are not only vital to the maintenance of our health and mental states, but also provide us with a self-confidence boost that is much needed every now and again. These items are great gift ideas for you to treat any mother-figure that is special in your life! 

1. Grapefruit & Lavender All-Purpose Scrub

This handmade sugar scrub includes grapefruit peel, lavender oil, coconut oil and natural brown sugar- making it the ultimate exfoliating dream. The sweet aroma of the scrub creates a serene atmosphere and afterwards leaves your skin incredibly soft to the touch. Give your mother the gift of calming and magical showers!

2. Wildflower Garden Natural Perfume Spray

Nothing quite makes you feel beautiful in the same way as smelling like a real-life flower garden. Included in our new line of essential oil-based perfumes, Wildflower Garden is a floral delight that is the perfect finishing touch to any outfit. It has essential oils such as the famous and decadent Rose oil, and the calming sweet sensation of Geranium oil. 

3. Lemongrass & Rosemary Bath Salts

Treat your hard working mom with this gift that keeps on giving-- in the form of soothing and therapeutic baths! Taking baths is a relaxing and rejuvenating way to spend time on yourself and meditate at the end of the day. With the healing properties of Epsom salt and dead sea salt, this bath salt mixture is ideal for soothing achy muscles and joints. 

4. Love Oil Roll-On Perfume

Containing the more pricey and sought-after essential oils, our Love Oil is an elegant and all-natural fragrance that exudes sensuality and confidence. Its components are simple and sophisticated-- rose, sandalwood and jasmine essential oils diluted in our organic golden jojoba oil. The perfect gift to make any woman smell as sexy as she truly is. 

5. Jade Face Massager

You're probably thinking, 'what the heck is a face massager and why does my face even need massaging?' Because it feels amazing, that's why! Also, the skin and muscles on your face are rarely massaged, let alone touched-- therefore it is important to stimulate circulation to this part of your body. Blood circulation keeps the skin firm and helps fight loss of elasticity. Bottom line- it feels great and is excellent for your skin. Another thing you can tell the special lady in your life is that this product helps diminish wrinkles and fine lines! 

6. Hair Oil

Our organic Hair Oil blend has been gaining popularity among women with all types of hair (and even a few men)! This is because it gives your hair more body, keeps it silky soft and even promotes hair growth and fights dandruff. What's not to love? Also, it smells amazing. Choose between our two blends for a unique and all natural gift that many mothers would love to receive. 

7. Plug-In Essential Oil Diffuser

The final product on this list is our Faux Wood Essential Oil Diffuser. Simply plug it into the wall, fill the inside with water and a few drops of one of our Be Home essential oil blends, close it up, turn it on and enjoy the wonderful aroma. It is a lovely and stress-relieving addition to any home. 

Oil: Acne's Unlikely Enemy March 18, 2016 13:51

It sounds counterintuitive to use oil for treating acne, but according to various studies, testimonials and my own personal experience, it is very effective. Not only is it effective, but it is also all-natural, devoid of chemicals and relatively affordable (particularly compared to most acne treatments). 

Oils are even more beneficial for adults experiencing acne, because there are many other skin issues that occur as you age. The therapeutic properties of essential oils can relieve this wide variety of problems encountered with maturing skin. These include damage from the sun, wrinkles and fine lines, and pigmentation issues. 

One of the most prominent reasons why plant-derived oils are adept at treating blemishes is, quite simply, that they keep your skin hydrated in a regulated and healthy way. It is a common occurrence when your skin may feel very dry or flaky, but you are still getting pimples. This is mainly due to the fact that the dry skin cells clog your pores-- meaning that if your skin is not properly hydrated, the dead skin and debris that get into the pores becomes hardened, resulting in acne and inflammation. It is a nice idea to believe that our skin should be able to sufficiently regulate its oil production on its own, but unfortunately due to environmental factors-- unless you live in a tropical and humid climate-- it is constantly being dried out. 

Our BE Beautiful Clear Skin Face Oil is the perfect concoction for fighting acne, especially in the harsh winter months. I personally have seen a huge positive change in my skin since I began using it last year. I used to dread winter because of the damage it would do to my skin- dry flakiness, inflammation, blemishes, etc. Now I see almost no difference in my glowing midsummer skin and my winter skin! Its ingredients include the carrier oils jojoba, which is excellent for all skin types, and meadowfoam oil which is known for its skin-softening and anti-oxidant properties. Both are fairly light oils that won't clog your pores. Then we added essential oils that are ideal for treating acne, such as tea tree and lemon. It is also good to know that tea tree oil can be applied 'neat,' meaning directly to the skin undiluted. It should be applied to blemishes for spot treatment. Lemon oil is antibacterial and has astringent properties, while rosemary reduces redness and swelling, promotes circulation and tones/ tightens the skin. 

With a stellar lineup of all-natural ingredients neatly packaged in a 1 oz. glass apothecary-style bottle, our Clear Skin oil will leave you feeling clean, moisturized and acne free. If you are already an essential oil collector it is an easy recipe to make yourself! We also sell almost all of the raw ingredients to put you on your way. 

Our First-Ever Soap Making Workshop! March 8, 2016 15:26

 The first BE Beautiful organic skin care workshop at our store was a success! We made sugar scrub soap bars, which are aromatic and exfoliating bars of all natural soap. The main components of the soap base are hemp oil and glycerine, including many other moisturizing oils such as olive oil, palm oil and coconut oil. We added our own organic sweet almond oil, organic rice bran oil and an additional portion of organic hemp oil. In our recipe, we want the soap to not only get you clean, but also leave your skin feeling hydrated and healthy. Most commercial soaps dry out the skin because they fail to include these natural oils. Our other secret ingredients include organic granulated sugar, rose clay powder and lemongrass & grapefruit essential oils. See photos below from the workshop to see our process, and consider participating in the future! 

We started off by melting our soap base together using a double boiler. 

Then we mix together the essential oil blend (lemongrass and grapefruit) with organic sugar.  

A hint of rose clay powder gives the soap a beautiful color when it's finished.

Ladies at the workshop mixing the ingredients!

After we mixed the oils with the sugar and clay, we poured the hot soap base into the bowl and blended it all together. You must pour the mixture into the molds quickly so that it doesn't harden too fast!

Aerial shot of our work table-- so much going on at once! The herbs in the middle are dried lemon rind and dried majoram, for added exfoliation and health benefits.

Marissa, Ini, Dana and shop owner/ head of production Bi Li! We are so excited to continue these workshops and continue collaborating with our friends and neighbors.

Waiting patiently for the soap to harden and cool. 

There you have it! Flawless organic soap made by a very talented and enthusiastic group of women.  

Great energy, resulting in amazing final products. As we waited for the last batch of soap to cool, we painted some soaps with mica powder (a naturally occurring mineral used to color powdered makeup), for presentation.

Adding a little color with the mica powder. Some of the soap is yellow-green because it does not contain rose clay powder. You can also layer the colors by pouring in the yellow mixture first and then adding the rose-colored mix on top shortly after. We did a lot of experimenting!

 If you are interested in our organic skin care workshops, send an email to earthspeaksbrooklyn@gmail.com! We are working towards making our BE Beautiful brand a cooperative effort between us and our customers/ members of our community. If you live in Brooklyn or NYC in general, you would qualify to participate in our work exchange. Eventually, we would like to embrace a shared economy where our members can work and help us create products and spread the word of our business. In return, everyone can take home our goods and learn a great deal about how to make hand crafted, organic skin care products. This is our long-term goal. 

For now, we are having a few specialty workshops, and allowing participants to take home some handmade skin care products that they made that day for a discounted price. Let us know if you would like to be on our email list to receive occasional updates and information about future events and workshops!

Hot Product | Hair Oil February 23, 2016 17:11

There are many reasons why you should pay attention to what you are putting on your hair. First, mainstream hair products sold at pharmacies tend to dry out hair and contain loads of chemicals. Second, many of us have problems with dry scalp, dandruff, greasiness, lack of growth, fried or split ends, etc. Lastly, we should always pay attention to what we are putting in and on our bodies, and what types of products and companies we are supporting with our business. Live mindfully and naturally is always our mantra here!

Thus, I am here today to explain the wonders of using hair oil, a mix of all natural plant-based oils used to hydrate and maintain your hair. We have two different types of Be Beautiful Hair Oil that we sell. Below is a list of a few carrier oils (mild oils also known as base oils or vegetable oils, often used to dilute essential oils) that we use in our hair oil and reasons why we highly recommend them for hair treatments. 

-Avocado Oil: A thick, heavy oil that contains healthy fats and many vitamins, such as vitamin E. Given its thickness, it's recommended to only use on medium to thick hair. It has regenerative properties and repairs damaged hair.

-Grapeseed Oil: This oil is very inexpensive comparatively, and contains linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid that can protect against hair loss. It is a light oil. Grapeseed is also known to lock in moisture, making it quite beneficial for a dry scalp. 

-Jojoba Oil: Jojoba is actually a liquified wax that is excellent for your hair and scalp. It helps hair cells to regenerate more rapidly, resulting in hair growth. It is also used to curb dandruff and treat scalp psoriasis. 

Although the above oils work well on their own, when making your own all natural hair oil it is advised to add a few essential oils to the mix. Essential oils, as you may know, have therapeutic benefits for all sorts of various ailments- whether it be medical, cosmetic, or even psychological. Below is a list of a few essential oils that we use in our hair oil blends that can yield great results when used on your hair. 

-Rosemary: One of the most well-known oils for your hair. Rosemary oil has been used for millennia to treat weak or thinning hair. It also cleanses the hair of toxins and increases circulation to your scalp. 

-Lavender: Lavender oil has anti inflammatory and antiseptic properties that soothe irritated and itchy scalps, as well as keep away harmful bacteria that can inhibit healthy hair growth. An added bonus is its wonderful, calming aroma!

-Ylang Ylang: The best kept secret of natural hair care is ylang ylang essential oil. It regulates oil production (same when used on the face), maintaining a healthy balance of oils. Ylang ylang stimulates hair growth, resulting in a longer and thicker head of hair. Also, interestingly, it kills head lice. 

Mix your own hair oil blend and use it as a daily treatment or a weekly treatment. We recommend to apply a small amount to dry or damp hair and do not wash it out. For a weekly moisturizing treatment, massage the oil into your scalp, saturating it entirely, then let it sit for at least 45 min. to an hour before washing it out. If you do this once a week, you will truly see the results- healthy and strong hair! 

What is Oil Pulling? February 14, 2016 14:41

Many people are confused about the practice of oil pulling, unsure of what its purpose is, how to use it, or what health benefits it may have. To clarify, 'oil pulling' is a very old, traditional Ayurvedic remedy that involves holding or swishing around oil in your mouth in order to improve dental health. Ayurveda is a type of alternative medicine that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Oil pulling is growing in popularity due to a gradual deviation from mainstream medicine, personal hygiene and beauty products in exchange for a more holistic and natural approach to taking care of oneself. Our Oral Detox Oil is an excellent alternative to mouthwash, which is filled with harsh chemicals. Over time, this type of alcohol-based mouthwash can alter taste sensation and stain your teeth.

Regular oil pulling is reported to whiten your teeth, fight microorganisms that cause bad breath, and result in great improvements in your overall dental health. It also removes harmful bacteria, helps eliminate plaque and takes preventative measures against cavities and gingivitis. In addition to its dental benefits, many people have also reported alleviation of skin conditions and headaches, various infections and asthma. 

The base of oil pulling is typically a mild oil such as coconut, sesame or sunflower oil. We sell three different oral detox blends using each of these bases. In these recipes, we add peppermint, tea tree and myrrh to gain the health benefits of the essential oils while improving the overall taste. Two types of essential oil blends are also sold for making your own oil pulling mixture. One of the essential oil blends is akin to Thieves Oil, with peppermint, tea tree, clove and cinnamon. The other is our classic blend- peppermint, tea tree and myrrh. 

-Peppermint oil: Beneficial for dental health because it is antiseptic and inhibits the formation of plaque. It also helps protect gums against hazardous germs.
-Myrrh oil: Known to heal mouth ulcers and promote blood circulation.
-Cinnamon oil: Adept at preventing gingivitis.
-Tea Tree oil: Used to treat receding gums and kills bacteria, viral and fungal organisms. 

So how do you use the Oral Detox Oil? Oil pulling should always be done in addition to brushing and flossing, not as a replacement. It should be a vital part of your everyday morning routine, immediately after you wake up and before anything enters your system. Put a tablespoon of oil in your mouth and gently swish it around for 10 minutes, just to get adjusted. Once you have been oil pulling for a week or so, 15-20 minutes is preferred in order to remove more bacteria. Spit the oil into the trash rather than the sink to prevent clogging, then rinse your mouth out with warm water and proceed to teeth brushing. 

We now have many customers that swear by it, purchasing up to five bottles each time they come to stock up! Oil pulling isn't for everyone, but it is definitely worth a try and will save time and money spent at the dentist's office! 

The History of Love Potions February 9, 2016 15:52 32 Comments

In the vast history of romance, dating back to Ancient Egypt, Greece and the Roman Empire, fragrances were essential to the art of seduction. Botanical oils were commonly used to create these desirable aromas. Perfumes were created to attract lovers, and headdresses adorned with sweet smelling flowers were often worn at weddings as a symbol of love and fertility. 

We now know that scent does in fact have a direct connection to the amygdala and the hippocampus-- parts of the brain that process emotion and deal with associative learning, respectively. The neural structure that is involved in the sense of smell (called the olfactory bulb) is closely connected to these emotional parts of the brain, all together called the limbic system. So it is no coincidence that when we take in a scent we are reminded of a loved one, an event in your life, or a certain place. If no specific memory comes to mind, it is possible that the aroma simply evokes a feeling or emotion, or just a vague familiarity. 

As we know from aromatherapy, scents can also have a significant effect on your mood. Certain scents such as jasmine, rose, ylang ylang, patchouli, and vetiver are commonly known oils with aphrodisiac properties, meaning that inhaling the aroma of these oils can put you in a romantic mood and inspire sexual energy. Citrus oils such as neroli and bergamot can also have this effect because they naturally promote relaxation and a peaceful mood, making you more open to attraction and sensual experiences. 

Ways that we can use essential oils for their romantically stimulating aromas include baths, massage oils, and perfume. For instance, we blended rose, sandalwood, jasmine and jojoba to create a mesmerizing roll-on perfume called Love Oil. A massage oil blend might include ylang ylang and sweet almond oil. Another way to experience inspiring scents such as these is to make a linen spray for your bed. Ideal for lovemaking and seduction, this blend should include oils such as jasmine, sandalwood and vetiver (the same ingredients as our 'Encounter' roll-on perfume!) mixed together in water, contained in a spray bottle. 

In light of Valentine's Day and all that it represents, create an amorous atmosphere with these all-natural fragrances. Whether it be to attract and cultivate love, or simply to generate positive energy and enhance your mood, these aromas can truly make a difference!  

Making Perfume with Essential Oils February 1, 2016 16:34

A good perfume with a complex scent doesn't have to involve strange chemicals and a credit card charge of over $80. Making perfume with essential oils is a fun and easy task that can be made with just a few simple ingredients (or a wider variety of oils if you'd like). At Earth Speaks, we have just begun experimenting with making perfumes in both roll-on and spray form. The great thing about essential oil perfumes is that they are non-toxic, all natural and thus totally safe to be sprayed around people with allergies or young children. You also get the added benefits of aromatherapy!

Essential oils can be categorized into a few different types of scent. These include floral, earthy, citrus, woody/ spicy, herbal, and more. Sticking to one of these categories to create your main aroma is a good idea, but it works well to also mix in one or two oils from a different family to counter balance the blend. One of our recent perfumes, Firewood, is a mixture of frankincense, myrrh, sandalwood, cedarwood and alcohol. It would be considered a blend of earthy and woody aromas. 

Then you must consider the order in which you add the oils, which does affect the overall scent. This is because some oils evaporate more quickly than others. There are base notes, middle notes and top notes. Top notes are often the first scent that you experience, that hits you rather quickly. Common top notes are citrus or herbal scents such as lemongrass or peppermint.Those then fade, and you smell the middle notes which are considered the main focal point of the blend. Jasmine and ylang ylang are common, desirable middle notes for a woman's fragrance. After the middle notes come the base notes, which linger long after the others have faded. Base notes are usually strong and dense oils, such as vetiver, which also possess fixative properties, which helps them adhere to and remain on the skin. Thus, the oils are added in this order: base note, middle note, top note. 

Alcohol is also a fixative that must be added into the mix to create a perfume spray, after you mix the oils. It helps the perfume stay on longer. Some use spiced rum for their essential oil perfumes, but most people use vodka (which is what we use). If you are using roughly 60 drops of essential oils, then about 3-4 ounces of alcohol will work just fine. Then shake it up to mix the oils with the alcohol! 

Letting the perfume mixture sit for a couple of weeks to a month in a dark bottle is preferable, to allow the scent to develop and become rich. 

Freshly (home)Made: Happy Oil! January 26, 2016 16:59

Our latest essential oil experiment involved a blend of citrus and floral oils that we diffused in our shop. We added mostly grapefruit oil, with a couple drops of ylang ylang and geranium to a medium-sized bowl of water in front of our heater. Customers responded very positively to this scent, commenting on how the aroma changed their mood as they entered the store and how they grew increasingly joyful and energetic, yet relaxed. Some just really enjoyed the scent for no particular explicable reason. 

Considering the enthusiastic responses from customers, as well as our personal affinity for the scent, we decided to finally make a larger batch of the essential oil blend and bottle it. The final recipe is a blend of grapefruit, bergamot, ylang ylang and geranium. It is sold here now as a blend of just essential oils for diffusing, making your own spray or diluting with carrier oil to make your own mixture. We also created a mix that is diluted with organic golden jojoba oil and hand-poured into a roll on bottle, perfect for a portable, all-natural perfume! 

The aromas from essential oils can seriously alter your mood in positive ways, and has even been used as a supplemental treatment for anxiety and depression. Bergamot is an especially powerful citrus oil that is often used for its uplifting and inspiring effects.

BE Beautiful's 'Happy Oil' is now available for purchase in our shop and will soon be available for purchase online. 

Why Exfoliating is Important for Your Skin January 22, 2016 17:12

Feel like you are taking good enough care of your skin, but still feel it appears a bit dull and could use a healthy, radiant glow? Do you have occasional acne breakouts? In any case, exfoliation is a vital part of properly caring for your skin. Exfoliating is the process of removing old dead skin cells from the top surface of your skin, mainly to prevent it from looking dry and rough and to keep pores from clogging, which allows the build up of acne-causing bacteria.

Exfoliating should be an essential part of your regular skin care routine! In this case, by 'regular' we mean once or twice a week, not every day. It is particularly important if you are middle-aged or older, because our skin takes longer to generate new skin cells and shed the old ones. Also, if you have oily skin, exfoliating will be very helpful because it keeps your skins' production of oil regulated and balanced. On the other hand, if you have very sensitive skin, severe acne or any kind of skin condition you should consult a dermatologist about different forms of exfoliating. In this post we are going to discuss just one type- physical or 'mechanical' exfoliation. 

Exfoliants are physical or chemical substances that can be used to remove dead skin cells. Here, we are going to be talking about substances such as coffee grounds, sugars, salts, pumice, loofahs, or brushes (I'm sure there are more). In our Be Beautiful handmade scrubs, we typically use sugar because it is more gentle on the skin. We also have a Coffee and Sugar Scrub, in which we doubled up on the exfoliating agents to form a powerful yet soft scrub for your body, face and hands. The coffee grounds are perfect for a morning wash because they stimulate your skin and give you a boost of energy. 

Our Lemon and Sugar Scrub is our personal favorite, simply because of how fresh it is. Using fresh, natural ingredients such as lemon rind and lemon juice (all squeezed by hand!) you really can't go wrong. Mass produced scrubs sold in drug stores can have harmful chemicals that dry out your skin, thus causing more breakouts. Also, they may have been sitting on the shelf for a very long time. With our small-batch scrubs, we ensure that we know what is going into it and we can attest to it because we use it ourselves.

Whether you make your own scrub or purchase one of ours, we strongly encourage you to make exfoliation a part of your weekly routine! It keeps your skin healthy, glowing, acne-free and even promotes circulation because of the light massaging that is necessary in its application. 

Here is a quick, simple recipe for homemade scrub.

1 cup granulated sugar (white or brown)

1/2 cup coconut oil 

10 drops lavender essential oil

glass jar or container with top

Mix it all up in the jar and use! To use, scrub onto your body and/or face while its damp, massaging the scrub gently into the skin in circular motions. Then rinse thoroughly. 

5 Amazing Uses for Lavender Essential Oil January 17, 2016 16:46

I'm sure many of you have already heard of lavender oil, as it is one of the most commonly known essential oils out there! What you may not be aware of is the extent of its benefits to your health, beauty and overall wellness. Lavender essential oil is used to treat insomnia, anxiety, headaches and muscle pain and is also antimicrobial and antioxidant. It does wonders for your skin-- even for irritated skin conditions such as eczema and cold sores-- due to its calming and moisturizing effects. But remember; for most of the following treatments, you will need therapeutic-grade, good quality essential oil. 

1. Relaxation and Stress Relief

Place approx. 6-8 drops of lavender oil in a hot bath, add in some natural epsom salts and stir around the water. Our Bedtime Bath Salt is a wonderful product that includes lavender essential oil. Excellent for stress relief at the end of a difficult day or to ease muscle pain. Another way to experience the calming effects of lavender oil is to put a few drops in an essential oil diffuser in your home to create a relaxing atmosphere and to ease anxiety. You could also put a few drops between your palms, rub them together and inhale the aroma (or directly inhale from the bottle). 

2. Antimicrobial

Lavender oil has been proven to be an antimicrobial substance, meaning that it kills/ inhibits the growth of microorganisms (such as bacteria or fungus) that could be harming us and our bodies. That is why it's excellent to apply to cuts, scrapes and burns on the skin. For burns, run the skin under cold water for around 8 minutes, then apply a few drops of pure lavender oil (or lavender diluted with coconut oil) to the affected area using a cloth or cotton ball. For cuts, lavender oil can help stop bleeding and speed up the healing process, and is used to clean cuts so that they don't get infected. It is also effective when used in conjunction with tea tree essential oil. 

3. Skin Treatment

In face oil blends, lavender is an important element for maintaining healthy and beautiful skin. From acne-prone skin to mature, dry skin, lavender essential oil is beneficial for keeping your natural oils in balance and your skin hydrated. Add a few drops to carrier oils such as jojoba, coconut or sweet almond. For skin problems such as eczema, dilute with carrier oil and apply to the affected area. Also beneficial for soothing sunburn when mixed with aloe vera. 

4. A Good Night's Sleep

Lavender oil promotes a better, deeper sleep that leaves you feeling more alert and well-rested the following day. It has been proven to help people with insomnia induce sleep and have less restless nights. This can be achieved by rubbing a 3-4 drops of lavender oil on your pillow at night, or diffusing it in an essential oil diffuser in your bedroom. You can also apply a small amount directly to your chest, neck and temples to help you relax. 

5. Treatment of Cold Sores

Cold sores are a result of the herpes viruses (simplex virus type 1 and 2), and can be very painful. One way to treat this common infection is using lavender oil, which not only soothes the pain and burning sensations but also works towards treating and preventing the virus- because it is an antifungal and antiviral. When combined with tea tree, myrhh and peppermint essential oils and diluted with jojoba oil, it can be very effective in treating the cold sores and alleviating the painful symptoms (more on the recipe and application here).