o: my top 20 (part one).

time for an oil post!  i've had more than one person recently ask me to share my top 15 favorite oils with them. so, i sat down to make a list and realized that was not an easy task.  impossible really :) 

instead, i'm going to share with you my top 20 oils and 3 favorite non-oil YL products, but i'm breaking the posts up into two parts (because, well....i'm a mom and don't have 3 hours to sit down and blog at once).  

these are all the oils and products that i refuse to ever run out of at any given time.  i'll go over just a few (definitely not all) of my favorite uses for each one. 

ok first up, thieves.  this is one that i use religiously, every single day.  i put one drop of it on my toothbrush with my (thieves) toothpaste.  mainly because it makes my teeth and mouth feel and taste amazing and clean but also because it is a germ and bacteria killer so it freshens my breath AND keeps my immunity up.  a few drops in a cup of hot water with lemon eo and honey is the best sore throat soother i have ever used.  diluted in olive oil and rubbed on elias' gums it has helped calm his teething pains and discomforts.  a drop pressed to the roof of my mouth in the midst of a nasty headache has brought the severity down from a 10 to a 3.  oh, and its not terrible that it smells like heaven.

next on the list is joy.  as you've read by now, i struggle with anxiety.  and for those of you who experience it, you know that anxiety is a b*&%h.  i have so many oils i reach for when my anxiety levels are high, but lately this one is my instant calm.  the smell is so wonderful (although that was definitely not my opinion when i first smelled it). i like to put it in my diffuser necklace to wear as my perfume while enjoying the uplifting and happy benefits it gives me.  if i'm around the house i'll diffuse it with lemon or another citrus oil.

number 3 (and these aren't in any specific order) is RC.  RC stands for respiratory congestion.  it's a blend that includes lots of eucalyptus as well as peppermint, myrtle, pine and more.  it's one of those oils that you won't wanna head into cold and flu season without.  my favorite way to use it is by mixing it with some carrier oil in my hand and rubbing it all over my chest if i'm battling a cough or runny nose.  it seems to be instant relief for me when i've used it.

motivation! can you tell this one excites me?? i'm actually diffusing it right now and my sparkly clean floors downstairs can thank me for it!  this is the oil i grab when i'm just feeling slow, lazy and.....well, unmotivated.  if i really wanna amp it up i will put a few drops of en-r-gee and orange oil in the diffuser with the motivation and i'm nonstop.  and it's not like what you feel when you've downed a red bull (racing heart, anxious, fake energy).

the next oil that i'd panic without is white angelica.  and it helps me not panic lol!  we in the oil world like to call this one "patience in a bottle".  and having a 3 year old and 1 year old, my patience is tested daily.  i sit down, place a drop or two in the palm of my hand, cup my hands together and slowly inhale the amazing smell.  long, slow breaths are just helpful in general....but adding wa to that regimen is amazing.

cedarwood. this oil is so great because its SO cheap.  less than $12 for 15ml (which is about 250 drops).  i use this oil every single night in mine and jon's diffuser when we go to bed.  Same with Makena. it's also in more than one of my anxiety rollers. AND it can promote hair growth if used with lavender oil in my shampoo.  i hoard this cheapie but goodie!

ok where are we? number 7.  gentle baby.  this one is hard to keep around because it's out of stock a lot.  that being said, if you see it in stock...snatch it up.  even if you don't have a baby.  i use it on myself as often as i use it on my kiddos.  it's in my stretch mark cream that i'm using daily.  it's so gentle on the skin, which is also why i love replacing elias' store bought diaper rash cream with a mixture of coconut and gb oil.

one of my favorite multi-purpose oils is purification.  if you don't know enough about it, you probably just think that it eliminates smells.  which, it does! and it does so amazingly well.   it doesn't just mask a stink, it seriously makes it vanish.  i use a few drops on a cotton ball in my kids' diaper genie, in my laundry for fresher, cleaner smelling clothes AND it rids of lots of stains on our clothes.  also, diffused with thieves during cold and flu season makes me more confident that germs aren't just lingering in the house waiting to attack someone.  further, when i have a sore throat, a drop can be applied to the outer throat to relieve some pain (add a cup of thieves tea and i'm good as new).

orange.  if for nothing else, the smell! who doesn't love the smell of a freshly cut orange in their kitchen or garbage disposal? for me, it's always my go-to when i'm applying or diffusing an oil that doesn't smell all that great.  i also love love love to cook with it! its added to my water almost daily.  yum yum.

and last up for part one of my top 20 oils is stress away.  this one is pretty self-explanatory.  this is another one i like to wear in my diffuser necklace because it's available all day.  in moments of stress, anxiety or panic i just reach down for my necklace and slowly breathe in the amazing smell.  yum this one seriously smells so great.  it has notes of lime and vanilla.  i even add a few drops to my sparkling water with some orange when i need to chill a bit.

and that's it for part one!! will hopefully get to part two within the next few days :)