Starter Kit Gift Idea #2 After Shave w/Melaleuca Alternifolia & Stress Away

This is a great follow-up to the Day 1 gift of shaving soap! Combine it for one gift, or give this one separately for people who use different shaving methods. This works well for men & women!

Day 2 of my Starter Kit Gift Ideas is for After Shave using Mel A & Stress Away! I am going to be posting both a salve & a liquid.

These can also be applied after waxing

Aftershave Salve 

1/8 cup organic coconut oil

1/4 cup organic raw shea butter

2 drops YL Melaleuca Alternifolia (tea tree) essential oil

2 drop  YL Stress Away essential oil blend

Add everything into a small bowl and whip with a small blender, stand mixer, or by hand. Place into a nice container and you're good to go! 

This is a rich, creamy salve that goes on smoothly and really moisturized nicely. Can be used on the face and body! A little bit goes a long way.

Liquid Aftershave

3 Tbsp witch hazel

5 Tbsp organic apple cider vinegar

2 drops YL Melaleuca Alternifolia (tea tree) essential oil

1 drop YL Stress Away essential oil blens

Combine all ingredients in a jar with a well-sealed lid. Close and shake the jar to mix thoroughly. Place the jar in a cool, dark place for a few days, making sure to shake it well once a day. It should be ready to go after 3-4 days. Shake well before use.

There are different options for use as well

• Place in a spritzer bottle and lightly spritz onto your skin after shaving. Make sure to avoid sensitive areas like lips & eyes.
• Poke small holes in the lid of your jar. Using a cotton ball, shake a small amount out and then use the cotton ball to pat your skin
• Pour a small amount in your hands. Lightly pat your hands together, then apply to face.

Starter Kit Gift Idea #1 Frankincense Shaving Soap

Many of us LOVE home made gifts! And yes, that includes our facial shaving population. :-)

Day 1 of my Starter Kit Gift Ideas is for Frankincense Shaving Soap.

Ingredients

2 bars castile soap (Dr. Bronner's is a popular brand)
1 Tbsp carrier oil (you can use coconut, olive, avocado, almond)
4 Tbsp french white clay
5-10 drops of Young Living Frankincense Essential Oil

You will also want to choose what type of container you are putting the shaving soap in. For a complete gift set, you can by a shave brush & container. Sometimes they even come with a razor and other accessories.

 

Otherwise, you can put the soap in a mason jar, mug, bowl etc.

Instructions

1. Grate the bars of soap using a cheese grater or mandolin
2. Place the grated soap in a medium sized pot on low heat. Add in the oil of your choosing and let them melt together. This could take a minimum of 15 minutes to start seeing results. Some bars may take even longer. 
3. Once the soap and carrier oil are melted smoothly and combined, add in the clay and mix well. 
4. Remove the mixture from heat and add in the frankincense oil. Stir gently but well.
5. Pour into the containers you chose. You can also pour the remaining liquid into silicone muffin or shape trays for refillers.
6. Let the uncovered containers sit out for 5-7 days to harden and cure. They will harden more over time, and the shaving cream lasts for several uses.

How to use a shaving soap & brush

• The methods are somewhat personal to each user. Foaming a shaving soap is a bit like mixing concrete; use too much water and it's soup, not enough water and, well, you get the picture. That being said, this is a good place to start. 
• Soak the bristles of your brush in hot water for about 15 seconds. Remove it from the water and squeeze off the excess water OR shake it a few times. 
• Swirl your brush briskly around the top of the shaving soap, rubbing the soap into the brush. When a lather starts to form, continue rubbing for another 30 seconds or so to make sure the brush has picked up enough soap.
• Rub the lathered-up brush on your face, brushing vigorously to coat with the soap. The lather will start to build up on your face. You should have more soap than hair showing. You may want to add a few drops of water onto the brush and continue to lather your face.
• Once you reach the desired lather, you can rinse and squeeze your brush then get to shaving!

About Frankincense 

This is directly from Young Living:

"Frankincense (Boswellia carteri) has a sweet, warm, balsamic aroma that is stimulating and elevating to the mind. Useful for visualizing, improving one's spiritual connection, and centering, it has comforting properties that help focus the mind and overcome stress and despair. Frankincense is considered the holy anointing oil in the Middle East, where it has been used in religious ceremonies for thousands of years. 
More recently, it has been used in European and American hospitals and is the subject of substantial research. 
Frankincense is also a valuable ingredient in skin care products for aging and dry skin. The ancient Egyptians used it in rejuvenation face masks. Frankincense has an approximate ORAC of 6,125 (TE/L). TE/L is expressed as micromole Trolox equivalent per liter."

Homemade crockpot applesauce with thieves & lemon

So simple, so healthy, so inexpensive, SO TASTY!! Apples are for sure a fall favorite. But applesauce is delicious and loved by most year round. My daughter LOVES applesauce and this is a no fuss, easy, and cost-effective way to make super yummy and healthy applesauce. I KNOW what's in it, and I know it's amazing!

Ingredients

8 Medium-Large apples of your choosing
1 1/4 cup hot water
3 Tablespoons raw honey (regular is OK if that's all you have)
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 drops Young Living lemon essential oil
1 drop Young Living thieves essential oil

Step 1

Wash your apples! I fill my sink with water and a splash of the thieves household cleaner, then swoosh the apples around. Rinse with water.

Step 2

Core, peel, and slice the apples. I prefer a little bit of peel in my applesauce. You can leave the peels on, or totally peel them. Have it your way!

Step 3

Put your apples in the crock pot. You'll want it nice and full! 

Step 4

Whisk together the hot water, vanilla, and honey until well blended. Pour the mixture over the apples, making sure to pour evenly over the top.

Step 5:

Set the crock pot on high and cook for 3 hours. Stir once an hour, making sure to mix well

Turn it down to low and cook for an additional hour 

Set aside 

At this point, add in your essential oils and stir 

Let the applesauce sit until lukewarm

Step 6

This step is really up to preference. You can leave the applesauce as is if you prefer it to be chunky. Other options include mashing with a potato masher, blending with an immersion blender, or pouring the applesauce into a food processor. Personally, I just use a potato masher and mash it up a bit. We like it a little chunky. Transfer into a container and store in the fridge. Enjoy!