After losing my husband to cancer, my quest to pursue wellness for myself and my young kids was very important to me. I wanted to do what I could to use non toxic products in my home that didn’t burden our bodies unnecessarily. I am the gatekeeper of my home, so what comes in is generally because I have allowed it.
Toxins can be hidden in the most unexpected places, and I was surprised to learn that the things I was using to make my house smell good could be dangerous.Candles, Air Fresheners, Plug-ins, Oh My!
I love the smell and the ambiance they give. I used to burn candles all the time and have an air freshener in the bathroom. I would look for a sale on my favorite scents, so I would never run out. As I learned more about a non toxic lifestyle, I was alarmed to realize I was using products that were harmful to our health.
Many candles are made from paraffin wax, which releases harmful toxins when burned, like soot, formaldehyde and benzene, which are known carcinogens. Also, the fragrances in candles, air fresheners and plug-ins are made up of a long list of chemicals that can have a negative impact on our wellness. Companies are not required to disclose the ingredients in a fragrance, as it is considered a “trade secret”. That means a product could contain some awful ingredients and they don’t have to tell you. These chemicals can be linked to cancer, reproductive and developmental toxicity, allergies and sensitivities.
I was alarmed and disappointed to learn all of this, but I was introduced to a healthy, non toxic alternative.
Diffusers and High Quality Essential Oils
Pure essential oils are made from plants, not chemicals, so you don’t have to worry about breathing in harmful fragrances. As I learned the benefits of essential oils, I began replacing the candles and air fresheners in my home with diffusers and high quality essential oils. .
Not only does my house smell great, but essential oils also help to clean the air and support our bodies.
An unexpected benefit to ditching and switching, is I saved money! This one shocked me. I didn’t expect high quality essential oils and a diffuser to be a frugal option to candles. Candles and air fresheners are disposable products, but a good diffuser will last for years and can run up to 16 hours at a time. A 15 ml bottle of essential oil can have up to 300 drops of oil in it, and if I am only using 2-3 drops at a time, that bottle will last a long time.
Keep in mind that quality is important when choosing essential oils. Low quality oils are often cheaper, but they are diluted with a carrier oil and toxic fragrance. Make sure you’re choosing quality when buying essential oils.
When I began my journey with essential oils, I chose a starter kit with a diffuser, which gave a variety of high quality oils and a good diffuser. Here are some links to my favorite kits to get the most bang for your buck:
Premium Starter Bundle - this is the kit I began with, and it was plenty to get started for a long time. Over five years later, and my diffuser is still going strong!
Make a Shift Essential Solutions Kit - this is a simple kit with some amazing essential oils and blends, plus a beautiful diffuser.
My Favorite Diffuser - this kit contains my favorite diffuser (pictured below), plus a few essential oils, and non toxic hand soap!
Diffuser Recipes
Focus:
2 drops Peppermint
2 drops Lemon 
Wellness:
2 drops Lemongrass
2 drops Clove
2 drops Tea Tree
Fresh and Clean:
2 drops Thieves
2 drops Peppermint
Cozy:
3 drops Orange
2 drops Thieves
2 drops Copaiba
1 drop Peppermint
Calm and Happy:
4 drops Citrus Fresh
1 drop Frankincense
Motivation:
4 drops Peppermint
4 drops Tangerine
3 drops Lemon
2 drops Frankincense
These diffuser blends can be customized however you like. Don’t have tangerine? Replace it with orange. Did you run out of frankincense? Try copaiba or lavender. Low on Citrus Fresh? Use several of your favorite citrus oils instead.
You can also use each diffuser blend to make your own air freshener spray bottle by doubling or tripling the amount of oils. In an 8 oz glass spray bottle, add your desired oils and fill the rest of the way with water. Shake well before each use.
Which blend are you going to try today? Share with me in the comments!
If you choose to order from my links, let me know, so I can share a coupon code with you for your first order.
0 Comments