YOUNG LIVING'S OILS ARE SO PURE AND POTENT, THAT WE MUST RESPECT THE DROPS LIKE THE LITTLE POWERHOUSES THAT THEY ARE. Don't worry, though! It's mostly common sense and becomes more and more intuitive as you begin to use your oils every day.

Here are a few safety suggestions that should get you off to a good start! Pay extra attention to #10! 

1. Store them in a cool, dark place with lids secure to maintain their properties.

2. Keep a carrier oil, like YL's V6 oil complex or coconut oil, on hand to dilute. If an oil is too strong on your skin, just apply some carrier oil and wipe off if necessary.

3. Always use glass containers with your oils, especially when drinking, since plastics contain chemicals that the oils will break down.

4. Only use YL's Vitality line internally. These are labeled just for internal use to make it easy!

5. For those with sensitive skin, it may be best to test a small area and wait 30 minutes before applying more. 

6. Keep oils away from eyes and never put them directly in your ears. Should oils irritate or get near the eyes, use a carrier oil (like YL's V6 oil complex or coconut oil) to remove the oil and lessen discomfort. NEVER use water.

7. Citrus oils are photosensitive and may cause a rash or darkening of skin if applied before direct sun exposure. As a general rule, wait 12 hours or after applying a citrus oil before going in the sun.

8. Those with epilepsy or high blood pressure should use caution when using high-ketone oils like basil, rosemary, sage or tansy. 

9. The bottom of the feet is a very safe place to apply your oils and is super efficient for getting the oils into your system.

10. RELAX! You can't really "mess up" using your oils. Experiment, see what you like and give yourself lots of opportunity to see just how incredible and versatile these oils really are! 

This will save you some frustration waiting for those precious drops!

Knowing the oil comes out of this hole can be SUPER helpful for the thicker oils like myrrh, rose, vetiver, etc.

You may even want to put a mark on the bottle label on the side where the hole is so you won't have to search for it.

The more you know...

Some oils were meant to be hoarded. Seriously! Let me tell you why.

YL oils are the BEST and are 100% a product of the earth, with it's changing climate and different seasons. Sometimes there is an unfavorable growing season. This could mean there just isn't enough of the plant to even harvest, or that the quality of the oil is not up to our standards.

YL will *not* sacrifice standards. They would rather lose money than sell us an oil that is less-than the best. So, sometimes that means we have a limited stock and only one 5ml bottle per account can be purchased each month. Other times, there is only enough of a single to create the blends and the single remains out of stock. There are times when both the single and the blends it is a part of go out of stock for extended periods of time.

This is a good thing! Sustainability is a priority and that speaks volumes. Quality is a priority and that speaks volumes.

An easy way to know if an oil is worth hoarding is if it has a limit on it. Any oil with a limit to how many you can buy per account each month is worth hoarding. Any oil that you use often or would need, without substitutes, in certain situations is worth hoarding. Any oil you use daily is worth hoarding. Oils like SleepyIze, Peace & Calming, Valor, Deep Relief, RutaVala, Goldenrod, Frankincense, Helichrysum, and Sandalwood come to mind!

There is nothing as satisfying as a stockpile of your very favorite and most precious oils. You can never have too many.

Apparently, we're coming up on cold & flu season! Only, here is a crazy fact: Flu season does not exist!

"Flu season" is actually just an inability to *adapt* as a result of less sunshine & water combined with too much sugar and stress.

No matter what the time of year, here are my TOP 10 TIPS TO STAY ABOVE THE WELLNESS LINE.

1. USE YOUR THIEVES EVERY SINGLE DAY. It’s a powerful way to support your immune system so your body can fight the good fight and win. This could mean you apply it to your feet (making a pre-diluted roll-on makes this super easy to swipe on yourself and the kiddos). This could also mean that you take a drop under your tongue (be warned, it is spicy), MAKE IT INTO TEA or even diffuse it in the air.

2. TAKE YOUR SHOT OF NINGXIA RED EVERY DAY. NINGXIA is loaded with antioxidants, which work hard to remove free radicals from the body. Free radicals damage immune cells, so you can see how it would be important to get rid of them! NingXia Red also helps support healthy blood sugar balance, our circulatory system and cognitive health, so it’s easy to see why saying “cheers” and taking a shot (or two) of NingXia each day is a really good step in the direction of wellness!

3. TAKE A PROBIOTIC. Young Living has a really great probiotic called Life9 that I take every single day. The vast majority of our immune system resides in our gut. Our gut depends on being colonized by good, life supporting bacteria. “Probiotic” literally means “for life.” So, take a Life9 probiotic for life!

4. TAKE SOME ELDERBERRY SYRUP EVERY DAY. It’s easy to make and especially since our recipe uses essential oils instead of dried herbs, a very delicious way to boost your immune system. It can be taken by the spoonful, added to smoothies, poured over pancakes & waffles or stirred into tea. You really can’t go wrong!

5. EAT CLEAN. Eating a nutrient rich, nourishing diet is so important. We can support the systems of our body with essential oil, but we have to give it what it needs to remain healthy. I like to use Slique Essence and Ocotea Vitality as a supplement in water or alone to help curb cravings so I stay on the right track! Pure Protein Complete is another great way to be sure you’re getting all the good stuff your body needs! It contains 22 grams of Young Living’s Complete Amino Profile Blend and includes a vegetarian enzyme complex that supports proper digestion and metabolism. As a bonus, it tastes AMAZING!

6. DRINK WATER. Drinking plenty of water has a huge affect on our health. Add citrus citrus oils to your water to make it delicious and something you look forward to drinking! This also helps support your body's ability to detox, making it that much easier for you to fight off any bugs.

7. GET SLEEP. Obviously, we all need rest. Often, this is easier said than done. Luckily, we have several ways to use oils to help get lots of sleep! Using relaxing oils at bedtime will really help with this. These can be used on your chest, forehead, brainstem and feet, focusing on the big toe as that is the VitaFlex point for the brain. They can also be used in the diffuser, mixed into epsom salt in a bath, added to warm water to make tea or even spritzed on the bedding as a linen spray. Some suggestions for relaxing oils are lavender, cedarwood, roman chamomile, valerian, Tranquil, RutaVala, Stress Away, Peace & Calming, Dream Catcher and Surrender. Young Living also makes a wonderful supplement to encourage a restful night of sleep called Sleep Essence. It is glorious!

8. MOVE YOUR BODY. Staying still for long periods of time can put you at the same risk for heart disease as someone who smokes. Moving feels good because it’s good for you! Do what your body is intended to do and get some exercise. Before getting active, I like to apply some Breathe Again, which supports a healthy respiratory system, or peppermint, which may improve performance. Taking a NingXia Nitro prior to working out can also give a great energy boost! When I’m done, I use Cool Azul Sports Gel and/or Cool Azul essential oil blend on my muscles. The cooling sensation it provides feels so nice!

9. RELAX. Stress is killer and it can effect your body, thoughts, and feelings. It comes in many forms and it’s different for all of us. Take some time to see what is causing you the most stress and what you can do to reduce or eliminate it. For me, excess stuff was cluttering up my mind and paralyzing me. I harnessed the power of the blends Motivation and Surrender and did a serious clean-out of my home. I could feel my stress levels drop with every load I dropped off at Goodwill. Also, be sure you take some time to just “be.” Take a bath, meditate, do a bit of yoga, write in a journal, whatever makes you feel content! Epsom salt baths are one of my favorite ways to relax. I add a few cups of epsom salt to the bottom of my empty tub and stir 4-5 drops of essential oil in it before running the water. My favorites are Stress Away, lavender and Peace and Calming.

10. DITCH THE TOXINS. We all want a clean home, but did you know that nearly all the products on the market meant to “clean” our home are FULL of toxins that are left behind on all the surfaces you spray it on. It’s also expensive and cumbersome to buy and store different cleaners for each cleaning job. Thieves Household Cleaner is an amazing plant-based concentrate that will save you TONS of money and actually CLEAN every surface of your home. You could also use Thieves Laundry Soap so you aren’t walking around with the chemical version of a “field of flowers” rubbing against your skin and being inhaled into your lungs. Fragrance is the new second hand smoke. Awful stuff! Thieves Laundry Soap works incredibly well and leaves clothes and linens smelling and looking fresh and clean! Fewer toxins means less yuck to weigh our body down and tax our system. That means our body is left to function as it was meant to and that is exactly what we’re going for here!