Tag: essential oils

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Let's Look

Let’s Look: Evening Routines

Hello all!

Happy Wednesday! 

I hope you are having a great September. It’s the second Tuesday of the month which means it’s time for another Let’s Look as I link up with  Erika and Shay. 

This year has been flying by, I can’t believe we are closer to the end of the year than the beginning or middle. It’s been such a good and fulfilling year, I can’t complain. 

Here’s a quick recap of all the Let’s Looks we have done this year. 

In August, we talked about our worst habits, In July, we talked about new favorite summer finds, in June, we talked about best travel tips, in May, we talked about our morning routines, in April, we talked about pet peeves, in March, we talked about Amazon purchases, in February it was about our medicine cabinets.

I love getting a look into other people’s lives and I love sharing a bit about my own too!

This month’s prompt is a look into our evening routines. My evening routine is pretty lowkey and not too exciting compared to my morning routine. It also ebbs and flows more than my morning routines.

 For me, the end of the day is all about wrapping things up and prepping for the next day so I can do my part to have a smoother morning.

After I get home from work or whatever I’m doing that day, I’ll eat dinner, visit with my family and clean up. Then I’ll do some computer work or picking up, like laundry, getting my lunch, prepping for the next day, anything that needs done.

I’ll shower and wash my face then unwind for the night. Unwinding is typically done by watching a show (whatever I’m binge watching or if there’s a weekly show I’m watching) or I’ll do some reading. If I have to be up early, I may drink some Sleepytime Tea to unwind. This is what I’m currently drinking.

My current favorite tea!

Right now, I’m watching A Perfect Story on Netflix which follows the story of a runaway bride and how she turns her life around when she meets someone totally unexpected. It’s a light-hearted mini series that’s only five episodes long, so it’s been a fast watch.

I just finished reading Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson. I have been waiting all summer to read it, but it was always checked out at the library. It was such a good and fast read all about the dynamics of a wealthy family in New York City. I loved how it was told from different perspectives and truly fell in love with the storylines and characters. Sometimes I’ll watch an episode or two depending on the time or read a few chapters or pages, it mostly depends on the day and how busy I am.

My latest read!

I try to be in bed between 9:00 and 9:30 when I’m working an early shift which means my alarm goes off at 3:30 a.m. or by 10:00-10:30 when I’m up at a normal time like 6:00 a.m.

A few things I always use before bed is my Sara Happ Lip Scrub and Slip. Since I always have lipstick on, I like to use this scrub and slip to clean and protect my lips nightly.

I also like to use essential oils at night for a good night’s sleep. I use different scents through the day, but at night I stick to Lavendar, Peppermint or mixes like Calm, Headache, or Deep Sleep.

I always use these at night.

If I also use a pillow/room mist that has Lavendar in it too and then I always apply some hand lotion before bed, Bath and Body Works Lavendar has been my go-to.

Now all that’s left is to put on my eye mask and hit the pillow. I do one final check on my phone for social media or to see if there’s any calls or emails I may have missed and then it’s time for bed.

My morning routine is way more detailed an expansive. However, at night, it’s just about wrapping up the day, getting set for tomorrow and then calming the mind and body. I’ll do some deep breathing techniques right before bed and that typically puts me to sleep.

Alarms set for the new day!

I wish my evening was more exciting, but it’s pretty subdue. 

I’m always curious to learn about other people’s evening routines! Tell me, what do you do at night that helps you get ready for a new day or unwind at the end of the day? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Sleeping!

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Fabulous living

Breaking Down: Diffuser, Candles and Essential Oils

Hello All! Happy October! 

I hope you are all having a great start to your new month.

As we begin a new month and new season, one thing you may enjoy as the temperatures begin to drop is cozying up inside. I know there’s nothing I enjoy more than taking out a fuzzy blanket and having a room that smells like fall when I’m looking to relax. But how do you get a room to smell warm and cozy and inviting? Do you light a candle, plug in a wall flower, diffuse some essential oils? I’ve tried all three and in good news, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the options. I’ve tested them all and think they can all be used in one way or another. It all comes down to preference.

Let’s start with diffusers. I’ve used my diffuser the longest. I started using it in college when you weren’t allowed to use candles or wall flowers in dorm rooms.

I really like how natural essentials oils are and how they made a room smell. I also liked reading and learning about different oils and how you can combine them and how they can be used for your health too.

Some of my favorite essential oils to use are lavender or peppermint (especially at night to help with sleep or headaches), lemon when cleaning or a few combinations of oils in the winter to help build immunity to avoid getting sick. 

I tend to use essential oils at night or when I’m looking for a subtle smell to have in the background. In my opinion, the only one downside it that essential oils are super strong so if you are looking to really have your room smell different then this may not be the best option. I keep mine by my bedside and always enjoy the smell it brings when I go to bed or wake up.

Option #1 Diffusers

Next up candles! I love burning a candle when I’m getting ready in the morning or when I’m reading or watching a movie or just relaxing at the end of a long day. I really like the atmosphere and tone that lighting a candle provides. It’s almost as if you are being intentional to relax, calm down and unwind. There’s so many different scents and combinations you can make your space smell fresh, or warm and inviting or even like sheet of fresh baked cookies. I tend to go with scents found in nature like pine or peppermint, or seasonal scents too, like apple in the fall or cedarwood in the summer. I like the mood that lighting a candle can set for any room. Plus they make a nice piece of decor too.

My current favorite candle

Lastly, we have wall flowers. This is my latest favorite room essential. I got my wall flower and scents from Bath and Body Works. One thing I like about wall flowers is how you can choose how strong you want a scent to smell and it can really take over a room. Whether you like that or not is another decision. I often find myself turning on a wall flower if I’m looking to really have my room or space smell a certain way if that makes sense. I will often use it for only a few hours a day when I’m spending a lot of time in the room or if I’m having company over and I’m looking for a stronger scent. Another nice thing about wall flowers is you can stock up on favorite scents so you don’t run out. Plus, there’s so many different fun scents for the holidays too.

My current favorite

In my opinion, you really can’t go wrong with any of the these options, they are all around the same price range (minus getting an initial diffuser or wall flower) They all have peaks and pits to them,  but I think it really just depends on how strong you want a room to smell, how works best for your space and the atmosphere too. Plus, with the holidays coming up, this could be a great gift for someone in your life or something to ask for for yourself. There’s no right or wrong way to go about this, but I think that changing the way your space smells is a great way to elevate a space for you and any company you have. 

So, I want to know, what’s your favorite way to go about making your space smell good? Let me know in the comments below.!

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Fabulous living

Managing Stress

Hello everyone! I hope your week is off to a great start as your summers get underway. Although the summer months are filled with fun, adventures, and lots of time outside but it also means a change of routine which can cause lots of stress. Whether you have a high stress job or pockets of stress in your life, there’s always things to do to manage or lower your stress. 

Here are some of my top tips for managing stress. 

  • When life gets to be a lot, write it down.

I always feel better when I write my to do list or what’s on my mind down, I always feel a lot better, plus when I see it all written down, it makes everything a lot more manageable. I also journal every day and that helps me reflect on the good every day and puts things in perspective too. I always start my day off with journaling and my daily prayers. When I start my day off with my routine

  • Get outside

Whenever a situation gets overwhelming or stressful, I find it helpful to take a walk or get outside and just get some fresh air. Even if it’s just for 10 minutes, it makes a big difference. The sunshine makes it even better to get outside and just process things.

Going on walks is a favorite of mine
  • Talk it Out

I always feel better after I talk about my stressors or pain points with someone, whether it’s my mom or best friend. It always makes me feel better just to talk out what’s going on instead of bottling it up inside. 

  • Create a relaxing atmosphere 

Especially at the end of a stressful day, I like to create a soothing and relaxing atmosphere. Whether it’s burning some candles or using some essential oils, I like to cultivate a space that I can truly unwind and relax.

I saw this on Instagram and I couldn’t agree more. We all need time to just rest.
  • Breathing exercises 

I started to use the Mindfulness feature on my fitbit, it allows me to practice deep breathing whenever I need time to just pause and reset.

My mindfulness app

These are a few tricks that have worked for me. What things do you do to relax or manage your stress?

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Fabulous living

Skipping into Spring

Hi guys!

Happy Wednesday.

I hope you have been staying safe and staying at home. I feel like we are all taking it one day at a time and that’s the best we can do. We will get through this. One good thing to look forward to is that spring is here. The next few weeks will bring warmer weather, flowers blooming and warm sunshine. I love the time between spring and summer, in between work and staying at home, I have been getting into the spring season. Here are some ways that I have been gearing up for spring, who knows maybe they will give you some suggestions and you can share your suggestions for how you have been getting ready for spring too!

  • Get outside and take a walk. I have been trying to get outside every day, whether it’s for a walk, some fresh air, or just to sit. It’s so good to get a change of scenery too.
  • Open the windows, not only does it air out your house but it also brings some fresh air and it brings some new light in your home or room.
  • Change out your wardrobe, say goodbye to the blacks and browns and say hello to the pinks, yellows, greens and blues. Although we can’t hit the stores for a while, it will be nice to bring some brighter colors into our wardrobe. I love pastels to welcome the new season.
  • Change out your scents, I love my essential oil diffuser, in the winter I love to use peppermint or pine, but in the spring, I love lemon and orange to bring breath of fresh air into my room. 
  • Give yourself something to look forward to…whether it’s a summer to do, or things you want to do with friends, there’s nothing better than making some plans of things you want to do in the late spring or early summer.
The first sign of spring…new flowers blooming.

We may still be in a weird or limbo time, but think of all the small things in life that you can look forward to or make the most out of every day. There may be a lot of unknowns but focus on the few good things that can come out of every day. Positivity over negativity. 

Have a wonderful week. Keep smiling, the world needs your smile now more than ever!

Categories
Fabulous living

Essential Oils

Hello All! 

Happy Tuesday! 

I hope you had a relaxing weekend, it’s finally spring and I am so happy to welcome the warmer weather, not only is there warmer weather here, but also the final countdown of the semester is on! This year has been one of the best years yet, and I can’t wait to see what my last semester has in store for me. Today, I wanted to share one of my favorite trends with you. It’s official…I am a believer of Essential Oils. I started using oils about a year ago and now I use them every day.

I always have my diffuser going on my windowsill.

I even brought min verisons with my to Italy, I loved having the consistency of my favorite scents when I was out of the country.

Yes, I have mini versions of my oils for when I travel..no shame

I personally get my oils from Doterra. But, you can get them anywhere, I’ve seen them at Target, T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Home Goods, essential oils are all the rave and the more people I talk to the more I find out about all the different uses for them. I have heard people using them for cooking, cleaning, staying healthy, preventing illness, and relaxing. I can’t wait to use them in new ways this summer when I am not constantly bogged down with work.  

My favorite oils-Peppermint, Orange, Lemon, Balance, Breathe, On-guard, and Serenity

Today, I wanted to share my favorite scents and how I use them in my everyday life. For starters, these are my oils I have so far, and I use them every day. I have a diffuser that goes 24/7. I typically diffuse one scent at night and different ones each day. For night time, I typically diffuse Serenity which is a lavender based oil, I have always had issues with sleeping but this year I have been sleeping better and I think a lot of it has to do with diffusing essential oils. I feel more relaxed and content when I have soothing oils diffusing. I also use the serenity for headaches as well as the peppermint which are miracle workers.

During the day I change oils frequently. For example, when the cold or flu is going around, or I am prepping to leave for a trip, Onguard is going non-stop. It is a greater fighter against germs.

Another few scents on heavy rotation especially in the winter when I want a fresh smell

When I am finished cleaning, I typically mix orange and lemon for a fresh smell or lemon and peppermint or orange and peppermint to freshen up a room. When I need a change or smell or need to reset myself Balance is my go-to. 

These are on constant rotation especially with Spring coming soon

I love how the essential oils provide a healthy smell to the room, it’s not too overpowering but you can definitely smell the subtle refreshing smell. I also like how it is an alternative scent with no harsh chemicals. By far, one of the best parts is that it’s college dorm room safe! YAY!

Have you guys tried essential oils? What are your favorite mixes and uses for essential oils? Please share them with me, I am always looking for new ones to try. Have a great week ahead, enjoy the beginning of Spring weather!!