UPDATE: CLEAR SKIN???

Hello Friends,

I recently posted a blog titled "Clear Skin???" and some of you would like to know the tips I was given. Here they are:

1. Use the oil once a day, at night, after your face is clean and free of makeup.
2. Only use the oil every other day or twice a week, but still use the face wash.
3. Use the face wash and only apply the oils to a problem area as needed.

I tried the first option, it was a no go for me. The second option was marginally better, but it still caused break outs. The third option was the best of them all and it gave me the most success. I have adapted it.

This is one of those products that you must adapt to your skin type (I guess). What I have been doing with great results:

1. I wash my face with the Clear Skin/HD Clear foaming face wash in the morning.
2. I apply the HD Face Cream after the shower and just before I blow dry my hair.
3. I will dry my hair (allowing the lotion to soak in), then I apply my makeup on top of that (I use Bare Minerals).
4. At night I wash my face with Simple Face Wash or Scrub (I don't like the smell of the scrub, but it works great).
5. I apply the Clear Skin/HD Clear oil to problem areas.

I have really dry skin and I believe the oils were just drying my face out that much more. I no longer use the oil daily. I only use the face wash and lotion once a day (opposed to twice a day that I was doing before). This has really helped my skin.

Sometimes all it takes is an adjustment to your routine to make things work! I'm glad I posted and had so many great suggestions! Thanks Everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am truly thankful for doTERRA!

With PCOS your menstrual cycle is never consistent.  I started taking the Phytoestrogen about a month or so ago (could have been longer). I'm not consistent in taking it. I'm horrible at taking a pill everyday... I forget. When I do remember though, I only take 1 per day.

The past several months my cycle has been light and spotty. Which isn't unusual for me. Then about every 3-4 months I will have the worst one ever. Doubled over in pain, heavy, and I'm always an emotional wreck. I usually miss at least a day of work because I can't move. I just stay curled up in a ball.

This month was one of the bad ones. I have been taking the Phytoestrogen. It was still very heavy, but it was not painful. I felt the pressure and that's it. I didn't miss any work. I didn't spend a day in tears or crying over stupid stuff. Did I mention that I didn't miss any work? :)

I am very thankful for this product and I will continue to purchase it. Thank you doTERRA!

Now that I have probably grossed ya'll out... I'm going to finish cooking my chicken and noodles. I just took the apple pie out of the oven and it smells delish! Then my hubby and I are headed over to a friends house (they also couldn't go home for Thanksgiving either). We shall stuff ourselves while visiting, playing games, and making memories. 

I hope you find yourselves surrounded by family and friends. 


Much Love!

Ashly

Clear Skin???

Hello, Friends! 

Just as an FYI... "Clear Skin" and "HD Clear" are the same thing. The only thing that changed was the look. All of the oils are the same. I thought they modified the oils with the HD version. I guess I'm a sucker for new labels! :)

Anyway...

I have been trying an experiment for the past month and a half. I was still using makeup everyday. The only thing I changed was the face wash and using the oils on my face. 

I used Clear Skin for a week (oil and face wash) and I started breaking out with really bad acne. I thought it was just my skin needing to adjust to the oils (I used "Simple" before) so I kept at it. It kept getting worse. I stopped using it for a week and went back to using "Simple" and my face started clearing up. 

Once my face was completely clear and acne free, I started using it again. The same thing happened. I broke out with huge, painful, almost boil-like zits. I stopped using it again and went back to "Simple." It cleared up within a matter of days. 

Needless to say... "Clear Skin" does not work for me! That brand new bottle of "HD Clear" I have will be going into the give away basket. Hoping others have better luck with it than I did. I also have a nearly new, barely used bottle of "Clear Skin" oil and "HD Clear" face lotion that I no longer have a need for. I have no idea what to do with those. 

I still LOVE doTERRA. It's just that this particular oil isn't for me. I have the "Verage" line in my cart now, but I'm hesitant to try it out. 

Has anyone else had this kind of reaction with the "Clear Skin/HD Clear" before? Have you tried the new skin care line and did you have the same reaction?

UPDATE: I have received some really good tips. I will be giving this another try, but not using it daily. I will let you know what the results are when I have them! :)

Trim Shake - Update

Hello! It's been a while since my last post. Life has been a bit hectic with school and work lately. I just going to provide a quick update to my Slim Shake breakfast challenge.

I have been drinking one Chocolate Slim Shake a day (usually 8-12 oz of 2% milk). I was just drinking them for breakfast when I first started. Now I have my body and mind trained to LOVE breakfast. This morning I really wanted a slice of toast and an egg. So that's what I cooked for myself. It ended up being a crazy day... so I had a shake for lunch.

I have been working out at the gym 3 days a week. I haven't been to the gym in the last 5 days because of  random dizziness and I have been dreading the scales because of it. Today I was curious. The last time I weighed, I was down 7 pounds from my starting weight. I knew I had gained weight back... I mustered up the courage and I weighed myself today. I was down another 4 pounds. I'm down a total of 11 pounds since starting this journey on October 13th, 2014!!!

I am pretty happy with those results! I guess breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.

Thank you doTERRA for providing a product that I can actually stomach and doesn't taste like I'm drinking a pure chocolate bar for breakfast!

Trim Shake

I can't stand to eat breakfast and my doctor has been after me to eat breakfast for the last few years. He has told me time after time that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Just eating dinner was not cutting it and that is why I have not been able to lose weight.

I decided to try doTERRA Trim Shakes. I purchased the chocolate one and was a bit nervous about how it would taste. I've tried many different shakes: SlimFast, Special K, Nestle, and Benefiber. To me they all leave this horrible after taste in your mouth and I could barely stomach the smell.

Trim Shake doesn't have a horrible smell and the taste is rather nice. It mixes well in my blender bottle and doesn't leave clumps or chunks. I'm kind of in love with it. I find drinking this shake is much easier for me than eating a meal. I just can't force myself to eat anything in the morning. So a drink is a nice alternative.

I have been drinking the Trim Shake the past week. I personally don't like a strong chocolate flavor so I mix 2 scoops in 16 oz of milk (opposed to 1 scoop per 4 oz) with a drop of wild orange. Next on my list is vanilla.

So far after 1 week of drinking Trim Shake, I have lost 5 pounds. We will see if it keeps happening for me! :) I believe with this shake and an awesome workout, great things are bound to happen for me! 

DIY Vapor Rub and Tabs

My husband is coming down with the same stuff I had a few weeks ago (Head Cold). He applies the oils one time and expects to be better immediately. I explain to him that he has to reapply throughout the day. It's like medicine in the aspect of wearing off and needing application every 1-2 hours. He's horrible about reapplying.

I have noticed if there is a jar premixed with organic coconut oil, he is much more likely to reapply. Why? I have no idea. I personally find roller bottles much more convenient. To each their own, I guess.  

I decided today to make him some homemade "Vapor Rub" and "Vapor Tabs" for the shower. I have not tried anything like this before and I must say it was extremely easy!

Vapor Rub:

I find it easier to place the solid coconut oil in the jar (4 oz), then place it in the microwave for a few seconds to melt (does not have to be completely liquid).Take it out of the microwave and allow it to cool down. Be careful not to allow it to get solid again.

Once the coconut oil cooled off. I added:

20 drops Eucalyptus
10 drops Lavender
10 drops Rosemary

Stir Gently or you can place the lid back on the jar and shake (kids love that part).

Vapor Tabs:

Yields 12 Tabs

Mix the following together in a bowl.

2 cups baking soda
2/3 cup of water + 2-4 tablespoons (as needed)

These are approximate measurements. I'm one of those that doesn't measure a lot of things. The consistency should be a paste.

At this point I would suggest using either the foil cupcake liners or use the silicone cupcake pan. Let me just tell you, the paper ones don't work so great! Fill your liners up with the baking soda/water mixture. Bake at 350 for approx. 20 minutes.

Pull them out of the oven and let cool. Once cool, I added generous amounts of essential oils to the top and bottom of each tab. I only added oils to a couple of them. On the rest we will add the oils to them right before shower time.

The oils I used are:

5-10 drops of each Eucalyptus, Lavender, and Rosemary.

I store mine in a gallon sized Ziploc bag. Any air tight container will work.

*** Most recipes ask you to mix in the essential oils prior to baking. I am always afraid that it will lessen the effectiveness, so I add it to the tabs once they are cooled and ready for use.

This seemed to work really well. I have never used the Vick's brand shower tabs, so I can't really compare it for you. Sorry about that. However, my hubby has reported that he feels much better and he can breathe out of both sides of his nose. :)

Shampoo and Conditioner... UPDATE

I must say that after a few more uses my hair does not feel stringy or oily like it was when I first started using the Salon Essentials S&C. I can run my fingers through my hair without any tangles.

I will probably purchase these products again. I guess my hair just needed time to adjust to the lack of chemicals going onto the strands everyday!