Essential Oils For Protection Against The Elements

How you can choose essential oils for protection against the elements

When it comes to your wellness and feeling your best year round, not all personal care products are created equally. What the Environmental Working Group (EWG) refers to as ‘toxic body burden,’ means that we know that there are more than 1400 chemicals and chemical groups that have been classified as known or likely carcinogens, and the sad reality is that many of these chemicals make their way into our consumer products, food, water and air on the daily. So what’s the antidote?

We believe that the best possible way to fight back against toxic body burden is to lessen and minimize the exposure we have to synthetic chemicals, artificial fragrances, parabens, petrochemicals, phthalates and other known irritants as much as possible in all areas of our lives. The good news is that it is possible to reduce our exposure through thoughtful and intentional shifts in the way we consume and use products on and in our bodies. What we’ve compiled below is a list of plant-based, clean and natural products that you can use as alternatives to some of the chemical-laden products you’ve previously used in their place.

Essential oils for protection against the sun

Something that quite literally gives us life on the planet, the sun, is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. In order to respect the power of Mother Nature, it’s important that we take sun care seriously every day of the year, regardless of what region we live in. We know it’s possible to get a sunburn on a cloudy day, and so keeping your sun sense year round will serve your skin in all seasons.

Products we love to help keep us protected from sun exposure:

Sun Guard sunscreen: this broad spectrum sunscreen helps to protect your skin against harmful UVA and UVB rays with protective ingredients like zinc oxide, olive oil and antioxidant-rich carrot. We recommend applying daily as necessary and especially before vigorous outdoor activities or water sports.

Carrot body butter: post sun exposure, reach for this rich hydrating treat to help your skin feel nourished and smooth as well as to help extend your sun kissed glow. This body butter has a natural, earthy aroma and is a fan favorite of our community for the way it goes on smooth, absorbs easily and provides moisture to the skin that lasts between applications. Blended with base ingredients like shea butter and coconut oil, essential oils of carrot, patchouli and geranium keep skin feeling balanced.

Lip Protect salve: you may be sensing a theme here, but this salve was formulated with carrot, beeswax and aloe vera to provide deep hydration to thirsty lips. Carrot is known in aromatherapy as protective and restorative after sun exposure, which is why it's found its way into so many of our sun and after sun care products. Apply as often as needed to help restore moisture to the delicate skin of the lips and keep them feeling nourished.

Essential oils for protection against feeling under the weather

No one likes feeling run down or under the weather, though some of us are better prepared than others. When we’re feeling blah or experiencing symptoms of cough and cold season, all we want to do is rest and be comforted so that we can feel better fast. Certain essential oils like tea tree have been studied for its ability to have a positive impact on the duration of colds and to help offer relief of symptoms, and so we’ve blended it with other restorative essential oils like eucalyptus, pine and cinnamon to help you get back to feeling like yourself.

Products we love when we want to feel comforted and restored:

Fortify roll-on: relieve symptoms of cold like cough with the soothing benefits of this warming, restoring blend. Apply to the throat, chest and under the nose whenever you’re feeling run down and let the comforting and refreshing notes of cinnamon and eucalyptus help revive you to optimal wellness.

Fortified breeze diffuser blend: keep the air in your space feeling fresh, revitalized and clear with this neutralizing blend of essential oils including lemon, pine and white thyme. This is one of our favorite blends to diffuse when cold season strikes, to help keep us protected from the elements.

Essential oils for protection against tossing and turning through the night

Many people report experiencing sleep troubles when the seasons change, particularly in regards to shorter days and less exposure to natural daylight. We know that getting that coveted 7-9 hours of sleep is integral for all parts of our wellness including our ability to concentrate, support our digestion and keep us from feeling grouchy, and so we are making some product recommendations to help you get your best rest.

Products we love when we are investing in our rest:

Sleep Well bath salts: this brand new formula joined our collection in the summer of 2020, and is the newest formula added to our Sleep Well line. This blend contains valerian, jasmine and lavender essential oils to help support your body in preparation for rest as part of your nighttime routine. We recommend hopping in the bath about an hour before you intend to crawl into bed, adding 2-5 tablespoons of salt to your tub once filled, and relaxing for about 30 minutes.

Tranquility mist:, we love this mist as both a personal use spritz and a treat for your pillows and sheets before you climb in each night. Formulated with soothing and relaxing essential oils like lavender, ylang ylang and orange, this blend helps set the tone for rest and encourages both your body and mind to unwind from the day.

Essential oils for protection against the shorter sunlight hours

Speaking of less natural daylight, one of the unfortunate side effects of shortened days and elongated nights shows up for some of us as SAD, or seasonal affective disorder. It’s estimated that 2-3% of Canadians and up to 5% of American adults report experiencing symptoms of SAD, which can include sapping your energy and leaving you feeling sluggish. When you need a natural lift in your day, reach for these citrusy-sweet mood boosters to help put some pep back in your step!

Products we love when we’re looking to invite the light:

Elevate diffuser blend: bursting with tart, zesty citrus fruits like lemon and yuzu, this blend also includes the fresh and invigorating herb lemongrass. This combination of uplifting and mood boosting essential oils can help set the tone for a day that helps you feel enlivened and recharged. We recommend about 5-10 drops in your favorite diffuser anytime you need to forget the sun is setting at 5pm.

Liquid Sunshine diffuser blend: another blend chock full of citruses, but this time they are coming to us from sweet and juicy fruit peels of grapefruit, lime and orange. There is a reason this is our most well-loved diffuser blend across all geographic regions; no matter where you live, sometimes you’re going to need a natural lift that comes in the form of a little bottle filled with liquid sunshine.

Essential oils for protection against hidden irritants in your home

When we think of taking care of ourselves, we often revert immediately to the idea of our physical wellness; it’s easy for our homes to slip our minds. Though we are spending more and more time here each day, we forget that some of the most harmful and toxic synthetic chemical exposure can happen right in our happy place. Alas, we are committed to providing alternatives to household cleaning products that contain known irritants like chlorine bleach, artificial fragrances, triclosan or detergents. We believe you can achieve a clean and safe home through plant based products, and these are some of the ones we use on the daily:

Products we love to keep our homes feeling spotless:

Multi Clean all-purpose cleanser: this spray cleanser was formulated to help remove grease, dirt and grime from surfaces in the home like kitchen counters, cupboards and appliances and is blended with easy to read and recognize ingredients like sodium citrate and alcohol both derived from corn, as well as freshening essential oils like peppermint and rosemary. As a bonus, this product is also highly effective at removing essential oil residue from your diffusers, and can be used to clean the bathroom as well. What you’ll notice when using a plant-based cleanser like Multi Clean is that you don’t experience side effects like labored breathing, sneezing or the need to ‘air out’ your space after use, as is often common with synthetic cleansers that are high in ammonia, bleach and fragrance. We encourage you to look at clean in a whole new way!

Dish Wish dish detergent: does anyone else feel like they’re spending so much more time doing dishes these days? Staying home and cooking vs eating out has increased steadily this year, and the result of those meals is often a full sink load of dishes. When you want an effective formula that cuts through grease, removes food residue and leaves your hands feeling clean and nourished, look no further than this zesty blend of lemon, grapefruit and orange essential oils blended with ingredients like capryl glucoside from coconut, palm and vegetable sugars. This effective formula won’t dry or irritate your skin, yet is able to provide results that are comparable to any drug store dish detergent brand when it comes to foaming ability and overall cleanliness.

Essential oils for protection against whatever life throws your way

While each of us continues to navigate this period in time through many unprecedented and unpredictable peaks and valleys, rest assured in knowing that the small choices we make today can play a leading role in the overall health and wellness of ourselves and our homes. Thoughtful, intentional decision making regarding what we use and introduce to our homes and bodies can help offer protection against the elements and anything else life throws our way.