5 Best Anti-Aging Essential Oils

At 35, I have minimal wrinkles and crows feet. Here's how I keep my skin looking youthful with essential oils, from the exact oils I use to how I apply them.

I remember when I turned 30, I saw it in a photo of me: the beginnings of crows feet around my eyes when I smiled. Now, I'm not one of those women who are terrified of aging. In fact, I'm more terrified of Botox and what's in that to cause muscle paralysis than I am of wrinkling or aging skin! I've been invited, but have yet to go to the Botox parties that are extremely popular here in Dallas. Instead, I went the more natural route. I did some research on skin care and essential oils that help your skin fight the free radicals in the air from pollution and from years of sun damage, and I started there. So far, I'm more than impressed. Here are the 5 best anti-aging essential oils I use, and how I use them to combat aging skin on my face, neck, hands and upper chest.

I'm going to go head and state the obvious, just in case there was any question. The best way to prevent premature aging is to stay out of the sun, and to wear sunscreen daily. Yes, even in the winter. Yes, even if you're "just" going to sit in the shade. Yes, even if you're just going to garden for an hour, or take the kids to the park for a bit. Everyday. Every time. My favorite is Babo Botanicals tinted SPF. I don't wear foundation. In fact, I wear very little makeup and don't use many products because it's actually been proven that the chemicals in conventional skincare in the United States prematurely ages your skin. If you're interested in my standard morning routine and the products I use, you can check it out in this two minute makeup routine post where I outline it all.

Sunscreen? Check. High quality, organic and chemically minimal skincare? Check. What else can we use to combat aging? The following essential oils!

I mix in frankincense and lavender to my face cream daily, just in the palm of my hand before applying to my face and neck

Revive oils are my new go-to. Yup, I used to be with Young Living, but the expense of those oils were insane. I asked some of my oily gurus who they got their oils from and learned about Revive. They're therapeutic grade, indigestible essential oils that are NOT a multi-level-marketing structure. You can go on their website and buy them like you'd buy something on Amazon - no need to sign up for some membership! They have packages with diffusers and single essential oils, plus roller bottles and other lifestyle items. Use code Paige10 for 10% off your order and experience the same quality of Young Living or doTERRA without the obnoxious price (and minus the sales people always trying to get you to buy things...)

5 best anti-aging essential oils

Geranium and Rose Geranium - a strong anti-inflammatory, this oil helps to shrink pores and tighten skin. I notice my face is brighter within about two minutes of mixing one drop with my daily moisturizer. When I have dry, pale winter skin, this is my go-to oil to apply in the morning to my face and neck! It's a strong anti-oxidant, so it will fight the free radicals in the air (thanks pollution) to help reduce daily damage to your skin.

Frankincense - known for thousands of years to be beneficial to the skin, this oil is anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiseptic, all three factors that are essential to slowing down the aging process of your skin. It helps your skin regenerate cells faster, so it's the "go to" oil for reducing age spots, sun damage and balancing your skin's pH, which helps improve it's tone and elasticity. FYI, this oil is also great for stretch marks!

Carrot Seed - not commonly found on many lists, this oil is just starting to prove it's worth scientifically. It contains a large amount of flavonoids which improve the outer most layers of the skin. It's also high in carotol, which helps regenerate skin cells. Just like geranium, it works to fight the free radical damage done to the skin so that new wrinkles and age spots don't form. You can also add a drop or two to your body moisturizer to help tighten the skin on your arms and legs. 

Lavender - is there anything this oil isn't good for?! I always say if you're skeptical about essential oils, buy a bottle of lavender. It's a known "soother" so if you have dry, irritated, inflamed skin, lavender will help. Like Frankincense, it assists your cell regeneration so that your damaged skin cells can turn over faster. A unique thing about this oil is that it indirectly helps your body do it's job better by reducing stress (a major factor in aging!) and promoting better sleep. When you sleep well and are less stressed, your body naturally ages slower.

Ylang Ylang - this oil is known for moisturizing the skin. Moisture balance often becomes a problem as we age, and the drier your skin is, the more likely it is to wrinkle and form fine lines. Ylang Ylang works to balance the skin's sebum, keeping it hydrated without producing too much oil.

Another great oil - perhaps the QUEEN of essential oils for skincare - is rose essential oil. I didn't include it on my top 5 list because it's so insanely expensive, it's not obtainable for the average person. Young Living sells it for well over $200 for a 5ml bottle; Revive JUST launched it for $70 for a 2.5ml bottle or they have a rose oil roll on for $50. Why is rose the best in terms of skincare? It's insanely rich in microbial and anti-inflammatory compounds that help refine the skin's tone and texture. It's a moisturizing oil that works to deepen the skin's natural moisture without causing breakouts. It's kinda like Lavender, Ylang Ylang and Frankincense all rolled into one, with an incredible scent to boot. 

At 35, I'm feeling great about how my skin is "aging"

What I've learned (hopefully early enough) is that the best methods in anti-aging are all preventative based. It's hard to actually reverse aging; therefore, it's best to try to curb what causes it! Wearing sunscreen is a great first step. Even better, stay out of the sun or wear a hat! After that, limit your exposure to skincare chemicals that actually work against you. After that, the essential oils from plant materials are one of your best bets to fight free radicals that age the skin; these are found in pollution and from sun damage.

Holiday Hostess Hacks

If you're hosting a get-together during the upcoming holiday season, be sure to check out these hostess hacks so that your guests are comfortable and enjoy themselves

This post is sponsored by McCormick® but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Since my mid 20's, I've hosted at least one of the major holidays. I love to cook and I love to make a whole bunch of food for people. Now that I have four kids, I ask my family to come to us for the holidays, because who wants to deal with flights and flight delays with four kids age five and under?! Not to mention the expense of traveling with a family of six. And all our family is a flight (or two) away. So! I'd much rather host my family and friends than travel to others. Especially since I'm a decent cook. I've learned some great hostess-ing hacks in the 10 or so years I've been a hostess, and want to share some of my best cooking and hostessing tips with y'all so you can host with confidence too. Here are my best holiday hostess hacks to ensure everyone (even you!) have a great holiday season.

If you're like me and live in Texas, you've got to check out H-E-B for all your holiday shopping. Now, I hadn't previously been to an H-E-B because the closest one is about 45 minutes from my North Dallas home. But I ventured out to Waxahachie (which is about the most fun name of a town to pronounce ever) to visit the store closest to me, and I was so pleasantly surprised! They have EVERYTHING. Organic produce, conventional brands, a pharmacy, they even sell clothes! The aisles are clearly labeled so even if you're new to the store like I was, you can easily find what you're looking for. I was able to get in, get what I needed and be back on my way to Dallas in less than 15 minutes. I really appreciated the way they organized and labeled their McCormick® spices, too - it's alphabetical, so whatever you're looking for is easy to find. Holiday hostesses, if you're in Texas, you've got to get your goods at H-E-B.

Preparing the bird:
I think one of the most daunting tasks of hosting is preparing the bird. Hams are easy - just throw them in the oven to warm them. Maybe add a glaze if there isn't already one on there. But a turkey?! Or a whole bunch of Cornish hens? You have to take the neck and gizzards out of the body cavity. You have to position the legs for baking. You've got to season it right and bake it correctly. It's intimidating! I've made a few bad turkeys in my life. Well, not bad, just cooked wrong. Here is the absolute BEST way to roast poultry for the holidays, that I've learned via trial and error over the years:

Positioning:
You want to get the bird in the right position in the pan for the best baking result. Now, my method isn't the prettiest! You won't land the cover of Food and Wine Magazine with this method. But you will have a fully cooked bird, with the white meat staying moist and the dark meat fully cooked. I happened across this method on complete accident. I put my bird in upside down and didn't realize it until I went to carve it, and saw that the breast meat was on the bottom. It was the juiciest bird we had ever had! So, from there on out, I cook all my poultry upside down. As the skin and the other meat roasts, the fat drips into the white breast meat, which is notorious for drying out. It dries out because it cooks the fastest. When you put it on the bottom of the roasting pan, therefore cooking it upside down, it cooks slower and also gets all the drippings running through it as you bake it. This keeps it moist and delicious as the other parts of the bird, typically the thighs, take the longest to fully bake. It's recommended that you cook poultry to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Stick your meat thermometer in the hip joint. When it says 160, pull your bird out of the oven and cover it in foil. The remaining five degrees will come up from residual heat and your bird won't be over cooked. That, along with putting your bird upside down, will result in some of the best and juiciest poultry you could hope for.

Seasoning:
I like to keep the seasoning of the bird super simple. Especially with other holiday side dishes, that tend to dominate the flavor dynamic of the meal. There are heavy flavors in holiday foods - lots of sage, rosemary, butter and salt - so I like to keep my poultry light. I'm a big fan of stuffing the body cavity with a quartered onion, a stick of celery that's been quartered, a carrot that's been quartered, and then a lemon that's either cut in half or quartered. The citrus provides a fresh taste that cuts the entire stick of butter I recommend rubbing all over the skin (to help it brown and provide additional fat for the gravy) then sprinkle it with a light coating of kosher salt and McCormick® Poultry Seasoning all over the skin.

Perfectly Baked Bird:
- 1 stick of room temp butter
- 1/2 a medium onion
- 1 stock of celery, cut into large pieces
- 1 medium carrot, cut into large pieces
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon McCormick® Poultry Seasoning
- 1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Cover the skin in a stick of room temp butter (rub it all over!) Fill the body cavity with the onion, celery, carrot and lemon. Sprinkle McCormick® Poultry seasoning and kosher salt on the skin of the bird. Bake at 350 (for a chicken) or 325 (for a turkey) for 10 to 15 minutes per pound, or until your meat thermometer reads 160.

Baking time:
The key to baking a bird is that it needs to be defrosted in order to cook evenly. The range is 10-15 minutes per pound. If you have a convection oven, you'll be more like 10 minutes per pound. If you have an old school electric oven, you'll be closer to 15, provided your oven has even heat. I'm not a fan of adhering too much to TIME, but rather using it as a guide to watch the meat thermometer you use, and being sure to pull your bird at 160 degrees. If you didn't buy a turkey in time to fully defrost it, you're looking more at 20 minutes per pound of baking time, but beware! Your bird won't cook evenly unless it's totally unfrozen. It's best to have a completely thawed turkey.

A few more tips:

• For the first few hours, bake it under a tinfoil tent so that it doesn't get too brown too fast
• Baste your turkey in the juices that run in the pan every 20-25 minutes. A turkey baster is the easiest way to do this, or a food/cooking brush can be used to rub the skin with the pan juices.

Easy appetizer for holiday get-togethers

One of the things about being a hostess is having all your guests' needs met when they arrive (or shortly thereafter). I like to have drinks already made, wine chilled, the table already set, essential oils diffusing and a few snacks out upon the arrival of guests. This way nobody is thirsty, hungry, my home smells great and I don't have to waste my time setting a table when I'm already maxed out with cooking. And I like to do as much of this ahead of time (aka the night before) as possible! A snack we always had out growing up was seasoned and candied pecans. They're easy to make ahead of time, they sit out well (no refrigeration needed), they're easy to eat one or a handful at a time, and they've got a surprise kick to them.

Spicy Candied Pecans:
- 1 12oz bag whole pecans
- 3 tablespoons of salted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Red Pepper (depending on how spicy you or your guests like it)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over low heat, then add the seasoning, extract, sugar and salt. Cook until the sugar bubbles for a minute or two, then add the pecans. Coat the pecans with the mixture evenly, then pour out on to wax or parchment paper to cool and harden. Break up any large pieces and place in a bowl where your guests can easily snack on the nuts while they wait for the main meal. Enjoy!

Hosting for the holidays can be stressful. Use these tips to ensure your bird is cooked perfectly every time, and put out some spicy candied pecans for your guests to enjoy as they wait for the main meal. Fellow Texans, make sure and do your holiday meal shopping at H-E-B for great deals and one-stop shopping! Their variety of products and organization of their spice aisle will make your life so much easier.

Creative Christmas Wrapping Ideas

Creative and environmentally friendly ways to wrap your presents and gifts this holiday season

I LOVE wrapping presents. My husband and I make a good team because he does the shopping, and I do the wrapping. I very much dislike shopping, but wrapping is a fun art form to me. Whereas his wrapping leaves... a bit to be desired! This year, I thought it'd be fun to try something different. I've been on a small crusade to make my home more eco-friendly, and it's always struck me how wasteful wrapping paper is. Especially if you're a last minute shopper, then the wrapping is only on the present for a small time before it's ripped up and thrown in the trash! The print on it makes it not even appropriate for your fireplace. So this year, I've come up with some creative Christmas wrap ideas that are eco-friendly, easy to do and honestly, cost effective too.

As I was researching this post, I was sitting at a lunch bar that I frequent and was talking to some other regulars as I worked. We all chat about what we do regularly, and we all have very different jobs: hairstylist, insurance agent, small business owner, clothier and so on. But there was one consistent response as I unofficially polled my regular lunch companions - nobody has time for super fancy wrapping! With that in mind, I wanted to keep my "creative" ideas as simple and as easy to implement as possible, while keeping it classy and good looking. So I came up with a few variations for you:

I reused brown paper bags from Whole Foods, cutting them open and using the inside which has no printing on it. Then I used twine I had leftover from goodness knows what, and attached a few jingle bells I had leftover from photographing this DIY peppermint foot scrub (which is a great gift to wrap in this, I should add!). I also had some snowflakes that I used regular white glue to adhere to the front of the package. Instead of using a gift tag, I used a metallic Sharpie to write the gift recipients name on the package and boom. Done. It took all of 4-5 minutes, too.

Wrapping tips for:

Reusing grocery bags for wrapping
- cut the bottom out of the bag
- remove the handles, if there are any
- turn inside out

Making clean edges when wrapping
- after taping the wrapping around the package lengthwise, use your thumbs to press the short edges inward
- crease with your fingers
- cut the top (where you taped the lengthwise seam) of the wrapping short enough to just cover the sides of your package
- pull the bottom piece up and around and secure with tape

To decorate the paper bag wrapping, I got creative with holiday decorations I already had on hand. Twine keeps the look farmhouse rustic; jingle bells add flair and color; the snowflakes are easy to attach with a glue stick; and the candy canes I had on hand as a former photo prop from this DIY ornament (hint hint, another great gift you could wrap with these creative Christmas wrapping ideas!) and were super easy to incorporate into the packaging.

The thing that I like about the paper bag is that it's so versatile - what do you have? Maybe you have a rubber stamp collection - get some gold or silver ink and go to town! Or perhaps you've got an amazing ribbon collection. The brown paper works with just about any ribbon, from glittery and fancy to twine, like you see me use. Have fun colored Sharpie markers? Yup, those work too! Glitter paint or pens? Those are perfect. This method really works with whatever you already have, or all you need is a few cheap additions (those snowflakes were $1.99 for three colors, and the jingle bells weren't much more!)

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I wasn't kidding when I said each package took 2-5 minutes, depending on what I did. Which is about standard for wrapping any present and tying a ribbon on it with a gift tag. So not only is this method eco-friendly because you're reusing paper bags and potentially other materials too, but it's also more cost effective than traditional wrapping. Not to mention, nobody else's presents will look like yours, so when you bring them to your family's Christmas, they'll stand out with your creativity!