Currently February 2018 Edition

What I'm thinking, using, loving and hating... Currently

We've come to the homestretch of February and I'm THRILLED because I tell you what. I CANNOT spell February right to save my life. Every time, I get it wrong and spell check is like, c.mon idiot, I just corrected this for you. It's the trick r after the b that gets me every. single. time. Bring on March, that one is easy! It also means we'll be planting our summer gardens (love living in the South!), preparing the kids' Easter baskets, and entering shorts and t shirt weather. Whoohoo! Here's a good currently post to wrap up the final days of winter. Sorry to everyone who lives up North and has to endure several more months of garbage... *affiliate links used*

Currently, I'm:

Wearing: I bought my first ever pair of TOMS  shoes, and basically have't taken them off. I know I'm the last person on Earth to the TOMS  party! When I used to work full time, I wore heels everyday and thought that TOMS were only for dirty hippies. Now that I am a dirty hippie myself (dirty yes, the hippie part is only so so) I'm happily, comfortably and permanently wearing these shoes.

Why did it take me this long to realize how amazing these things are???

Planning: My sister's baby shower! We've set a theme and a date, and I need to get going on it. I've never hosted a baby shower before, and I'll be doing it "long distance" meaning I'm planning and preparing for it in Dallas, but it will be hosted where she lives in Boston. Getting all the supplies there should be... Fun?

Reading: I've actually read a ton of great stuff lately, and am going to do a post about entertaining, fast reads. One of my goals for 2018 was to read a book a month and I can proudly say I've surpassed it! Currently, I'm about to wrap up The Lovely Bones. I struggled a little to get into this one, because it's all about death and heaven and what that like and what it does to one particular family. Not exactly a mood booster to read right before I go to bed, right?! But, it is a great read. Entertaining and fast-paced, and it makes you wonder what the "after life" is really like. Side note: Anyone else still read real paper books and not at all into Kindles? I love the way books smell and turning the pages! I don't care that they're more expensive and take up physical space, I'm never adapting to e books.

Also, I'm a stubborn 90 year old.

Loving: Yoga Balm. Guy! Guys. GUYSSSSSSS. I posted this to my Insta Stories the night I got it. It is simply amazing. Good for muscle aches, head aches, after a tough workout, a mood booster, a hangover helper. I could go on and on. It's not cheap, but the good stuff never is. I literally can't recommend this product more! Get yours now (not an affiliate link - I'm also not being paid to say this! I just truly love it and want to spread the word) www.yogabalm.life

Get. Some. Of. This. Now.

Annoyed by: My face breaking out nonstop! I switched to all natural skincare I make myself and also use the Young Living ART line, and have had perhaps a total of 3 breakouts in about as many years. For whatever reason, my skin is giving me a big middle finger right now and breaking out like crazy. The good news about oily skin is that I have almost no wrinkles and I'm in my mid 30's. Gotta take the good with the bad, right?

What I Do To Promote My Own Happiness

Feeling or stuck in a rut? Here are some mood-boosting things you can do today to take charge of your happiness!

This time of year always seems to drag on a little bit. Late February. Winter is still here (yes, even in Dallas! Well... Kinda, it's all relative). Daylight savings hasn't kicked in, the days are still short on sunlight and cabin fever might be ruling your home. I'm getting bummed out just writing this! I thought it might be helpful to compile a list of things I do that promote my own happiness. Whether you're reading this in the final stretch of winter before spring hits, or the middle of a blissful summer break, happiness is something to seek year round! Here are the little things I do - sometimes even daily - to promote my own happiness. *affiliate links used*

1) Diffuse "happy" essential oils

Essential oils have a mega effect on moods and emotions. If you're feeling like Debbie Downer, try diffusing lemon, orange, or grapefruit essential oil. Either one at a time or all three! Citrus oils are bright and cheery, and diffusing them lightens up a whole room. Bonus: They're also some of the most affordable essential oils! I diffuse citrus oils daily.

2) Get a manicure

If you look good, you tend to feel good. While I might not put on makeup everyday (because seriously who has that kind of time for something that's going to get washed off several hours later!) I do regularly get manicures. My nails are something I "wear" 100% of the time, so if they look good, I automatically feel better about myself. Don't have the budget or the time for a professional mani? Do it yourself! Nail polish is a couple of bucks, and you can use a q-tip and nail polish remover to clean up the edges. I love this drug store brand and it's a new spring color!

3) Take an Epsom salt bath

I prefer Epsom salt over bubble baths because there's health benefits to the salts, but you're likely just drying out your skin with artificial fragrances and conditioners in a bubble bath. Still, do whatever makes you happiest! I like to add essential oils to my salts, then sprinkle them in the tub with the water going. This smells amazing, and the Epsom salt naturally replace the magnesium in your body, which is essential for good sleep (read more on that in this post). Not only does hot water feel good but added bonus! You'll likely sleep better. I know I'm a much happier person if I've had a good night's rest...

Where I have the privilage of taking baths

4) Go for a quick walk outside

I almost wrote this one as simply "exercise" because exercising increases serotonin in the brain, which is your happiness hormone. However, I find there's something specifically about being outside that magnifies the benefits of exercise. I even live in a city center, and love getting out and about in my neighborhood. Luckily I can be outside year round in Texas, and I schedule outdoor play daily for my kids, provided it isn't miserably cold or raining. If you're feeling blahhh, get outside, even for just a 15 minute walk in your neighborhood! Listening to birds chirp, my kids laughing and feeling the sun on my face instantly boosts my happiness.

5) Get off social media

No, not permanently but you'd probably be happier overall if you (and I) did... If you're feeling unhappy, commit to disengaging from social media for a full day. Don't log into Facebook, don't read any tweets and don't scroll your Instagram feed. Take note of the difference you feel! I've found that when I focus more on living my own REAL life and less on watching the highlights of what others want me to think their life is like, I'm instantly more happy and more present in how great the current moment is.

These are all quick, relatively simple things you can do to boost your own happiness, almost instantly! I'm telling you, that brisk walk outside works wonders. Weekly baths not only help me relax, I sleep better and am a happier person because of them! And a great mani is always a reason to smile, even if it's an at-home manicure. There are tons of ways to promote happiness, and these are just a few of the things I do to give myself a happiness boost. 

Essential Oils For Better Hair

Make this DIY root and scalp spray with essential oils for better, healthier, faster growing hair!

Having kids does a number on your hair. I remember after I had Henry, it started to fall out so heavily, I had to clean out my brush every time I combed my hair, and do a swipe of the shower every single time I bathed. It lasted for about three or four months. After Otto, nothing really happened until after I was done breastfeeding him... Then CLUMPS of hair would fall out! And this lasted for well over a year. I actually developed bald spots on my head. Not only did it fall out, but the ends got dry, the roots got greasy and the color got much darker, requiring more highlights which further damaged my hair. It was a hot mess! I had heard that essential oils can be great for your root and scalp, therefore making your hair healthier overall, so I dove in and did some research. This post is all about the essential oils you can use for better hair, and I've made a DIY for easier application for you. *affiliate links used*

First, the essential oils! 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...)

Here's the roundup of essential oils that are great for your hair when applied to the root and scalp. Remember, your hair starts there, and if you want better overall hair, you've got to start where hair grows! Now, I specifically left all citrus essential oils off this list even though they consistently popped up in my research for "healthy hair oils." Why? Because citrus oils magnify the effects of the sun (think sunburn in a fraction of the time it normally takes to develop a burn) and your head is naturally the closest part of your body to the sun. 

The DIY that follows after this list is designed so that you can select the oils that will work best for you - you can cherry pick what you need based on your hair. I didn't want someone adding lemon or bergamot to their unique scalp spray, being unaware of the effects it could have on your poor scalp! So, I specifically left those oils off the list. Lemon and bergamot were both considered great for hair, roots and scalps, however, so if you're interested in those oils look them up AND how to safely use them, especially as we head into spring and summer. Now, back to the essential oils for better hair list:

Rosemary

Rosemary is known to stimulate blood circulation on your scalp, which results in faster hair growth. Faster hair growth is going to promote thickness because more hair is growing in to replace the hair that is falling out/damaged/etc. Rosemary also reportedly helps to repair dry hair with it's moisturizing properties. This essential oil is great to use from scalp to root to hair shaft! (Ever seen or used Aveda's Rosemary and Mint shampoo? Yup, there's a reason rosemary is in that high-end classic!)

Peppermint

Ah, the second component to the popular Aveda product. You know how when you apply peppermint, it "tingles"? That tingling is stimulation, and peppermint is thought to stimulate hair growth when applied to the scalp. It also has antimicrobial properties, so it's great for things like dandruff and other irritations. 

Tea Tree

Tea tree oil is used for so many things, especially things you want cleaned. This oil is great for greasy hair or greasy scalps. It has gentle antiseptic properties so it's great if you have dandruff that you'd like cleaned up, or if you generally have an irritated and itchy scalp. I have a tea tree shampoo from a natural hair brand and it's my favorite to use when it's been a few days (or more) since I've washed my hair. Have a bunch of dry shampoo buildup or irritation from excessive dry shampoo? This is a great oil for that!

Cedarwood

Cedarwood is a natural moisturizer, so this one is great for dry hair. It also stimulates blood circulation when applied to the scalp, and is used for thinning hair. This works best when applied directly to the scalp and massage is used to further increase stimulation. I happen to be a huge fan of the smell of this oil. It's very mild, so this is a great one to pair with others to make a multi-purpose scalp spray (DIY below!)

Lavender

Is there anything this oil doesn't do?! If you don't have this oil, get it immediately. If you're just starting to dabble in essential oils, start with lavender. Lavender is a known "soother" oil, so if you have an irritated scalp, this one is great. I also read a holistic health site that claimed there was a study where lavender was clinically proven to increase the number of hair follicles. That site didn't link the study, or I'd link it here for you. The soothing properties of the oil also make it great for dry, frazzled ends. Oh yeah, and it smells amazing!

DIY Essential Oil Scalp Spray for Healthier Hair

- Small glass spray bottle

- Pinch of sea salt

- One to three of the essential oils listed above, based on what your hair needs (5 drops of each)

- Distilled water 

OR

- Small glass spray bottle

- One to three of the essential oils listed above, based on what your hair needs (5 drops of each)

- Carrier oil, such as Grape Seed Oil, Avocado Oil, Liquid Coconut Oil or other vegetable based oil

The first version is great if you want to have the oils on your scalp all day. Put the salt in the bottle and add your essential oils. Shake for a few moments to evenly distribute the oils among the salt. Fill the rest of the bottle with distilled water. Shake well before each use. Part your hair into sections and apply directly to your scalp, massaging in with your fingers.

The second version is great if you want to make more of a conditioning treatment that you either apply a few minutes before washing or leave on over night. This is a better option if you want to apply the essential oils all the way down the shaft of your hair, too. Fill the spray bottle with carrier oil of choice and add 5 drops of each essential oil. Shake well. Spray from your roots to the ends of your hair. Leave on overnight (be sure the pillowcase you have on your pillow isn't your favorite because it will get oil stained) or leave on for 5-10 minutes, then wash and style your hair as normal.

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Essential oils have tons of benefits, including being great for your scalp and hair. If you're like me and have popped out a few kids which has been rough on your hair, or have other issues that have negatively impacted your hair, I highly recommend giving essential oils a try for several months and seeing what they do for you. The DIY scalp spray is a great, easy way to apply the oils to your hair and scalp.