Thieves and Personal Hygiene

One thing I am a stickler about is having clean hands. I can’t stand to have icky, sticky, dirty, grimy, germy stuff on my hands. It just grosses me out. I am not OCD about it or anything, but having clean hands is important, not just for me but for those around me. I mean after all, you really don’t want me sneezing in my hand and then fixing your sandwich, right?

So, because I wash my hands several times a day, they can get dried out and irritated from all the harsh chemicals in your standard run-of-the mill soaps. I loved the foaming soaps from Bath and Body Works, but when I found out how many chemicals they use in them just to make them smell good I decided to break out and try making my own.

Here is the recipe I landed with. It is fairly simple and if you, like me, kept some of those foaming hand soap bottles instead of throwing them away, they will work perfectly for this soap.
1 foam soap pump (I reused one from Bath and Body Works)
1 c distilled or filtered water
2 TBSP Castile Soap
1/4 tsp carrier oil. I used Jojoba, but you can use almond, grapeseed, olive, or any carrier oil that stays liquid at room temperature.
10 drops Thieves Essential Oil

Add the ingredients to the foaming soap bottle being careful to add the water BEFORE you add the other ingredients. Shake it a bit and wa-la! You're all done.

You're ready to have clean hands at a fraction of the price of traditional foaming soaps, none of the harsh chemicals, and still have an amazing smell. If you see the oil separating, which is perfectly normal, you may need to lightly shake it. I hope you love this as much as I do!

Ok, so that takes care of my hands when I am at home, but I am not going to carry around a bottle of foaming hand soap in my purse. Again, I used to love those little bottles of hand sanitizer from Bath & Body Works, but the chemicals in them are just not what I want on my hands. Not only that, but my grandson loved the smell so much he couldn’t resist eating it! I had to hide it from him constantly and safe to consume, it is not! So, I decided to make my own hand sanitizer. I keep a little bottle in my purse, one in my Yukon, one in my computer bag and anywhere else I think I might need it. I absolutely love this stuff and when I do spray it in public, people comment on how yummy it smells!

Here is my recipe for hand sanitizer:
1, 2oz. amber or dark colored glass or BPA free plastic spray bottle
Distilled water
Witch Hazel (optional)
8-10 drops Thieves or Purification essential oil

Pinch of Epsom salt Add oil to salt to be absorbed, and then fill bottle half way with distilled water. Shake to mix. Then finish filling the bottle with Witch Hazel or the distilled water. Shake well before using.

If you are one that prefers the gel sanitizers, try this recipe:
3 Tablespoons Organic Aloe Vera Gel
1/4 teaspoon All Natural Vitamin E Oil
8-10 drops of Young Living Thieves Essential Oil

Mix it together and store it in a squeezable container. You can buy them at Target or WalMart in the travel section. That’s it. It costs a buck and some change for these bottles of sanitizer instead of $5.99 and if my grandson decides to eat it, I don’t have to worry about calling poison control.

Want to read more about essential oils? Check out our website to help you or contact us here.

~Grammy's Essentials Team
www.grammysessentials.com

The information contained in this blog is for educational purposes only and as a guideline for your personal use. It should not be used as a substitution for medical counseling with a health professional. The contributors and authors do not accept responsibility for such use.