School is back in session and cold and flu season is fast approaching. In our house, that means it’s time to start taking a daily dose of elderberry syrup to help boost our immune system. 

Elderberry Syrup

This time of year is when you really start hearing about elderberries, which is no surprise given the reputation that elderberry has when it comes to boosting the immune system. Stores begin stocking their shelves with elderberry syrup and elderberry tincture. While this is a great alternative, I’ll be honest in saying that I’ve yet to find one on the shelves that my kids love. They would much rather have the elderberry syrup that I make for them throughout the winter months.

Benefits of Elderberry Syrup

It is said that elder is a complete medicine chest, offering an abundance of medicine. The flowers promote sweating. The leaf is wonderful for making a soothing salve, compresses, and eyewashes. The berries, which most are familiar with are fantastic at helping to remove viruses from the body.

Elderberry Syrup Dosage

To help support the immune function during cold and flu season adults can take up to 1 Tablespoon a day. Children can take 1/2 – 1 teaspoon daily. 

During illness, the dosage increases to taking the syrup every 3 hours until the symptoms resolve.

Elderberry Syrup Recipe

Elderberries (1/2 cup dried or 1 cup fresh)
Seedless Rosehips (1/4 cup) – I use these
Water (3 cups)
1 Cinnamon stick
4 cloves
Freshly grated ginger (1 Tablespoon)
Raw local honey (1/2 cup)

Instructions

1. Place the elderberries, rosehips, cinnamon stick, cloves, and ginger into the saucepan and cover with water.

2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 35-45 minutes. Until the liquid has reduced by almost half.

3. Smash the berries. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer.

4. When mixture cools to lukewarm, add 1/2 cup raw honey.

5. Bottle the syrup and store in the refrigerator. (I use these bottles)

A look at the other herbs

Here’s a look at why the other herbs added to the syrup are important.

Rosehips

These little berries contain more vitamin C than almost any other herb, even more than the amount found in citrus fruits.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon has a long list of medicinal attributes and is highly antimicrobial. We always keep both ceylon and cassia on hand at all times.

Ginger

Fresh ginger can always be found in our house. We use it for making warming teas, ginger lemon-aide, syrups and so much more. It’s an all-around fantastic herb that can be used for many things; sore throats, colds & flu, congestion and so much more.

Clove

Clove can help when it comes to destroying viruses and can help shorten the duration of colds and flus.

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Fire Cider, a traditional folk remedy, is wonderful for helping boost your immune system. It’s often praised for its ability to support the immune system and shorten the duration of cold and flu symptoms should they occur.

Fire Cider

Fire Cider is a vinegar infusion that can help boost your immune system, stimulate digestion, and much more! The ingredients in fire cider can vary from person to person, but the base generally contains apple cider vinegar, horseradish, onions, garlic, and a spicy pepper.  It’s easy to incorporate into a daily diet and is a nice way to get warmed up on cold days.

Since it takes a month for fire cider to be ready, I recommend starting a batch now. I actually just pulled (3) half-gallons for our family, and started another round. Everyone in our family (even the kids) take fire cider and loves it!

Fire Cider Recipe

After trying different techniques and ingredients, this is the fire cider recipe that our family prefers. We love the heat and garlic combination and choose to leave the honey out.

• horseradish root (1/2 cup peeled and diced)
• turmeric root (1/2 cup peeled and diced)
• ginger root (1/2 cup peeled and diced )
• white onion (1/2 cup, chopped)
• fresh rosemary (2 sprigs)
• black peppercorns (1/2 teaspoon )
• minced garlic cloves (1/4 cup – approx. 2 bulbs)
• lemons- (2-zest and juice)
• jalapeno peppers (2 sliced)
• Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
• Honey (optional)

Optional Additions

Cayenne Powder
Burdock Root
Rosehips
Whole Chili Peppers
Astragalus

Instructions

Layer all ingredients in your wide-mouth quart-sized jar. I like to start with the horseradish and then go in the order listed.  This is just a personal preference.  Pour apple cider vinegar over the roots and vegetables. You want everything to stay under the liquid. A fermenting weight will help achieve that. Once you’ve covered everything with ACV, place either a plastic cap or line your metal lid with wax paper.

Place fire cider in a dark, room temperature cabinet for 4-6 weeks. When mature, give it a shake and then strain. Store finished fire cider in the fridge.

How to Take Fire Cider

In our house, we take 2 tablespoons (a shot) of fire cider daily through the fall and winter months as preventative measures. If cold/flu symptoms are present fire cider can be taken every 3-4 hours.

Why These Ingredients:

There are so many different herbs that can go into fire cider. Here’s a quick look at some of the ingredients.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a pungent, dry, warming herb that’s used to treat chest colds and coughs. It also has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and is often used as a digestive aid.

Ginger

Ginger is a very warming herb and is often times used for treating sore throats and coughs, aiding in digestion, treating nausea and much more. It also contains a proteolytic enzyme that has been shown to reduce inflammation.

Horseradish

Horseradish helps to open sinus passages and loosens up mucus to help with draining. It’s also great for colds and coughs.

Garlic

When it comes to treating colds, flus, sore throats and poor digestion, garlic is the herb of choice. It’s even been found to be effective against several forms of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.

Onion

Onion is not only nutritious but is known for treating colds, digestive complaints and even bronchial ailments.

Hot Peppers

I choose to use Jalapenos in our fire cider, but you certainly use cayenne or other hot peppers instead. Peppers are very warming and help to stimulate the circulatory system.

Apple Cider Vinegar

ACV helps to support the immune system, ease allergies,  lower blood pressure and cholestrol, helps digest food and so much more!

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Fire Cider Recipe

After trying different techniques and ingredients, this is the fire cider recipe that our family prefers. We love the heat and garlic combination and choose to leave the honey out.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup peeled and diced horseradish root
• 1/2 cup peeled and diced turmeric root
• 1/2 cup Peeled and diced ginger root
• 1/2 cup white onion chopped
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1/4 cup minced garlic (approx. 2 bulbs)
• 2 lemons zest & juice
• 2 jalapeno peppers sliced
• Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
• Honey (optional)

Optional Additions

• Cayenne Powder
• Burdock Root
• Rosehips
• Astragalus
• Whole Chili Peppers

Instructions

• Layer all ingredients in your quart-sized jar. I like to start with the horseradish and then go in the order I have it listed. Pour apple cider vinegar over the roots and vegetables. You want everything to stay under the liquid. A fermenting weight to help with that. Once you've covered everything with ACV, place either a plastic cap or line your metal lid with wax paper.
• Place fire cider in a dark, room temperature cabinet for 4-6 weeks. When ready give it a shake and then strain. Store finished fire cider in the fridge.

Notes

The first time I made this, I went into a panic on day 2 when I opened the cabinet door to find green garlic. I thought for sure I had done something wrong. However, it is a completely normal reaction for garlic to turn a blue-green/green color when immersed in an acid.

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Elderberries are a wonderful home remedy when it comes to colds and flu. Every year we make elderberry syrup for our kids (recipe here). It’s a sweet and tasty syrup that they look forward to taking daily throughout the winter months. Tasty as it is, my husband and I prefer to use elderberry tincture instead.

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Elderberry Tincture

I choose to make elderberry tincture for the Mr. and myself. A quart-size jar will generally last us all winter (and we have some to share with friends). Just be sure to start your tincture early. It’s best if it sits for at least 6 weeks. Not only do tinctures have a longer shelf life than syrups, but you’ll also use less elderberry.

Benefits of Elderberry

Hippocrates is said to have called the elder plant (Sambucus nigra) his “medicine chest” for the wide variety of ailments it can treat. The leaf, flower, and berries all have wonderful medicinal properties.

Elderberries have immune-enhancing and powerful antiviral properties that are fantastic in helping treat viral infections such as flu, colds, etc. They can also be used for treating upper respiratory infections.

Ingredients Needed

– Dried Fresh Organic Elderberries (I use these)
– 80 proof or higher Vodka or Brandy
– Canning Jar
– Mesh Colander or Nut Bag
– Bottles for storing finished tincture in (This is what I use)

How to make Elderberry Tincture

1. If using dried elderberries, fill your jar about 1/4 of the way.

2. Add Vodka or Brandy to the jar until it’s filled almost to the top.

3. Cover with a lid, label and tuck away in a dark cabinet for at least 4-6 weeks. The longer, the better.  (Be sure to give the tincture a little shake a few times a week)

4. Strain using a mesh colander or a nut bag and place in jars or bottles. Store in a cabinet out of direct sunlight.

Dosage

Dosage will vary depending on the person. My husband and I take 1/4 teaspoon of elderberry tincture, 3 times daily. Children under the age of 12, will take a much smaller dose.

Is it safe for kids

My boys personally prefer a syrup or a tea over tincture. However, when it comes to kids and Elderberry tincture, it’s generally safe. Just be sure to follow the recommended dosage for children.

**If pregnant, nursing or on certain forms of medication, consult a qualified health care provider before using home remedies.

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The longer I worked with natural ingredients, the more adventurous I started to become. While I’m one that doesn’t wear a lot of makeup or even lipstick, I really wanted to figure out a way to make a tinted lip balm naturally. Nothing major, just something to add a slight pop of color. After many failed attempts at trying different processes, I finally found one that worked great for me. This is by far my favorite way to do a DIY lip balm.

Tinted Lip Balm

I get that there are tons of recipes that can be found and many processes to go through to achieve a natural tint to lip balm. I have tried different powders and different processes. While I was able to get close, it just wasn’t what I was looking for. I wanted something simple and exact. That’s where alkanet root comes in for me.

Alkanet root has many beneficial properties and works amazingly well when it comes to added a slight tint to lip balms. For me personally, I find it a great way to get consistency in colors. You can achieve a very pale pink that basically doesn’t show on the lips, but it gives a fun look to the balm, all the way up to a more rich color that will show.

Infusing Alkanet Root into oil

Keep in mind that when using Alkanet root instead of a powder, it’s very important to infuse your oil first. For the infusion, place 1 Tablespoon of the alkanet root into 1/2 cup of oil of your choice. I usually like adding mine to an already herbal-infused sweet almond oil that I use in my moisturizing lip balm recipe.

Once you’ve added the alkanet root to the oil, shake daily until you’ve reached your desired color. Once you’ve reached your desired color, use a cheesecloth to strain the oil. This will prevent having any alkanet root in your oil.

Next Step

Now that your oil is infused with alkanet root, let the fun begin. Here is one of my favorite moisturizing tinted lip balm recipes for tins.

Naturally Tinted Moisturizing Lip Balm

What You’ll Need

Alkanet root-infused sweet almond oil (43 grams)
Calendula-infused coconut oil (14 grams)
castor oil (14 grams)
beeswax (14 grams) (I use  this) 
shea butter (14 grams)
Your favorite essential oil. (12 drops)  **I used Mandarin essential oil**

Directions

First, you’ll want to combine your beeswax, butters, and oils in a double-boiler  (I use this one) or canning jar. If using a jar, place it down into a saucepan that has 1-2 inches of water in the bottom. 

Next, place saucepan over a medium-low burner until the wax is melted, stirring occasionally.

Last, you’ll remove from heat and add essential oils, and pour into small tins. Allow the lip balm to cool for several hours or overnight before closing the container. 

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Tinted Moisturizing Lip Balm

Ingredients

• 43 grams Alkanet root-infused sweet almond oil
• 14 grams Calendula-infused coconut oil
• 14 grams castor oil
• 14 grams beeswax
• 14 grams shea butter
• 12 drops of your favorite essential oil. **I used Mandarin essential oil**

Instructions

• Combine your beeswax, oils, and butters in a double-boiler  (I use this one) or canning jar.
• If using a jar, place it down into a saucepan that has 1-2 inches of water in the bottom. Place saucepan over a medium-low burner until the wax is melted. Stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat and add essential oils, and pour into small tins. Allow the lip balm to cool for several hours or overnight before closing the container. Once cooled, cap and store out of direct heat and sunlight.

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Summer is starting to come to an end when roadsides and fields are covered with the beautiful yellow glow of the Goldenrod flower. The insects seem to love these flowers, but did you know they also offer health benefits for us. This is also the time when most people start noticing their allergies acting up and assume that all those beautiful flowers are to blame. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, Goldenrod pollen is so sticky and heavy that it’s only spread by insects. For the most part, the culprit of late summer and fall allergies is the ragweed. While it may not be the cause of seasonal allergies, please keep in mind that anytime we put something into our bodies, natural or not, we run a chance of causing an allergic reaction. Today we’re going to talk about foraging and using goldenrod.

Foraging and Using Goldenrod

Foraging for Goldenrod Flowers isn’t very hard to do. They stand out in open fields, the forest edge and even on the roadsides. Living in the country, we do have them growing in our yard, along the edge of the woods and around our pond. I like to harvest some and leave some for not only the bees and other insects, but also to give them a chance to reseed themselves for the next year.

When it comes to foraging goldenrod or any herbs for that matter I would suggest not using the plants that are found along the roadways or high traffic areas. I’m not sure if it’s the norm in all states, but the state we live in tends to spray along the roadways. This is not something that you want to have on your plants. Not only are the sprays bad, but just traffic alone can cause the plants to have a higher level of lead. The rule of thumb is if you can’t find the herb anywhere other than the roadside, to not gather any closer than 8 feet. However, I still won’t take that risk. If there’s an herb I need and can’t find it on our property, then I put it on the list to grow the following the year.

Goldenrod is one of those herbs that can be used for many different health issues. It’s wonderful for kidneys, urinary tract, allergies, skin and the cardiovascular system.

How to Use Goldenrod

There are a few different ways to use the goldenrod you just foraged for. A few of my favorite ways are: making a tincture, infusing it into oils, making a salve, infusing honey or enjoying it as a cup of tea.

Goldenrod Tea

Ingredients:
2 cups boiling water
1 Tablespoon fresh goldenrod
1 Tablespoon fresh peppermint 

Directions:
Bring water to a boil and combine with the goldenrod and peppermint.
Cover and steep for 15 minutes. Then strain and serve.
*If using dried goldenrod and dried peppermint cut the amount in half to around 3 teaspoons.

Making a Tincture

When making a goldenrod tincture, the part of the plant you want is the fresh goldenrod flowers and some greenery.

Fill a clean, dry jar 1/2 to 3/4 of the way with your chopped goldenrod flowers and leaves. I usually simply hold the goldenrod plant over the top of the jar and use clean scissors to chop it the flowers and some leaves. That way they fall directly into the jar.

Next, pour a high proof alcohol over the herbs until they are completely covered. Vodka or brandy both work great.

Cover tightly with the lid and place jar in a dark cabinet and allow to macerate for 4-6 weeks. I prefer going 6-weeks on mine, but it’s just a personal preference.

During this time, be sure to give the jar a shake every 2-3 days and remember to keep an eye on the alcohol level. If at any point the alcohol gets below the goldenrod, you’ll want to add more.

Once your 4-6 weeks has come to an end, place a cheesecloth in a small mesh strainer.

Press mixture through the strainer using hands. Make sure to get all the liquid out.

Pour tincture in an amber bottle (found here), cap, label and store out of light to obtain freshness. Tinctures are good for at least 1-2 years.

Using Dry Herbs for Tincture

If using dried goldenrod instead of fresh, fill your jar about 1/4 to 1/2 with your herbs.
Once you’ve poured your high-proof alcohol over the dried herbs, be sure to check on them. Dry herbs may absorb the liquid and need additional added.

**When making any tincture, I like to label where I gathered it from, what alcohol was used and the date I started it. This goes on the jar that it macerates in.

Goldenrod Infused Honey

Goldenrod Infused Honey is such a wonderful addition to tea or to simply eat by the spoonful!
Take your freshly gathered goldenrod and cut the flowers off. I like adding a few leaves to the mix as well. Fill your jar loosely to the top (don’t pack the goldenrod tightly into the jar). Pour honey into the jar, and using the backside of a skewer, gently stir the flowers into the honey. This is to help get any air bubbles out.

Next, seal the jar up and put it in a sunny window for 4 weeks. Don’t open it up, but give it a shake daily to make sure the flowers are under the honey. Over time the honey will become runny as it starts to absorb the moisture from the flowers.

After 4 weeks, strain your honey. At this point, you can place it in the fridge to keep it from fermenting. The other option (which I prefer) is to take your freshly strained honey and place it in a double boiler. Bring it to a low simmer for about 1 -2 hours. Keep an eye on it and stir it occasionally. This process helps take some of the water back out of the honey and thicken it up.

Drying Goldenrod

There are a few different ways to dry your goldenrod. I prefer to simply take the flowers, tie them together with twin and hang to dry. Keep in mind that humidity plays a big part in the drying process. It can take a few days or a week or more for your flowers to dry completely. If you don’t have a great place to hang them, you can spread your flowers heads out and place them on a rack to cool. This is how I dry a lot of my herbs and flowers. I put the cooling rack (like what I would use for cookies) over a cookie sheet and place them there so they can air dry. Once again. Humidity will play a role in how long it takes your herbs to dry. One your herb is dry, label it and place it in a mason jar. Dried herbs generally will keep up to a year.

Goldenrod Infused Oil

Now that you have dried your goldenrod, you can infuse oils with it. I like to keep a variety of infused oils on hand so they’re ready when I need them. There are different ways you can infuse your oils. I’ve included step by step instructions here.

Goldenrod Salve

Goldenrod save is a traditional remedy for helping with aches and pains, and it’s pretty simple to make.

To make the salve:
4 ounces goldenrod infused oil
1/2 ounce beeswax (buy HERE)
Place the oil and beeswax in a double boiler or canning jar. If using a jar, set it into the pot with a few inches of water. This will form a makeshift double boiler.

Place pot over medium-low heat until the beeswax is melted.

Carefully pour your salve into clean, dry containers and allow to cool. This amount ended up making three of these 2 ounces tins.

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Today I want to talk about herbal oil infusion. A lot of the recipes I create do involve an infusion using herbs. The reason is that you can get some of the same great benefits from plants and flowers that you’ve grown in your garden as you can from essential oils.

Herbal Oil Infusion

I have noticed over the past few years that while I do have a variety of herbs and flowers I use when it comes to infusions, there are some I use more than others. Calendula, plantain, rosemary, and lavender to name a few.

What types of oils and herbs should I use?

Before I get more in-depth about the process of infusing oils, I want to touch real quick on the types of oils. There are several different types of oils that work fantastic when it comes to infusing. The ones I most commonly infuse are olive, sunflower, sweet almond and coconut oils. These oils are fantastic for salves, lip balms, beard oils and more. The more you work with these products, the more likely you’ll end up having favorites.

As for the flowers and herbs, there are tons that you can use when it comes to infusing. I do recommend making sure that you use dried flowers and herbs. The reason being is fresh herbs and flowers contain water which can result in mold growth and spoilage.

Different Methods of Oil Infusion

There are a few different methods used for infusing oil. Depending on what I’m infusing and how much time I have, my methods will vary. Here are the two methods that I use most often when infusing.

Slow-Cooker Herbal Oil Infusion Method

If you don’t have days and weeks to wait on an infused oil, then this is the method you would choose. It’s also the method that I use the most. Keep in mind that your finished oil might not always be as strong as the traditional method, but you will still see the amazing benefits. You can infuse numerous oils this way, and in my personal experience. This is one of the best ways when you’re infusing coconut oil, since it tends to harden in cooler temps.

For this method, I always start by getting my slow-cooker ready first. To do this, I place a hand towel on the bottom of the slow-cooker. This helps to keep the direct heat off the jars and promote and even heat distribution. I fill slow cooker to the point that the jars will be half covered by the water.

Once the slow-cooker is ready to go, you’ll need to fill a glass canning jar about one-fourth to one-half of the way with dried flowers or herbs. Next, fill the jar almost to the top with your chosen oil.

With the herbs and oil are in the jar, leave the jar uncovered and place in an uncovered slow cooker on the warm setting for 4-6 hours. 

Traditional Slow Method

The Traditional Slow Method for an herbal oil infusion is one that takes patience and time but is well worth it.  This is my second preferred method when it comes to infusing oils, and will give you a strong and potent oil upon completion of the infusion.

This method is going to be very similar to the slow-cooker method. You’re going to fill your glass canning jar one-fourth to one-half of the way with dried herbs and flowers. Once your herbs are on the jar, fill the jar almost to the top with the oil of your choice.

This is where the method differs. Instead of leaving the top off the jar, you’re going to cap the jar and tuck it away in a cool, dark cupboard for four to six weeks, shaking on occasion.

When the oil is infused

Once your oil is infused, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve or a few layers of cheesecloth. Store your infused oil in a clean, dry jar in a cool, dark place such as a cupboard.  Keep in mind that sunlight and heat will shorten the shelf life. 

The post How To Make An Herbal Oil Infusion appeared first on As They Grow Up.

Calendula Plantain Chapped Lip Balm

This Calendula Plaintain Chapped Lip Balm is sure to leave your lips soft and smooth. I decided to put this on in a tin so that my boys could easily carry it in their pockets.

Ingredients

28 grams Calendula-Infused Coconut Oil
28 grams Plantain-infused Sweet Almond Oil
14 grams Castor Oil
14 grams Unrefined Shea Butter
14 grams beeswax
7 drops peppermint essential oil
7 drops lavender essential oil
Lip Balm Tins

How to make it

Combine all the oils, butters and the beeswax in a heatproof jar (I like to use a canning jar) or a double-boiler.

Place your double-broiler over your pot, or if using a jar place it down into the saucepan that has about 1-2 inches of water in the bottom. Then place the saucepan over a medium-low burner until the wax is melted. I like to stir the way with a wooden skewer through the melting process.

Once the wax is melted, remove from heat and stir in essential oils.

Pour into tins.

Allow the lip balm to cool for several hours before placing the top on. To keep it fresh, be sure to store out of direct heat and sunlight.

The post Calendula Plantain Chapped Lip Balm appeared first on As They Grow Up.

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DIY Beard Oil

Sea Salt Spray

The ingredients are pretty simple that I use for my Sea Salt Spray. It’s made up of Dead Sea Salt, Epsom Salt, Jojoba Oil, Aloe Vera Gel, and essential oils.

Why these ingredients

Dead Sea Salt is very beneficial to this spray because it helps to add texture.
Epsom Salt is commonly used to give hair volume and it also has conditioning properties.
Jojoba Oil is great for hair in that it helps to replenish moisture and improves texture. It also can be used to add shine and soften hair.
Fractionated Coconut Oil is added because it’s incredibly moisturizing. It also helps the sea salt spray to coat your hair.
Aloe Vera Gel offers such nourishing properties that I hate to leave it out of this sea salt spray. With tons of vitamins and minerals, it’s great for helping to keep your hair strong and healthy. It’s also been known to promote hair growth and decreases dandruff build-up.

How to make Sea Salt Spray

Distilled water (1 cup)
Dead Sea Salt  (1 Tablespoon)
fractionated coconut oil (1 teaspoon)
jojoba oil (1 teaspoon)
aloe vera gel (1 teaspoon)
epsom salt (1 teaspoon)
15 drops essential oil (this is completely optional. feel free to use whatever oil combination you like. Since the guys use this more than me, I usually add 10 drops cedarwood and 5 drops sandalwood)
8oz glass spray bottle

• Heat 1 cup of distilled water until it’s hot.
• Add 1 Tablespoon Dead Sea Salt and 1 teaspoon Epsom salt to the hot water.
• Stir until the salt is completed dissolved.
• Once dissolved, add 1 teaspoon fractionated coconut oil and 1 teaspoon jojoba oil and your 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel.
• Next, add in the essential oils of your choice. I like using cedarwood and sandalwood in mine.
• Stir it all together and then use a funnel to pour it into the glass bottle.

How to use the Sea Salt Spray

• Shake the bottle well before each use.
• You can spray this on either wet or dry hair. My husband actually prefers to spray the sea salt spray into his hands and then rub it onto his hair. This is how I do our boys as well.  With the length of my hair though, I find it easier to spray it directly on. Just remember that a little goes a long way.
•My husband uses a diffuser at the end of the hair dryer and blows his hair dry. This also works great if you allow your hair to air dry.

Their hair is styled using Sea Salt Spray

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DIY Sea Salt Texturizing Spray

Ingredients

• 1 cup Distilled water
• 1 Tablespoon Dead Sea Salt
• 1 teaspoon fractionated coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon jojoba oil
• 1 teaspoon aloe vera gel
• 1 teaspoon Epsom salt
• 15 drops essential oil this is completely optional. feel free to use whatever oil combination you like. Since the guys use this more than me, I usually add 10 drops cedarwood and 5 drops sandalwood
• 8 oz glass spray bottle

Instructions

• Heat 1 cup of distilled water until it's hot.
• Add 1 Tablespoon Dead Sea Salt and 1 teaspoon Epsom salt to the hot water.
• Stir until the salt is completed dissolved.
• Once dissolved, add 1 teaspoon fractionated coconut oil and 1 teaspoon jojoba oil and your 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel.
• Next, add in the essential oils of your choice. I like using cedarwood and sandalwood in mine.
• Stir it all together and then use a funnel to pour it into the glass bottle.

The post How To Make Sea Salt Spray appeared first on As They Grow Up.

While he still uses beard oil daily upon exiting the shower, the time had came to start using beard balm as well as mustache wax. I have whipped up a few different different balms using different products, and over that time I have came up with three different formulas that my husband loves.

If you have never made a product like beard balm before, you may have questions about what’s the best to use. Speaking from my experience, these are the products that I choose to use in ours and why I use them.

Let’s talk about the butters

For starters, a lot of beard balm calls for using Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Mango Butter..seriously the list could go on and these are the butters that I turn to the most when I start crafting beard balm. With these butters I always go with the unrefined, but you can use the refined as well. With the unrefined, you get a stronger scent where as with the refined you get a more mild scent. I prefer to use the unrefined shea butter because it acts like a barrier against moisture loss, and has anti-inflammatory properties that support skin cells and protects against irritation. However, the process involved to refine shea butter is said to possibly compromise those benefits. Also, depending on how it was refined, the chemicals and fragrance can increase the chance of irritation.

What about scents?

This is without a doubt an area that I have fun with. There are so many different combinations you can use when it comes to beard balm. I’m always whipping up different ones for my husband to try and the scent combination below is one of his favorites. Sometimes you’ll find a fragrance oil placed in beard balm in place essential oils, or to add a more distinct smell. As a personal preference  I avoid fragrance oils when it comes too all our beard products. The goal for me is to stay as natural as possible.

What about the melting process:
When it comes to melting my beeswax and butters, for the most part I use a simple 4 oz. mason canning jar. Is this the best method? Let me just say it works, but I will also say that I have accidentally knocked over an entire jar of almost melted butters and maybe I cried. The ingredients aren’t cheap and when it falls over in boiling water, there’s nothing left to do than just dump it out and start over. So with that being said, I would highly recommend using a double boiler like this one.

Mountain Smoke Beard Balm

2 Tablespoons Beeswax Pastilles
2 Tablespoons Shea Butter
1 Tablespoon Cocoa Butter
3 teaspoons Jojoba Oil
2 teaspoons Argon Oil
13 drops Bourbon Essential Oil
8 drops Cedarwood Essential Oil
1 drop Rosemary Essential Oil

Avery Easy Peel Print-to-the-Edge Glossy Clear Round Labels, 2Stainless Universal Double Boiler

Directions:

1.  First measure out your Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter and Beeswax and place them in a double boiler, or mason jar over medium/low heat stirring occasionally. Once melted, remove from heat. You do not want the mixture to come to a boil.

2. Once removed from the heat, stir in your Jojoba oil and Argon Oil.

3. Next stir in your essential oils.

4.  Pour hot mixture into tins and let cool. This usually takes 2-3 hours for them to cool completely.

Giving you DIY as a gift?
If you plan to give this as a gift, you can then created a fun label. You could even add additional beard/mustache products to go along with it. Here’s some of my husband’s favorites:

Beard Brush – Boar Bristle Brush by Liberty Premium Grooming Co. – Guaranteed 100% Firm Boar BristleKent Men’s Handmade Comb, Set of 3

You could even whip up some DIY Beard Oil, or Mustache Wax.

The post DIY Mountain Smoke Beard Balm appeared first on As They Grow Up.

Since planting season has arrived, we thought it would be fun to make a DIY Upcycle dinosaur planter after reading The Itchy Book. There was a lot of discussion on what to use, and how to design it. Since our family loves upcycling when it comes to crafts, we decided on this planter. Here’s how we did it.

DIY Upcycle Dinosaur Planter

Items needed are:
Empty Soda Bottle
Masking tape
googly eyes
Hot Glue Gun
Acrylic Paint
Mod Podge
Gravel (optional)
Utility Knife and Scissors

Steps:
First off, you want to decide on the shape of your dinosaur. We decided to go simple with just a long-neck. I used a dry erase marker to map out our shape.

Once you have your shape mapped out, you can go around the bottle the masking tape to help keep the line straight. I just went with it and did it free-hand.

Pierce a small hole in the bottle with a utility knife, and then use the scissors to cut around the bottle.

Once I finished cutting the bottle into your desired the shape, the boys put a coat of white paint as the base. Once the white paint dried, they painted it with the colors they chose.

After much talk, they decided to go with a blue dinosaur with purple spots.

Once our dinosaur dried, we used a low-heat glue gun to glue the eyes in place. Then applied to Mod Podge.

When the Mod Podge dried we put gravel on the bottom of the planter. 

Add potting soil and a simple flower.

The post DIY Upcycle Dinosaur Planter appeared first on As They Grow Up.