Getting Busy with Essential Oils.

This is a mature blog post so if you are young go ahead and skip over this one - I am not responsible for apologizing to your parents. And if you’re my parents, mayyyyybe don’t read this either.

There’s no need to be shy about it. It’s Valentines Day tomorrow and I feel like I would be doing a disservice by NOT sharing a few playful DIYs with you. You have an arsenal of essential oils at your fingertips, so why not incorporate them in a new way? Ain’t nothing wrong with it, people! Let’s put these plant powers to work for us!

For those of you who don’t know, EOs have been used throughout history to support libido, balance hormones and increase passion and desire. These oils can help create ambiance, relieve stress and promote whole-body relaxation (yes please, YES.) I have been on a journey over the past several years, getting educated on the maaany ways to incorporate essential oils in different parts of my life. From mom brain to allergies, boosting the immune system to alleviating stress, I have found so much solace in these precious oils. So naturally, using them to create an atmosphere of intimacy was kind of inevitable. And no one over here is mad about it soooo. Let’s talk about how you can do that, too, shall we?

Actually let’s not talk (because one of us is blushing here and I actually don’t think it’s me), let’s just get down to business (that’s what she said! I know I know - I’m awful.) Here are some DIYs for helping you create an aphrodisiac atmosphere of love, acceptance and passion. Just consider this the crunchy granola version of “that” scene from Friends (“7, 7… 7!” anyone??) ;)

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“Get Busy” Bedroom Mist:
Combine the following essential oils in a 2-ounce glass spray bottle:

- 15 drops Sandalwood
- 15 drops Bergamot
- 7 drops Ginger
- 7 drops Lime
- 5 drops Ylang Ylang
- 3 drops Frankincense

Fill up the rest of the bottle with distilled water. Add dried florals if you’re feeling like it. Shake bottle and spray throughout bedroom and onto sheets to freshen aroma. This smells SO good and sets the tone for a romantic environment.

*Shop these oils here, glass bottles here

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“Baby, Lemme Light Your Fire” Massage Blend:
Combine the following essential oils in 1/4 cup fractionated coconut oil or unscented lotion and massage onto skin:

- 1 drop Rose
- 1 drop Jasmine
- 1 drop Neroli
- 3 drops Sandalwood
- 2 drops Ylang Ylang

*Shop these oils here
**My fave Fractionated Coconut Oil and Unscented Lotion here.

Note 1: Fractionated Coconut Oil is simply coconut oil that stays in liquid form and doesn’t have that coconut-y scent. It’s a great carrier oil to use with essential oils to dilute them for sensitive skin, but you can also use sweet almond oil or even olive oil.

Note 2: When making essential oil DIYs, it’s important to always use glass or stainless steel containers. The essential oils will cause anything plastic to break down and leach.

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“Crash Into You” Diffuser Blend:
Combine the following oils in an ultrasonic diffuser and diffuse in the bedroom:

- 2 Siberian Fir
- 2 Patchouli
- 2 Sandalwood
- 2 Clary Sage
- 2 Wild Orange

”You’re My Fantasy” Diffuser Blend:
Combine the following oils in an ultrasonic diffuser and diffuse in the bedroom:

- 2 drops Ylang Ylang
- 2 drops Sandalwood
- 2 drops Tangerine

Bonus Tips:

• For fresh breath, apply 1-2 drops of Peppermint essential oil on the tongue before your inevitable makeout sesh. Fresh breath goes a long way, people!
  

• For a personal fragrance for her, I highly recommend DoTERRA’s Whisper blend - it’s full of incredibly romantic essential oils and creates a unique aroma on each person because of the way it interacts with your personal body chemistry. The scent ranges from sweet & spicy to powdery & sexy.
  

• Dry Brush using 1 drop Black Pepper + 1 drop Grapefruit before taking a shower or bath. Brush the skin lightly in the direction of your heart - this will cleanse the lymphatic system and stimulate blood flow.
  

• Add 1-2 drops of 1 of these oils to a romantic bath (do this while the water is running in the stream coming from the faucet to ensure even dilution): Frankincense, Rose, Sandalwood or Ylang Ylang
  

• Other oils blends that do the right job accompanying sexy time: Motivate, Clary Calm and Passion. Apply to pulse points and if you’re feeling like a QUEEN, to the inner thighs.
  

• Apply Ylang Ylang to your belly about 10 minutes before business time.
  

• For “His & Hers” (libido-boosting) rollerball blends, check out my friend Savannah’s post here.

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Okay now you have a head full of ideas. Let me know if you have any questions! The most important part of this is for you to be completely comfortable and have fun trying something a little new! Wishing you a memorable Valentines Day, friends!

Want to chat with me about how to get these oils in your life for 25% off? Girl, send a message at oykristen@gmail.com and we can get you set UP.

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P.S. - Coming from a Christian background, the topic of intimacy isn’t often addressed in an effort to promote purity. However, I believe sex is a gift from God, and we Christians shouldn’t be on the boring side of the narrative - we should really enjoy it and be the ones having euphoric, ah-mazing sex. So this post is my way of talking about it in a way that I hope is received as tasteful and helpful! xx

My Date Night (GREEN) Makeup Routine.

Valentines week is upon us! I'm by NO MEANS any kind of makeup expert, but since I've been experimenting with so many new natural beauty products, I thought I would share my little date night makeup routine! As you know, I've been on a mission to swap all my conventional makeup with cleaner, greener products. I have loved discovering so many GOOD for you brands of makeup - especially since I don't feel like I'm sacrificing performance for better ingredients.

Okay, let's get into this date night makeup deal.

I start with a clean face. I've been toying around with different moisturizers and face oils, but mostly, I just make sure my skin is hydrated and not too flaky/dry before applying foundation.

Skin.
First up, I apply Beautycounter Tint Skin in "Sand". This is a good option for those of you who like to use BB or CC creams in lieu of thicker foundation. I love using this every day, but on date night, I put on 2 layers for a bit more coverage. I love that this formula is buildable - WIN.

Then I apply W3LL People Bio-Correct Multi-Action Concealer in "Light" under my eyes, around my nose, on my dark spots and on my eye lids. It helps conceal and brighten my skin. And believe me, these eyes could use some brightening magic.

Eyes.
Next up, I focus on my eyes. First I fill in my brows with Plume Brow Pomade in "Chesnut Decadence". I LOVE this pomade because it fills in my sparse brow spots, helps define and also stimulates growth in the areas that I apply it - such a multi-tasking product!

I don't usually wear eye shadow, but on date night I usually get really wild and throw some color on my lids. SO CRAZY. My sister got me this beautiful Lily Lolo Laid Bare eye palette and the shade I'm wearing in these photos is "Shy Away" - also, I just put it on my lids and blend it a little bit into the crease of my eye. But not too much. Because too much shadow makes me look like I have the plague.

Then I line my eyes with W3LL People Hypnotist liner in "Black" - thicker along the top lash line and smudged underneath my lashes. With the tiniest hint of a wing. P.S. - I'm really pretty terrible at liquid liner and it's one of the things I want to attempt to get good at in 2018. Recommendations are welcome!!

The latest mascara I've been testing is Hynt Beauty Nocturne Mascara in "Black", which is what I applied here. (More of my mascara reviews here).

Cheeks.
Cheek color is very important for yellow skinned humans like myself. I have found so much love in the ILIA multisticks, and I'm wearing the shade "A Fine Romance" here. I apply it just under my cheekbones, where you would normally contour. Hahahah I thought I could get away with saying "where you normally contour" as if that's a normal thing. I NEVER CONTOUR. But I aspire to. But I aspire to sleep in later more than I aspire to learn how to contour. So yeah.

Then I dust on just a tiny bit of The Honest Company Luminizing Powder in the shade "Dusk Reflection" around the edges of my face - in a sweeping motion from my forehead down to my chin. Suddenly it looks like the sun came out in my bathroom ;)

Then I like to add a bit of RMS Beauty Living Luminizer highlighter, because it makes me feel like some kind of moonlit mermaid. I put it ever so slightly on the tops of my cheekbones, on the ridge of my nose and on the cupid's bow of my upper lip. It just adds a hint of magical-ness.

Lips.
Lastly, I apply the ILIA multistick in "A Fine Romance" again, this time to my lips! This is such a rosy delicious color and I love the pop of watermelon-y pink, especially in the winter when I feel kind of drab. This color makes me feel confident!

Then I finish by dusting my face with the W3LL People Realist Invisible Setting Powder to set everything and keep my makeup from sliding around.

There you have it! This is my date night go-to look and the products that I've been playing around with lately.

Why Date Nights MATTER.
One of our New Years resolutions for the year is to be really consistent with weekly date nights. That doesn't always look like getting dressed up and going out - often times it just means setting aside our to-do lists and settling in for an evening of spending time together. We forgo checking our phones and getting on our laptops and instead spend time eating dinner, watching a movie and TALKING.

Truthfully, lately we have been in a really busy stage of life - he's traveling and commuting with his job and I have taken on this new venture with DoTERRA along with my freelance writing and this blog! (!), so doing anything outside of raising our kids takes some serious intention. Planning. And commitment. Taking time to date is SO special and necessary to remaining connected, and I'm grateful that Stevie is as committed to our date nights as I am. Just tonight he came to me about our upcoming Valentines date (which I planned this year!), to confirm our plans. It means so much that he cares to make us a priority, even after 10 years of marriage and two kids! Whew. Our life is busy but I seriously wouldn't trade this life of mine for anything or anyone else's life.

I hope this little makeup chat is helpful to you as you investigate natural beauty options and plan ahead for a romantic date night! I hope everyone has the happiest Valentines Day, whether you're spending it with your significant other or your girls or your mom!! P.S. - My mom and I have some wicked good V-Day plans. Just sayin. xx

My Funny Valentine, My Sweet Valentine, My Best Valentine.

This little guy makes me laugh so hard. He went to the store with his dad to pick out these flowers for me - and what a great choice! I love hydrangeas! Of course, this was all after his nap, which is why he is wearing pajamas bottoms. I just love him to pieces. He's seriously the funniest person and the things that come out of his mouth these days astound us. "You're my valentine, mom. And my teacher. " - what he told me when I picked him up from school yesterday.

What are you up to for Valentines Day? We aren't doing anything particularly special - I got Everett some stickers and a color book pack, which he lovvvvves. Target Dollar section is the jam! And pancakes are on the breakfast menu :) True story - Stevie and I busted into our Valentine chocolate last night because we both wanted some and I knew he had probably bought it. I was like, hey, can we have some of that chocolate you probably bought me? And he was like, yeah, let's. And then we watched re-runs of White Collar. Does anyone else re-watch old episodes of shows that aren't cool anymore? I can't help it - I love that Neal Caffrey.

I hope your Valentines is relaxed and cozy and a sweet reminder of the gorgeous souls in your life. Happy Day to you!

P.S. - We snuck into our neighbors yard to take these pics because they have all sorts of beautiful blooms happening. And also - these are my old jeans! I finally squeezed them over my hips! But I'll be honest -  they aren't zipped here at all :)

What to Wear on Valentines Day? 3 Looks to Inspire with Fab'rik!

Got plans for Valentines Day? Then you need something special to wear! Whether you have a date with Netflix, a date with your sweetheart, or a date with your girlfriends, these options are sure to encourage your day-of-love plans. I'm excited to bring you three Valentines looks today, in partnership with Fab'rik!

Let me just give you the tiniest bit of background on this remarkable boutique, and you will understand why I reached out to them to collaborate on this post. Since relocating back to the Atlanta area, Fab'rik has become my go-to shop whenever I need to find something gorgeous and affordable. When I was looking for a dress to wear to a dear friend's wedding in Rome, I collapsed through the front doors of Fab'rik and begged for the stylists' help. I might have waited a bit too long to actually look for something, and suddenly the trip was upon us and you don't just want to wear any old thing to a wedding in ITALY, right?! Not only did they find me the perfect dress in under ten minutes, but they had a little play area set up in the store for my little 10-month-old (at the time) son Everett to gallivant in, stocked with toys and a baby gate, so that I could do my shopping with some peace of mind. The customer service was through the roof - they brought me all the sizes I could need, along with bottled water and an honest opinion when I tried on those 6 dresses really fast. I came back to the first one I tried on, and the deal was done. It was such an easy experience, and I felt like everyone in that store was on my side, wanting to help me in my miniature moment of need. Any mom of a toddler can sympathize - if you find a place to shop where you child doesn't absolutely lose their mind, then it's going on the list of "will visit again". But to find a place where my son is semi-comfortable and I get a little attention, encouragement and, let's just be honest, help? It's going on the "miraculous" list.

Fab'rik has been my go-to spot since moving back to my hometown. Today I'm excited to share three looks to inspire your upcoming Valentines Day plans - whether you will be flirting over cocktails or weeping to your 40th viewing session of Pride and Prejudice, we styled these looks with every scenario in mind!

Wearing:
Dress: Fab'rik Ruffle Hem Sweater Dress in Red / Boots: Qupid Nixon in Grey Oil / Bag: Fab'rik / Bracelets: Fabulina

Wearing:
Boots: Anne Michelle Steppup in Chestnut Black / Clutch: GS Snakeskin in Charcoal / Top: Fab'rik Off The Shoulder Top in Black / Jeans: Paige Verdugo Skinny in Blackshadow / Necklace: Fabulina

Wearing:
Booties: Joia Perforated in Grey / Jeans: Flying Monkey Distressed Skinny in Rivercreek / Sweater: Dakota Chenille Boyfriend Sweater in White / Necklace: Fabulina

I hope your Valentines Day is stylish, comfortable and brimming with love! If you're interested in snagging a few of these pieces, stop in to your local Fab'rik (you can find your nearest location here). Many thanks to Jamie, Rewa and Sydney at Fab'rik PTC for partnering with Oy! on this post :)

*All photos by Sydney Frost.

Treating Yourself. To A Self-Date.

Treating Yourself. To A Self-Date.

It's Valentines week, in case you're behind the curve on your candy purchases. Valentines Day seems to evoke a wide variety of emotions, depending on where you're at in life. Perhaps you're a hopeless romantic and you adore the notion of dreamy flowers and treats. Or you might be rocking independence this season and the idea of V-Day brings up mixture of annoyance and pity for those who dote on it's sentiment. Perhaps you're somewhere in the middle, one of those "it's not a real holiday, so why celebrate?" types. I have found myself have oscillating between these range of emotions. But I feel like there is one element people tend to neglect when it comes to this day: celebrating themselves. You don't have to wait for someone else to make you feel special or important. Take some time for you!

I love myself. I'm a fun girl. And I know that I'm worth a little pampering every now and then. When the winter is making me sad and I'm missing my family and friends (and growing larger by the day), I know it's time to enact a Self-Date. What is the Self-Date? You're gonna want to know. You're gonna want to do this, too.

Ways to celebrate YOU.

1. You like flowers.

So treat yourself. Those tulips would look nice on you.

2. You like pretty nails.

So get a manicure. And pick a FUN color. I'm sporting a shade of purple that a 5th grader would wear. Because I can.

3. You like hot beverages (especially in this weather.)

Splurge on that ridiculously overpriced herbal tea with the jasmine. YOU DESERVE IT. Even better, for all you non-pregnants, order a nice glass of vino. Mmm I miss my old friend, red wine.

4. You like to read.

Pick a totally indulgent read and immerse yourself in the story. Snuggle up on your couch (with the above-mentioned bevvy nearby). Maybe light a yummy candle. Perhaps throw on some John Legend, crooning in the background (didn't he just kill it at the Grammys?) Perfection.

Other add-ons? Take yourself to see a movie (and don't forget the Sour Patch!), treat yourself to some fun art supplies, invest in a cooking class or those personal training sessions you've wanted. The point of all this? To remind yourself that you are worth it. It's not just about loving yourself. It's about treating yourself better than you even think you deserve. Because if you don't, how can you expect others to?

Would you add something else to this list? Who's joining with me on the Self-Date? 'Tis the season!