As the gatekeepers of our homes we have such a great opportunity to bring in healthy products and create healthy habits for ourselves and families. Join us as we fill our homes with the scents of the season using diffusers instead of scented candles! (Plus this makes a wonderful gift!)

WHY WE LOVE IT It is no secret that we love diffusing - our diffusers are going 24 hours a day! One of the best things about essential oils is that they not only smell incredible, they have a huge positive impact on our health. We can diffuse blends that support immunity, our respiratory systems, healthy sleep, focus and mental clarity, emotional support and more. We can fill our homes with the scents of the season without burning chemicals or using ingredients that harm our health.

“I used to burn scented candles all the time, so I was a little worried when we switched to diffusers. I wanted my home to smell inviting and cozy, and I have not been disappointed! Seven years later we no longer burn candles or use wall plugs, and our home still smells incredible. So much so that my husband's friends comment on it when they come over!” - Ashley C.

GIFT IDEAS Giving the gift of a diffuser and oils is one of the best ways you can share your love of oils with your family and friends! Plus this simple switch from scented candles can make a huge impact on overall health. Here are a few ideas for gifting!

• Feather the Owl Diffuser which comes with a 5mL bottle of Lavender. Add a bottle of SleepyIze or Peace & Calming!
• The Haven Starter Bundle: This beautiful ceramic diffuser is perfect for any space and the bundle comes with some of our favorite oils - Peppermint, Lavender, Lemon, and Peace & Calming, plus two dropper bottles for making DIY blends!
• A small diffuser + Christmas Spirit, Peppermint & Vanilla essential oils (or any other favorites!)
• A USB car diffuser + Stress Away and Peppermint essential oils - perfect for diffusing in the car.

A FEW NOTES ON FRAGRANCE... If you turn over your favorite products, you'll often find the word ‘fragrance' in the ingredients. But what is fragrance??

Fragrance chemicals are organic compounds that volatilize, or vaporize into the air, which is why we can smell them. They are added to household and personal care products to give them a scent or to mask the odor of other ingredients. Unfortunately, the volatile organic chemicals (VOCs - think the smell of paint or paint thinner) emitted by fragrance products can contribute to poor indoor air quality and are associated with a variety of adverse health effects. They are pretty much the last thing you want in a product you are burning for ambiance and aroma.

But it gets a little bit worse…. Did you know that to protect trade secrets, makers are allowed to withhold fragrance ingredients, so consumers can't rely on labels to know what hazards may lurk inside those festive scented candles (and room sprays.. and wall plugs… and perfumes.. and cosmetics…). This is called the “fragrance loophole” in federal labeling law. Although all other ingredients in your scented household and personal care products must be disclosed on the label by their specific name, this loophole means that ingredients added to provide a pleasant scent, or to mask a bad one, need only be listed under the generic term “fragrance.”

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) reports that, while many popular candles and room sprays contain trace amounts of natural essences, they also typically contain a dozen or more potentially hazardous synthetic chemicals, some of which are derived from petroleum. According to the EWG,

“Exposure to fragrance chemicals can cause headaches; eye, nose, and throat irritation; nausea; forgetfulness; loss of coordination; and other respiratory and/or neurotoxic symptoms. Many fragrance ingredients are respiratory irritants and sensitizers, which can trigger asthma attacks and aggravate sinus conditions.”

One example of a harmful ingredient (there are many!) when it comes to fragrance, is styrene, an ingredient added to a wide variety of consumer products. A 2011 finding by the National Toxicology Program (endorsed by the Academy's National Research Council) found that styrene is “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.”

We know only that styrene might be an ingredient in any given fragrance because the International Fragrance Association, an industry trade group, publishes an online “Transparency List” of ingredients that perfumers say they use in formulas for consumer products. Styrene is one of the 3,000-odd ingredients on the list. According to the EWG,

When you add up the number of products in your bathroom cabinets and under your kitchen sink that contain “fragrance” – and may contain styrene – the total could be many exposures to a substance we now know is “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.”

THIS is why we are so passionate about ditching conventional products and switching to Young Living's clean, effective and safe options! Young Living NEVER uses fragrance in their products - they don't even need to because of the incredible essential oils. All the Young Living products are infused with the highest quality, therapeutic grade essential oils which not only make fragrance unnecessary, they actually improve our health!

Make a simple switch with a huge impact and join us as we switch out scented candles for diffusers and delicious oil blends!