Ten Young Living Products I Use the Most

I often get asked what my favorite Young Living products are, but that is FAR too hard a question for me because I like and benefit from so many.

So instead, I'm going to share my top 10 most frequently used products from Young Living. I use all ten of these at least once every day.

1) Thieves Household Cleaner 

Thieves Household Cleaner replaces EVERY cleaner in your home. It works well for mirrors, floors, counters, sinks, windows, carpet, and more. On top of it being extremely convenient (no need to switch sprays for different things), it is super concentrated, meaning one bottle lasts a long time AND is very cost effective. Oh and did I mention it smells good without any synthetic ingredients?!?! (Hooray for cleaning without getting a headache!)

2) Lavender Essential Oil

This was the very first essential oil I ever used (while still a skeptic). I placed a drop on the bottom of my big toes (Vita Flex point for the brain) and my sleep has forever changed. On top of using it every night, it also is good for so much more than sleep. I use it on burns (cooking burns and sunburn), bug bites, zits, and more. It's aptly nicknamed the "Swiss army knife" of oils because it is so versatile.

3) Hand Soap 

BEFORE: Lots of irritation

AFTER: All cleared!

Our home has Young Living's hand soap at every sink, so I obviously use this multiple times every day. I had major skin irritation on my left hand for a couple years and my dermatologist prescribed steroids that I used for over 6 months. Didn't work. And then we switched to Young Living hand soap. Clearly either the fragrance or other synthetic ingredients in my old soaps were having a bigger effect than I realized. We now rotate between Young Living's Thieves and Lavender hand soaps (and Christmas Spirit soon!); they are formulated to be gentle but still effective.

4) Thieves Roll-On

Thieves is such a powerhouse blend of oils, great for supporting our immune systems. With two young boys (I'm pretty sure they are magnets for germs!), I'll take as much immune support as I can get. I roll this on the bottoms of my feet each night to take advantage of the large pores there. I obviously can't say with 100% certainty that it is what has helped me avoid sickness, but knowing how many germs typically pass around this time of year, I'm not going to stop any time soon.

5) ART Light Moisturizer 

Young Living has an entire facial line called the ART line, which stands for Age Refining Technology. I have combination skin and love that this particular moisturizer nourishes the dry parts of my face, but also isn't too heavy for my oily sections. Like all Young Living products, it doesn't contain any synthetic ingredients, meaning I can apply to my skin (which absorbs whatever we put on it) with confidence I am not causing more harm than good. I use it both morning and night.

6) NingXia Red

NingXia was my very first Young Living purchase. (Read about that here.) I liked the idea of absorbing a high amount of antioxidants daily. I drink a shot glass of NingXia each day (typically in the early afternoon to also serve as a pick-me-up). The wolfberry in NingXia is known to be beneficial for brain and eye health and with my family history of Parkinsons and macular degeneration, I will take any preventative measures I can.

7) Thieves Dish Soap

This is one I wish I didn't have to use every day (do dishes ever end?!?), but I'm glad I have an all-natural dish soap that actually works. (Side note: A lot of dish soaps that advertise as "all-natural" aren't really -- do your research!) *Young Living also has a fabulous Thieves dishwasher powder, but because our family hand washes a lot of our dishes, we run the dishwasher only once or twice a week, therefore, the dish soap is used far more frequently in our house.

8) Savvy Minerals Foundation

I have used mineral foundation for many years, so switching to Savvy Minerals was an easy decision. Unlike many other mineral makeups out there, Savvy is truly made with all natural ingredients and doesn't contain ingredients known to be harmful (talc, mineral oil, synthetic dyes, petrochemicals, etc.) commonly found in makeup products. I love that I can apply Savvy foundation without any guilt or fear regarding the ingredients my skin is absorbing and yet it still works well.

9) Thieves Toothpaste

Young Living has FIVE different toothpaste formulations. My personal (current) favorite is the Thieves Dentarome Ultra. It has a strong wintergreen/peppermint taste and cleans well. Young Living toothpastes do not foam up like traditional toothpastes, but knowing I'm not putting synthetic foaming agents in my mouth is comforting to me. (Plus, the foam isn't necessary for cleaning purposes.)

10) Wolfberry Eye Cream

This eye cream is very rich and creamy, so you only need a pinky dab of it to split between both eyes. I'm pretty confident my container may last the rest of my life. I apply this nightly before bed and love the way it nourishes the delicate skin around my eyes.

Well, there you have it: a snapshot of the Young Living products I use the most. If you're ever interested in swapping out some of your everyday products for natural, truly non-toxic items, let me know. I'd love to help you find the best deal and fit for you.

If you're interested in starting this journey with me, here is my personal link, BUT I highly recommend you reach out first to talk through the best way to get started for your personal wellness needs instead of jumping in blind. :) 

How I Got Started with Young Living Essential Oils

If you know me well, you know I don't immediately take what someone else says as fact. I have to research on my own and see if my findings match up with what was said. Additionally, I am not quick to make decisions (understatement) AND I am a major penny pincher and stick to a pretty strict budget. All of that to say, when I met my friend Leah, who is very passionate about Young Living Essential Oils, I wasn't about to just jump in blind. If I'm super honest, essential oils were weird and confusing and didn't seem like something I needed to add in my life. PLUS, I had done some reading about oils long ago that made me terrified to ever have them around Josiah (my son with epilepsy). (Some people in some instances have had seizures after essential oil use....a topic to address more thoroughly another day, but the short of it is, I've only ever seen that documented with cheap/fragrance-only type brands that people chose to use incorrectly, but initially I didn't understand the difference, so I steered clear of them all.) All and all, I wasn't interested.

Fast forward several months and I learned more about how essential oils (EO's) work and that they aren't actually that weird -- just plant juice really -- and I care deeply about my family's health and wellness, so my interest piqued more, BUT I was still very concerned about introducing anything new around Josiah since he was (is) doing well, so I continued to pass (and research more). After reading pretty much everything I could find on the internet about EO's (the good and the bad) and talking with other seizure moms, I attended a class to learn specifically about the oils that come in Young Living's starter kit - a typical way to get started using them.

It was fascinating to learn how the essential oils from so different plants can support many different body systems. I also appreciated learning how Young Living prides themselves on their oils not having any additives and containing only what comes from the plants. It was helpful, but I still didn't want certain ones I had deemed too risky around Josiah, so I decided to look into their other starter kit options. They have a plant-based cleaner kit, but I already switched to non-toxic cleaning years ago, so I was pretty set in that area. They also have a make-up starter kit, but I was fairly content with the make-up I was using (I have since switched to some of their products), so I opted for their antioxidant drink called NingXia Red. I mean who can't benefit from extra antioxidants in their life? (I got to try a shot at the class I went to and it's like a burst of berries in your mouth AKA delicious!)

NingXia Red Starter Kit

Getting a starter kit automatically makes me a wholesale member with Young Living, which gives me 24% off their products. BUT there's no requirement to make any future purchases, so even though it was a significant price for my budget, it was a one-time cost that I could use to decide if it was worth moving forward or not.

When my kit arrived, to my surprise, on top of all my NingXia items, I also received the 10 oils that came in the typical starter kit. I immediately called my friend Leah and asked her what to do since I was not supposed to get them. She took care of contacting customer support and :::drum roll please:::....they let me keep them ALL! (I was secretly hoping they'd let me keep one or two for being honest about receiving them by mistake, but MERRY CHRISTMAS to me, I got ALL of them!) This was a quick way to earn my support. I highly value good customer service and getting free things ALWAYS wins me over. Good work Young Living!

This oil case was supposed to be empty in my kit, but it came just like this! 

I already had a diffuser my mom got me years ago (but was too scared to use due to my initial "research"), so I was able to pull that out and start diffusing some of the oils I trusted (lavender, lemon, peppermint, and frankincense).  I love that I've been able to eliminate even more toxins (like candles and air fresheners) by using my diffuser instead. Plus, there are more benefits from the oils than just making my house smell good, but going into that now would make this post far too long. I take a shot of NingXia Red daily as an extra boost of antioxidants against the free radicals that are inevitable in our world and it's a better pick-me-up than the afternoon cup of coffee I tended to grab. My family's health has been great this winter since starting this journey, and I have zero regrets taking that initial plunge.

If you're interested in starting this journey with me, here is my personal link, BUT I highly recommend you reach out first to talk through the best way to get started for your personal wellness needs instead of jumping in blind. :) 

Stitch Fix #4 & #5 Reviews

I'm super behind on reviewing my Stitch Fix boxes, so here are two at once. [If you do not yet know what Stitch Fix is, please read my very first review here.]

Stitch Fix #4

Kut from the Kloth Denna Skinny Jean - $78

These jeans were too big. Apparently this is very common for this brand. They're also too long, so I decided to add in my exact inseam to my profile to better help my stylist pick pants for me in the future. RETURNED

Market and Spruce Pablo V-Neck Blouse - $58

I requested to try a mustard colored top and this shirt definitely confirmed everything I knew about all forms of yellow looking horrendous against my skin tone. I liked the fit and design of this shirt, but it looked truly awful on me. RETURNED

Skies are Blue Caspian Scallop Trim Cardigan - $68

I also requested a cardigan in this fix and love this one, however, my sister-in-law has this exact one (apparently I convinced her to keep it) and she lives with us, therefore I have access to it already (she's really nice and has an open closet policy). It didn't make sense to purchase this. (Spoiler: I didn't keep anything, therefore sold this to recoup my styling fee.) SOLD

Laila Jayde Willson Cowl Neck Knit Top - $58

I hated this when I peeked at my box, and I still hate this top. It is extremely unflattering on me. (I'm cringing posting these pictures.) If a super thin, boring shirt is going to cost $58, it better make me feel/look amazing and this did the complete opposite.

41Hawthorn Reid Lace Detail Blouse - $68

I really liked this top. It was flattering and black is my go-to, so I was definitely drawn to this shirt. The downside was the fit. It looks like it fits well, but I couldn't move my arms. The shoulders were much too snug, making it extremely uncomfortable and impossible to justify purchasing. RETURNED

Again, I didn't keep anything this fix, but I'm still enjoying the service and haven't lost any money doing it (because I've sold at least one item in both fixes I didn't keep anything to get my $20 styling fee back). If you're discouraged by this fix and the last, READ ON!

Stitch Fix #5

I peeked as soon as I got my shipping confirmation and was soo excited about the items my stylist picked for me in this fix. Here they are:

Just Black Jimmy Skinny Jeans - $88 ($66 with discount)

I have received a lot of very nice jeans from Stitch Fix. The price points are much higher than I typically (or ever) pay for jeans, but I have to admit, they feel much nicer too. The biggest issue so far has been length. I've learned my legs must be much shorter than is normal for my height. I measured my inseam and noted this on my profile page, stating the length I would need for skinnies versus the length needed for bootcut or flares (they're back!). I am so thankful I did that because my stylist read it and was able to find these jeans, which are technically ankle length, but that means perfect for me! I love the dark wash of these and the fit is perfection. I've washed (and dried) them several times now and the color hasn't faded at all and they've kept their shape. I LOVE these jeans! KEPT

Market & Spuce Colibri Plaid Printed Tab-Sleeve Shirt - $48 ($36 with discount)

I have two plaid shirts currently pinned on my Pinterest style board, so I'm glad to know my stylist is paying attention. I love the look of plaid shirts (although a tad picky on the color combination), but own zero (until now). This one is super lightweight, which is great for FL fall since it's not cold and extremely soft. I like that the sleeves can be 3/4 length or rolled and buttoned with the tab right above the elbow (hence the tab-sleeve part of the name). My only hesitation with this shirt is when I button the top button, it gaps. An easy fix is to wear a tank underneath and leave it unbuttoned (as shown). I also read of one lady stitching between the two buttons to prevent the gaping, so that could be an option as well. KEPT

Gilli Kamile Jersey Ruched Detail Dress - $54 ($40.50 with discount)

I have this dress pinned (in green), so I was thrilled to receive it. The cut is pretty universally flattering (the scoop neck is great for those of us needing to contain a larger chest without showing cleavage and the rouching is perfect for hiding my post-baby pudge). The length is perfect for wearing with boots, flats or wedges. The purple is a good color for me, so this dress was an all-around win. KEPT

Pixley Martina Slub Knit Open Cardigan - $48 ($36 with discount)

I'm not sure who decided the name of this should include the word slub, but that doesn't have a nice ring to me. Regardless, I love the Pixley brand and the price of this cardigan (for Stitch Fix items, that is). I do wish it was any color other than black, not because I don't like black, but because I already own two black cardigans. Neither one is open front or as long as this one or as soft. I probably wouldn't have kept this if I wasn't going to already keep everything else (spoiler, sorry), but with the 25% off discount, it was cheaper to keep than return. Plus, I WILL wear it (already have). KEPT

Street Level Demi Fold Over Vegan Leather Crossbody Bag - $48 ($36 with discount)

I've gone back and forth checking and unchecking whether I want to receive bags/purses from Stitch Fix. I'm a one bag at a time kind of girl, but my current purse's straps are starting to fall apart. (This is a common problem I have -- the rest of the purse is in perfect shape, but the straps peel apart. What am I doing wrong?) I have zero desire to spend time moving things from purse to purse depending on my outfit, therefore, any bag I carry needs to be able to match anything. (My current purse is silver.) This color (they call it red) doesn't do that. For a smaller purse, it can surprisingly hold a lot, which I appreciate. It has a TON of pockets and is overall cute, but I decided that I wouldn't be able to use it on a daily basis, so I decided to sell it. SOLD (for full price, but I covered the shipping, so more like $42 -- still more than the discounted price)

This fix was a total win for me! I got to keep all (kind of) items and get the amazing 25% off discount, making everything much more reasonably priced. I should tell you that I specified in my note to my stylist that I wanted the total fix to be under the $200 and she listened! (Technically, with my $20 styling fee, it's over $200, but I still appreciate it!)

*In reality, I spent $172.50 in total on this fix because of selling the purse.

If you're interested in this service, PLEASE consider using one of the links throughout this post (or this one) as I will receive a credit toward my future fixes. THANK YOU!

Three VoxBox Reviews

I recently qualified for THREE VoxBoxes in a row! If you don't know what a VoxBox is, then you likely haven't heard of Influenster. It's a program where you sign up to review products. The more "influence" you have (social media, reviews on their site, etc.), the more likely you are to be sent products in the mail to test at home. Sign up here to give it a try.

VOXBOX #1: Pampers VoxBox

This box included three Pampers Cruisers (size 3) to test out. I've used Pampers diapers plenty in the past. I LOVE their swaddler diapers. They are super soft and have the wetness indicator that I love. Since switching to size 3, I've been purchasing Huggies. Honestly, the only reason is because they're cheaper (not as cheap as off-brand, but cheaper than Pampers -- at Sam's Club, that is). I really liked the fit of these diapers and the new design of how they absorb is well done. I would purchase these IF they were comparable in price, but I will likely continue to purchase a cheaper option.

VOXBOX #2: TastyKake VoxBox

This box included a box of 8 packages of mini chocolate cupcakes (each package contained three minis), a party hat, a koozie, and two $1 off coupons. My four year old was super excited to get this treat in the mail as I try to keep sweets to a minimum. Upon first bite, he was in love. He is allowed a treat after "going #2" in the potty (old habits die hard), so these were used for that. I do not like the taste of packaged cupcakes (or much of any cake for that matter), but my four year old loved them! It's not likely that I will purchase them in the future (again, I limit the sweets and processed foods), but my son says, "Thanks Influenster for the yummy treat!"

Check them out on Facebook or Instagram.

VOXBOX #3: Apple and Eve VoxBox

This one must have gotten lost in the mail because I received the email that I was getting it, but never did. So sad! (I'm still holding out hope that it's just delayed!)

*All of the items in this review were sent complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. I receive no other compensation and all opinions are my own.

Stitch Fix #3

I just received my 3rd fix. If you haven't heard of Stitch Fix (where have you been?), in short, it's a women's clothing service where you get matched with a personal stylist who hand selects five items to send you in the mail and you decide whether to keep them or not. If you want the long details, see my first review.

After getting two fixes where the tops were a tad big, I decided to size down on my style profile. I was a bit nervous everything would be too small, but as you will see below, the fit was much better. Here's what I got:

Market & Spruce Gillia Lace Detail Knit Top - $58

I really love certain aspects of this top. I love the stripes and the fabric is SUPER soft. I like the tab on the sleeves and that they're 3/4 length. I like the idea of the lace on the shoulder, but do not like it on this top. I think the lace pattern is too weird busy and I hate showing bra straps (strapless bras are awkward while nursing). For the price tag of Stitch Fix items, I need to love it to keep it and this one didn't do it for me. RETURNED

Skies are Blue Taven V-Neck Blouse - $44

This item matched my style the least of all the items this fix. It fits well (yay for new size being right), but I don't like how the orange stripe doesn't match the rest of the colors in the shirt. Because of this, I know I won't reach for it. RETURNED

Loveappella Delemos Hooded Knit Top - $58

This top was just no good for me. The colors are drab, the "hood" (it's really just a funnel neck) was too much fabric for me to get to lay right, the material was oddly thin and looked like it was covered in lint. I love a good sweatshirt to throw on when it cools off in the evenings, but this only looked like a sweatshirt while just being a shirt. Definitely not a match for me. RETURNED

Kut from the Kloth Kate Boyfriend Jean - $88

I've never tried boyfriend jeans before. I'm not sure if this is how the boyfriend style is supposed to fit, but I wasn't feeling it. I suspect that they will grow throughout the day and in this stage of life, both of my hands are typically busy and don't have time for hiking up my pants. I've heard that this brand tends to run big, so maybe it was just that. The length also seems to be a bit off on me. (The cuff is sewn in.)

Spoiler: I decided not to keep anything this fix, so I posted my items on a Facebook buy/sell/trade board for Stitch Fix items. Within a couple hours (it has over 21k members!), a lady messaged me to buy these jeans (and the top below). She paid full price for both items, covered the shipping cost and PayPal fees. (PayPal charges 2.9% + $.30 to use their site for transactions.) This is a great way not to "lose" the $20 styling fee. (When you buy any item, the $20 is credited toward the purchase.) Thanks Linda. SOLD

41Hawthorn Beckett Graphic Print V-Neck Blouse - $48

This was my favorite item (style-wise) in the box. I liked the teal color and print. If I had to keep one item, it was going to be this one. I didn't absolutely love it because the armpit holes were a bit too big/low and the v-neck cut pretty deep. If the fabric wasn't laying just right, it put "everything" on display. (I decided it was best to keep those pictures off the world wide web.) I was going to have my mom take it up at the shoulders, but decided that a $48 top should already be perfect. Also, it was hand wash only, which is just not ideal for me, so I was glad to be able to sell it (with the jeans). SOLD

I had $47 in referral credits, so I technically made
money since I sold the items for the full $136.
I'm still thinking of it as stitch fix money though.

All and all, this box was a bust for me. BUT since I didn't spend any money (and have $47 of free money to spend), I've already scheduled another fix for mid-October. I'll let you know what I get. 

*This post contains referral links. If you use my referral link, I receive a $25 credit (at no extra cost to you) to use on future fixes. PLEASE consider using my link to help me continue this fun service. (Also, please let me know because I'd love to see what you get!)