A lot of people who follow my YouTube or blog are unaware that I suffer from three chronic illnesses. It took me over six years to get diagnosed and for my voice to be heard. It wasn't until one day that my body just collapsed from doing too much and the pain became unbearable. I quickly realized I have one body and I had run it down. It was then that I decided I needed to take care of my body.

If you had known me three years ago, I was working two jobs at 60+ hours and going to nursing school full time. Call me crazy, because I was. I wasn't focusing on myself, and I was trying to mask my ailments. I honestly can say I really don't remember much of that year. That's how much I was doing, I was in fast mode, not focusing on anything but school and work. I am definitely a go-getter, so I wanted to do as much as I could. I also didn't have to pay attention to myself or my emotions.

So here's to self love; It's something I fully practice now, and I recommend giving yourself some time to relax. Whether you work 80 hours a week, or have six kids, or your bed is filled with books from studying, take the time to pamper yourself, it's worth it, and so are you. Now everybody's pamper time is different, but I wanted to show you mine and how it works for me.

Left to Right: *Source Vital Dead Sea Salts-*Stress Relief Bath Oil-*Algae & Dead Sea Salts

I have become obsessed with detox baths. I use either dead sea salts or epsom salts for ultimate relaxation. Right now I am using Source Vital's Dead Sea Salts while diffusing the stress relief oil. This Essential Oil blend contains:  100% pure, undiluted blend of essential oils of citrus aurantium (petitgrain bigarade) leaf oil, thymus mastichina (spanish marjoram) flower oil, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil, pinus sylvestris (pine) needle oil, melissa officinalis leaf oil & ocimum basilicum (basil) oil. I enjoy diffusing this while I take a bath for well, stress relief, what else!? ;)

The Dead Sea Salts contain minerals such as Magnesium, Bromide, Iodine, Potassium, Zinc, and more. Dead Sea salts are amazing for stress relieving, arthritis, regulating heart rate, balancing electrolytes, muscle cramps, restful sleep, foot baths, and more. I especially like to soak my feet after a hard day to relieve some tension. But full on baths is where it's at! I have been using the *Algae & Dead Sea Salts for when I need a full on "spa" night. The Algae & Dead Sea Salt bath soak is truly relaxing and therapeutic. Once you step out of the bath you will feel like you've stepped out of a spa. It's a blast of aromatherapy and relaxation due to the different types of algae and dead sea salts.
Algae & Dead Sea Salts Ingredients: dead sea salts, laminaria digitata powder, lithothamnium calcareum powder, spirulina platensis powder & lavandula hybrida (lavandin) oil.

When I am home and not bathing, I particularly enjoy diffusing *Balance oil by Well Scent. The Balance Oil blend is from their Health & Wellness line. This oil contains: Myrhh, Blood Orange, Cedarwood, Rosemary, Oregano, Frankincense, Vetiver, and Jojoba Seed Oil (All organic)
Balance oil is antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, anti-viral. It is made to support the immune system, flu prevention, and for chronic infections. I specifically like to diffuse this because the scent is phenomenal. This has to be one of the most amazing blends that has ever touched my olfactory senses. Whenever anyone comes over they gravitate towards the diffuser if this is in it. Needless to say, it is great for relaxation, and aromatherapy purposes, as well as cleansing the air.(You can find the oil here) Well Scent has become my new favorite line of Essential Oils. I will be doing a video on them soon on my YouTube channel. I can't wait to share it with all of you.

Another item I must have to relax is tea. Before I found Organic India, it was a dark time in my life (just kidding, but not). I kept buying all kinds of teas to find the perfect one that really felt like it was helping me relax. Two years ago I tried some of Organic India tea at a Vegetarian Festival. That was it, love.

Tulsi (Holy Basil) has been called "The Queen of Herbs." It is amazing at reducing stress, aiding digestion, balancing metabolism, balancing energy levels, uplifting moods, and supporting the immune system. It is also a powerful adaptogen, meaning that it helps restore balance in the body. Adaptogens help to the body to resist the harmful effects of stress on the body.

If you know me, you know I am a huge jasmine lover, in every form. The jasmine tea has been my favorite for a long time. Although, I just bought the sweet rose tea, and it is even more phenomenal. I haven't been disappointed with any other flavors or the performance. I highly recommend this to anyone that has stress, so basically everyone!

While my tea is a brewin' I like to get a mask time in. It's a good way of multi-tasking and getting ready for winding down. I like to mask about two times a week.
I have been using this sample of the Earthwise Beauty *Blackstrap Molasses mask, and what a difference it has been making. It contains beautiful ingredients, with vitamins such as B6, iron, magnesium, and potassium. Once you wash the mask off, you will notice that it reduces redness, firms, brightens, and keeps you moisturized. This is a must buy for anyone with acne, combination, dark spot, or "lack luster" skin. I got about six uses out of this little baby, and now I need the full size! Of course you can use any mask when relaxing, but this is definitely my choice.

My last and most wonderful step to a spa night at home, is to put this essential oil on my pulse points. This is the lovely Essential Oil that comes from Well Scent's Emotional Support line called *Smile.
It is a blend of: Jasmine, Geranium, Bergamot, Sandalwood,Frankincense, Vetiver, Vanilla, and Jojoba oil.

This was made for emotional support anxiety, depression, grief, PTSD, and Trauma. It is simply soothing and the scent is ethereal. It brings back memories of New Orleans to me, and I think it makes it that more special. It puts me in the now and helps to clear my mind.

I hope you have enjoyed reading some of my de-stressing methods. I would love to know what yours are!? Leave a comment down below. As always, thank you for reading. XOXO

Anything with an *asterisk I have received for free by the company. I am not forced to talk about these products, nor am I paid. I enjoy them fully, and would never recommend something I do not like.

Autumn is among us, and my skin is not happy. It was 25 degrees Farenheit here in Massachusetts when I woke up yesterday! (What the heck!) My skin went from being normal/dry to a damn shriveled up cactus over night. I wanted to share with you what I am using to combat these environmental factors.

First things first. My hands must always be moisturized or else I feel like I can't function! Anyone else like that?! You really can't go wrong with Ellovi. Their products are super moisturizing and really effective. I am currently using a deluxe size sample of the Ellovi Mint Chocolate Butter. It smells just like a Thin Mint, and I can't eat them so it makes up for that! Ellovi's products have minimal ingredients that are ethically sourced and wildcrafted. This jar contains 6 ingredients, being: Macadamia Nut Oil, Coconut Oil, Cocoa Butter, Non-GMO Corn Starch, & Peppermint Essential oil. I love that you can get so much out of something so simple. This can offer you many uses other than nourishing your hands; such as being for your overall body, massage oil, makeup cleanser, and more. Big Thumbs up over here! I am dying to try their Chamomile one!

For overall body and aromatherapy purpose I have been raving about the White & Elm Lavender and Geranium body oil. You better go and get this fast because it is part of their seasonal body care line. They formulated this to be a fall floral, and by golly is it spectacular! When I get out of the shower I just slap this on my skin and it sinks right in leaving me feeling smooth and moisturized. Plus this is a sustainable, organic, and minimal ingredient product as well. This contains 7 moisturizing ingredients with a phenomenal scent. I find myself loving body oils more than I do lotions or body butters. There's something about it that feels luxurious. I am completely loving their scrub as well, which exfoliates and leaves you feeling ultra moisturized. I did a review on the whole line here. I also have a 15% off coupon code to use at checkout 'GreenQueen15'. I love White & Elm, they have become one of my favorite natural and organic skincare companies.

Besides my hands, my face is the part of my body that suffers the most from cooler weather. Thanks to Teri Miyahira, we all don't have to bear the painful dry skin this year. Teri formulated an amazing USDA Organic skin moisturizer which has been my saving grace. A lot of trials, make that two years of trial, went into making sure this formula was perfect for all skin types in all climates. My skin has loved this since day one, and I have no complaints. I use this every night, and I wake up the next day still feeling moisturized. This has great ingredients that are beneficial for the skin. You could also use this elsewhere. I think anyone who is looking for moisture needs this. You can purchase this here on Amazon for $24.95

Lastly, my lips have been on fiyah! (aka. fire). There's a Boston accent for all of you who enjoy that ;) I have been loving Red Apple Lipstick's Exoliate stick for about a year now. First off, I love that it's in a sleek tube, as their lipsticks are. I am not a big fan of dipping my finger into sugar scrubs, or what have you. I love that I can just begin and scrape off my outer layers. This works well and I haven't turned to anything else. It is definitely part of my pampering ritual, and I happy to have found it. All you have to do is exfoliate (duh!) and then wipe off with a wet towel, et voila! Exfoliated lips at your service! You can purchase this here: Exfoliate Stick
They also have a Rallye balm that you can use after, and I really love that product as well. You can buy them in a bundle, or separately if you prefer. I would add that into this post, but I mostly like to have color on my lips, especially during Autumn. Which is what you will read about next!

Another lip product that I find amazing is the Ellovi Tinted Lip Butter. I find during the cold weather I want my lips to have a slight pink/red tint. This does the perfect job at giving you a sexy lip when your skin is looking drab. Plus, it's naturally tinted with Alkanet Root, now if that's not cool, then I must be a total nerd. (Actually I already know that I am, but still, it's freakin' cool!) I love that my body doesn't have to be bombarded with FD&C dyes to get some color on them. This is super moisturizing and I always get compliments when I am wearing it. (+ points) I also enjoy this sleek tube and I find it easy to take with me.

These are some of my favorites at the time being. I will update everyone when I am transitioning to winter time. Have you tried any of these products? What's your Autumn body care look like? I would love to hear from you, leave a comment down below. :) Thanks for reading!

*Some links may be affiliate links.

Ava is the creator and superwoman of Earthwise Beauty. She's a sweet woman with a kind heart, and great attention to detail. During her college years she had been making DIY natural skin care products during her down time. She then started learning about herbal healing, nutrition, and so forth. Ava's co-workers would ask for her homemade custom products, and that's how it all started! And we are the lucky ones now, because her products are amazing. Most of her products are vegan, (some containing humane honey, if you're okay with that) organic, natural, and cruelty free! Woo hoo!

Ava truly cares, and you can tell she puts her whole soul into every item. She also gives amazing descriptions on her website about each product!
So let's talk products now!

Green Leaves & Co. Facial Oil: It is a noncomedogenic, anti-microbial, healing and prevention of acne magical potion (no joke, and I am not just saying that because Halloween is coming up!)
I put this on the first night I was gifted these from my good friend Noeli, you can find her on YouTube under the name NZ0424. (For some reason I can't post links at this time)
Ingredients- Virgin cold-press unrefined Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil*†, virgin cold-press unrefined Simmondsia chinensis (golden jojoba) oil*, Rosmarinus officinalis ct. verbenone (rosemary) oil*, Thymus vulgaris ct. linalool (thyme) oil*, Viola odorata leaves absolute*, wildcrafted Lavandula angustifolia (high-altitude French lavender, from Haute Provence) oil, Citrus clementine leaves oil* (from Corsica), Ocimum sanctum (holy basil) oil* (from India, of course), Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract.
Look at how wonderful these ingredients are? Plus this little wonder smells like a bushel of herbs, which is such a delight. I woke up the first day after I first used this oil, and my face was blemish free! Green Leaves & Co. is a complete miracle. My face was smooth and still moisturized from the night before, which rarely happens since my skin is extremely dry. I went through this sample in about two weeks. I cried a little when I finished it, because it was probably the best thing my skin has ever reacted to. I now need to purchase the full size.
Full size 1 oz for $42, Sample size .25 oz for $10

Scarborough Fair Face Wash: It's an herbal face wash with infusions of thyme, sage, and rosemary.
Ingredients- herbal infusion {distilled water, Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaves†, Thymus vulgaris (thyme) leaves†}, water, Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil†‡, potassium hydroxide (but none remains in the final product, after saponifying oils into soap and glycerin), Aloe barbadensis juice†, Olea europaea (olive) oil†‡, Prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil†, Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) esters†, Citrus grandis (grapefruit) seed extract, vegetable glycerin (from soy)†, Cannabis sativa (hemp) oil†, natural ECOCERT-approved preservative {glycerin, Leuconostoc (radish root) ferment filtrate, Lonicera japonica (honeysuckle) flower extract, Lonicera caprifolium (honeysuckle) extract, Populus tremuloides bark extract, glucono-lactone}, guar gum, Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) oil†, Salvia officinalis (sage) oil†, citric acid, tocopherol (vit. E).

Apparently my face really loves rosemary and thyme. For the two weeks I had used this, I had no blemishes pop up! This is the most unique face wash I have ever used. To be honest I am not to used to such liquid-y, slippery face washes. I feel like that's the only way I can describe it. This was a new experience to me, as I've always used foam or cream cleansers. Scarborough Fair starts at a liquid-y state and lathers and foams up. If only I could insert a picture of my amazed face when I used this, haha. You also only need a tiny bit of it, I put about two drops into my hand and it was too much for my face. Scarborough Fair face wash isn't over drying and leaves you feeling clean and refreshed. SF also smells fantastic. I am a true fan of thyme. If you ask my boyfriend, he will tell you how I put thyme in basically every meal. I love that I can incorporate it in my beauty routine now as well. Heart eyes for this product!
Full size 9 oz for $42, 5 oz for $28, Sample size .250z for $6

Tangerine Skies Facial Oil: This fun orange colored facial oil is for all skin types, and for eczema, rosacea, and inflammatory problems.
Ingredients- virgin cold-press unrefined Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil*†, virgin cold-press unrefined Simmondsia chinensis (golden jojoba) oil*, extra-virgin unrefined organic sustainable (orangutan-safe) Fair Trade Elaeis guineensis (palm) oil (West Africa), Citrus reticulata (tangerine peel) oil*, Melissa officinalis (lemon balm) oil*, Citrus limon (lemon peel) oil*, Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract.

This facial oil performs very similar to Green Leaves & Co. for my face. It was very moisturizing and it smells absolutely delicious. My face loves Ava's products. I used this mostly at night because of the citrus in the ingredients. This was a great overnight moisturizer that left me with great results. I also didn't have any pop up blemishes when I used this product!
Full Size 1 0z for $42, Sample size .25 oz for $10.00

Carrot-a-Day Nutritious Eye Serum: This serum was created for acne prone, sensitive skin, spot reducing, and reversing wrinkles. What a multi-purpose product!
Ingredients: Aloe vera barbadensis leaf fillet*, Daucus carota seed oil*, natural non-GMO tocopherol (vit. E), Helichrysum italicum (Italian everlasting) oil*, ECOCERT approved natural preservative {glycerin, Leuconostoc (radish root) ferment filtrate, Lonicera japonica (honeysuckle) flower extract, Lonicera caprifolium (honeysuckle) extract, Populus tremuloides bark extract, glucono-lactone}, Marticaria recutita (German blue chamomile) oil*, carbomer, ascorbic acid (vit. C), Mentha spicata (spearmint) oil*.

I used this at first, and it had felt dehydrating to my face. So, I contacted Ava and she advised me that I should put another balm on top. This worked really well afterwards. I can't exaggerate enough how dry my skin is. So for normal skin textures, I am sure this will work well. I have heard nothing but good things from other people. The scent of the German blue chamomile in this is ethereal. It is very calming, and I put my Nouveau Organica moisturizer on top of it for more moisture, which was one of the best decisions I ever made. If you ever have these two items, I recommend doing the same if you have dry skin. This serum has a cooling clean feeling. Every night that I used this I could see my spots being reduced day after day. I also used this in conjunction with my Acure brightening scrub and the results were phenomenal. I would recommend this to people with more mature skin.

Ava is a true herbal skin healer! She really knows her stuff! Her creations are unbelievably unique and like nothing I have ever tried. She uses high quality products that are amazing for your skin. I wish I had found and tried her products sooner than I did. 

Go check her website out at: www.earthwisebeauty.com
She also has an amazing Instagram feed @earthwisebeauty

Thank you for reading xoxo!
**Items were sent as a gift, no incentive for reviewing, I just truly love these products.