In honor of the first day of Autumn, we take a look at our Fall Reed Diffuser Kit.  It makes the perfect gift or room decoration for this brisk season.  The kit comes with everything that you need to create a beautiful Reed Diffuser decor!

Just like in the stores, the Fall Reed Diffuser Kit comes with a reed diffuser bottle, wooden reed diffuser cap, 10″ reed diffusers, Fall Festival scented reed diffuser oil, and silk leaves for added flair.

If your summer reed diffuser scent is fading, now is the time to renew your room with a warm earthy, nutty aroma with rich, buttery vanilla notes!

The antimicrobial chemical triclosan in antibacterial soaps is believed to disrupt thyroid function and hormone levels in people; when it mixes into wastewater, it can cause sex changes in aquatic life.  And health experts believe that overuse of this and other antibacterial chemicals is promoting the growth of bacteria that are resistant to antibacterial treatment.

Better alternative: Good old-fashioned soap and warm water will kill just as many germs, studies have shown.  If you must use a hand sanitizer, pick one that’s alcohol-based and doesn’t list triclosan or other chemicals on its label.

Above is an excerpt taken from the article “5 Toxic Chemicals You Should Banish From Your Home,” written by Leah Zerbe, and found on Today MSNBC. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44258903/ns/health-health_care/?gt1=43001#.Tluv2V2wUUU

For more  information on what doctors are saying about Antibacterial Soap, read our blog Should We Avoid Antibacterial?

If you want to make your own inexpensive bars of soap that do wonders washing away dirt and bacteria, try using Melt and Pour Soap Bases, Essential Oils, and Soap Molds.  It takes about 5 minutes to make a beautiful bar of soap, and the soap will last through washing after washing.  Search our blog for creative soap recipes and a how-to video!

The White Thyme Essential Oil is derived from a plant whose genus (Thymus) is more than 5 million years old!  Some fossils have even shown impressions of thyme species that are still around today.  This ancient plant type was discovered in the Middle East and dispersed around the Mediterranean Sea.  Over the years, people have used this strong herb for a variety of purposes.  It has been added to food for flavor, made into a liquor, planted to attract pollinating honeybees, burned in sacred temples, and used as a medicine for gout, epilepsy, and even nightmares.  Thyme was used as a battlefield antiseptic in combat, including World War I.  Thyme oil was actually in short supply at the beginning of the war because Germany (our foe a the time) was our main supplier.

There are more than 100 species of thyme.  Some can reach heights of 15 inches, however, most people prefer the low lying herb.  The spicy, warm, herbaceous scent makes it a popular ground cover, for example, between stepping stones on a walkway.  Whatever the purpose, aromatherapists credit White Thyme Essential Oil with having stimulating, uplifting, and reviving properties.  That’s probably why centuries ago a bath infused with the oil was thought to revitalize tired soldiers and restore their courage.

Little Known Fact: Nicholas Culpeper, a 17th century herbalist and apothecary, wrote books that combined herbal medicine with astrology.  In one of his writings, it was found that the clean, bright, cephalic Thyme is the perfect essential oil for the Gemini (those born between May 22 and June 22).

For a Germ Killing Room Spray using White Thyme Essential Oil, please see our Stop the Flu Blog.