Episode 295: Perfecting Your Haircare Routine, Plus a Look at TerraShield

Perfecting Your Haircare, Plus a Look at TerraShield

Did you know that hair is the second fastest growing tissue in the human body after bone marrow? Your hair grows day and night, so why not show it a little love?

Welcome back to Essential Oil Solutions with doTERRA. The podcast where you'll hear exciting, useful and simple everyday uses for essential oils from experts in the field. This episode is brought to you by some brand-new products that are going to help you become your best self.

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These two audiobooks will walk you through the incredible research, formulation, and benefits behind these powerful products, as well as teach you how to incorporate them into your life every day. Check out the link in our episode description or visit doTERRA.com/podcastoffer to learn more. Open to US orders only.

Today we're excited to talk to Samantha Lewis, a member of the doTERRA Product Marketing team, about some doTERRA products she loves to use in her haircare routine. Then we'll take a look at the oils inside of Tara Shield.

doTERRA: Samantha, thank you so much for sitting down with us today.

Samantha Lewis: Thanks so much for having me.

doTERRA: How can essential oils help my hair?

doTERRA: I think the biggest contribution essential oils can make to your hair is improving the overall appearance. Some essential oils can help keep your hair clean. There are also a few essential oils that are known to give your hair a healthy glow, which I personally love living in a drier climate. Plus, your hair always smells great.

doTERRA: And what essential oils do you recommend adding to my hair care routine?

Samantha Lewis: There really are so many oils you can add to your hair care routine. My first go to is a leave in treatment. I include a few oils, usually 10 to 15 drops of Geranium, Juniper Berry, Cedarwood, Rosemary and Tea Tree in a bowl with about a tablespoon or so of both Fractionated Coconut Oil and jojoba oil. Then I'll rub that and comb that through my hair and give myself a little scalp massage and go to bed. If my hair really soaks it up, though, I'll add a bit more carrier oil to help with that shine I'm usually missing when my hair is feeling dry. I also know many people love Ylang Ylang as part of their deep conditioning routine, along with some Lavender and Geranium.

doTERRA: Finally, Samantha, can you tell us about other products that doTERRA has for my hair?

Samantha Lewis: Yeah, absolutely. With the new haircare product launch, we've totally refreshed our hair care products. There's a new Protecting Shampoo that includes some amazing essential oils like invigorating Spearmint, Peppermint and Eucalyptus, and cleansing Tea Tree and Rosemary. The same essential oils can be found in the Conditioner, but I like to add some Lavender and Geranium if I'm planning on leaving it in throughout the rest of my shower routine. My favorite part about this conditioner is it doesn't weigh my hair down. I have pretty thick hair and find that heavy conditioners, although my hair might feel silky soft and smooth, they really weigh my hair down even more and I'll lose all volume. But I don't seem to have that problem with this conditioner. Honestly, if anything, I tend to have more volume after styling.

And then last but certainly not least, we've got an amazing Leave-In Conditioner that smells beautifully delicious as Wild Orange, Lime, Blue, Tansy, Magnolia, and my personal favorite, yummy Osmanthus Absolute. Honestly though, my favorite part about this Leave-In Conditioner, other than the smell, is that my hair is always soft and smooth after styling. Plus, it acts as a heat protectant, so I've cut down on product use significantly.

I love some of the recipes we actually have on our doTERRA blog. One of my favorites is the hair detangler with Rosemary, Patchouli, Geranium, and Tea Tree. I also like to add some Magnolia for aroma. When I need a deep clean and don't want to use harsh chemicals on my hair, I turn to the Scalp Buildup Cleanser with Rosemary, Lemon, and Grapefruit. I also always add tea tree to any scalp treatments that I do on myself.

doTERRA: Samantha, thank you so much for being here with us today.

Samantha Lewis: Thank you so much for having me. I love sharing my passion about essential oils.

doTERRA; A beautiful summer's day beckons to be enjoyed, the sun shines and you're ready to spend all of your time outside. One thing that you don't want to forget? Your TerraShield. No matter where your summer adventures take you, you'll want to have TerraShield on hand. This incredible blend of Citronella, Lemongrass, Peppermint, Thyme, Cedarwood, and Geranium is ready to become your new summer favorite.

Today we're going to talk about some internal historical uses for some of these plants, but we want to remind you that not all of these oils and blends are for internal use and should only be used aromatically or topically. Any internal benefits discussed for the individual oils in the blend are not applicable to aromatic or topical use. Also, various plant parts such as the leaves, bark, flower stem, fruit peel, bud, resin, etc. were often used for many different practices and benefits. These historical uses are mentioned here to offer insight as we explore the history of oils and plants. As such, these ancient uses are solely for informational purposes and are not being advocated or recommended by doTERRA. Proceed at your own risk with such uses. Also, though historical uses of these oils may cover many applications, the TerraShield blend has only been specifically tested against mosquitoes and is an effective mosquito repellent.

First, we have citronella. Citronella is a plant that you're probably used to hearing about in relation to the outdoors. It's a grass plant that is commonly mistaken for, or even sometimes referred to as, Lemongrass because they are so similar in appearance, growth, and processing method. However, the two plants simply belong to the same plant family. They're more like cousins. Citronella is popular for many different applications, including as an insect repellent, a fragrant candle ingredient, and is utilized in perfumes, deodorants, skin lotions, and soaps. This fragrant grass has earned the name citronella from the French word meaning lemon balm, and the trademark clean, lemon-like aroma of citronella becomes easily apparent when the plant is crushed. Many people find that dried citronella grass is an excellent addition to potpourri. For centuries, citronella has been a natural wellness resource and a food ingredient all over the world. Places like China, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia have used it for everything from flavoring culinary dishes to lending its scent to natural cleaning products and pest repellent candles.

Lemongrass is native to tropical regions such as Africa, Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and Oceania, and it's an important ingredient in many traditional Asian cuisines. This herb is especially important in the cuisines of Vietnam and Thailand, where it provides both the base and added flavorings for numerous soups. In countries such as India, China, and Thailand, it has been used as a flavoring agent in beverages and desserts.

The scent of lemongrass is fresh and light with a hint of lemon citrus, even though it is just a grass. It belongs to a family known as Grameen, the same family that citronella and palmarosa belong to. Its pleasing scent makes it very useful in perfumes, soaps, and cosmetics. In hoodoo, lemongrass is the primary ingredient of Van Van oil, one of the most popular oils used. Van Van oil is an old hoodoo formula designed to clear away evil, provide magical protection, open the road to new prospects, change bad luck to good, and empower amulets and charms. It is the most popular of the New Orleans hoodoo recipes. Lemongrass is used in this preparation and on its own in hoodoo to protect against evil, spiritually cleanse the house, and to bring good luck in love affairs.

In addition to cooking and personal care products, lemongrass has also been used throughout history and traditional wellness practices in India. It has long been used, and in Latin America they would often brew a tea with the grass to take advantage of its beneficial properties. The leaves of the grass were also chewed, or the sap would be made into a compress to utilize in various situations. Today, lemongrass continues to be used in Cuba and the Caribbean as part of natural wellness solutions.

Did you know that some of the earliest mentions of peppermint appear in Greek mythology by Roman philosophers, the Christian Bible, and by monks in the Middle Ages? There are even ancient Egyptian texts dating as early as 1550 BC that include peppermint. Pliny, a Roman scientist and historian, recorded that the Greeks and Romans used peppermint to flavor sauces and wines. Sprays of peppermint also adorned their tables.

Ancient Greek physicians used two different species of mint in their wellness practices, and there's also evidence that the Egyptians cultivated peppermint, and dried leaves were even discovered in several pyramids. Peppermint is also mentioned in 13th century Icelandic writings, but it wasn't until the middle of the 18th century that peppermint was cultivated for its wellness properties in Western Europe and England. One of the big things that peppermint has been used for throughout history is as a natural deterrent to pests. People have planted peppermint around their gardens and homes for centuries to keep away uninvited visitors.

Wild thyme grows in the Levant, a term referring to a large area in the eastern Mediterranean region of western Asia where it might have been first cultivated. Experts in language tell us that thyme’s name was derived from the Greek word Thutmose, meaning courage and thyme’s history has long been intertwined with the idea of courage.

The ancient Greeks used time in their baths and burnt it as an incense in their temples, believing it was a source of courage. In Europe, In the Middle Ages, women would give gifts to knights and warriors that included leaves from a time plant. It was believed that these gifts would bring the knights courage in battle. Thyme also has throughout history been associated with funerary rites. Ancient Egyptians used time during their embalming process, and in the Middle Ages, thyme was used as an incense and placed on coffins during funerals, with the belief that it would assure the deceased passage into the next life.

Throughout history, thyme has also been used in traditional wellness practices. Hippocrates recommended thyme for a variety of uses in the Victorian era. It was also heavily utilized as a wellness practice, and in the Middle Ages it was also often placed underneath pillows.

Red cedar, Virginian juniper, and aromatic cedar. All of these are names for juniper virginia, the beautiful fragrant tree. Red cedar is a strong, resilient tree that's able to withstand extreme climates and can tolerate most soil types. It's also what's known as a pioneer species. A pioneer species is one of the first species that returns to a cleared, eroded, or otherwise damaged land. Among pioneer species, the red cedar is unusually long lived, with the potential to last over 900 years. In fact, the oldest red cedar reported was in West Virginia, and it was 940 years old. During the Dust Bowl in the 1930s, farmers were encouraged to plant lines of red cedar called shelter belts. Shelter belts protected farms or fields from strong winds that cause erosion. Since the red cedar thrives in harsh and diverse conditions, it was an ideal tree for creating a natural windbreak.

Among many Native American cultures, the smoke of a burning red cedar is traditionally used to drive away evil spirits prior to conducting certain ceremonies. For numerous tribes, red cedar symbolizes the tree of life and is burned in sweat lodges and purification rites. Native American tribes also used poles of juniper wood to mark their hunting territories. In fact, a French trader noticed such poles and named one area of Louisiana Baton Rouge, which means red stick.

Red cedar has also been used in traditional wellness practices. People would crush the leaves and apply them to the skin. Others would boil a mixture of nuts, twigs, and leaves and breathe in the steam with its sweet, woody fragrance. Cedarwood essential oil is the perfect way to capture the beauty and peace of the forest.

Finally, we have geranium. Geranium is a native of South Africa, where more than 250 wild species of the plant still grow. The first geraniums did not come to Europe until the 17th century, but the geranium is not actually a member of the geranium family. To any gardener or botanist, geranium refers to a winter hardy perennial shrub. They refer to the popular summer flower as pilgrims. The naming problem came about in the 17th century, when the first pair were brought to Europe. They were called geraniums due to their similarity to the perennial plant. The name stuck and has been used ever since. Several European countries consider the geranium an integral part of their culture and a symbol of their homeland. The Swiss have even selected this easy care blooming beauty as their national flower.

Geranium has had many uses throughout history. It found popularity as a flavoring, with the flowers and leaves being used in cakes, jams, jellies, ice cream, sorbet, salads, sugars, and teas. And the indigenous people of South Africa utilize the roots of the geranium in their traditional wellness practices. Certain saintly geraniums have even been found to naturally repel pests at the slightest breeze or the lightest touch, these plants release their perfume, and what may be a pleasant smell to us humans, doesn't smell so good to the insects and helps them keep away.

Whatever you're up to this summer, TerraShield is ready to stay right by your side. Try it and we know it will become a staple in your home.

Thanks for joining us and congratulations on living a healthier lifestyle with essential oils. If you want to try any of the products you learned about, click on the link in the episode description or find a Wellness Advocate near you to place an order today. And remember, if you liked what you heard today. Rate, review and subscribe wherever you listen.