This is my mom and her first baby (my brother).

She sent this photo to me after I had my first baby. She sent it to remind me that we have all been there. And it was hard for all of us. The first bath, the (many) first feeds, diaper changes, sleeplessness and the nervousness and uncertainty that goes along with it all. 

My mom was there for the birth of both my girls and she's been a second mother to them ever since. I spent my first year of motherhood living in a different city and couldn't imagine being that far away again, for the sake of both myself and the girls. My mother is a wonderful, loving and fun grandma and an incredibly supportive mother and mother-in-law.

There is not a 'thing' in the world that I could give to her to express the gratitude I feel  for her and for our relationship, but I do love this skin oil and and she deserves a bit of pampering.

I've got a workshop in the works (date TBA) and part of the prep involved looking into different carrier oils and their unique qualities for the skin. Hemp oil popped up in my research as a really good option for a topical oil. It's one that I've only ever considered for consumption, so this is very exciting! It's got a comedogenic rating of 0, which means it won't clog pores and, in fact, helps to balance oil production. It's high in vitamins A and E and can help to reduce acne and skin rashes. 

It's beautiful green hue makes me love this oil even more.

To make a perfect balance, I've gone with equal parts of Hempseed oil, Jojoba oil and Fractionated Coconut Oil.

Jojoba oil has a comedogenic rating of 2 and contains a slew of nutrients that are excellent for skin health: B complex, vitamin E and silicon (silicon's necessary for collagen production). It's got a very high percentage of iodine, which makes it a great oil for treating irritated skin, blemishes and wounds. 

Fractionated coconut oil is coconut oil minus the lauric acid. It still contains many of the wonderful benefits for skin that virgin coconut oil has (antibacterial, antioxidant, skin soothing and softening) but it's much less likely to clog pores and absorbs very well without leaving an oily feeling on the skin.

Gently swirl the oils together.

Add 10 drops of Vanilla oil. This is not a true essential oil. It's a dilution of 1% vanilla essential oil in jojoba oil. My understanding (and I am NOT an expert) is that vanilla oil does not come as a 100% essential oil, it's usually a dilution. The vanilla aroma, however has a very calming effect and can help you to feel relaxed and at ease. It's going to act as the undertone in this blend.

Add five drops of geranium oil. Geranium is wonderful for the skin. It helps to tighten facial skin and ward off wrinkles & pre-mature aging. It's also a wonderful mood-enhancer. It's bright and flowery fragrance is just beautiful. 

Using a small funnel pour your oil into a 30ml - 50ml jar. If you've got some left over, slather it on. You deserve it!

A little bit of this beautiful oil goes a long way. Use a small amount on your face, shoulders and anywhere that might need a bit of love (dry elbows?).

Vanilla & Geranium Hempseed Skin Oil

• 1 tbsp hempseed oil
• 1 tbsp jojoba oil
• 1 tbsp fractionated coconut oil
• 10 drops vanilla essential oil
• 5 drops geranium essential oil

1. In a small, glass jar, combine carrier oils and gently swirl to combine
2. Add essential oils and swirl once more
3. Pour into a 30 - 50 ml glass dropper bottle

Happy Mother's day!