Essential oils, herbs, and homeopathic remedies can be great natural options for keeping your skin safe in the sun and keeping bugs away. Products like lavender essential oil and Neutralizer help soothe sunburns, while things like Sun Shade lotion offer sun protection. For bug bites and stings, herbs like calendula or plantain can calm the itch, and essential oils like citronella, catnip, and kanuka help keep mosquitoes and other bugs at bay. Homeopathic remedies like Apis or Ledum can also help with swelling and itching if you do get bitten. It’s a simple, natural way to care for your skin and stay comfortable when you’re outside.

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In This Issue

NEW Synergy Kit
Sun Shade Lotion
^LeBeGone Soap
June Essential Oils
Featured Herbs
Featured Blessed Waters
Neutralizer
Blend – ^LeAgeless
Single – Catnip
Single – Kanuka
Apricot Kernel Carrier Oil
Travel Wise Kit

Synergy Kit

This kit is designed to support and enhance total body wellness by targeting key body systems—circulatory, digestive, endocrine, immune, nervous, respiratory, reproductive, and urinary. Each essential oil included has been carefully selected to address both physical and emotional health concerns associated with these systems. Whether you are looking to support the heart, balance hormones, improve digestion, or promote immune function, this kit offers a synergistic blend of oils that work together to create complete body harmony.

This kit comes in the 10ml Hard Case. This case will hold 30 bottles of oil. This kit includes the following (20) 10ml oils: ^LeAmplify, ^LeBaby Me, ^LeBalance, ^LeDeeper, ^LeDeliverance, ^LeEndoRelief, ^LeExhale, ^LeGuardian, ^LeHeartSong, ^LeKey To My Heart, ^LeLetting Go, ^LeMillenia, ^LeReflections, ^LeRevitalize, ^LeSolace, ^LeStimulate, ^LeSweet Relief, ^LeTransition, ^LeWisdom, and ^LeWoman Wise.

More detailed information can be found here in the kit insert.

Sun Shade Lotion

Sun Shade Lotion is designed to provide light sun coverage without chemicals. It contains all-natural oils, each with an SPF factor ranging from 2 to 50. These natural ingredients help to protect against UV rays when exposed to the sun. The essential oils are mixed with water and emulsifiers to make a lotion. The lotion is available in a pumps and jars of various sizes.
With any product used for sun protection, it is a good idea to reapply every 60 to 90 minutes. For extra protection, you can apply more than one layer.
These handmade natural lotions are gentle enough for all skin types. They are paraben-free, formaldehyde-free, and they contain no petroleum products, no animal products, and no artificial fragrances or dyes

^LeBeGone Bar Soap

The essential oil blend ^LeBeGone was created to repel insects, prevent insect and tick bites, and bring a bit of relief should any such bite occur. Essential oils are a wonderful alternative to chemical bug sprays! In spite of being a repellent, ^LeBeGone has a very pleasant aroma. In addition, each of the four essential oils in this blend are healing and soothing to skin of all types.
^LeBeGone soap is a great way to apply this oil. Every time you wash your hands or body with it, you are re-applying your bug spray!

The essential oils listed below should be sprayed on pant legs, sleeves, and hats if you are going into any situation that may expose you to bugs and biting/stinging little critters. Avoid, of course, contact with the eyes or other delicate tissues such as the nostrils.

Featured Herbs for Sun Safety and Bugs

Calendula

Calendula has long held a place as a first aid remedy for cuts and abrasions because of its wound-healing and antiseptic properties. It is strongly antibacterial and even antifungal! Its use in these situations also strengthens the lymphatic and immune systems. Calendula has a special affinity for the female reproductive system. It has long been one of the herbs that midwives rely on to heal any small “skid marks” or stretched perineal tissues after childbirth. As you might have guessed, these blossoms are healing to any type of small skin injury or irritation.

The beautiful, bright yellow/orange-blossomed flowers are easy to grow (even I can do it successfully) and look wonderful in a flower bed or herb garden. The blossoms can be used to bring highlights to, and postpone greying, in lighter shades of hair.

Robin Murphy’s Materia Homeopathic Medica states, speaking of “herbal” remedies of Calendula: This great herbal antiseptic restores the vitality of a wounded part, making it impregnable against the forces of putrefaction. Indicated in lacerate and suppurative wounds.

Plantain

Featured Blessed Waters for Sun Safety and Bugs

Calendula Officinalis

Robin Murphy (mentioned above under Calendula as an herb) calls Calendula as a homeopathic remedy “a most remarkable healing agent, applied locally or given internally in potency.” He continues by saying, “rapid healing of wounds, cuts, abrasions, lacerations, broken skin surfaces. Antiseptic for sores, abscesses, infection at the site of a wound. Promotes favorable scar tissue with least amount of suppuration. Give calendula before and after surgery. Use for burns, scalds, sunburns. For eye trauma after injury, scratched cornea (remade in clear water with no alcohol, of course!), torn tendons and muscles.”

I have used Calendula as an herb and as a Blessed Water/Homeopathic for most of my adult life. I love it in any form! I must state, firmly, that I have used the Blessed Water/Homeopathic remedy for everything mentioned by Robin Murphy in the above paragraph and found his descriptions accurate and the remedy tremendously effective!

Hypericum Perforatum

Hypericum is recommended for the stings of insects and for insect bites. It is also listed as a remedy for dog and animal bites as well as cat scratches. Highlighted as a remedy for pain from surgical cuts.

When I think of Hypericum perforatum (St. John’s Wort) in relation to injuries, I think of puncture wounds and wounds that have become (or might become) infected. St. John’s Wort is a nerve remedy. Symptoms will, generally, include spasms and shooting pains from the injured part. This remedy is especially indicated for wounds to the extremities. This would include crushed fingers, especially the tips of the fingers.

As a nerve remedy, Hypericum is useful for injuries to the tailbone, the brain, and the spinal cord. It is also recommended for use following spinal taps and head injuries. Literature from many, many years ago indicates that it should be used for skull fractures and bone splinters. (Please do not interpret this as a reason not to see a doctor!)

Natrum Muriaticum

Natrum muriaticum is made, energetically by homeopathic principles, from common rock salt. It is what is considered a ‘polychrest’ remedy. This means that if used properly, it will have been useful for most people at some time in their lives for something! The list of emotional applications goes on and on and on!

I will list here just a few of the symptoms listed under the heading “Skin” in publications by experts as being likely to be amerliorated by this remedy: Insect bites, stings of bees, mosquitoes, Painful scars, redness of old scars, sunburns—especially of those who sunburn easily, hives, itching and burning of the skin after exertion, fever blisters, cold sores, nettle rash over the whole body (we proved its effectiveness at our house!), eczema, and herpes zoster.

This is one of the remedies I have used many times for many things over a period of many years!

Vespa Crabro

A basic tenet of Blessed Water/Homeopathic prescribing is the idea that the symptoms that would be seen by exposure to a substance in natural form (rather than an energetic-type remedy) will be what that energetic remedy will ameliorate/treat. Vespa crabro is latin for ‘wasp’ and this remedy is specific for any symptom that a wasp sting would produce.

For example: at a time in my life when I was still dangerously allergic to bee stings, a bee flew up my pant leg and stung me. A friend, luckily, had just given me a sample of this remedy. It was in my purse. I applied it topically and took a dose internally. Practically no swelling at all at the site, and none of the other reactions (extreme swelling with scary heart and respiratory symptoms) occurred at all. Even though I was well aware of the power of these energetic (homeopathic/Blessed Water) remedies, I was stunned and amazed. This remedy became an integral part of my eventually leaving this particular allergy behind me!

Apis Mellifica

Apis, like Natrum muriaticum, is a true polychrest remedy, but even more so! (‘Polychrest’ is defined above under the description of Natrum muriaticum). This remedy is the #1 go-to remedy for anything related to bee stings and insect bites of any kind AND anything that presents with symptoms similar to a bee sting! (REALLY! That is how energetic remedies like this work!)

Apis is also the #1 remedy for allergies—most especially allergies that affect the skin, the eyes, and anything that swells anywhere on the body!

One of my sons, as a child, suffered from extreme allergic reactions to many things. However, his reaction to bee stings and spider bites was nearly anaphylactic in nature and extreme! (As was mine, at the time. No more!) Whenever he came running into the house, beginning to show signs of trouble, I would reach for two remedies, Apis mellifica and Allium Cepa. If the first one didn’t start to alleviate the symptoms in 20 seconds (I counted), then I would reach for the other one. Eventually, we combined them into one remedy to save time and trouble and he simply carried it with him. I love Blessed Water/Homeopathic remedies! If the right choice has been made, the results should be nearly instantaneous!

Key symptoms that Apis will help with as they relate to this newsletter’s topic: Any type of insect sting, but most especially those that present with swelling, hives, or skin bumps that are similar. In fact, anything that presents with intolerable itching! Skin that is dry and hot and, usually, rosy red! Puffy eyelids from an allergic reaction with burning, shooting pains. Many times the eyes will be seriously inflamed and suppurating (giving off pus)!

Cantharis Vesicatoria

Any inflammation that occurs, either from sunburn or insect bites, will be violently acute and/or rapidly destructive to the skin and underlying mucous membranes. Vesicular eruptions are defined as a skin rash characterized by the appearance of small, fluid-filled blisters. There will be raw burning pains with, interestingly, a constant urge and need to urinate. The urine will come with burning sensations as though those tender membranes were being scalded!

No matter the situation or cause of the symptoms, if Cantharis is indicated, the person will be very anxious and restless, the pulse will be racing at first, then feeble and irregular. This symptom picture is cause for some degree of alarm as it may indicate the onset of a rather sudden loss of consciousness! Be prepared!

Ledum Palustre

Ledum is considered a rheumatic remedy. In some people (and some members of my family), insect stings result in what we have referred to as ‘whole body’ reactions. Reaction to insect bites and stings (and to puncture-type injuries including dog or other animal bites) are accompanied by stiffness in fibrous tissues (tendons) of such areas of the body as ankle, knee, or hip joints. A keynote is that the soles of the feet—especially the heels—become painful until the person can hardly walk upon them.

Other indications for Ledum include a tendency to infections in wounds and bites, and any discoloration of skin and tissue that has occurred will remain long after one would expect it to have dissipated!

Neutralizer

The Miracle II line of products are some of the most amazing products I have ever become acquainted with. I have more than one bottle of the Neutralizer discussed here open in my bathrooms, kitchen, and herb cupboard! Putting it in a spray bottle is an easy way to apply this alkalinized liquid to rashes, irritated skin, sunburns, and insect bites. Neutralizer also comes in a soothing gel, but the more liquid form applied as a spray is so gentle. I use it when my skin is irritated, as it sometimes gets, from swimming or showering in chlorinated water!

^LeAgeless Essential Oil Blend

This wonderfully synergistic blend begins with Frankincense and Helichrysum and then is expanded and improved by the addition of seven more essential oils. Each of the nine oils in this blend is renowned for being outstanding in their individual and unique skin healing and regenerating properties.

Lavender has many outstanding properties. Foremost among them is that it is positively unparalleled for renewing skin after severe burns. Of course, it is contained in this formula. Helichrysum, Sandalwood, Palmarosa, Rose, Opoponax and Litsea Cubeba, while not as well-known as Lavender, are equally effective for skin regeneration. ^LeAgeless assists in maintaining or even developing beautiful and healthy skin one cell at a time.

Both Lavender and ^LeAgeless are also available in lotion form from Butterfly Express, LLC!

Catnip Essential Oil

Catnip is provided as an essential oil, as an herbal tincture, and in dry herb form. Although catnip is primarily known for its insect repellent properties, my first introduction to it (many years ago) was in the treatment of tummyaches in a baby that was causing the infant extreme distress and keeping everyone in the household up all night every night!

Catnip contains a compound called nepetalactone, which has been shown in laboratory studies to be up to 10 times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET, according to research by the American Chemical Society. In addition to mosquitoes, catnip also helps repel a variety of other insects, including flies, cockroaches, aphids, and squash bugs commonly found in gardens.

Kanuka Essential Oil

Kanuka is a fairly new essential oil from Tasmania. A Tasmanian farmer, John Hood, noticed that the steel wire fence that had this strange plant growing near it was not rusting out like other fences on his property. This observation led to years of investigation and trials of the essential oil that is distilled from this plant. Kunzea (Kunzea ambigua) and Kanuka (Kunzea ericoides) seem to be very similar in both aroma and therapeutic properties.

Kanuka contains a cluster of five sesquiterpene compounds, all of which have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Kanuka’s anti-inflammatory properties seem to be particularly effective for ear, nose, and throat inflammations and infections and for the treatment of certain types of migraine headaches. I know that this last sentence has nothing to do with Sun Safety or insects, but I just couldn’t resist pointing it out. Essential oils are many-faceted and absolutely amazing!

Kanuka is also used in the treatment of skin conditions such as eczema, rashes, and insect bites. Kanuka is also known to be an insect repellent.

Apricot Kernel Carrier Oil

ButterflyExpress, llc carries an impressive variety of carrier oils! Apricot kernel carrier oil is therapeutic enough that it is even beneficial when applied all by itself, much like one would apply a favorite lotion! Apricot oil is appropriate for all skin types, including infants and small children!
The healing properties of Apricot oil are most apparent when applied to sensitive, inflamed, dry, or prematurely aging skin. I would certainly recommend it in the treatment—either by itself or as a carrier oil for lavender—for mild sunburns.

Travel Wise Kit

Summer is the time for exploring and having fun! It is also an opportunity for sunburn, skin abrasion, insect bites, and stings! The Travel Wise kit was created to put carefully selected oils into a convenient package to provide ease from minor misfortunes as summer and travel are enjoyed.
Each essential oil in this handy kit was carefully selected to address multiple issues and to cover a wide range of common misadventures associated with summer and with traveling. That being so, I am going to give you a very brief bit of information about each oil in this kit. Please see the butterflyexpress.shop website if you require further information about any of these items.

^LeEZ Traveler: I believe that nearly everyone would benefit from carrying ^LeEZ Traveler with them whenever they are traveling, especially if there has been any tendency to motion sickness in the past! The aroma alone is often all that is needed. I especially like to place a single drop, or maybe two drops, on my wrists. From there, I catch of whiff of the aroma every time I push my hair out of my face.

^LeEZ Traveler has proven effective when used in the days before a trip is planned to avoid expected bouts of trouble. Excellent for morning sickness as well as for incidences of nausea, dizziness, and vertigo. (Of course, the cause of such incidents would be ferreted out and treated by any means possible as well!) Many people have reported that this blend has been a lifesaver with their children in coping with bouts of sickness when traveling by car or plane.

Essential oils, both synergistic blends and single oils, always work on the emotions as well­­‑­and at the same time! ^LeEZ Traveler can be helpful in sorting through the emotions underlying digestive issues. This blend is especially impressive at calming any emotions connected to travel, including worry or tension of any kind.

^LeInsideOut: ^LeInsideOut improves the functioning of the digestive system, relieving such discomforts as nausea, belching, bloating, stomach craps, heartburn, constipation, and diarrhea. Yes, this blend is effective for both constipation and diarrhea. Since natural remedies work with the body to return body organs and systems to balanced and healthy states, it is not uncommon for remedies to work for opposite symptoms in this way. Also available as a lotion.

Lavender: The discussion of lavender above under the information about the ^LeAgeless blend, has reminded us of Lavender’s unparalleled ability to renew and heal damaged skin. What a blessing lavender could be for so many issues that might arise when traveling or enjoying summertime activities.

Lavender, as an essential oil or as a Blessed Water/Homeopathic remedy, is a remedy for stress, nervousness, depleted physical energy reserves (sounds like traveling to me!), and insomnia.

Orange Sweet: You may note, if you visit the Butterfly Express website, that orange oil is added to an incredible number of Butterfly’s blend formulas. Orange oil always adds a delightful, upbeat aroma to any blend and to the mindset of anyone who encounters its aroma! On its own, orange essential oil has a wide variety of uses, each one key-noting the emotional drivers behind the physical issue. This is one of the most versatile and most inexpensive essential oils and a favorite of many people. I have often recommended it for both motion sickness and for women suffering from morning sickness.

Peppermint: Oddly, peppermint as an herb or as an essential oil brings a rush of fresh energy into the system, yet assists us in relaxing and quelling any tension that anxiety of any sort has built up in our bodies or minds. Peppermint aids the digestion on the physical level and enhances our ability to “digest” new situations and new ideas! This is one of the very best essential oils for motion sickness, any type of nausea, or vomiting.

Peppermint is especially helpful in coping with the symptoms of motion sickness. It should be noted and remembered that peppermint is soothing in small amounts and strongly stimulating when too much is used! This is also true, to a slight lesser extent, with lavender.

^LeWakeUp: The very name of the blend tells you what I use it for when traveling. Not so much “waking up” when driving, but “staying awake” when driving! ^LeWakeUp just plain makes me feel more energetic and alert!

This delightful blend can be diffused or just taken a sniff of to make a person feel more awake and more alert! While wonderful diffused, ^LeWakeUp if very effective when diluted with a carrier oil and applied to the bottoms of the feet. Special emphasis should be given to the big toe, both top side and on the bottom. According to Foot Zone and Reflexology thinking, the big toe accesses the brain and nerves to the head and face.

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