All Essentially Free

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Sometimes you should listen to that little voice in your head… 😂🐝

Yesterday was HOT. Like don’t mess with the bees hot.

I went out to check on my girls like I always do and got the urge to just crack the top and make sure everything was okay.

That little voice in my head said, “Don’t do it. It’s hot. They’re probably going to be testy.”

Did I listen? Nope.

I popped the top… and they were as calm as could be.

So I pulled a frame.

Still calm.

A few more frames…

Still calm.

Next thing you know, I’m digging through the bottom box thinking, “Well, this wasn’t such a bad idea after all.”

Then came the mistake…

I went to put the top box back on, but the girls had gathered all along the top rail. I didn’t want to squish anyone, so I gently brushed them aside.

Remember… no suit and no smoker, because I wasn’t supposed to be doing this in the first place.

Brush… grab the box… bees right back.

Brush… grab the box… bees right back.

Third time’s the charm, right?

Wrong. 🤣

One swipe later and suddenly it was FULL ATTACK MODE.

They were swarming me, chasing me, and stinging my hand. I finally backed away thinking, “Okay girls… message received.”

I gave them a few minutes to settle down and thought I’d try again…

Big mistake.

The second I walked back through the gate they came after me again. More stings to my hand, two to my ankle, and now they’re chasing me across the yard while I’m pulling stingers out.

At that point I admitted defeat.

I got my suit on, lit the smoker, went back out, and within a minute my sweet girls were right back to themselves. I got the hive closed up, told them I was sorry 😆, and headed inside to lick my wounds.

Changed my clothes…

…and guess what?

One little hitchhiker had ridden all the way into the house inside my pants. 🤦‍♀️

There I was standing in my underwear with a loose honey bee flying around my bedroom. I already knew several girls had died because of my poor decisions, so there was no way I was letting this one die too.

I grabbed a queen clip, caught her, and walked her back home where she belonged.

Meanwhile… my poor hand looked like a baseball mitt. My ring finger and index finger were so swollen I couldn’t bend them, and my ankle felt like someone had driven a blade through it.

I tried several things, but nothing worked as well as fresh plantain and lemon balm from my bee garden. I crushed the leaves, rubbed them right on the stings, and within a short time I noticed the swelling and discomfort starting to calm down.

So yesterday’s lesson?

✔️ Listen to the little voice.
✔️ Wear the suit when that voice tells you to.
✔️ And always grow medicinal herbs near your hives… because sometimes your bees remind you exactly why you planted them. 💚🐝🌿

Sometimes life gets busy… and social media takes a back seat. 🌿

But behind the scenes? I’ve been doing what I love most.

🌱 Growing herbs.
🫙 Creating new formulas.
🥣 Handcrafting small batches.
📦 Restocking shelves.
❤️ Helping customers find products that actually work for their skin.

Every product at All Essentially Free is made with intention—not rushed through an assembly line. From infusing botanicals to carefully choosing skin-loving ingredients, every jar, bottle, and bar is something I’m proud to put my name on.

Now I want to hear from YOU!

✨ What’s your favorite All Essentially Free product?
✨ Is there something you’ve been hoping I’d make?
✨ Or if you’re new here, what skin concern are you trying to solve?

Drop a comment below! I’d love to chat and help you find your perfect routine.

Thank you for supporting my little business—it truly means more than you know. 💚

🌿☀️ THE SUMMER FAVORITES ARE BACK! ☀️🌿

I’ve been busy in the workshop because these customer favorites kept disappearing from the shelves!

🔥 Bug Off Natural Bug Repellent
Because summer should be about campfires, gardens, baseball games, and beach days—not being eaten alive by mosquitoes.

☀️ Adult & Kids After Sun Aloe Gel
The bottle you’ll wish you had after a little too much sunshine. Cooling, soothing, and made to help calm sun-stressed skin.

🧴 Whipped Tallow Creams
🌊 Waters Edge
🌅 Sunset
💋 Sweet But Sassy

If you’ve never tried our whipped tallow creams, this is your sign. Rich, silky nourishment that leaves skin soft, hydrated, and glowing without the greasy feel.

The shelves at Muskegon Market & Mercantile are freshly stocked, but if you’ve shopped with me before, you know the favorites never seem to stay there long.

So here’s your friendly warning:

⚠️ Don’t wait until you’re covered in mosquito bites.
⚠️ Don’t wait until you’re sunburned.
⚠️ Don’t wait until your favorite scent is gone.

Come grab them while they’re still on the shelf.

📍 Muskegon Market & Mercantile

Summer is short. Soft skin, bug-free evenings, and beach-day essentials are waiting. 🌿✨

Anyone else love the smell of fresh cut lavender

📚🌞 Did you know? 🌞📚

If you sign up for the FREE Summer Reading Program at Hackley Public Library, you might just discover a little extra surprise from All Essentially Free!

Inside many of the Summer Reading Program bags, you’ll find a Buy One, Get One 50% Off coupon for your favorite handcrafted skincare products. 💚

Not only can you earn prizes, badges, and grand prize entries by tracking your reading, but you’ll also have the chance to treat yourself to clean, intentional skincare made right here in Muskegon.

📖 Read more.
🎉 Earn prizes.
🛍️ Enjoy exclusive local discounts.

The Summer Reading Program Hackley Public Library runs through August 1, but the bags won’t last forever—so sign up soon and grab yours while supplies last!

💚

🌴✨ NEW IN THE SHOP & THEY WON’T LAST LONG ✨🌴

I may have accidentally created three products that are fighting for favorite-child status…

🥥 NEW Coconut Whipped Body Lotion
This one started because a customer asked, “Can you make a coconut lotion?” Challenge accepted. The result? A silky-smooth lotion that feels like a tropical getaway in a bottle. Rich, nourishing, and the kind of scent that makes you close your eyes and pretend you’re sitting on a beach instead of folding laundry.

💜 Lilac Tallow Lotion Bar
If spring had a signature scent, this would be it. Smells just like fresh lilacs in bloom and melts into your skin leaving it soft, smooth, and moisturized—without that greasy feeling nobody wants.

🌿 Lavender Lemongrass Tallow Cream
The fan favorite is back! Deeply hydrating, beautifully calming, and a customer favorite for good reason. Bonus? Lavender and lemongrass are known for helping keep those pesky mosquitoes at bay while keeping your skin happy.

⚠️ Fair warning:
You might come for one and leave with all three.

Which one are you grabbing first?
🥥 Coconut
💜 Lilac
🌿 Lavender Lemongrass

Drop your choice below and let me know if you’re Team Tropical, Team Floral, or Team Bug-Free Summer! 👇✨

What kind of vacationer are you? 👀

Me?
I’m a hit the ground running kind of vacationer.
The kind that needs a vacation after the vacation… because it’s go, go, GO the whole time 😅✈️

Sunrise plans, full days, late nights — I want to see it ALL.

But tell me…
Are you the same?
Or are you the “sit, breathe, relax, don’t move unless snacks are involved” type? 🌿🧘‍♀️

Either way — no judgment here.
You do YOU to find your peace in this wild world 🤍

👇 Drop your vacation style below — I wanna know!

Who else has already been personally victimized by these ✨audacity-filled✨ mosquitoes?! 🙋‍♀️

Like excuse me… it’s barely spring and y’all are already out here acting like it’s an all-you-can-eat buffet?! 🦟😒

I’ve seen them.
I’ve swatted them.
I’ve had WORDS with them.

BUT DON’T WORRY…
we’re about to handle this the All Essentially Free way 🌿✨

💚 We’re whipping up a fresh batch of our Lavender Lemongrass Lotion — aka your skin’s soft, hydrated, smells-amazing, mosquito-repelling bestie.

Because around here we believe:
✨ You shouldn’t have to choose between smelling good & staying bite-free
✨ And mosquitoes? They don’t get VIP access to this skin

So tell me…
👇👇👇
Have you spotted those little freeloaders yet or am I the only one being targeted?! 😅

Tag someone who ALWAYS gets eaten alive 🦟💀