January 1, 2012: Homemade Scrub Recipes

Happy New Year!

Here we are, in a completely new year. And if you believe some theories, the whole world is going to end in December, per the Mayan calendar. Personally, I don’t believe that (as my pastor says, the Bible doesn’t give a date!).

To ring in the new year, why not slough off some of your old, dead skin? These simple recipes, printed in The Arizona Republic, use ingredients you can easily find around the house. Have a spa day at home and be ready to face the new work week in this new year with a fresh and glowing complexion.

Tea Bags

If you’re like me, this is the time of year when you drink a lot of hot tea. But rather than throw away those used tea bags, why not use them to refresh yourself? Cooled, caffeinated tea bags are great to place over your eyelids while lying down and help reduce swelling and dark circles (which you might have if you partied too much the night before).

Use cooled green tea as a facial toner. Simply wipe it on your face with a cotton ball after cleansing.

Coffee Grounds

Use the leftover grounds from your morning pot of coffee to gently scrub your face and body; they exfoliate nicely but be careful not to use too much force and irritate your skin.

Honey and Brown Sugar

Forget those expensive facial scrubs you find in the bed and bath stores. Combine one part brown sugar with two parts honey and a vanilla bean pod broken in half (optional). Gently rub the mixture over your facial skin and rinse away to reveal glowing skin.

May 23, 2011: At Home Spa Treatment Recipes

With the long Memorial Day holiday weekend coming up soon, you may want to indulge yourself with an “at home spa” day. This is a great way to refresh yourself, if you don’t have any travel plans, and get ready for the busy upcoming summer season. Here’s a few recipes sure to relax and rejuvenate you!

Body Scrub

¼ cup coffee grounds (go ahead and use the ones from this morning’s coffee)
¼ cup Epsom salts or Kosher salt
1 ripe avocado, mashed
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
Almond oil

Mix all ingredients; add just enough oil to make a smooth paste. While in the shower, use this in place of soap. Just rinse off and towel dry.

Recipe (slightly modified by me!) courtesy of Redbook magazine.

Cornflower Eye Refresher

2 T. dried cornflowers
½ cup water

Make a tea with the cornflowers in boiling water. Cool. Dip two cotton balls into the cooled mixture and place over your closed eyelids for 15 minutes. On a really hot day, ice down the cornflower tea before using.

Tip: To find cornflowers, look at your local health food store. They’re easy to grow so you may want to include them in your garden this year.

Use either of the following rinses as a final rinse for your hair (don’t rinse it out), then sit out in the sun and let your hair dry naturally. Each of these formulas is mean to enhance your particular hair color.

Chamomile Hair Rinse (for fair hair)

3 ½ cups water
2 ounces chamomile flowers
2/3 cup cider vinegar
5 drops lemongrass oil

Make a tea by boiling the water and adding the chamomile flowers. Let it steep for half an hour, then strain and add the vinegar and oil.

Rosemary Hair Rinse (for dark hair)

Same recipe as above except substitute 2 ounces rosemary sprigs and 5 drops oil of bergamot.

The above 3 recipes are courtesy of The Country Store by Stephanie Donaldson and published by Lorenz Books.

These recipes should get your at home spa day started. You may also want to do a mani/pedi and rub some yummy scented lotion over your body after you step out of the shower. Enjoy!