Apple Pie Face & Body Scrub Mask

Apple Pie for your tummy or your face? You decide with this lovely...

APPLE PIE Face & Body Mask

Apples are the best source of iron and are nutritious. They contain 85% of water and they are high in proportions of vitamin A and C and potassium. One of the main benefits of this mask is that it helps exfoliate dead skin cells and allows moisture to penetrate deeper into the skin. 

What you'll need: 

1 tbsp of fresh apple puree or sauce 

2 tbsp of brown sugar

1/8 tsp of cinnamon 

2 tbsp of granulated sugar

Mix all ingredients well and apply scrub on skin in circular motion. You can use fingers or wash cloth, gloves or sponge. Rough spots like elbows, knees and heels are special points which need attention while you are applying the mask.

This Simple Addtion makes a GREAT scrub!

Simple Baking Soda Facial Scrub

Below is a recipe for a traditional facial exfoliator using baking soda. If this is too much, you can just add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to your regular cleanser for a really nice exfoiliation on the cheap!

Items you will need:

1. 
   
2. Measuring spoons
3. Small bowl
4. Baking soda
5. Water
6. Towel
7. Oat flour

Facial Exfoliator

Step 1:

Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of warm water and 2 teaspoons of oat flour in a small bowl to create a natural facial cleanser that also exfoliates.

Step 2:

Rinse your face with warm water. Dip your fingers into the cleanser and apply it to your face and neck using a gentle circular motion. Let the paste dry on your skin for 5 minutes.

Step 3:

Buff away the dried cleanser by moving your fingers in a gentle circular motion. The dried paste exfoliates your skin as you buff it away.

Step 4:

Splash your face thoroughly with warm water to remove any remaining cleanser. Pat your face dry with a clean towel.

May Mask of the Month -- Hawaiian Sugar Scrub

Inspired by my vacation to Maui, I give you the...

Hawaiian Sugar Scrub

1 1/2 cups fine white sugar

1/2 cup fine sea salt

1/2 - 3/4 cup Virgin Coconut Oil (as needed)

1 tblsp. Pineapple Fragrance Oil (optional)

16 oz jar or container

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and add more or less of the Virgin Coconut Oil to your suit your preference.  The mixture may seem dry at first, but wait a few hours and then add more of the coconut oil if necessary.  Scrub should be moist, and not too much of the oil should be floating on top.   You can also make an all sugar or all salt scrub if you prefer one over the other or change the ratio of sugar to salt.

The Virgin Coconut Oil smells just like coconuts, is very light and absorbs nicely in the skin.  We've scented ours with pineapple fragrance oil for a real Hawaiian tropical scent.  This scrub makes a great gift idea!

Use this scrub on any part of your body except the face.  Rub it in with a pair of exfoliating bath gloves.  It will leave you feeling fantastically smooth and the scent will make you feel like your really in the tropics!

April's Mask of the Month: An Egg-citing Facial Mask

An EGG-citing Facial Mask

Yogurt, Oatmeal, Olive oil, Sea Salt Egg Face Mask

(For all skin types)

This ancient and time proven egg face mask exfoliates, scrubs, feeds, moisturizes, soothes and smooths you skin. Basically an all-round mask

What do you need:

• 1 Egg
• 1 tablespoon Plain unflavored Yogurt, with active cultures
• 1 tablespoon of Oatmeal flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of Olive Oil
• 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

How to do it:

Whip the egg and add all of the ingredients until you have a smooth and creamy mixture

Spread the egg mask gently and equally with your fingertips on your clean face and neck: keep the eye and mouth area clear

Now lie down, relax and leave the mask on for 15 minutes Then rinse it off with cold water; pat your skin dry with a clean towel

Wear Your Green... Facial Mask!

Wear your Green! 

Green Tea and Fresh Mint Mask

Ingredients

• Green tea
• A tablespoon of rice flour
• A tablespoon of granulated sugar
• Half a tablespoon of lemon juice
• Ground fresh mint

How to make it

1. Make a cup of green tea, with lots of tea. Twice as much loose tea as you’d normally use to drink, or two teabags if you use tea bags.
2. Leave the tea bags in for an hour, and if the tea is still warm (unlikely) chill it in the fridge until it’s cool.
3. Take it out, mix in the rice flour, sugar,lemon juice and fresh mint, pat it onto your face and either use it as a face wash or (better) leave it on for 15 minutes.
4. Wash off and moisturize.

The Benefits:

• Green tea is famously good for problem skin.
• It can help with your acne, but it’s also great at soothing sensitive skin of all kinds.

Peppy-Mint Mask for Acne & Breakouts

Peppy-Mint Mask for Acne & Breakouts

Acne blemishes are red, bumpy, painful, oozy, and embarrassing. They can even scar the skin leaving it look red and blotchy. A natural way to treat the acne blemishes and make them go away is by using a homemade sea salt peppermint facial mask. The mask is soothing and will help relieve inflammation and dry out the acne blemishes so they can heal up fast and properly.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. of sea salt

1 tbsp. of warm water

3 drops each of peppermint oil

2 drops of tea tree oil

3 tbsp. of honey

¼ tsp. of cornstarch. 

Place 2 tbsp. of sea salt into a small bowl and dissolve it with 1 tbsp. of warm water. Then add the 3 drops of peppermint oil, 2 drops of tea tree oil, and 3 tbsp. of honey into the salt water mixture and combined them together to form a golden yellow syrup. After add in your ¼ tsp. of cornstarch to help thicken the mixture right up into a light yellow creamy textured facial mask. If the mask is to runny add another small ¼ tsp. of cornstarch, and if the mask is too thick add a tsp. of warm water. The mask should be thick and easy to spread onto the face without dripping off of it. 

First cleanse the skin with warm water and a facial cleanser. After take a small handful of the mask and lather it right onto the skin and face in a nice thick even layer. A burning, stinging, and cooling sensation will be present while the mask is on, but this is only because the mask is cleaning the acne blemishes and drawing out the puss and the toxins inside of them. The facial mask should be left on for 20 minutes. After it can be washed off with plenty of warm water. The salt and baking soda from the mask will help remove blackheads, whiteheads, and oils, and the peppermint oil and tea tree oil will help tone, cleanse, and kill the bacteria on the skin. The honey in the mask is meant to soothe, lightly condition, nourish, and kill germs on the skin as well to prevent further acne breakouts. 

Gorgeous Green Smoothies for Glowing Skin!

The Beauty Nook 
Gorgeous Green Smoothie

Why Kale in your smoothie? Because it's a quick, easy, and delicious way to get more greens into your diet. They’re full of fiber, antioxidants, enzymes, and chlorophyll. Green smoothies are the best way to digest and absorb nutrients from the greens because the blender helps to break down the cell walls, allowing your body to easily absorb those nutrients.

Gorgeous Green Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup of raw greens (kale, chard, collards, spinach, etc)
• 2 cups liquid (non-dairy milk, fresh juice, coconut water, green tea, or water)
• 1 frozen banana (remove the peel, cut into 1-inch slices, and freeze overnight)
• 1 cup of frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and/or blackberries)
• 2 tbsp Mila (chia blend)

Directions: 

Remove any tough stems from the greens. Blend greens, liquid & Mila chia seeds for 15 seconds - 1 minute (depending on your blender) on high. Add fruits (and any supplements) and blend for 15 - 30 seconds, or longer as needed to achieve a creamy consistency. Drink up!