New Year New You

You might have heard of the massive recession going on. This undoubtedly cuts into one's funds for the occasional spa excursion. I don't often go to the spa. But it's not out of the question to have the experience even in this economic climate. See the below "recipes" for masks etc that I plagiarized.

Coffee Body Scrub
What you need:
2 cups of coarsely ground coffee
½ cup raw sugar or sea salt
2 to 3 tablespoons of massage oil
Mix all of the ingredients together. Take a hot shower to moisten your skin and to open your pores. While in the shower, use wide circular motions to rub the coffee body scrub on your skin, making sure you use strong, even pressure. Shower off, pat your skin dry and apply a thin layer of your favorite body lotion.

Avocado Carrot Cream Mask: This mask helps rebuild skin collagen, improve tone and texture and fade age spots, thanks to vitamin E (found in avocados), the beta-carotene and antioxidants of carrots and the high calcium and protein of the cream.
What you need:
1 avocado, mashed
1 carrot, cooked and mashed
½ cup of heavy cream
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons of honey
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Spread the mask gently over your face and neck and leave on for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse off with cool water.

Strawberry Hand and Foot Exfoliant: Get softer, smoother hands and feet, thanks to natural fruit acids that aid exfoliation.
What you need:
8 to 10 strawberries
2 tablespoons of apricot oil (or olive oil)
1 teaspoon of coarse salt (kosher salt or sea salt)
Mix together all the ingredients into a paste, massage into hands and feet, rinse off and pat dry.

Fruit Salad Body Mask: It sounds like a healthy smoothie for your skin – and it is! The pineapple contains bromelain, a protein-digestive enzyme, which helps rid skin of dead cells and dirt and acts as a mild astringent. Grapes are rich in procyanidolic oligomers (PCOs) that provide protection against harmful UV rays, and bananas are loaded with vitamins, calcium and nutrients that keep your skin smooth and soft. Kiwi is high in vitamin C, and honeydew is soothing and hydrating.
What you need:
2 slices of pineapple (rind removed)
½ medium honeydew melon (rind removed)
1 dozen green grapes
1 medium banana (peeled)
1 medium kiwi fruit (peeled)
Puree all the ingredients in a food processor (the mixture will be slightly lumpy). Refrigerate for one hour. Smooth onto your body and face, leaving it on for 30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.

Find these and more great recipes at www.spaindex.com

Also check out BellaSugar's DIY section.