FACE.

Skin Toners: [Keep contents refrigerated when not in use.]

Witch hazel is one of the oldest ingredients used in cosmetics.  It reduces redness and is an excellent astringent.  Grate a bit of lemon or orange zest into a small bottle of witch hazel and let it infuse for a few hours.  Then, after cleaning your face, sweep over your skin with a cotton ball.

Rosemary increases bloodflow to the skin and scalp and helps relieve puffiness, leaving you with firmer, healthier looking skin.  Place a sprig of fresh rosemary into a small bottle of witch hazel with a few dried rose petals.  Refrigerate overnight, shake, and strain before using.

Masks:

I am totally bananas [so sorry for the pun] for this wrinkle reducing mask!  Mash up a 1/4 to 1/2 a banana until smooth and spread it onto your face and let it sit for about 15-20mins before rinsing.  The acids in banana help to smooth out fine lines.  [Oh and the other half of the banana?  I mash it up and feed it to Ava!]  Another easy wrinkle “remedy”?  Cut a few green seedless grapes in half and rub onto your wrinkles [squeezing slightly to release the juices - that's where those healing alpha-hydroxy acids are!].  Let it dry on your skin before rinsing.

Prone to breakouts? Try the healing astringent qualities of a strawberry mask.  Mash up a few strawberries and add 1 and a 1/2 teaspoons of honey.  Mix until smooth, spread over your face, wait 15-20 mins, and rinse!

BODY.

Scrubs:

A coffee scrub can help tighten up your skin [and some swear it is a temporary cellulite fix].  This recipe also contains olive oil [to moisturize] and raw sugar [to exfoliate].  Mix together 1 cup of ground coffee, 1/4 raw sugar [I used raw brown sugar], and about 1 and a half tablespoons of olive oil.  Hop in the shower and rub the mixture into your arms and legs [i especially like it on the thighs].  Rinse well and use a fragrance free moisturizer after patting dry.  You can make a larger batch and store in an old jelly jar in the fridge for about a week and a half.

Feel free to experiment with body scrubs.  Use coarse sea salt or raw sugar as a base, add in olive oil [or an organic essential oil] and then play around with ingredients like roses, rosemary, strawberries, honey, etc.

HAIR.

To get those “at the beach” waves at home, add a bit of sea salt and a few drops of conditioner into your water spritzer bottle.  Spray onto dry locks and scrunch with fingers.

To make your own hot oil treatment, use a few drops of a nutty oil [like macadamia or sweet almond].  Rub between your palms in the shower [to heat it up] and then run your fingers through your wet locks, concentrating on the ends of your hair.  Leave on for about a minute and then rinse thoroughly and then shampoo.

Have a beauty recipe you’d like to share?  Leave it as a commet!  XO