DIY Replenishing Green Tea Facial Mist

It is no secret that green tea is amazing for your skin. The antioxidants, especially the catechins, protect your precious skin cells against free radical damage. They are nature's anti-aging compounds. Study after study has found that the antioxidants are photoprotective, which means they can prevent skin aging, as well as skin cancers caused by sun exposure. 

Sure, drinking green tea is a super good idea for your health, but applying it topically also can have a positive effect on your skin. One of my natural skin care tricks is to spritz my skin with a facial mist throughout the day. My green tea facial mist is great in the winter when I want to keep my skin both hydrated and protected. Even though the sun's rays are not as potent in the winter, they can still damage your skin. Keep your skin protected with a UVA/UVB sunscreen when you go outside and douse your skin with cell protecting antioxidants when you are inside. 

To make this green tea facial mist, you will need:

• room temperature green tea
• liquid vegetable glycerin (you can get this from Mountain Rose Herbs)
• 3 drops rose essential oil
• 2 capsules flax seed oil

I use a small two-ounce spray bottle. Add equal parts of the green tea and the glycerin, a great hydrating ingredient. Prick your flax seed oil and squeeze the oil into your mist ingredients. Add the rose oil and shake.

Mist over clean skin to replenish and revive your skin, to prevent dryness, and to give yourself an anti-aging, anti-wrinkle treat. You can mist as much as you want, I usually do it five or six times during the day when I am home - after showering, in the middle of the day a couple times, and at night before putting on my night cream. 

Homemade Coffee Coconut Facial Scrub

Yes I am experimenting with coconut oil again! Here is my latest homemade face scrub recipe with nourishing coconut, coffee, and frankincense. It is super easy to make, great for evening out skin tone, and it uses some of my used coffee grounds! 

This coffee coconut facial scrub combines the exfoliating action of coffee grounds with the moisturizing, antioxidant benefits of warm coconut oil. I also add frankincense essential oil, which is one of the best essential oils for skin care in my opinion. It encourages new cell growth, making it great for aging skin, while also toning. 

To make your DIY face scrub, you will need:

• 1 tablespoon used coffee grounds
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted
• 2 drops frankincense essential oil

Add the frankincense to the coconut oil. Stir into your coffee grounds and head over to your bathroom to give your skin a sweet, exfoliating treatment. This recipe makes enough for two uses, and you don't have to worry about saving it at room temperature as coconut oil doesn't degrade. If your house is cool, the oil will harden for your next use. Simply rub in between your hands to soften. Your body heat is enough to easily melt coconut oil. 

Rub into clean skin. You took the time to make your own facial scrub, take the time to use it! Massage for about a minute, which will help to stimulate blood flow to your skin cells. A little facial massage never hurt, in fact it may make your skin glow! 

How Exercise Can Improve Your Skin

Beautiful skin is not just about what you eat and your daily care routine. How much you get your body moving impacts the health of your skin as well. Because of the boost of blood circulation from a brisk walk or this morning's pilates class, exercise can improve your skin. Just one more reason to keep your body in great shape to look and feel amazing. 

First, by increasing blood flow, exercise brings more nutrients and oxygen to skin cells, helping to feed and repair at a cellular level. We are talking not only a fresh complexion, but also help with the signs of aging by encouraging healthy collagen production.

According to author and dermatologist, Ellen Marmur, another beauty benefit of a daily workout is the detox factor. Exercising will actually encourage the flushing of cellular debris. Less waste means healthier cells and better looking skin. So, no, the sticky, sweaty feeling that you have from 45 minutes on a treadmill is not going to cause a breakout as long as you keep your skin clean after working out (try using cleansing towelettes on your face, neck, and back after a workout if you can't jump in the shower right away). It is more likely to help keep your skin clear and healthy. 

What type of exercise can you do to improve your skin. Anything helps but for better circulation and healthier skin make sure you are including some type of aerobic activity into your workout. Simply going for a daily, brisk walk every day will do the trick. For a high-energy, calorie-burning, skin boosting workout in 15 minutes, pull out the jump rope. Biking, swimming, jogging, dancing, kickboxing, and aerobics are all great options because you can get your heart pumping. Yoga and weight lifting are less aerobic, but they still will help to boost circulation and of course improve muscle tone. 

Aim for some type of exercise every day. Now you can get in shape and give yourself a beauty treatment at the same time!

7 Beauty Uses for Coconut Oil

Virgin coconut oil is my favorite natural beauty ingredient. Sure, it is rich in vitamin E, has great antioxidant properties, and moisturizes like no other. I also love the way this nourishing oil feels, gentle and soothing. I adore the sweet aroma. Another plus of coconut over other natural moisturizers is that it doesn't degrade with heat. It melts easily into your skin. You can warm and melt it to make different natural skin care recipes without taking away any of the beneficial properties. 

What exactly can you do with coconut? Here are my top beauty uses for coconut oil. 

1. Lip balm. Rub a dab into dry, chapped and peeling lips for a sweet, soothing lip treat.
2. Anti-wrinkle oil. Take a small amount and rub it into the areas of your skin that could use a little natural plumping like around the corners of your eyes and mouth.
3. Moisturizing facial oil. Especially in the winter when my dry skin flares up, I rub coconut oil into my face, neck, and decolletage. It is great for keeping your skin supple and young-looking.
4. Hand cream. You guessed it, nothing works for dry, chapped hands like a little coconut oil.
5. Foot cream. After a soothing foot soak, try rubbing coconut oil into your skin to soften calluses. 
6. Hair mask. Coconut oil is the best nourishing skin care oil to use to make a homemade hair mask. Heat up a few tablespoons of the oil until melted. You can add a couple drops of lavender, peppermint, or rosemary essential oil if you want. Coat your hair with the oil and let it condition your hair and moisturize your scalp for about twenty or thirty minutes, keeping a towel over your head to hold in the warmth.
7. Mouth rinse. Coconut oil is antibacterial, great for gum health. Swish some in your mouth in the morning for five or ten minutes to help whiten your teeth and keep your mouth healthy and fresh. 

I use coconut oil for all of these beauty uses regularly. I also use it in my skin care recipes, which I'm sure you've noticed. Yes, it may seem like I must be constantly doused in the stuff! Keep a jar in your house. See for yourself how much coconut can keep your hair and skin in great condition.

Homemade Tea Tree Oil Spot Treatment for Pesky Pimples

I've been playing around with different spot treatments to get rid of pimples fast since my skin has started to break out again after pregnancy. It still is not bad, but the occasional blemish is showing up. I do not like it! 

The benefits of using a treatment on top of your normal skin care routine are that you can help to eliminate acne faster. It also helps to minimize the appearance of pimples. They shrink faster! It just takes a few minutes to kill the bacteria and suck out those toxins that are messing with your beautiful complexion.

So, drink lots of water, exercise, eat well, and try this homemade tea tree oil spot treatment to help keep your skin absolutely clear. 

You will need:

• 1 teaspoon clay powder
• 1 teaspoon milk
• 1 drop tea tree essential oil

Add the tea tree oil to the milk. Then mix the milk and tea tree with the clay powder to make a paste. Cleanse first and make sure your skin is completely dry. Coat your blemish with the spot treatment. Leave it on for at least 10 minutes. I still moisturize the rest of my face. It would dry out if I waited for my spot treatment to be over. 

The clay works to draw out impurities while the tea tree kills any germs on your skin. Tea tree is strong, so don't use more for a stronger effect, you will probably just irritate your skin. 

If you have a few pimples that you are trying to get rid of quickly, increase the recipe to 1 tablespoon of the clay powder and milk. Use two drops of the tea tree oil. 

What do you use to make sure your skin stays clear?

5 Natural Ways to Add Body to Your Hair

Want to give your flat, limp hair a lift? I have a few tricks that can add body to your hair without having to use a lot of products. My hair is super fine, so it tends to appear pretty lifeless on its own. Limp hair drags down your whole look. By giving your tresses a healthy boost and working with them instead of against them, you can give your hair some natural volume.

In my case, my hair tends to be both dry and oily. This is probably due to naturally dry skin. When my scalp is dry it is like a signal to rev up the oil production. This can leave my locks oily and flat before shampooing, and then dull and dry after washing. 

These tricks work for me, giving my hair body and shine by helping to balance the dry skin and oily hair.

1. Add an egg to your shampoo. To do this, leave one egg out of the refrigerator so it comes to room temperature. Crack the egg into a bowl and whisk with a fork. Add your normal amount of shampoo and mix. When you shower, use this egg-shampoo mixture to wash your hair. Do an extra second wash with just shampoo to make sure you get all the egg out. Follow with a light conditioning.

How does it work? Eggs are great for your hair with vitamins, minerals, and proteins. They are one of the best natural hair volumizers, and they also help to repair damage. 

2. Give yourself a rosemary coconut scalp massage. Melt two or three tablespoons of virgin coconut oil. Add two drops of invigorating rosemary essential oil. Dip your fingertips into this natural hair tonic and then gently massage your scalp until all the oil is used. Shampoo as normal.

This helps to add body to your hair by stimulating circulation to your hair follicles (also good for promoting healthy growth) and by moisturizing your skin, balancing the dry/oily hair/scalp problem.

3. Brush your hair less. First, let your hair dry after showering before you run a brush through it. Hair is more easily broken and damaged when wet, leave it alone! Second, simply brush less to avoid brushing all those natural oils through your hair and weighing it down. I know this sounds strange, but when I just let my hair air dry and barely run a brush through it, it actually looks great and has a lot more natural volume.

4. Use a volumizing shampoo. I know this sounds obvious, but for years I was going for strengthening shampoos, thinking that this will help to nourish my hair and scalp. Bad hair care move! Volumizing shampoos are the way to go. You may have to try different brands to see what works for you. I finally settled on Giovanni Cosmetics Eco Chic shampoos. 

5. Skip the conditioner. If you have oily locks, then you do not need to condition every day! In fact, a deep conditioning treatment once or twice a week actually works better. In the winter when my hair is dry I do condition three or four days a week, in the summer less. Play around with what works for your hair. The point is, don't stick to a hard and fast rule like shampoo and conditioning every day. For limp hair types, this isn't really the best option.

There are plenty of ways to add body to your hair naturally. Definitely switch to a great volumizing shampoo. Lay off the brushing and conditioning, but do add some nourishing, natural ingredients to your hair care routine. Beautiful, healthy hair really makes a more gorgeous you!

5 Post Pregnancy Skin Recovery Rules

For most of us, our skin looks great during pregnancy. You can thank the shift in hormones, mainly the estrogen upsurge, for the clear, glowing skin. Once baby is born, my skin tends to return to its old, difficult state within a couple of days. Once again, thank you hormone shifts. 

Do you want to continue to enjoy your radiant pregnancy complexion along with your new baby? After three births, I have come up with my post pregnancy skin care plan to prevent blemishes from rearing their ugly heads and to stop the dark circles and taking-care-of-a-newborn tired look. These skin care rules will not only help you to maintain a beautiful look, they are also great for your post-natal recovery. 

Keep in mind though, you have to stay committed to your overall health and skin health. You can't just pick one off the list or skip the healthy skin habits after a few days. Stick with these post pregnancy skin recovery rules for real results. 

1. Stick with your pre-natal vitamins. Your obgyn will probably remind you of this one, especially if you are nursing. The extra nutrition will help your body recover and make sure every new mamma bit of you, including your skin and hair, are getting enough nutrients. 
2. Drink lots of water. I think that this has made the biggest difference in keeping my skin not only clear, but plump looking. I have been diligently drinking three litres a day plus fresh juices and herbal teas. I also haven't gone back to coffee yet, that may help with the well-hydrated skin, although I do drink a cup of english breakfast a day. 
3. Exercise every day, once you are ready. I know some women are ready to start exercising earlier than others. Start when it is right for you. If you can, ask your doctor before leaving the hospital what type and when it is ok so you don't have to wait for an official nod at your six week postpartum appointment. Once I hit the two week mark, I always feel alright with walking, but wait longer if your doctor has recommended a longer recovery period. Start slow and short and then build. You can also do light exercises in the house when you can't get outdoors. Even
   
   a little exercise will help your skin. It will get your blood flowing, carrying more nutrients throughout your body. It will also help with stress, seriously.
4. Drink a fresh fruit or veggie drink once a day. This is a great habit to pick up now to help nourish your skin. Blend or juice greens, pineapple, and, ginger. Try cucumbers, melon, and lime. Berries, carrots, and apples or pears are great. For an extra boost of iron, try beets and celery once in awhile. You will provide your skin with such a rich blend of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, while also helping to cleanse your body. 
5. Relax and breathe. Meditate or just sit and ponder the world peacefully for twenty minutes a day. Having a new baby can be stressful, and not so great for your skin. Setting aside a few minutes for yourself each day, even if it is to soak in the tub and listen to some meditation music, is a must for your health and beauty. I know you may feel it is an indulgence, so much to do for others, right? For all those self-sacrificing moms out there, think of it as making sure you are calm and healthy so you can still be there for everyone else. 

The great part about taking these post pregnancy skin tips is that they all promote healthy, beautiful skin, and a healthier you. They are easy once you turn them into habits, and they work, trust me!