Okay, now I've heard it all!  Fish pedicures are becoming all the rage in the D.C. area, where a northern Virginia spa, Yvonne Hair and Nails salon, is offering the latest in spa treatments.  Just dunk your feet in a tank of water and let tiny carp nibble away at your dry, scaly skin.

Traditionally, when getting pedicures, spas use razors to scrape off dead skin.  However, there are concerns over sanitary issues.  The fish, called Garra Rufa, but known as doctor fish, were first used in Turkey and have become popular in some Asian countries.

The pedicure costs $35 for 15 minutes and $50 for 30 minutes.  Oh, and don't worry that they will bite you...they have no teeth, therefore, they don't eat live skin.

You can read the entire story in this Associated Press article.  Which includes several testimonials.

I'm definitely intrigued by the garra rufa spa treatment, but not sure if I could actually let the doctor fish nibble on my little tootsies.  If this spa treatment was offered at your local salon would you have it done or not?  Let us know.  Hope to hear from you!  Enjoy life!!!

Do you want a soft, smooth face?  Are you looking for a facial scrub that is all natural?  If you answered yes, you are not alone!  I am  tired of spending lots of money on department store exfoliates and facial scrubs with ingredients I can’t pronounce.  So I’m on a mission to find easy, cheap and effective homemade facial scrub ingredients.

I want to use fresh and natural ingredients…and you cannot get much fresher than ingredients straight from your fridge and pantry.  Exfoliating your face is one-step in your skin care routine that can easily be replaced with all natural ingredients. A homemade facial scrub will work as well, and most likely better, than a store bought product.

Facial scrubs are used to remove dead skin cells and stimulate circulation. This allows your skin to better absorb the goodness in your mask and moisturizer.  To refresh your memory you can check out the earlier posts in this series, The 5 Step facial.

A facial scrub contains some type of grain, seed or granule so you can use whatever you have in any of these recipes, just be gentle on your skin.  If you rub harshly, you could cause skin irritation or broken capillaries.  So make sure that whatever you use is finely ground.

How often you use a homemade facial scrub will depend upon your skin type. From once a month for very sensitive skin to 2 – 3 times weekly for very oily skin.  Try these homemade facial scrubs out and see which one will be your favorite:

• Strawberry Facial Scrub - mix 1 tsp. of brown sugar with 2 to 3 mashed strawberries.  The brown sugar will exfoliate and remove dead skin cells and the strawberries will make your skin soft.
• Honey Cleansing Scrub - mix 1 Tbs. of honey and 1 tsp. lemon juice with 2 tsp. of ground almonds together.  Apply gently and rinse with warm water.
• Sea Salt and Olive Oil Scrub - mix 1 tsp. of olive oil (cold-pressed) with ½ tsp. of sea salt.  Apply gently to a wet face.  This scrub will remove dead skin cells and leave your skin soft and smooth.
• Cornmeal Facial Scrub - two tablespoons of cornmeal mixed with enough water to make a thick paste makes a great inexpensive facial mask. Gently apply to face and wash off.
• Baking soda scrub - to loosen blackheads, combine equal parts baking soda and water in your hand and rub gently on your skin for 2 to 3 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Give these homemade exfoliates a try and see which your favorite is.  They are simple, easy and safe homemade scrub recipes.  You can feel good knowing you are not applying harsh chemicals to your face with these all-natural homemade facial scrubs.  As well as saving money!

If you have a homemade exfoliate recipe, we would love to hear it!  Hope to hear from you.  Enjoy life!!!

Today we are going to talk about how to make our own face cleansers, do an herbal facial steam, make homemade astringents (toners) and moisturizers.  You will find that you can develop a skin care regimen that is natural, thereby safer and healthier for your skin, as well as cheaper.  Facials are excellent for stimulating circulation to the skin. It brings fresh blood to the skin. Facials promote deep pore cleansing and help heal blemishes and acne.  Facials also help tone and firm the skin.  This is a five step facial that will leave your face looking and feeling beautiful, as well as making you feel relaxed and pampered.  So what are we waiting for?  Let's get started.

Step One

Cleanse your face with a mild cleanser - such as Cetaphil; it's perfect for all skin types, even sensitive skin.  It is best to use a mild liquid cleanser for your face rather than a bar cleanser.  You can also make a facial wash with just lemon juice and hot water.  Just mix lemon juice and hot water in equal amounts, let cool slightly and wash your face with it.  Good cleansing removes the impurities, bacteria and dead cells that accumulate on the surface of the skin as well as any residue from makeup, while leaving as much of the lubricating natural oil as possible.  A cleanser should therefore be gentle and natural. Use a non-lathering cleansing. Massage in circular movements over the face and neck. Leave on for 1-2 minutes to dissolve grime and old make-up.  Rinse off with warm water.

Step Two

Give yourself an herbal facial steam - one very simple way to deep clean the skin is to steam your face for a few minutes.  Steaming removes dirt and pollution very efficiently from the skin, but it removes important natural oils as well.  Steaming is best suited for those of us with oily skin or anyone suffering from acne, most other skin types must bear in mind that in the long term it has a drying effect.  Steaming should therefore be used occasionally on dry or aging skin (once  a month is the maximum) and never for more than 2-3 minutes. On oily skin, it can be done once a week, and for 5-8 minutes. For combination skin, 2-3 minutes once a week is recommended maximum. Normal skin will benefit form an occasional steaming (every two weeks) as long as the exposure to steam is not prolonged (5 minutes maximum). It is not recommended for extremely sensitive skins.  Select an herbal steam that is right for your skin type:

• Dry/Sensitive/Mature skin types:  comfrey, chamomile, lavender, echinacea and jasmine.
• Oily/Acne:  comfrey, lemongrass, rosemary,echinacea, peppermint and  neem leaf.
• Normal/Combination:  elderflower, lavender, lemonbalm and calendula.

Bring the dry herbs (lavender, chamomile, lemon grass, rosemary, etc.) to a boil in a large pot of water.  Remove from heat and place onto a trivet or potholder on the counter, and with a large towel placed over your head and the pot of herbal water, place your face 6 to 10 inches away from the pot.  Remove from heat source; steam for 5 minutes. A facial steam is the best possible way for deep pore cleansing, and each of the herbs used are rich in nutrients that nourish and tone the skin. Immediately after your facial steam, rinse your face with cold water.

Step Three

Facials - are excellent for stimulating circulation to the skin. It brings fresh blood to the skin. They promote deep pore cleansing and help heal blemishes and acne. Facials also help tone and firm the skin.  There are several kinds of facials available. This step was covered in a previous article Tips And Recipes For Homemade Facial Masks.

Step Four

Toners - when the facial is completely dry, rinse off with warm water. Be gentle to your skin while rinsing of the facial material.  Use soft, circular motions. Massage your skin; do not scrub it. Immediately after rinsing the facial, apply an astringent preparation to tone and close the pores.  Two of the best toners are simply to pat on cider vinegar or rose water.  A toner or astringent is used to close up your pores.  I highly recommend you stay away from a toner that has alcohol as an ingredient, even if you have oily skin.

Step Five

The fifth and final step is to moisturize -   dot the skin with moisturizer and gently massage it in smooth circular movements. Try to do this slowly as it allows you to massage the skin and relax yourself.  Olive oil, honey, vitamin E and plain yogurt, all make great moisturizers.  As for olive oil, make sure to use extra virgin olive oil and just a little dab will do you when it comes to this wonderful oil. I also recommend that if you use vitamin E or olive oil, use them at night before going to bed.  Especially if you have normal to dry skin.  Honey is a natural humectant, which is to say that it draws water to the skin, and helps it stay there. It also has an anti-irritant quality to it so it should be suitable for even the most sensitive of skin types.  As for yogurt, just spoon, spread and relax. Then rinse with cool water.

Well there you have it.  A complete facial that is all natural and cheap!  You can pamper yourself with a spa like facial in the comfort of your own home.  If you have any tips or recipes for facials we would love to hear them!  Hope to hear from you.  Enjoy Life!!!

What is the purpose of a facial mask? A facial mask removes dead skin cells from the surface of your skin and help to tighten pores and make the skin appear smoother. When you are ready to use a facemask, choose a time when you are less likely to be interrupted. You want to pamper yourself, so find a time when you will be able to relax.

• First, wash your face and neck with a gentle cleanser. Use gentle circular motions to remove dirt and makeup. Rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry. Also, if you have sensitive skin you might want to test for allergic reactions first. The best way to do this is to apply whatever ingredients you are using behind your ear (leave on 15 to 30 minutes), rinse and wait 24 hours. Here are a few tips regarding facial masks:
• Make sure to wash or rinse your ingredients (when applicable) before applying them to your face (i.e. fruits).
• Steam your face - steam your face gently (2-5 minutes over a bowl of hot water). This technique opens the pores so that mask can penetrate deeply and cleanse your pores.
• Apply the facial masks - with clean fingertips or a soft fresh cotton ball. Fruit or egg mask often have a liquid consistency. It may be easier to apply a second layer after a few minutes, once the first layer has dried a little.
• Don't talk, laugh or even move any facial muscles until it is time to gently remove the mask. Do the best you can here.
• Facial masks should be left on for 15-20 minutes so they can dry.
• When removing masks remember to remove slowly and carefully. Work from the forehead downwards, making sure that none of the material removed comes into contact with eyes, and avoid dragging the skin. Light fruit masks can be removed simply with cotton balls. With clay masks, you need to rinse your face with warm water, and then with cold water.
• And remember, don't apply facial masks more than twice a week.

Now you are ready for some homemade facial mask recipes. It is best to use masks that ingredients are appropriate for your skin type. Check out the first post in this series to find out what skin type you are here.  I have a recipe for each skin type below:

• Oily skin - plain milk of magnesia. Yep, that is what I said, plain milk of magnesia. Rub it on and let it dry. Rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry. It absorbs oil. On the other hand, try pureeing flesh of a tomato and mix with some potato flour to make a paste; let dry. Rinse with warm water and pat dry.
• Normal or combination skin - blend one egg a 1/2 cup cooked instant oatmeal and a teaspoon of olive oil until smooth. Spread on face and let dry. Rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry.
• Dry skin - one egg yolk, 1-teaspoon honey, a teaspoon of olive oil and some vitamin E oil if you have it (if you have vitamin E capsules you can open them up). Smooth on your face and neck for 15 minutes, rinse with warm water, and pat dry.

As you can see, there is no point in spending lots of money on department store facial masks when you can do them right in your own home with all natural products you may already have in your kitchen. I hope this post have been helpful and will continue this series with more tips and homemade recipes for skin and beauty care.

If you have any tips, suggestions or ideas let us know and I will include them in the next issue. Hope to hear from you! Enjoy Life!!!

Did you know that you more than likely have all the ingredients for a great facial in your refrigerator and/or pantry?  In fact, you probably have many beauty products and you just don't know it.  This is a continuing series on great skin care recipes and tips that are 'all natural' and won't cost much money ( you may already have what you need in your kitchen right now ).  The key here is 'all natural' ... if you cannot pronounce the ingredients in your skin care or beauty products you might not want to be putting it on your skin. 

Before we talk about beauty products or skin care products we need to do a skin test.  So today's post will cover the skin tissue test.  How to identify your skin type. 

The Tissue Test:

• Wash your face with a neutral (a soap not made for any particular skin type) soap or cleanser.  Rinse with water. Pat dry with a towel just enough to absorb moisture do not rub.  Wait one hour, and then blot your entire face with ply (or layer) of a large facial tissue.  Press lightly all over your face for about one minute.  Then remove the tissue carefully and examine it near a window or light.

What do you see?

• If you see oil throughout the tissue... you most likely have oily skin.
• If you see oil mainly in the T-zone (across forehead, down nose and chin)...  you most likely have combination skin.
• If you see very little oil on the tissue...  you most likely have normal skin.
• If you see no sign of oil at all...  you most likely have dry skin.
• If your skin feels irritated or slightly itchy... you most likely have sensitive skin.

You'll need to perform this test several times throughout the year... during spring, summer and winter - because your skin changes with the seasons.

Next time we'll talk about tips and recipes for homemade facial masks.  So come back and check them out or subscribe to our RSS feed and get the updates when I make them.  Until next time...  Enjoy Life!!!