DIY Coffee Facial Scrub!

In the post Going No Poo - Week 5, I discussed using a coffee rinse in my hair that turned out wonderfully! You may have noticed a picture of me with an espresso mask/scrub on my face that sort of looked like mud. Yep, here it is:

Well, it's not mud. I was inspired to try coffee grounds (or espresso, in my case) the same night that I tried my lustrous espresso rinse! If I can repurpose the extra coffee into a (basically) free, conditioning rinse, why not use the grounds too? I've come across a few mentions of using coffee grounds for a facial scrub on Pinterest and Facebook, and I happen to have some fresh grounds on hand last night after brewing some espresso (to drink and for my hair)... plus I love to experiment with free, DIY beauty treatment! *This Scrub can also be used on those pesky rough elbows and feet!*

 

What Ingredients Did I Use?

All it took was 3 simple ingredients, which are quite common in my household:

• Coffee Grounds - I used espresso grounds for my scrub, but they are basically interchangeable for this purpose. You can use either fresh or used grounds, so why not get more bang for your buck, and reuse grounds you've already brewed? The coffee grounds work as an exfoliate, while the caffeine has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce redness and inflammation. It also temporarily reduces the appearance of cellulite! Who knew you could get cellulite on your face? Not me. (Source: LIVESTRONG.COM)
• Honey - Some of you may know that I have a love-affair with honey, and that's okay with me. Honey is an antiseptic, therefore it prevents the growth of the bacteria in your pores, and disinfects your skin. In fact, if honey is applied to a fully developed pimple or whitehead, it can stop the infection in your pore from worsening (Source: Honey and Acne). Honey also has anti-inflammatory properties, which reduce swelling and redness that can accompany pimples. Finally, honey is a humectant which preserves the moisture in your skin and draws moisture from the air, which leaves your face moisturized without feeling oily.
• Lemon Juice - Lemon helps to lighten the skin and even complexion, while the citric acid exfoliates. Since lemon juice is an astringent, it also dries the blemishes. *Since it can be drying, it's important not to add too much lemon juice, especially if you have dry skin.*

This may not be the prettiest mask in the world, but I personally love the smell!

Directions

I love the ease of this scrub! Simply mix together the ingredients in a small container, and apply to the face with clean hands or a clean makeup brush. Leave the scrub on your face for about 2 minutes, or longer if you like. Rinse over the sink or in the shower and gently rub the scrub off in circular motions . Pat your face dry with a clean towel.

You can easily make this scrub into a mask: simply add 1/2 Tbsp of Greek yogurt, and leave it on until it dries!

Some people have mentioned having an adverse reaction to honey and/or lemon juice, so be sure to test this recipe (as well as any other) on the inside of your wrist. If you feel any stinging or burning, wash it off immediately and DO NOT use it on your face.

7 Days of Christmas: Day 6 - Cheap, Last-Minute Christmas Gifts!

If you're like me, and you wait until the last minute to buy/make Christmas gifts, then these quick, cheap, and last-minute options will be right up your alley!

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

Spoiler Alert for anybody we give gifts to: this is what you're getting this year. Hope you like Teriyaki! I can't remember where I got this recipe for the life of me, but it's extremely simple. What I love about this gift is that it's practically free. We up-cycled old lemonade bottles for the container, and we usually have all of the ingredients on hand. All I did for the label was print some business card size labels in Microsoft Publisher, punched a hole in each one, and tied them around the bottles with a ribbon.

Teriyaki Recipe Ingredients 1-2 teaspoons oil (for coating pan) 1/2 teaspoon Ginger, grated (about 1/2 inch piece) 1 tablespoon Garlic, minced (about 2-3 large cloves) 1/2 cup Water 1/2 cup Soy Sauce 1/2 cup Brown Sugar 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (I use 1/4 tsp.) Directions Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger to the pan first, immediately followed by the rest of the ingredients. Cook for 2 minutes and remove from heat. Use immediately, or allow the sauce to cool and put it in a container.

Cookie Bars

These are even easier than regular cookies, in my opinion, making them perfect for the last minute. They're less time-consuming because you don't have to form individual cookies; just press the dough into a casserole dish and cut it into bars after it's baked and cooled. I originally used this recipe for leftover Halloween candy, but you can easily find Christmas colored candy to use (think red and green M&Ms or candy cane pieces).

Check out the recipe here!

DIY Ornaments

The baking soda ornaments may not be the quickest gift to make, but if you've already made them they're a breeze to handout as a last-minute gift. You may want to remember that for the years ahead: these homemade ornaments can be a day of fun with your family and presents!

The puzzle ornaments, on the other hand, can be made fairly quickly... about as long as it takes to put the puzzle pieces together, Mod Podge them, and let the dry.

Check out the original post here!

DIY Beauty Products

Honey, Yogurt, & Lemon Face Mask

Back in November I posted a recipe for a honey, yogurt, and lemon face mask that makes a wonderful gift idea. Just be sure to remind the recipient that this mask needs to be refrigerated when not in use. Check it out here!

Herbal Tea Rinse

This is also a wonderful gift idea, because it can be customized for any hair type. You can make a blend specifically for hair loss, oily hair, or just a general use rinse! Check out the post here for different tea blends!

Honey, Yogurt, and Lemon Face Mask

I usually make my own Greek yogurt, but sometimes I feel lazy.

As you may or may not know, I LOVE honey - almost as much as I love DIY, all-natural beauty products! Well, this post combines my two loves!

For a long time I used commercial acne products on my face, with little improvement. The only time I quit using them is while I was pregnant with my son 6 years ago. Most skin care products contain salicylic acid, a mild acid used to treat acne and other skin disorders, which is actually advised against during pregnancy. The reason doctors caution pregnant women against using salicylic acid is that high doses taken orally have been shown to cause birth defects and various pregnancy complications (Source: Safe Skin Care During Pregnancy). It never occurred to me back then to search for a safer alternative; I just dropped the face wash from my shower routine. Thankfully, my pregnancy acne never got too bad.

Before I started on my journey to be toxin-free, I actually tried this DIY honey, yogurt, and lemon facemask because I ran out of my old commercial one and didn't feel like shelling out $5 for a new bottle. Other than being toxin-free, what better reason is there to try an all-natural alternative than saving money?

The original inspiration for this mask comes from Alyssa & Carla, however I did tweak it a bit: Greek Yogurt Mask.

This recipe is so easy, it only calls for 3 ingredients: honey, Greek yogurt, and lemon juice! Fortunately, I usually have these three things on hand (I actually make my own Greek yogurt!), so when I came across it on Pinterest I had to give it a try.

First let's discuss the benefits of these ingredients, and why they're good for fighting acne:

• Honey - honey is an antiseptic, therefore it prevents the growth of the bacteria in your pores, and disinfects your skin. In fact, if honey is applied to a fully developed pimple or whitehead, it can stop the infection in your pore from worsening (Source: Honey and Acne). Honey also has anti-inflammatory properties, which reduce swelling and redness that can accompany pimples. Finally, honey is a humectant which preserves the moisture in your skin and draws moisture from the air, which leaves your face moisturized without feeling oily.
• Greek Yogurt - the lactic acid in Greek yogurt helps to exfoliate and the fat moisturizes (which makes it great for dry skin). The yogurt itself acts as a very mild bleach, making it good for evening out complexion and calming skin.
• Lemon Juice - Lemon also helps to lighten the skin and even complexion, while the citric acid exfoliates. Since lemon juice is an astringent, it also dries the blemish. *Since it can be drying, it's important not to add too much lemon juice, especially if you have dry skin.*

After trying out the original, and adjusting it to my preference, I found that I preferred to add a bit more honey to help reduce redness more and fight bacteria better.

Honey, Yogurt, and Lemon Face Mask:

• 1/8 cup RAW honey (very important that it's raw, and not processed with corn syrup or any other fillers)
• 1/8 cup PLAIN Greek yogurt (must be plain, with no added sweeteners)
• splash of lemon juice (less or none for dry skin)

Combine ingredients in a small container, mixing thoroughly. Apply mask to clean face with hands or clean foundation brush. Allow mask to dry (about 20 minutes, depending how thick you apply it), then wash face with a wet washcloth (or clean hands) and pat dry. Store leftovers in the fridge (or eat it, because it's completely edible!). This face mask is gentle enough to use more often then commercial ones, but I'd still try to limit it to 3 or 4 times a week.

After I use this face mask I apply a homemade toner of diluted apple cider vinegar (the same one I use to rinse my hair, about 1 part ACV to 3 or 4 parts water), although that is completely up to you. It is perfectly safe to use a toner after a face mask; in fact, it tightens the pores! I usually just hop in the shower to wash the mask off, follow up with my ACV toner, and then rinse my face with cool water.

A foundation brush can help apply an even layer of face mask.

The great thing about this recipe is that all of the ingredients are edible, so you know that it's safe to put on your skin! You can play with the recipe to find something that suits you better, if you'd like. This could also make a wonderful gift for the holidays! (Just be sure to remind the recipient to keep refrigerated!)

I've had someone mention concerns about the lemon juice stinging their face, but I can assure you that I've had no trouble with this. However, every skin type is unique. As I mentioned before, lemon juice is an astringent so it has a drying affect. If you have dry or sensitive skin, you may want to leave the lemon juice out.
 
Some people have mentioned having an adverse reaction to honey and/or lemon juice, so be sure to test this recipe (as well as any other) on the inside of your wrist. If you feel any stinging or burning, wash it off immediately and DO NOT use it on your face.