Beauty Lab!

Okay, People! Don't say I never did anything for you! For the good of this blog, I conducted a risky experiment. I am a big label reader, not only when it comes to food but also to beauty products. I've done enough reading to know some key ingredients, in what order on the label, etc. Many of the key ingredients these days are natural including many foods, herbs, etc. Why, i ask myself, can't i make my own beauty products out of these materials? I know why. Because it is easier and less messy to buy a pre-made lotion containing avacado oil, caffeine, grapefruit, whatever the ingredient is. The drawbacks of buying these products are the expense and the fact that you cannot control the other ingredients they add, most of which we can't pronounce. Well, I happened to have some
organic coconut oil around and I was dying to try a home remedy. If you recall, a while back I got an espresso body scrub which was supposed to help detox and tighten my skin. I really wanted another one, but didn't want to shell out the $100 plus for it. SO, here is what I did and the results:

Mix: 2 Tablespoons coffee grounds (yes, already brewed, good way to recycle them. Also, they are supposed to be good for the soil you plant in, why not your skin?) plus 2 Tbs unbrewed coffee (I was afraid I brewed most of the caffeine out of the coffee, and that is the major point of using the coffee in the first place) To this add 1/2 cup Coconut Oil or Olive Oil, and 2 Tablespoons Sugar.

PROBLEM: WHERE THE HECK WAS I GOING TO APPLY THIS WITHOUT MAKING A COMPLETE MESS? While I do live in a private setting, the idea of doing this outside and hosing off DID NOT appeal to me. So, I opted for in the shower. PROBLEM: HOW MESSY WAS THIS GOING TO GET, AND ARE YOU REALLY SUPPOSED TO LET COFFEE GROUNDS GO DOWN THE DRAIN? In the interest of science, I had to proceed (without letting my husband know of course) Does anyone know if I irreperably damaged by septic system. Does the water from the shower go to the septic system?

THE ACT: I APPLIED THE WARM MIXTURE (i HAD TO NUKE THE COCONUT OIL, IT WAS SOLID IN THE FRIDGE), AND EXFOLIATED everywhere...it felt really good even if i was the one applying (i don't know why i like the idea of a total stranger rubbing it on even better...it just feels good when someone else is doing the rubbing!)

THE MESS: NOT AS MUCH AS i thought. The shower did get slippery from the oil, so make sure to do this before you have to wash the shower anyway because you will have to afterwards.

THE RESULTS: I THOUGHT IT WORKED GREAT. My skin looked and felt smoother, even my husband noticed. (I fessed up to him telling that i did this treatment, but he never asked how, why or where, so i left it ALONE!) At first my skin was a bit greasy, but I used a little bodywash, and I felf fantastic afterwards. I figure this treatment would be beneficial about once a month!

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE: In the mood for ice cream but not the calories? Try this: Freeze a whipped yogurt. It tastes just like Ice Cream with only about 70 calories.

NEXT TIME: TWELVE BENEFITS OF AEROBIC EXERCISE!!!!