Natural Cellulite Reducing Coffee Exfoliator

I enjoy a delicious cup of coffee during work to keep me in the right mood, but I feel bad throwing the coffee grounds away knowing that it can be recycled in many other ways. My favorite way to reuse my coffee grounds is to make them into an exfoliating scrub for the body. Plus coffee is a natural cellulite reducer, causing your skin not only to be softer for the exfoliation, but tighter as well.

Ingredients/Items Needed:

1/2 cup - 1 cup used coffee grounds

1 tbsp brown sugar

A couple drops of water

Bowl

Spoon

Directions:

1) Stir coffee, sugar, and water together

2) Get in your shower and rub mixture into skin for at least five minutes

3) Shower thoroughly

Dry off and enjoy your soft skin! Great for those days that you just need to take some time for yourself.

Other ways to reuse your coffee grounds include placing it in your garden for fertilizer or keeping it in smelly places as a deodorizer.

Strawberry Pineapple Water

March was a heavy month for toxins - Mardi Gras, Oscar Night parties, St. Patrick's Day, and daylights savings time have all thrown me out-of-whack. So for April here are a few wellness activities to do everyday to keep your body in proper order. Plus a delicious recipe for Strawberry Pineapple Water!

Strawberry Pineapple Water

Ingredients:

Two Strawberries

1/2 cup cubed or sliced Pineapple

2-3 sprigs of Rosemary

Water

Ice

A glass/cup

A fork

A knife

A cutting board

Directions:

1. In a glass add pineapple and rosemary (in the image above I have mashed pineapple, which I found was very annoying to drink - therefore I recommend keeping the pineapple in chunks. I found the same problem happened with diced rosemary therefore I would recommend using fresh rosemary sprigs as well)

2. On a cutting board slice the strawberries in half

3. Add strawberries, ice, and water. (Add ice on top of fruit, this will keep it at the bottom so it doesn't get in your way when drinking)

(Optional: To add a boost of detoxifying power try adding 1 tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar to the mix!)

Tips & Tricks for the Everyday

I have all these small tips that I know of that are easy "cheats" in the morning to save time or energy, but I felt they weren't big enough to write a post about on their own. So here are a few

Tips & Tricks for the Everyday!

1. Run a dryer sheet over your hair if you are experiencing static cling (I have this often occur after blow drying or straightening my hair)

2. If your lips gloss tube is low, place the tube in a cup of hot water for a few minutes so that any spare lip gloss on the sides will melt to the bottom so that it can be used

3. Sugar is a great exfoliator in any kind of facial scrub

4. Mix some lemon juice and baking soda into your toothpaste to get a brighter smile

5.  Rub wet coffee grounds on your skin to reduce cellulite (Best to do this before a shower, so you can rinse of more easily)

6. Reuse your green tea bag, once it has cooled - place over your eyes to reduce under eye circle or bags 

7. Accidentally got blood on your clothes? Let soak in hydrogen peroxide for a few hours (or more, depending on how much blood) the blood should be gone before you put the article of clothing into the washer

8. Blonde hair? If you weren't able to wash and your hair is starting to look greasy, add some baby powder to your hair. It'll make your hair look good as new for the day

9. Shoes smell bad? Sprinkle some baby powder in them and leave overnight. May have to repeat for several nights depending on the smelliness of the shoe

10. Wearing flats but no socks? Sprinkle baby powder in your shoes before wearing them. The baby powder will help prevent the sweat from your feet from getting all over your shoes

11. Dyeing your hair? Rub Vaseline over areas of your face (and neck) where you do not want the hair dye to get onto. The Vaseline will act as a barrier and will wash of when you rinse your hair

12. Dead lighter? Use a small of amount of rubbing alcohol (or nail polish remover) onto a small stick and use the dead lighter to create a spark to make a flame

13. Bee sting? Make a paste using baking powder and water. Apply to wound and cover with band aid

14. As a substitute for shaving cream, use baby oil or conditioner

15.  If you must dry shave, then apply lotion first so the area you are shaving does not dry out

16. If you want to naturally lighten/highlight your hair, apply lemon juice to your hair and sit out in the sunshine for a few hours

17. Apply a light amount of Elmer's glue with a Q-Tip around your nails when painting them for any clumsy mistakes. Once the nail polish on the nail is dry, peel of the Elmer's glue from the skin for perfect nails

18. If you receive flowers cut of a small portion off the bottom of the stem every other day so that the flowers live longer (flowers receive more water) 

19. To make temporary false lashes, in-between coats of mascara apply small amounts of baby powder with a Q-Tip. Continue this routine until lashes are a sufficient length

20. An easy way to set your makeup for an evening out (so running will not occur) is to spray your face with a very light dusting of hair spray

21. If you have a small hole in lace or a pair of pantyhose, use superglue to seal the threads so the rip will not continue

Hope these tips help you through your day! You can do it!