Backside Smoother!

source: Cosmopolitan April 2009 issue

Did you know that freshly brewed coffee grounds can be used as a spa treatment scrub?

No amount of rubbing or scrubbing can really get rid of cellulite but coffee grounds can make your derriere at least appear firmer albeit temporarily.

The director of the Ritz-Carlton Spa in South Beach Liliana Dominguez-Grajales said that caffeine dehydrates fat cells, so skin looks smoother.

Mix a handful of grounds with a firming face mask (you need all the tightening action you can get) until it’s pastelike. Then rub it over your bottom in an upward circular motion, using a loofah or washcloth for extra grip.

Rinse it off after 10 minutes.

Energizing Citrus Pedicure

Source: Cosmopolitan April 2009 issue

To get rid of the icky callused skin you’ve been hiding under your socks and boots, submerge your feet in a bowl of grapefruit, orange, or lemon juice (you can use one or combo of the three) diluted with equal parts of warm water.

According to Donna Perillo who is the owner of Sweet Lily Spa in NYC, the citrus acid loosens up dead skin better than a regualr soak does.

After 5 minutes, slough your heels and the balls of your feet with a pumice stone, the massage entire foot with an oil-based sugar scrub. Rinse it off and slather on a body or foot balm.

Oil-based sugar scrub:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup olive oil

Home facial-Spa!

Source: Cosmopolitan USA April 2009 issue

Most spa facials involve some kind of face massage to boost blood flow and help products absorb better.

Here’s how to get results on your own for revitalizing face and eye massage:

Take a warm shower to soften your pores, then cut a chilled seed-less red or green grape in half. According to Regine Bethelot who is hte head aesthetician at Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa in NYC that it contains hydrating glucose and powerful antioxidants that fight skin-damaging free radicals.

You can slide that flat side of the cut grape over your skin, starting between your brows and moving out toward your temples. Sweep up to your forehead, then down your nose and over your cheeks.

45 DIFFERENT WAYS WOMEN CAN INSTANTLY FEEL SEXY AND HEALTHY!

From: The cosmo health report

1. To get revved, lie on your back with your legs straight up. Blood will rush to your head, bringin a fresh hit of oxygen to your brain to revive you.

 

2. For a quick mood pumper, write down how you’d like your life to turn out in 5, 10, and 20 years. Thinking about your goals ignites optimisim.

 

3. Maintain a bright white smile by avioding sodas and iced teas made with citric, malic, and tartaric acids, since these additives erode enamel.

 

4. Coat your lips with gloss that contains an SPF of at least 15. Gloss’s slick sheen acts like a magnifying glass for UV rays, intensifying the damage they can do (think skin cancer).

 

5. Memorize something- a password, stats for a meeting- quickly by chewing gum while you’re reading it. Gum chewing enhances blood flow to the brain and can improve recall by up to 40 percent.

 

6. Ward off a hangover by consuming oil-rich foods, such as nuts, tuna, and tahini, before you have cocktail. The oil slows your body’s absorption of alcohol, so you’re less likely to be sick the next day.

 

7. If you’re prone to yeast infections, don’t wear thongs and panties with lots of lace and ruffles. These tend to collect bacteria that can change the acidity triggering the growth of yeast.

 

8. Avoid computer-induced eye strain with this exercise: Every few hours, look away from your monitor and slowly roll your eyes up and down. Repeat three times, then roll your eyes three times side to side.

 

9. If regular tampons irritate on light period days, switch to the chlorine-free kind. They’re less uncomfortable when your v-zone is drier.

 

10. Even if you’re just an occassional smoker, break the habit by going cold turkey two weeks before your period. Levels of estrogen which research shows make smoking more pleasurable are lowest then, so it’s easier to try to quit  at this time.

 

11. Sweeten your breath by munching on apples, carrots, or cucumbers,. Like a toothbrush, these abrasive foods scrape away foul-smelling bacteria.

 

12. Sidestrep a cold or flu bug via the 3-foot rule: Stay at least this far away from anyone who is coughing or sneezing, since any viral droplets they emit usually can’t fly this far in the air to infect you.

 

13. Become more gregarious by placing flowers next to your bed or your desk. Lilies, roses, and other fragrant stems affect brain chemistry and can make you feel outgoing.

 

14. Brighten your mood and sharpen your mind by brewing a cup of java. Caffeine is a stimulant that increases levels of the feel-good hormones serotonin and dopamine, making it a natural antidepressant.

 

15. Talk your way into doing well at school or work: GAbbing for 10 minutes before an exam or presentation will hike your score.

 

to be continued….