Natural Body Detox

I wanted to take some time today to talk about natural body detox. I know the majority of my posts have been about natural homemade beauty remedies for our external body but I also wanted to highlight the importance of making sure our internal body was just as beautiful. Of course, there is the common advice that most of us have heard (and hopefully try to follow!) such as drink plenty of water to keep your body healthy (along with your skin!), to stay away from fatty foods, smoking, excessive drinking however, I came across a great learning tool that I used to try my first all natural body detox and wanted to share this with anyone interested in enjoying better health, radiant skin and greater levels of energy in a natural and safe way. I'd highly recommend that everyone try to herbal body wrap outlined on page 37 which can be done at home and from my experience, I thoroughly enjoyed this! This site allows you to learn about how to create your own at home natural body detox program and I can honestly say that I can feel the difference. Not only does my skin look clearer but I also feel like I have an extra "bounce" to my step and feel "lighter" (I'm also trying to eat healthier which the site explains about how to improve your health by eating better). I think the natural body detox, along with choosing healthier food options, is a great way not only to cleanse your body but also keep your skin looking amazing, youthful and glowing! Give it a try and tell me what you think!

Egg Mask Facials

The classic facial, egg masks have been used by women all across the world for centuries. It consists simply of a raw egg spread on the face and left to dry, then rinsed off with cool water to complete the total facial experience. My grandmother used this simple mask once a week to keep her skin youthful and glowing. Here are a few variations, depending on your skin type, of this at-home, natural and organic beauty recipe. If you're looking for an instant skin tightening recipe, be sure to check out the Egg Mask Skin Tightener recipe (it was also featured on the Rachel Ray show!)

Eggs Mask (for dry skin)
Mix together 1 raw egg and 1 tablespoon of honey. Spread on your face and beck, let sit for 15-20 minutes and finally rinse off with tepid water.

Egg Mask (for oily skin)
Mix together 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon of oatmeal. Spread on face and neck, let sit for 15-20 minutes and rinse well with tepid water. This mask is especially good for removing blackheads.

Egg Mask (for normal skin)

Mix together 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of fresh sour cream. Sour cream is rich in lactic acid and helps soften and remove surface impurities and dead skin cells, leaving your skin soft and smooth. Spread on face and neck, let sit for 15-20 minutes and rinse well with tepid water.

Once again, this recipe and several of the ones featured in my blog are from my favourite natural beauty book, that I always refer to when I need a pick me upper. I'd recommend that everyone buy a copy and keep this as a tool in your beauty toolbox!

Sugar and Spice Bath Mix

This bath mix is great to use when you want to relax after a long day to relieve stress and tension. Make this bath mix in your next bathtub session, use candles, soft jazz music to fully enjoy your stress-free time. Not only will this help with relaxation but also with boosting your circulation and will help to cleanse your skin and act as an antioxidant. Fill an sugar bowl or shaker (I find this works best) with this spicy mixture and place it next to your tub so you have it available whenever you need a relaxation bath session. Definitely give this mixture and let me know what you think of it!

Sugar and Spice Bath Mix
1/2 cup baking soda
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Mix together all the ingredients until well blended. To use: Add 2 tablespoons of the bath mix to a warm tub of water. Store the mixture in a clean, dry container (as mentioned, I like using a shaker since it's easy to use and store). This amount will be enough for about 2 to 3 baths.

New Zealand Kiwi Skin Toner

Did you know that "Kiwi" is slang for someone that comes from New Zealand? It's of course also a delicious fruit that is available in any grocery store. The kiwi fruit, like any other sweet citrus fruit, is a natural astringent. Astringments or toners as they're commonly referred to, are useful to use after you have cleansed your skin to remove excess oil and tighten the skin. Avoid any store-bought toners that are alcohol-based as they strip the skin of their essential oils causing excessive drying. Instead of buying your toner, why not make it yourself using natural fruits? Not to mention that it's whole lot cheaper than any of the toners out in the marketplace.

New Zealand Kiwi Skin Toner
1 cup boiling water
1 ripe kiwi fruit, peeled and mashed
1 tablespoon vodka

Pour the boiling water over the mashed kiri fruit in a ceramic bowl and let sit until cool (about 20-30 minutes). Strain the mixture well to remove all fruit solids and seeds. I usually strain twice, once with a fine metal strained and then with a paper coffee filter. Add the vodka to the liquid and stir. Apply to the skin with a clean cotton pad (you can pick up a pack for cheap at your local dollarstore). You may rinse your face with cool water if you have sensitive skin.

You can find this recipe along with several others, in one of my favourite natural beauty books, which I highly recommend for all natural beauties. It has natural beauty recipes, divided by the four seasons, to make sure that your skin, hair, nails and body are beautiful and healthy all year long!

Peach Tightening Mask

My previous beauty secret revealed how egg whites are a fantastic way to tighten skin and reduce wrinkles temporarily. Here's another skin tightening beauty recipe that smells just "peachy" and will help to leave skin soft and youthful.

Peach Tightening Mask
1 ripe peach, peeled and pitted
1 egg white

Blend the peach and egg white in a blender until they are blended well. Once again, I like to use a barbeque sauce brush because it makes the face mask easy to apply. Apply over your face and leave the mask on for at least 30 minutes. This is typically longer than most facial masks that I have included so make sure that you do this during a time that you can truly relax, maybe before you head off to bed or the night before an important event. After the mask has dried, rinse off with cool water.

Cucumber Oily Skin Facial Mask

Summertime is great...but the weather is not helpful for my oily skin. Try this beauty recipe to combat oily skin. It will definitely leave you refreshed and energized! I would have to put this down as my second favourite recipe, my first being the Strawberry Hand and Foot Exfoliant The cucumbers are vital to this recipe, not only because of their cleansing attributes but also because of the wonderful refreshing smell they give to make this beauty recipe one that helps also with stress and relaxation. Cucumbers are popular when it comes to beauty, whether it's the age-old technique of putting them on your eyes to reduce puffyness or utilized as a staple in luxury spas where they place them along with lemons, to drinking water for their clients, to add a refreshing zestful taste. It's amazing how little things can make such a big difference!

Cucumber Oily Skin Facial Mask
1/2 cucumber
1 egg white
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 teaspoon mint

Puree all ingredients. Once again, I like using a blender just to make my life easier. After the ingredients have been blended, place them into the fridge so that mixture can be chilled. Apply the mixture to your face and leave it on for 15 minutes. Relax. Remove the facial mask with warm water and then end off with cool water. This is especially refreshing during the summer time after a hot and humid day.

Tomato Blemish Remover Facial Mask

Here's a great beauty recipe to remove blemishes and marks from your skin. The secret lies in the main ingredient--tomatoes! Use these mask twice a week and concentrate to apply the mask to blemish prone areas, such as the cheeks, chin and forehead. I had my sister try out this facial mask as her skin is prone to blemishes and breakouts and she really enjoyed it. Give it a try!

Tomato Blemish Remover Facial Mask
1 ripe tomato
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of instant oatmeal or old-fashioned rolled oats

Blend all the ingredients until they are combined well. I like using a blender since it makes my life a lot more easier but you can always mix it by hand too. Make sure that the mixture is not too thin or else you will have a hard time applying it to your skin as a facial mask. If the mask does end up becoming too thin, add more oatmeal to thicken the mask until it becomes thick enough for your liking. Remember to apply more generously on your blemish-prone areas which tend to be your chin, cheeks, and forehead. Leave it on for 10 minutes and then remove with lukewarm water. I like using a washcloth dipped in lukewarm water as I find this makes removing the facial mask much easier and keeps my sink area cleaner as well.

Egg Mask Skin Tightener

This is about as simple as homemade beauty recipes can get--I used this recipe for a skin tightening effect and felt great! Eggs are another common ingredient in homemade beauty recipes, especially for homemade facials, and are also a popular ingredient when it comes to hair. I'll try to include another hair recipe soon as well but until then try this recipe for an egg mask, which has been known to help reduce wrinkles temporarily. I try to use this mask once a week just to refresh my skin and feel energized.

Egg Mask Skin Tightener
1 egg

Separate the egg yolk from the egg white. Put the egg white on your face (I used one of those barbeque sauce brushes that can be found at any kitchen store, I've included a picture to your left, of course your bowl and brush will be clear instead of a barbeque sauce shade lol). I found it easier to use the brush to apply the mask but just make sure it has been cleaned thoroughly before you use it. Let the mask dry for about 10-15 minutes and then remove with lukewarm water.

Goddess Yogourt Body Mask

Yogourt is pretty much a staple in several homemade beauty recipes. Full of healthy bacteria, this is one of the reasons why it works wonders as a natural cleaner and moisturizer for skin. Mixed with honey (another staple in homemade beauty recipes), the after effects of this body mask are amazing! This recipe is completed with an unlikely ingredient (I call it an "undercover" ingredient--widely unknown of its powerful beautifying effects) ..CARROTS! Yup, carrots are known to be good for your eyesight but they're always very good for your skin, giving it a healthy glow and smoothness. When used on the skin, it helps in removing acne and unattractive marks and spots. And no, it will not turn your skin orange! (I tested this myself!). I especially like this body mask as it leaves your skin with a beautiful touch and definitely helps me relax during my stress days. Try it on your body and face for a goddess glow!

Goddess Yogourt Body Mask
1/4 cup of yogourt (I prefer using full fat yogourt)
3 tablespoons of honey
3 tablespoons of pureed carrots

Blend carrots (avoid using baby carrots that you can find pre-washed in convenient bags as I've heard they have some preservative chemicals in them--have you ever noticed how they turn white after a few days??) in a blender until they are pureed and you have enough for three tablespoons (I used about 4 large sized carrots and had enough for the receipe and some left over which I plan on using for the next time I use this body mask--I just kept in a ziploc bag in my fridge, so it's more convenient and ready to go the next time I need a quick body mask). Next, mix your carrots with your honey and yogourt. I prefer to use the full fat yogourt just so the recipe is rich. As for honey, I was lucky enough to find a lady on the outskirts of Toronto who had a bee farm and was able to buy organic honey which I love and highly recommend if you're able to do so (this is much easier to do in the summer than winter of course). However, for convenience, using store bought honey will also be fine. Draw a warm bath and wrap your body and face in this lovely mask as the water fills your tub. Light some candles, put on a little jazz music or grab your favourite mystery novel and then sink into your bath for about 20 minutes. Then rinse off and check out your goddess glow!

Strawberry Hand and Foot Exfoliant

Strawberries are amazing...not only are they delicious (especially when dipped in chocolate..yummy!) but also contain several polyphenols that are jam packed with high levels of antioxidants. Strawberries contain a natural fruit acid which helps in exfoliation. I have yet to meet anyone who does not love strawberries (my favourite fruit!). With high levels of Vitamin C they are popular for their antioxidant potency but I would say are an "undercover" ingredient when it comes to homemade beauty recipes--you barely ever hear of them being used in homemade beauty receipes. Since it's summer now, it's also the time of open toe high heels so why not give this exfoliant a try on your tired, aching feet to make them smooth, refresed and not to mention smell great? Furthermore, our we put our hands through so much abuse, so I tried the recipe on both my hands and feet and the refreshing and soothing benefits were amazing. I'll admit though, it was very hard to make this beauty receipe without taking a few bites of the main ingredient (which is another natural and organic way to add some colour to one's lips--organic red lipstick! lol). This is no doubt one of my favourite recipes!

Strawberry Hand and Foot Exfoliant
8-10 strawberries
2 tablespoons of apriot oil (I used olive oil instead)
1 teaspoon of coarse salt (I used Sea Salt but you can also use Kosher Salt)

Before making this receipe, I'd highly recommend to use this when you know you will not be leaving the house for some time. Strawberries to have a tendency to stain (nothing permanent, just temporarily), so I often do use this receipe on my Sundays when I'm going to be relaxing at home all day or when I'm having a low-key Friday night and I know I am not going out for the evening. The key to stay away from any staining is not to keep the receipe on your hands and feet for too long. Put it on, enjoy it and then rinse it off. To begin, I put all the strawberries into a bowl and mash them up (not too pureed but just to a nice pulp). I then add the olive oil (you can use apriot oil if you prefer but I like olive oil and it's easier to find in the kitchen than apriot oil which I would have to go out and make a special purchase of) and then finally the coarse salt (I like using Sea Salt but any type of coarse salt is acceptable). I mix all the ingredients together and then place the mixture on my feet first, massage for a few minutes and then rinse off with cold water (I find it helps my aching feet after a long week of wearing high heels! poor toes!). I then place the mixture on my hands, massage and rinse off with cold water.

Banana Avocado Nourishing Facial Mask

Bananas are a power fruit, did you know one banana provides enough energy to power a 45-minute cardio workout? Pretty neat eh? Loaded with nutrients, vitamins and minerals bananas are a vital part of homemade beauty recipes, especially for facial masks, as they are cleansers and moisturizers. Use the following for a face mask that is nourishing and works great as an exfoliate. I especially like to make this mask during times when I feel like I need some extra energy, like before the start of my work week.

Banana Avocado Nourishing Facial Mask

1/2 ripe banana
1/2 avocado
2 tablespoons of yogourt (try to use full fat if possible)
1 teaspoon of olive oil

Mash up the ripe banana, avocado, yogourt and olive oil together. I like to use a blender on a low setting so that it doesn't become too runny but you want to make it into a soft pulp. Apply to a freshly cleansed face and leave it on for about 15 minutes. Wash off with lukewarm water and pat dry.
While relaxing with my face mask on I use a "cool" trick (sorry I couldn't resist the play on words) to help my eyes after a tired day. Before mixing your ingredients for your mask, place two metal spoons into the freezer so that they are cold. When waiting for your 15 minutes to be up, take the spoons out of the freezer and place them on your eyes. The coolness will reduce any swelling or puffyness and is a wonderful way to relax and revive yourself.

Email Me

You can email me at pinkmoneytree@gmail.com or leave a comment and I'll get back to you as soon as possible!
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About Me

Thanks for stopping by my beauty blog! My name is Kim, I'm 25 years old and live, work, play and beautify in the city of Toronto. After visiting a spa for the first time to receive a facial I was surprised to know that at the age of 23, I was already behind when it came to taking proper and preventative care of my skin to keep it healthy, clear and free of any signs of future aging. Although there are several products on the market that can assist with having beautiful skin, I wanted to use organic and natural foods from my kitchen to make homemade beauty products. I've always loved the idea of connecting with other people over the internet (heck, it's been a part of my life since I was in grade 6!) so I wanted to start a blog and I've compiled a list of my favourite (tried, tested and approved) recipes for homemade and organic beauty secrets for women (and men!) of all ages and skin types. Try them...I'm sure you'll love them as much as I do! Happy Beauty!

How to Prevent Sun Damage

Summertime is pretty much here and along with everyone is looking forward to adding some colour to their skin that has been paled out by winter. But before you jump into your bikini and hit the beach for a major tanning session, it's important to protect your most important asset-your skin. We've often heard of the health benefits attached to cooking with extra virgin olive oil but there's another major benefit of this amazing oil--prevention of skin cancer. Across many cultures and countries, olive oil is known to be a miracle food. Popular for its endless healing powers (my sister just recently had a baby and the midwife recommended to massage her with olive oil as a solution to her peeling skin), olive oil is a staple in organic beauty and should be available in every natural beauties' house. As we head into summertime with lots of sun exposure, it's so important to protect your skin now against the long term damages of UV rays and to keep your skin beautiful and youthful in the future. As well all know, too much sun exposure can lead to unattractive results--premature wrinkles, unattractive sun spots and can even be fatal with cancer. Although we all like a little glow to our skin (I'll admit I'm guilty of tanning at times too!), the following recipe can lessen the harm that the sun causes to your most important beauty tool--your skin!

Homemade and Organic Beauty Secret-How to Prevent Sun Damage

Apply extra virgin olive oil to your skin before and after exposure to the sun. The type of olive oil you decide to use is up to you. I have a friend who grew up in Greece and swears by the Costco Melle/Kirkland brand of olive oil which is a good econ option for about $14+. If you're looking for a more luxe brand, I'd recommend Silver Leaf which is about $21 for a large bottle (and can be purchased at The Big Carrot located at 348 Danforth Avenue in Toronto). I usually oil myself up and dry up as much as possible before I slather on my sunblock (and yes, there is a difference between suntanning oil and sunblock, make sure you use sunblock with minimum SPF of 30). Also, I find it a lot easier to put the olive oil in a mister spray bottle (often used to spray cooking pans with to minimize the oil usage) instead of tugging along a glass bottle of the oil to the beach for application after sun exposure. These handy bottles can be purchased from any kitchen/cooking store such as Kitchen Stuff Plus for about $12. Remember, if you're unable to put on sunblock, the least you should be doing is applying olive oil in order to prevent some serious sun damage to that beautiful skin.

Secrets Unveiled

I decided to start this blog since I a huge advocate of natural beauty and am always giving my sisters and girlfriends (and sometimes my guy friends too!) advice on organic homemade recipes for beauty and skincare problems. My mom was a beauty esthetician and growing up always give my sisters and I advice on how to properly care for our skin. The secret behind natural beauty, that she often told us, lied in having a good foundation-- natural, clear, glowing skin. So I figured, why not share this knowledge with others?
Instead of going to your local drug store or beauty kiosk at a department store to drop your hard earned dollars on products that are full of ingredients that you can't even pronounce, why not do it yourself for a fraction of the cost? It can all be made in the comfort of your kitchen with ingredients right from your fridge and local grocery store.

With all of the pesticides that we put into bodies these days, either through food or pollution in the air, I think it's important for us to take the time to really be aware of what we put on/in our largest organ, our skin. Therefore, I've complied a list of homemade and organic beauty secrets that are not only a better option for your body, but have amazing results (as they've all been tested out by myself and my team of volunteers who have different skin issues), are natural, organic and best of all--are much cheaper any other option. I've also included various secrets that have been used throughout ancient types by several different cultures with healing and natural beautifying powers when turning to harsh chemicals as a quick fix was not an option. But let's be realistic--there are times when we're pressed for time, need a convenient product that we throw in our purse and use it on the go, or simply can't resist picking up a new product that catches our eye while shopping. To combat that problem, I'll also be reviewing organic beauty products produced by "green" health and beauty companies and let you know which ones are PIU ("pick-it-up") worthy and and the PIBOTS ("put-it-back-on-the-shelf") ones that I'd recommend to avoid. I'll also let you know where you can find these products online or in and around Toronto (since I'm from the GTA area).

If you have a particular beauty problem that you would like a solution for, do not hesitate to leave a comment or email me and I will do my best in finding the most organic solution. I hope you enjoy your stay and here's to natural beauty--inside and out! :)