Slender Body Original Coffee Scrub

Hi all! Finally I'm back with another great product review.

Slender Body Original Coffee Scrub made with Cacay Oil.

                                    

Last year you might remember I did a blog review on a product called Cacay oil.  To this day I still swear it's the best face oil on the market. Well today I'm giving a review of a body scrub that has Cacay oil in the ingredients and let me tell you this stuff is amazing.
You have probably already heard of coffee scrubs being extremely beneficial to your skin, especially for cellulite, stretch marks and acne. I even made a coffee scrub tutorial on my YouTube channel years back. Nothing can compare to this product.


As I usually do, let me do a rundown of some of the details of this product before I tell you what I think.

• Cruelty Free
• 100% Vegan
• Organic USD Certified Premium Roast Columbian coffee
• Contains Cacay Oil which contains 50% more Vitamin E and twice the amount of Linoleic Acid compared to Argan Oil
• Contains Orange and Almond Oil for an amazing scent

So what does all of this do you ask? Using this in the mornings is a great way to wake up your senses and your skin. The caffeine in the coffee is a natural stimulator which gets the blood flow going in your body. Getting that stimulated helps with stretch marks, scarring and that pesky thing we call cellulite.
I personally take showers at night so that's when I use it. I find the aroma to not really get me hyped but more clear my head. You know how you smell coffee beans after smelling too many perfumes at the store? Think of it as clearing out all the good and bad stuff your senses probably took in from the day. Not to mention that a good scrub gets off all of that dirt and grime and completely smoothes out your skin to leave it soft and silky. That's where that Cacay oil comes in. Your skin feels like butter after using this. But not in a greasy oily way. It just feels so soft and hydrated. In addition to that amazing aroma of the  Columbian coffee they  combine Orange and Almond oil to compliment the coffee scent perfectly.

After using it for the past few weeks I've noticed my skin texture has improved. I live in Southern Cali and my skin can get so dry to the point I can draw on it with my finger. Especially my legs. And let's be real, I got cellulite people and so I will use whatever I can to help diminish that. Don't get me wrong, you can't completely fix cellulite with a scrub or cream but I can honestly say I've seen an improvement in it.

Here is something I didn't mention yet. When you hear coffee scrub you probably think of just using on the body right? Wrong! You can use this on your face to help with redness, acne and skin texture.  Now that's what I call worth every penny. I can't tell you how great it is to have a scrub that you can use all over. I have so many different ones for different things and here are you need is this one.

So lastly this is how you use it

• Get in the shower and get nice and soaked
• Turn off the water and grab a handful at a time of the coffee scrub
• Apply it to your skin using circular motions
• Leave it on for anywhere from 5-10 minutes
• Rinse and feel the smooth, soft and supple skin you have been wanting

So my final thoughts on this is go to Amazon and order yourself some! You won't be disappointed.  



 



My Natural Spot Treatment for blemishes !

I've been trying this method out for quite some time now and I thought I would share it. Even though I know that there are tons of posts and videos on it but I thought what the heck. I found this recipe a while back on a blog. Check it out here: http://dreamcalluna.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/diy-tea-tree-oil-acne-treatment/

 Lavender and Tea tree oil have been used forever for various things including skin care. The combination of the two just adds a little more of a punch to those annoying pimples/zits that can pop up here and there. 
Tea tree oil works well on acne, pimples, dark spots and any sort of cut or burn. Lavender is antibacterial and can help reduce redness around the area. Adding some distilled water simply cuts down on the potency of the oils. 

So this DIY just involves three items:

                             Distilled water                                            

Lavender & Tea Tree Essential Oils

both from Vitacost.com 

Lavender 1 oz.$6.49

Tea Tree 1 oz. - $5.99

               

Glass bottle dispenser with dropper

1 oz. from Sprouts - $1.99

Measuring cup (for a mess free pour)

Simply add one ounce of water to the container and then add 10 drops of Tea tree and 5 drops of lavender. Stir and then close bottle and shake. Shake before each use as well :)

 Watch the Youtube Tutorial here:

DIY Turmeric & Milk Face Mask

Recently my skin has been really acting up, especially in the cheek and chin area. I'm not sure whether it's weather related (it's been up and down in temperature and unusually humid) or me needing to drink a little more water:) Also, I have been noticing a few dark (sun) spots starting to appear on my face and to be honest it's kinda freaking me out. So I jumped on Google to research some natural fixes/cures for dark spots, and I found that Turmeric not only helps reduce them but it also helps with acne, wrinkles, rosacea, dark circles etc. 
Turmeric is a spice that is hugely popular in Southeast Asia , and a tradition for Indian brides to use before their marriage day. 
The benefits of Turmeric are pretty vast. It's rich with antibacterial, ant inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, and anti fungal properties. in addition it is packed with protein,Vitamin K, potassium, niacin, copper, Vitamin C, calcium, sodium, Vitamin E, iron, and zinc. 
The biggest thing I was amazed to discover during my research is that Turmeric has a huge other list of benefits besides helping the outside of your body/skin. Here's a list:

• Prevents cancer! ( I know right!)
• Prevents liver disease
• Prevents Alzheimer's disease
• Improves digestion
• Helps maintain body weight
• Boosts your immune system
• Reduces cholesterol level 
• Helps treat diabetes
• Relieves arthritis
• Heals wounds & burns

Is there anything this spice can't do? Seriously, it's pretty darn amazing. Now onto the face mask....
There are many different variations you can do with this mask (which I will list below) but I opted for what I had right in my kitchen at the moment. Here is all you will need for this mask:

• Turmeric
• Milk 
• Bowl
• Tablespoon
• Spoon (to mix and apply)

Take 1 Tablespoon of Turmeric and add enough milk to make into a paste that's not too watery and not too dry. You don't want it to drip or drop off of your face once you apply it.

Now since Turmeric can stain your finger nails and hands, I found it easiest to apply the mask with the back of a spoon. It really got it on there evenly as well. 

Here's the finished look :)

 Leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes or until it's dried up. Use warm water to take off and then finish with a hot washcloth. 

I instantly felt and saw the results. My skin was as smooth and soft as a baby's bottom and I noticed some of the spots from left over breakouts and even my sun spots seemed lighter. I did notice a slight color change to my skin but it faded quickly and wasn't noticable at all. You might want to do this at night just in case. 

I am definitely going to be using this mask a lot. 

Some other things you can combine with Turmeric for masks:

Milk of course (great for dry skin)

Coconut Oil (great for oily skin)

Honey & yogurt

Olive or Avocado oil

Check out my Youtube tutorial here:

Experiencing Dermalogica on Montana and the Microzone Treatment

Last week Becky and I took a trip down to Dermalogica in Santa Monica to experience a "Microzone Treatment". It was my first time to the Montana Ave location of their flagship store, and needless to say I was impressed :)

Walking in you immediately feel calm just from the pristine white decor and spa like aroma wafting through the shop. They have every Dermalogica product you could possibly want all right there on the shelves. The staff here is incredibly helpful and sweet. Erin the store manager gave us a little tour and background on the shop, and made us feel completely welcome and ready for our treatments.

This is the Microzone Treatment area. It was created out in the open for a reason, and as you walk by the shop on the outside you are almost drawn to go in and check out what the people in the chairs are having done to them. Here is Becky getting her Microzone Treatment from Sheba.

Now the Microzone treatments are designed for that time in between your regular facial appointments. They are 20 minutes and perfect if you are in a hurry and yet have some areas of your face that you want to address. Sheba sat us both down before she started the treatment and asked us what areas were of concern. For me I have a lot of blackheads on my nose and chin area, as well as some concerns about sun spots. Once she heard that. she went to work on those problem areas by cleansing, exfoliating, extracting and refreshing my skin till I felt like new! 

After the treatment, we went over to an area of the store that's called the "Skin bar" This is where Sheba went over each product individually that would be best for my skin type and also grouped it all together in what would be the perfect daily skin care regimen for me.

Here are all the products that she selected

If you live in the Los Angeles area I highly recommend going to the store on Montana for either a treatment, products or both! Make sure you ask for Sheba! She is a true professional and a sweetheart!

Here is a list of the different treatments they offer along with the prices:

Lastly I want to say a HUGE thank you to Nathalie for setting up our treatments, Erin for making us feel so welcome, and to Sheba for pampering us so well! 

Check out my Youtube video here

Check out Dermalogica on Montana Facebook page here:

http://www.facebook.com/dermalogicaonmontanasm

Dermalogica Website:

http://www.dermalogica.com

                                                           

DIY - Baking Soda & Orange Juice Mask

There are a TON of different uses for Baking soda. One I found interesting is for a DIY face mask.  I had found it on Pinterest a few months back and decided to give it a go.

Baking soda is particularly good for acne prone skin and blackheads. It even helps with acne scars and Rosacea. Typically when the skin PH balance is out of whack, you end up with breakouts or problematic skin. Baking soda acts to help alkalize the bodies acid and balance it out again.

The only things you need to make this mask are:

• Baking Soda
• An orange (or orange juice)
• Small bowl
• Teaspoon
• Brush (to apply, or you can use your fingers)

You will notice a tingling sensation when you first apply this to your face, but after 15 min and rinsing it off you will feel how smooth and soft your skin is. I noticed how it reduced my blackheads and the size of my pores.

Some of the other things you can instead of orange juice are Apple Cider Vinegar or water. Check out my Youtube tutorial below.