This gingerbread body wash makes a great homemade gift because it smells so good. And who wouldn't love relaxing in a warm bath with the scent of gingerbread wafting in the air?

The recipe calls for just a few ingredients and is pretty easy to make. Fill some cute bottles with the gingerbread body wash, and voila! You have wonderful homemade presents to friends, teachers, and neighbors. Just remember to keep a bottle for yourself!

{ Another DIY gift idea: Homemade Chocolate Bath Salts}

You should keep one or two bottles tucked away for yourself too - they smell so yummy you will love using this body wash in the shower or bath!

Ingredients For Gingerbread Body Wash

2 cups water (filtered or purified is best if you have it!)

1/2 cup liquid castille soap (this is great stuff to have on hand anytime, btw.)

2 tsp. vegetable glycerin (usually found in vitamin stores, organic health food stores and on Amazon)

2 tsp. ginger flavoring

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

Mix all the ingredients together until well-blended. Pour into pretty bottles/containers. Enjoy with your next shower or bath!!

Pampering yourself at home is a wonderful way to treat yourself after a hard week. Using pantry items to create tour own body lotions, face creams and scrubs is one of the best ways to stick to a ' beauty on a budget' routine as well. So why not put some of that canned pumpkin pie filling to use and any extra yogurt you happen to have in the refrigerator to make a soothing moisturizing face mask?

Ingredients

1/2 cup of canned pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup plain yogurt if you have it (or just use whatever flavor you have!)
1 Tbs. or so of honey

To Make the Mask

Just blend all the ingredients together until you get a paste-like mixture. Smooth the mask on your freshly washed faced (make sure to avoid the eye area.) Leave the pumpkin mixture on your face for about 10-15 minutes, then rinse gently with lukewarm water.

Pat your skin dry gently and enjoy your soft fresh complexion!!

Wondering what to do with summer strawberries that are getting soft and mushy? Instead of throwing them away, use them to make this awesome facial scrub that smells as good as it feels.

3-Ingredient Strawberry Facial Scrub

All you need are 2 strawberries, 1 tsp. honey and 1/4 cup sugar. That's it.

Blend the strawberries and yogurt together in a blender for a few minutes or until you get a smooth mixture. Then add the sugar slowly until you see a grainy pinkish paste.

Gently massage the strawberry paste on your face for a minute or so. Rinse with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry with a soft towel.

Strawberries contain salicylic acid - an ingredient used to fight acne and other skin blemishes. So while you are enjoying the sweet strawberry scent, you are helping your skin at the same time.

A new use for old strawberries.

Coffee grounds are one of those kitchen items that can be used for so many different things - like in a body scrub that helps fight cellulite!

Here is one more way to put coffee grounds to good use, and it's also another way to save you money the next time you decide to treat yourself to a facial at home {because you probably won't have to buy a thing - chances are you already have the two ingredients in your kitchen!}

Mix together about 1/4 cup of fresh coffee grounds with 1 egg white. Gently massage this mixture on your skin. Let it dry. Rinse completely with lukewarm water and pat skin dry.

The coffee grounds are great at exfoliating dead skin cells, plus the antioxidants in the coffee are very good for your skin. The egg white? Well, that will help tighten and firm your face, temporarily.

Have you tried coffee in a d.i.y. beauty treatment at home? If so, were you happy with the results?

Want a cheaper way to fight wrinkles?

Reservatol is one of the best antioxidants you can use to help keep wrinkles at bay, problem is that beauty products containing this ingredient are usually pretty expensive. 

Luckily, red grapes have plenty of this amazing natural antioxidant. So instead of spending your hard-earned money on brand name facials, try making this d.i.y wrinkle face mask at home instead.

All you'll need to make this facial at home are a few red grapes, a little olive oil and some flour. It's easy to make this all-natural beauty treatment, so why not give it a try?

Ingredients:

4-6 red grapes

1 Tbs. olive oil

3 Tbs. flour

How To:

Gently cut open the grapes to remove any seeds, then puree the grapes with the olive oil in a blender. Mix the grape puree with the flour in a small bowl.

Smooth gently over face (make sure to clean your skin first,) and relax for about 15 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.

{Try this d.i.y. pumpkin -yogurt face mask too!}

Have any cans of pumpkin pie filling left over from the holidays? Use a can of the yummy stuff plus a bit of honey and yogurt to make a luscious exfoliating skin mask!

Here is what you need:
1/4 cup canned pumpkin pie filling
1 tsp. vanilla yogurt
1 tsp. honey

Mix the ingredients together until you get a creamy consistency. Then lightly smooth the mixture over your face (slightly dampen your skin beforehand.)

Relax about 10-15 minutes, then wash away gently with warm water.

*Always test a new treatment on a small area of your arm first, just to make sure your skin is not too sensitive.

Easy Peasy: make your own strawberry lip gloss recipe!

These make little stocking stuffers, party favors, and are perfect to add to gift baskets.

What You Need:

Petroleum Jelly

Imitation Strawberry Extract (like McCormick Imitation Strawberry Extract - about $3 at Walmart)

Cute little jars, lip gloss type pots, etc. to put your lip gloss in.

To Make Lip Gloss:

Melt about 1/4 petroleum jelly in a glass bowl for about 30 sec. If it has not completely melted, stir and heat for about 10-15 sec. intervals until the jelly has melted and turns to liquid.

Let the liquid cool until it turns a cloudy color. Add in about 1/2 tsp. of the imitation strawberry extract.

Stir mixture until color is uniform, then pour into the containers/lip gloss pots - make sure whatever you are using has caps or lids to keep the lip gloss fresh.

You should have enough gloss to fill 4 small lip gloss size pots/containers.

Store bought dandruff shampoo can be expensive. If you are looking for small ways to trim your budget, try this inexpensive home remedy for dandruff the next time your scalp feels itchy and you are tempted to run to the store to get some bottled relief!

Wash your hair as you normally do, using your regular daily shampoo and conditioner. After the final rinse, apply one Tbs. of lemon juice to your scalp and massage in gently. Rinse hair with cool water. The citric acid in the juice should help relieve the itch and the flaking! If you decide you just can't give up your favorite store bought dandruff treatment altogether, you can still save some money by alternating with the lemon juice too. By doing so, your bottle of dandruff shampoo will last longer, saving you money by not having to buy it quite so often.

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If you are looking in the mirror and seeing age spots looking back at you, but you just do not have money in your budget to buy expensive age spot remedies, you might want to buy some potatoes instead! It has been said that potatoes can help fade those age spots that insist on showing up on our faces and hands. Potatoes contain catecholase, which happens to be the enzyme used in many skin-care products. It lightens the skin by blocking pigment cells that cause discolorations and dark circles.

Grate a fresh potato and place the pieces in a cheesecloth. Hold this under your eyes to help with those dark under eye circles, or place directly on age spots to help fade them. Do this about 5 minutes a day. I have also read that you can place sliced potato slices directly on the age spots as well to help fade them, or grind a potato completely then apply the paste to your skin.

I will tell you that I have not tried this natural remedy for age spots, so I cannot guarantee you that it will work or not. Also, I would suggest using the cheesecloth method (or another soft thin cloth) if you try this, just because I think the potato juice could possibly irritate some skin. Again, I do not know- but better safe than sorry, right?

What natural skin care remedies have you discovered and/or used? Did they work?

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• Inexpensive Home-Made Eye Mask

• 10 Ways To Save Money Using Lemons

source

Skip the expensive air fresheners at the store, and save a little money by making your own all natural air fresheners right in your own kitchen.

Slice two lemons then layer the slices on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake in your oven at 250 degrees for about 60 minutes. Turn off the heat, open the oven door, and enjoy the refreshing scent throughout your home!

Easy-Peasy!


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10 More Ways to Save Money Using Lemons!


Save Money: Make Your Own Air-Fresheners!

I love finding ways to reuse old stuff that would otherwise languish forever in the back of our closets, in the garage or stuffed under the beds, er, thrown away. I often search the web for creative ways to reuse household items, and thought I would share some of my {most} favorite finds with you today (because I am so nice that way.)

1. Have an old picture frame but no picture to put in said frame? Simply place a piece of fabric or pretty paper over the thin cardboard that comes with the frame (or if you have lost that, use lightweight cardboard from an empty cereal box or any other box you have laying around.) and you have a lovely vanity tray. Put it on your dresser and keep your brush, comb, lotion, hair-clips or whatever you want on it! (this tip comes from RealSimple.)

2. Those thin potato chip cans make great containers for straws! Of course I know you never eat those things. Neither do I. But in case you happen to come across one someday, you might want to cover it in some cute contact paper, wrapping paper, or something cute you have laying around, like extra material. Then take that plastic lid and carefully cut a small opening in it - big enough for a straw to fit through. This step is really not even necessary - you really do not have to have a lid if you don't want to. Really.Then fill it up with straws for the kids to grab for their drinks. (This tip comes from Woman's World Magazine.)

3. That Twister Game sitting on the shelf gathering dust has a very fun re-purposing use! Use the Twister mat as a cute tablecloth for the next kid's birthday party you have! (again, this tip comes from Real Simple.com)

4. Those old jeans that are a bit too tight are too worn out to wear anymore - well, the legs of those jeans can make perfect door draft stoppers! Cut one leg off the jeans, fill with whatever you have around the house - plastic bags, old socks, fabric, stuffing, etc. Then sew up both ends. Place this 'pillow' along the bottom of a door to stop drafts from coming in! (Thanks to The Greenest Dollar for this tip.)

5. The cute glass jars that jams and jellies come in make even cuter storage containers for yarn and ribbons. Use a hammer and sharp nail (or drill fitted with a small bit), to pierce holes in the metal lids. Next, place spools inside jars, stringing the ends through the lids before screwing them on. ( This tip also comes from RealSimple.com.)

{image: realsimple.com}

We always have packages of instant oatmeal in our kitchen pantry, so this make-it-yourself facial is one of my favorites (and it smells delicious too!!)

Apple-Oatmeal Facial

1 packet instant oatmeal
1 tsp. apple cider
1 Tbs. almond oil

Blend ingredients in blender. Massage mixture all over your face. Place a warm washcloth over your skin for about 3-5 minutes. Then rinse with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry gently.

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Make Your Own Natural Air Freshener

Get itchy dry skin help from your kitchen in a flash, and save money by not buying expensive facial scrubs at the drugstore.

Take 1 tsp. yogurt and 1 tsp. sugar. Mix together. Rub mixture gently on your face ( works best if your skin is damp,) and then rinse completely.

The yogurt hydrates your skin while the sugar buffs away dry flaky skin.

A fast, cheap and easy way to help to soften your skin in just a few minutes!!

Got Grapes? Then you have a FREE natural face toner that will brighten and tighten your skin! Grapes have plenty of antioxidants and other good stuff like alpha-hydroxy acids that will tone and brighten your skin, plus help fight those little lines on your face.

Next time you are in the cosmetics/beauty products aisle, check how much those grape-infused serums and creams cost now-a-days.

Head to the grocery store and buy some green grapes instead - you will get a healthy snack plus a beauty treatment for one price!

Take some of those grapes and put them in the freezer for a few minutes. When they are chilled, take them out and slice each grape in half. Then rub the fruit part (not the skin side) gently over your face and neck. Leave the  juice on your face for about 10-15 minutes, then rinse.

If you do this nightly for about a week or so, you should see a difference in your skin's tone.

You can save money by making your own room fresheners. These are easy recipes using natural ingredients that take no time at all to whip up!

1. Use a glass jar with lid, such as a jelly jar, pickle jar or olive jar to make vanilla-scented air fresheners. First, carefully punch holes in the lid using a nail. Second, moisten several cotton balls with a few drops of vanilla extract. Drop the balls in to the jar, put the lid on and you are done! These scented jars are perfect for smaller areas like closets, nooks, and bathrooms.

2. Make a homemade spray air freshener using all natural ingredients. First, fill an empty spray bottle with 2 cups water and 1/8 cup baking soda. Next, add about 10 drops of a scented oil you like. Shake the bottle slightly, and your air freshener is ready to be spritzed into the air, leaving a light fresh scent!

Make an inexpensive eye mask using parsley to help brighten under-eye circles.

Parsley is rich in Vitamin K, which can reduce blood flow to the eye area when applied. According to Audrey Kunin, M.D., and founder of  DERMAdoctor.com, that blood flow is one reason for under-eye circles.

She explains that the fatty tissue under our eyes thins over time, which makes blood vessels more visible. And it is their slightly bluish color that gives the illusion of circles under the eyes.

Parsley Eye Mask

1 small handful of fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. plain yogurt

Combine the parsley and yogurt in a food processor or blender. Pulse until a paste is formed. Gently apply to under-eye area, relax for 20 minutes, then wash off with warm water.

Try this once a week to brighten up your under-eye skin.

This easy homemade face mask using honey and pumpkin can also make a great last minute gift for someone! Pumpkin is full of healthy antioxidants and Vitamin A, while honey hydrates, tones, and tightens the skin.

Ingredients

1/4 canned pumpkin puree

2 Tbs. Vanilla Yogurt

1 Tbs. Honey

Mix all ingredients until smooth. Spread over clean damp skin and relax about 10-15 minutes. Rinse away using warm water and gently pat dry your face.

Keeps about 2 weeks in the refrigerator in a resealable container. To give as a gift,  use a pretty jar or container (with a lid,) and fill with the pumpkin mixture. Be sure and attach a printed holiday card with directions for use and the recipe as well!

Homemade bath salts and oils are easy to make and fun to give as Christmas gifts. Just pick out some pretty bottles and jars to use, print out some labels, attach ribbons and you will have some very lovely presents to hand out this year!

Make your own Lavender Bath Salts

Combine 1 Tbs. dried lavender (or use lavender tea flakes) into 2 cups Epsom Salts. Mix gently and store in a a pretty jar with a lid. You can also add a cute scoop or spoon in the jar. Lavender is a wonderful stress-reliever and it also has anti-inflammatory properties which help soothe muscle aches and sinus pressure. Pour a scoop into a warm bath, soak and relax!

Make Your Own Peppermint Bath Salts


Combine 2 handfuls of fresh mint or 1 Tbs. loose mint tea with 2 cups Epsom Salts. Mix until the leaves release their fragrant oils. Pour a scoop under running bath water and enjoy. The peppermint fragrance is great for revitalizing your mind and also can help ease tension headaches.


*Need Extra Money For Christmas Shopping? Make Money Daily With Postloop!*

Two quick do-it-yourself tips for today (one for the home and one for you!) that can help save you a little time, a little money and even a little muscle, LOL!

1. Instead of spending money on a toilet bowl cleaner, try pouring in a can of soda into the toilet! Best part is-you do not need to scrub-just let it soak for about an hour, and flush. The soda should have removed rust rings and other mineral deposits, no scrubbing required!

2. Make your own lip scrub: Just mix 2 tsp. sugar with 1 tsp. olive oil, almond oil, or sunflower oil. Put mixture into a resealable jar and store in refrigerator for up to a month. Once a week or so, gently massage the scrub over your lips, then rinse with warm water to remove dead skin cells and keep your lips soft.

Personally, I think that nothing feels better than a foot massage. But before you bribe, beg, plead ask nicely for said foot massage from your significant other, try this simple foot soak to remove rough skin on those feet:

Pour about 1 cup of warm milk into a basin of warm water. Soak feet for about 15-20 minutes, then scrub gently with a pumice stone or body scrub.

Then go get the massage, confident in the knowledge your feet are clean, smooth and soft!