DIY Pedicure at Home - Listerine Foot Soak - Callus Remover

Seriously?

Who thinks of this stuff?

I mean who sits around thinking "I wonder what would happen if I put banana on my face? 

Would it work like botox?"   

i.e.: Banana Botox Mask

Or "what if I soak my feet in Listerine? -- will they not only be minty fresh, but callus free?"

I'm not sure who thinks of it, but I am here to tell you that when it works?

AWESOME!!

I am the queen of going barefoot.

I go from Ugg boots to barefoot, and vice versa.

If I'm not in my running shoes, that's me.

I am not going to gross you about with foot talk, though, because honestly, feet totally gross me out.

I mean, even my kids'.

Once they get past that cute little kissable baby foot, and start running around and getting sticky, they can kinda just keep them to themselves.

It took me a whole lot of years to even go get a pedicure somewhere, because the thought of someone wanting to TOUCH my feet? gross.

Now, I got over that, and I do love to get pedicures, but I'm not crazy about the expense.

I reserve it for a treat a couple of times a year.

So, in between, I do my own, because I HATE to not have my toenails polished.

When I ran across countless posts of foot scrubs, I thought I would give this one a whirl over the winter.

And by golly, it works!

(you'll have to trust me on this though, and try it for yourself, because I am so not putting a photo of my feet on the world wide web. again, gross.)

Listerine Foot Soak (Callus Remover)

1/2 cup Listerine (I used blue but any will work)

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 cup warm water

Combine ingredients in a shallow pan or basin. Soak your feet for 15 minutes.

With a brush or pumice rub the dead skin right off. I usually just hop in the shower for this part.

The blue Listerine will turn your feet blue, but it comes right off in the shower while you're removing skin.

Apply lotion.

Voila!

It REALLY works great.

Banana Botox

Banana "Botox" Mask

I saw this on Pinterest last winter.

I, of course, thought "this cannot be true?"

This was something that was shown by Dr. Oz in 2010.

When I read the reviews, there were a couple of people who REALLY noticed a difference, and a few who just said that their skin felt softer.

One night I decided to give it a go, I had some ripe bananas and all of the rest, so I figured it couldn't hurt right?

Banana "Botox" Mask

as seen on pinterest and Dr. Oz

1/2 ripe banana, mashed

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 teaspoon honey

Combine the ingredients and apply to face and leave on for 15 minutes and wash off.

It's mentioned on Dr. Oz's article that doing a warm washcloth over the top helps.

I have done it both ways, and didn't see much of a difference.

(it tastes great, by the way!)

I will tell you that I didn't look 15 years younger, but it is a nice mask.  My skin felt somewhat tighter, and way softer.  It lasts for a couple of days.

I am curious to see if any of you have ever tried this?

Or any other kitchen spa mask that you like?

Please let me know!!

Homemade Sugar Scrubs - Great Holiday Gift

Sugar scrubs seem to be all the rage this year!

I have seen lots of posts, and hopefully you don't find this one "redundant," but I made some, too!

peppermint sugar scrub

My kids' school actually really does us and the teachers a favor by doing gift certificates for all of the staff.  

In early December we send in a donation, and they divvy it out.

It's a lifesaver.  

I usually try to make something homemade for them, and we buy them a book or two for their classrooms.

This year it sugar scrub!

these are the ones I did for their teachers

A month or so ago, my daughter Josie and I decided to make some.  

I made one for my friend, Lori, for her birthday.  

She had given me some sweet orange essential oil a while back for in my bubble bathes.

I knew she liked it, so I decided to make her a sweet orange sugar scrub.

(Wish I would have taken a picture of it!)

She loved it, and asked me for the recipe.

This one is for you, Lori!! 

(and all of you others who want something for dry skin this winter!!)




*** You can find Vitamin E Oil and Essential oils at Whole Foods, vitamin or nutrition stores! ***

Basic Sugar Scrub Recipe

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vitamin E Oil

1 1/2 teaspoon essential oil / or scented extract

Blend together in a bowl until oil is absorbed into sugar.

This is a basic recipe, I have just played with it for the different scents. 

brown sugar vanilla sugar scrub

This one smells so good!!  

Brown Sugar Vanilla Sugar Scrub

1/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vitamin E Oil

1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla

Blend together in a bowl until oil is absorbed into sugar.

top view of teacher gifts

You can use leftover jars, jelly jars or find something cute like the ones above at your local craft store for around a $1.00

Word to the wise...DO NOT use garlic jars.  They may smell clean...but trust me, they will smell like garlic, so unless you're into Garlic Sugar Scrub, or you need to keep vampires away or something, I wouldn't recommend it!

I used ribbon, and scrapbook paper, Modge Podge, some fun "snowball looking" sprigs, and made tags on my computer.  Just use your imagination! 

Peppermint Sugar Scrub

1 cup white sugar

2 regular sized candy canes (crushed finely)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vitamin E Oil

1 1/2 teaspoon peppermint oil

Blend together in a bowl until oil in absorbed into sugar.

peppermint scrub --- I modge podged a reindeer scrapbook sticker on the front

bubblegum sugar scrub

Bubblegum sugar scrub was inspired by my beloved Bubble Gum Cupcakes!

This scrub smells SO DARN GOOD!!  

Bubble Gum Sugar Scrub

1cup white sugar

pink sugar crystals

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vitamin E Oil

1 teaspoon bubblegum extract

Blend together in a bowl until oil is absorbed into sugar. Add pink sugar crystals to "pink up" the scrub.

There ya go!! Easy, fun, economical and useful gifts.

I have made all kinds of them.... 

I can't wait to give them to the teachers,  some friends, my mail lady ... and a few others!

Cheers to smooth scrubbed tootsies this winter!