FitSugar

Are Salty or Sugary Scrubs Right For You?

BellaSugar — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 07:00:00 PST

I've got snacking on the mind today (OK, everyday). Because I'll leave food reviews to YumSugar, I've conjured up some of my fave salty and sugary body scrubs. (I know it's not the same thing, but no calories woohoo!)

Both types offer natural exfoliation but there are some key differences. First up, the mineral content in sea salts can help increase circulation on top of taking off that top layer of skin. Sugar won't have that additional benefit (no minerals in sugar . . . sigh) but, if you've got sensitive or nicked skin, you'll be saved the sting from adding salt to your wounds. I like to alternate between the two types – like sugar the day after I've shaved and salt before – so spot products to get your scrub on in the widget below.

Melt Away Stress With a Salt Soak

DearSugar — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 08:00:00 PDT

Sometimes you have to set aside some "me time" for yourself. Once a week, I like to do something that's strictly for the benefit of my mind, body, and soul. I turn off my cell phone so I can sit with my thoughts and feelings. It's a great time to reflect on my life, my celebrations, my goals, and my dreams. It's also a great time to figure things out if I'm having a problem, or if I need to make a decision.

One of my favorite things to do is soak in a tub - even though it's summer. I like to transform my bathroom into a make shift spa by using scented bath salts like these from Lunaroma. The scent of the essential oils relaxes and calm my mind, and the blend of Dead Sea Salt and Epsom Salt cleanses and detoxifies my skin. If I'm feeling extra stressed, I bring a glass of white wine in the bath with me and just shut my eyes and enjoy my quiet time.

Sometimes it's all about the simple pleasures like these that give me time to be alone with my thoughts, so when I experience stressful parts of my week, I feel emotionally ready to get through them. So ladies, how do you de-stress?

Home Spa Treatment: Salt Foot Scrub

FitSugar — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 15:30:00 PDT

Are your feet just plain sick of pulling on and off those heavy winter boots? Are your dogs tired of being stuffed into dark shoes? Are your feet calloused from hibernating in heavy socks? Well now is the time to do some spring cleaning of your feet. Try this salt scrub to rejuvenate your tired feet while smoothing out the callouses.

Mix together:

1 Tablespoon of coarse, clean sand
1/4 cup light canola oil
1/4 cup liquid hand soap
1/4 cup sea salt
1/4 cup Epsom salt

If you have any essential oils on hand you can add about 5 to 10 drops. Peppermint oil can bring renewed vitality to exhausted feet.

Apply salt scrub to wet feet and gently massage all parts of your feet, paying particular attention to your heels. Rinse off the salt and pat dry. Moisturize.

Enjoy!!!!

3 Easy Steps For Treating Dry, Cracked Heels

Jaime Richards — Sun, 13 May 2012 03:30:00 PDT

Cracked heels can be a problem, especially coming out of the colder months when the air lends itself to dry skin. On top of that, these fissures can worsen as a result of the pressure put on your heels throughout the day - particularly if you're a fan of foot-imbalancing stilettos. Along with being less-than-aethestically-pleasing, untreated cracked heels can split even further, causing pain (and in some cases, infection). Prevention is key: moisturize daily, get pedicures as needed, and drink plenty of water to save your feet. But what do you do when your cracks are already out of whack? Find out how to do your own at-home treatment when you read more.

7 Smart Uses For Vaseline

Emily Co — Tue, 08 May 2012 03:05:19 PDT

Vaseline was originally meant to protect cuts and scrapes, but this jar of petroleum jelly has evolved into an item with dozens of uses. Here are just some of the many ways to use this versatile product:

Chapstick: Smear Vaseline on your lips to keep them from being chapped. Do it at night before you go to bed and you'll wake up with smooth, soft lips.
Moisturize skin: Vaseline can be used on skin that's prone to psoriasis and eczema. It'll heal by moisturizing the dry patches. The petroleum jelly can also be used on elbows, cuticles, hands, and feet.
Protect skin from hair dye: When you're dyeing your hair at home, put Vaseline around your hairline to prevent your forehead from being dyed and protect your skin from the chemicals.
Scrub: Add sea salt to Vaseline to make your own body scrub.
Soothe and heal: Vaseline can help to heal poison ivy lesions, new tattoos, and light burns. It's also a good moisturizer when it comes to skin irritants like diaper rash.
Prevent rust: Put a light layer on tools or machinery to prevent them from rusting.
Shine leather: Dab a little Vaseline on leather items like bags or shoes to polish them and add a bit of shine.

5 Cinco de Mayo Ingredients Remixed For DIY Hangover Beauty

Jessica Cruel — Thu, 03 May 2012 05:00:00 PDT

This weekend is sure to include tequila-induced debauchery as Cinco de Mayo descends once again. But don't let all your extra cocktail party ingredients go to waste. After you're done gorging on guacamole and guzzling margaritas, use your leftovers to make these DIY beauty recipes. So become a morning-after mixologist and pull a Houdini on that hangover. Find out some of the skin care perks to your common cocktail sips and snacks when you read more.

Protect Your Investment: How to Care For Bamboo Cutting Boards

Sara Yoo — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 05:42:41 PDT

It's funny to think that just a few years ago, bamboo cutting boards were hard to come by. These days, the boards have taken their place as standard fare beside their wood and plastic peers. This material has endeared itself toall kinds of kitchen products, not to mention environmentalists, thanks to the plant's rapid growth and regeneration. Bamboo grows to a harvestable height in three to five years, as compared to decades for its tree counterparts, and it can regrow without replanting. It's also remarkably sturdy - 16 percent stronger than maple - yet gentler on knives than plastic. So while it holds up against daily chopping duties, it also resists deep gouges better than wood (and thus harbors less icky bacteria).

But bamboo is not indestructible, and it can split along its seams if not properly cared for. Curious as to how you can keep your bamboo cutting boards in tip-top shape? Read on to find out.

Battle of the Cleaners: Bon Ami vs. Vinegar

Emily Co — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 05:00:19 PDT

I just received an all-purpose cleaner, courtesy of the folks of Bon Ami, a firm that prides itself on producing cleaning products with biodegradable cleaning agents and preservatives as well as other natural ingredients such as baking soda and Epsom salts. Basically, the items contain products you've heard of and not some unpronounceable chemical name. Heartened by the nontoxic nature of Bon Ami products, I decided to test it out against vinegar, a versatile and natural substance you can use in many different ways to cleanse your home. Here are the results:

Bon Ami: I used the Bon Ami cleaner to clean some of the cooking dirt off my stove, and one thing I noticed about it was the very pleasant citrus smell. I felt like it worked just as well as any regular chemical cleaner and did a good job of cutting through the grease. I was really happy about the fact that the ingredients were safe and not toxic. The only problem I had with it was some leftover yellow residue. It was a bit of a bother to wipe away. I checked its website, and each item will cost less than $4, although it's apparently cheaper if you buy it in stores.

Vinegar: I'm a huge fan of vinegar as a cleaning product just because of its affordability and versatility. One bottle of 16-ounce Heinz white vinegar will cost you about $1 to $2, and you can even get it for less if you have a coupon. After I put a bit of vinegar on my stove, the crusty stains dissolved a lot more quickly than with the Bon Ami cleaner and required less effort with scrubbing. Of course, there is the vinegar smell, but it eventually dissipates after a while, leaving you with an odorless kitchen.

The clear winner: vinegar, vinegar, all the way! Although I think Bon Ami is a strong contender, vinegar definitely wins this round.

21 Disposable Products You Can Reuse

Wise Bread — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 09:00:39 PDT

Even when the product is supposedly "disposable," you can always reuse it. Wise Bread shares awesome ways to reuse these 21 disposable products.

It’s said that we live in a disposable society. But the word "disposable" is a misnomer. Disposable is considered throwaway, something you use once and dump, regardless of the life that may be left in it. As a frugal shopper with a concern for the state of our environment, I think that just won’t do.

I often reuse many so-called “onetime-use” items, and I asked friends, family, and colleagues to tell me which disposable items they squeeze more life from. Here’s my list, including some of the surprising ideas I was given.

RELATED: 25 Things to Throw Out Today

1. Butter Wrappers

If you’re like most people, you unwrap your butter, pop the stick into your handy holder, and throw the wrapper away. But wait a second - instead of trashing the wrappers, keep them in a sandwich bag. The next time you need to grease a baking tray or dish, you’ve got something all ready to go.

Read on for more.

The Right Way to Care For Stainless Steel Cookware

Susannah Chen — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 12:50:23 PST

I live and die by my All-Clad d5 Stainless Steel pots and pans, which I use for making just about everything. But the other day, while tackling some stuck-on food that was particularly stubborn, I consulted the computer to verify the correct way to clean my cookware. And guess what? I've been cleaning them all wrong! Cleaning stainless cookware, it turns out, involves a little extra TLC. Put that scouring pad away, and find out the right way to preserve your quality pots and pans, when you read on.