Have you ever been to one of those expensive spas where they cover you in mud? Well, how about a little DIY? No – I’m not suggesting you should go outside with the garden hose and start rolling around in the backyard with your dog. Be a little more picky with your choice of soil. Please.

Auromere is an Ayurvedic, cruelty-free company that makes some awesome natural products. I tried their Ayurvedic Mud Bath recently. It comes in powder form and you can mix it with a little water and use as either a face and/or body mask (letting it dry before scrubbing off) or in place of soap (mix with water, scrub-a-dub, and rinse). It’s a bit messy in the tub – I’d recommend using it in the shower or as a facial mask.

This Ayurvedic recipe combines 12 herbs and 4 types of clay all noted for their purifying and rejuvenating effects on the skin. It’s also packed with skin-nourishing minerals. Naturally draws out toxins and impurities, exfoliates and nourishes the skin. Leaves skin silky soft and smooth.

Jen

Fruits are a treat by Mother Nature. They have a positive effect within our bodies when consumed as well as a nourishing effect on our skin when applied. A fruit facial mask is a simple, quick and inexpensive way of rejuvenating and hydrating your face. Besides being natural, homemade fruit facial masks are free from chemicals, perfumes, preservatives and other artificial supplements because you make them at home! Treat your skin with a moisturizing homemade fruit facial mask and protect your skin during the dry winter season.

Zesty Lemon Facial Mask

Lemon is rich in Vitamin C and is believed to be a naturally nourishing for our skin. Not only does it have the capacity of unclogging and tightening pores, lemon also helps in fading away age spots, freckles and acne scars leaving behind gorgeously soft and bright skin.

To Prepare: Mix together 2 tablespoons of flour, lemon juice and egg whites. Apply mixture to your freshly washed face. Leave the mask on for at least 20 minutes before washing it off with lukewarm water. Apply a moisturizer after washing off the mask.

Sweet Kiwi Facial Mask

Kiwi is rich in Vitamin A, E, C and citric acid making it helpful in the deep moisturizing of your skin and also increases your blood circulation. Kiwi also deep cleans your skin, washing off excessive oils and tightening pores. Nothing can be better than kiwi juice for your skin.

To Prepare: All you will need is 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon of kiwi juice and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix the ingredients well and apply the mask to your face. Leave the mask on your face for about 10 to 15 minutes before wiping it off with a damp washcloth.

Tangy Tangerine Facial Mask

Tangerine works well with treating dry and flaky skin. Containing potential ingredients such as vitamin C, B, folate, magnesium, beta-carotene and potassium, tangerine helps in rejuvenating and hydrating your skin.

To Prepare: Hydrating your skin with tangerine is very simple and inexpensive. You need tangerine juice and an egg yolk. Mix these ingredients well and apply evenly on your facial skin. Leave the mask on your skin for about 30 minutes before washing it off with cold water. Find your skin flawlessly hydrated skin once the mask is washed off.

Banana Rose Facial Mask

Banana is a fruit rich zinc, iron, magnesium, potassium vitamin A, B and E. Banana works best as an anti-aging agent.

To prepare: Mix together a mashed banana, two tablespoons of oat flour and one table spoon of rose water. Blend all the ingredients well and apply on your face and your neck. After about 15 to 20 minutes wipe off the mask with a damp washcloth and then wash off any remaining mask with lukewarm water.

Not only are homemade fruit facial masks rich in vitamins, they are also pure, chemical-free, inexpensive and effective. Have fun making them at home and let Mother Nature take care of your skin.

About The Author: Kate is a blogger by profession. She loves writing, shopping and traveling. Recently she used Wella Hair Color to give her hair a new look. These days she is busy writing an article on Casio Watches for her blog styleguru.com.

Healthy skin really does start from within. Whether you’re a super healthy eater or a junk food junkie, if your body doesn’t get the vitamins and minerals it needs, your skin will show it. I recently tried SKINamins by Cosmedix from DermStore.com. SKINamins claim to increase blood circulation, prevent blotches, fight against free radicals and promote healthy skin renewal.

I noticed improved skin texture and fewer breakouts while I was using the product (for one month), but my skin got angry and started breaking out when I stopped using it. Having worked at a health food store while in high school and college, and being a supplement junkie, I can tell you that the ingredients here are good – not just for your skin but also for hair, nails and overall health. (Zinc is my number one recommended supplement for breakouts.)

Just be careful that you’re not overdoing it – check your other multivitamins and supplements to be sure you’re balanced (for example, taking too much zinc can lower your absorption – and increase your need for – copper, which can affect your immune system). Some of the herbs included are diuretics that help your kidneys to eliminate toxins, but may increase your need to drink water (which you should be doing anyway).

Supplement Facts: Vitamin A 10,000 Iu, Biotin 300 Mcg, Vitamin C 100 Mg, Vitamin E 50 Iu, Selenium 100 Mcg, Vitamin B1 12 Mg, Vitamin B2 20 Mg, Vitamin B6 14 Mg, Vitamin B12 60 Mcg, Niacinamide 30 Mg, Folic Acid 400 Mcg, Zinc 30 Mg, CoEnzyme Q10 5 Mg, Green Tea Extract 50% Polyphenols 50 Mg, White Tea Extract 40% Polyphenols 50 Mg, Horsetail Extract 7% Silica 170 Mg, Alpha Lipoic Acid 50 Mg, Grape Seed Extract 95% Proanthocyanidins 10 Mg.

Proprietary Blend (318 Mg): Burdock (Root), Bamboo Gum (Bambusa Vulgaris) (Stem), Alfalfa Juice Powder, Kelp, Witch Hazel, Ginger (Root), Carrot Juice Powder, Ionic Mineral Extract (Plant), Foti, Rose Hips, Wild Cherry, Aloe 200:1 Extract, Marigold, Dandelion (Root).

DermStore has a PETA certified cruelty free section! Just click on the drop down menu called “Types of Products” and then choose “PETA” to see the list of brands and products.

SKINamins are $24 for 60 capsules (a one month supply) at DermStore.com. NOTE: the capsules are made from gelatin, so not veg or vegan friendly.

Jen

By Abi Mogge, Staff Writer

Looking for a good New Years Resolution for 2012? Get your skin into its best shape with an eco-friendly, cruelty free skin care line that is also pampering and luxurious. Madre Labs is giving away its 3-piece skincare set, plus an antioxidant green tea skin crème, to 2 lucky My Beauty Bunny readers.

Enter to win this cruelty free skin care system, which boasts their ResveraPhenol Skin-Perfecting Complex, to diminish existing skin damage and prevent future damage. The set includes the creamy foaming cleanser, purifying toner, refining micro-polish, and the camellia care concentrated green tea skin crème.

I LOVED these products and you can read more about them in my Madre Labs review. Madre Labs is committed to ensuring that their ingredients are of the utmost quality and come from cruelty free sources. Their logo “NO No-No’s” refers to the extra steps they take to ensure that their ingredients are not damaging to person or environment and meet the high standards that they’ve set. This means no animal testing, parabens, sulfates or other harmful additives. You can save $5 off your first iHerb.com order by using the code LIQ007.

Note: This giveaway is open to international readers, but they will be required to pay any additional custom taxes/duties required for shipping. The winners will need to register on iHerb.com in order to receive their skin care sets.

Enter the giveaway below, via Rafflecoptor, and have a Happy New Year!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Abi

I’ve spent the last few years looking for a good skincare line that will restore my complexion to its former glory. Recently, my requirements have also included that the line be cruelty-free and organic, without the harmful preservatives and fillers that seem to dominate many drugstore brands. I’ve been using Madre Lab’s line for the past month or so and I am officially hooked. I realized the extent of my addiction when I nearly had a panic attack because I thought I left the foaming cleanser in a relative’s shower after a long distance Thanksgiving visit.

The pH-balanced facial care line includes the Creamy foaming cleanser, Purifying toner, Refining Micro-Polish and the Camellia Care Concentrated Green Tea Skin Cream. All of the products contain Madre Labs ‘ResveraPhenol Skin-Perfecting Complex’, which is a plant based complex designed to help diminish existing skin damage and minimize future damage.

The Refining Micro-Polish was my first experience with consumer-grade microdermabrasion and I was a little wary because my skin is sensitive and prone to redness. While gently buffing the thick, grainy scrub into my skin, I felt a pleasant warmth and very slight tingling. When I rinsed the scrub off, my skin felt smoother than it has in years and had a clarity and glow that I haven’t seen since an expensive facial I received years ago. I’m a microdermabrasion convert. In addition to the cocktail of renewing anti-inflammatory ingredients, this scrub uses bamboo and volcanic sand to exfoliate the skin, while shea butter and various plant-based emollients calm and soothe simultaneously.

The soap-free foaming cleanser provides a nice, luxurious lather that doesn’t feel drying.  Only a small amount is needed to clean the whole face and neck, so it goes a long way.

The purifying toner is refreshing – removing impurities and encouraging hydration.

The Camellia Care Concentrated Green tea skin cream is light and would be perfect for the warmer months. This crème contains antioxidant EGCg, hyaularonic acid and the ResveraPhenol complex.

The first words that came to my mind after using these products together were “nourishing” and “nurturing”. The clarity and tone of my complexion has improved and I feel like I’m doing my skin a treat every time I cleanse, instead of worrying that I’m stripping it dry. The company behind these products, Madre Labs, is committed to providing the highest quality products (they sell dietary supplements and personal care products as well!), using an Analytical Testing Procedure to ensure the quality of their raw materials. Their logo, “NO No-No’s”, signifies that they’ve done their homework when sourcing the best and safest raw materials, ensuring that everything that goes into their products is beneficial to both person and environment.

These products are available at iherb.com. The Camellia Care Cream is $19.95, while the other 3 products retail between $25.00 and $40.00. Also, check out Madre Labs on Facebook for articles on healthy living and discount codes for online orders.  (Use WOW123 to get $5 off your first order at iherb.)

Abi