The Ultimate "Kitchen Sink" ExfoliatingTreatment

As far as "beauty treatments" go, I learned something a long time ago: Our grandmothers got it right! Anything and everything you could ever need for healthy and beautiful skin is in your kitchen (and costs a mere fraction of what you'll pay for an "official" facial. Here's my much coveted and highly effective facial scrub recipe (please share liberally with friends, unless they own a spa or facial treatment center!):

2T uncooked brown rice

Grind rice to a course sand consistency in your coffee mill.

Gently whip one farm-fresh egg white. Add to ground rice.

Stir in 1-2 T raw honey.

Situate yourself (sans clothes, of course) on the edge of the bathtub--feet in the tub. Beginning with your face, scrub the rice, egg white, honey mixture onto your face in small circles, avoiding the eye area except to make a few inner-to outer-eye sweeps on the under-eye area. Work the forehead in an angled up-and down motion, back and forth in one direction and then the other. Work the cheek area in circles. Work the jaw and chin in small circles as well. Don't forget to scrub the lips--better than cosmetic surgery to plump and brighten. With any remaining exfoliate work the chest, shoulders, backs of hands, elbows, knees, feet, etc., etc. Just be sure to cover the tub drain with netting or cheesecloth or incur your husband's wrath over the eventually clogged drain!! (Been there! Done That!) Repeat this treatment once a week and congratulate yourself on saving hundreds and looking fabulous!!

Sunscreen: Friend or Foe

Now that summer is upon us (I know. Officially, that doesn't happen until June, but here in the Deep South it's summer now!) maybe you're getting ready to slather on the sunscreen for some serious beach time. Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but, in case you need one more thing to worry about, I thought you should know that this once-coveted "health" product is not free of controversy.
While many of the ingredients in most over-the-counter-brands have long been avoided by health conscience purists, it seems many of our "natural" brands are now suspect as well. Some of the latest research shows that including even vitamin A in the product is a no-no, as it may enhance tumor growth!
You can find out more about the study findings here. Even though he's normally selling a product, Dr. Mercola always has comprehensive information I trust on any topic he covers. His article on this issue can be found here. And here's what I call the "Devil's Advocate" article just so you know that I know that there will always be another side that we should at least listen to before making up our own mind. Let me know what products you use.