Tip of the Week

By David Pollock
Safe Beauty Expert
www.JustAskDavid.com

Your refrigerator shrinks at the tail-end of the year. At least that's what it starts to feel like when you try to put away holiday leftovers, especially the sides and salads. This year why not think a little differently and glam it up at the same time? Here are 10 tips for reusing those leftovers to beautify you and your space:

Cranberries

1. Cranberry Hair Rinse: Cranberries can add oomph and dimension to your auburn or chocolate locks. Mash up half cup of cranberries and mix in some lemon juice. Spread the mix over your hair and pop on a shower cap. Steam for 10-15 minutes and condition as usual. Alternately, a cranberry and water mixture can be boiled up like tea and put into a spray bottle once it's cooled. Spray through hair and go get some sun. While blondes have sun-in - brunettes and redheads now have this little trick!

2.  Cranberry Skin Scrub: Cranberries naturally help kill bacteria and are great for holiday stress-induced breakouts. Combine some berries with crushed almonds, milk, honey and a touch of flour to create a paste. Massage over dry skin to gently exfoliate and moisturize. Rinse with warm water and enjoy the glow.

3. Cranberry Lip Gloss: Combine a tablespoon of sweet almond oil, 10 cranberries and a teaspoon of honey over a warm stove. Crush and stir the berries as they soften. Let the mix cool for five minutes before removing the berry chunks. Add the oil from one vitamin E capsule and voilà, gloss!  

Pumpkin

4. Pumpkin Pie Body Butter: Nobody is going to have any actual leftover pumpkin pie, but you can fake it by combining equal parts pureed pumpkin and coconut solids. A few drops of almond oil and a half teaspoon each of cinnamon and brown sugar finish off the mix. Spread onto skin (it's messy!) and massage gently. Let sit for 10 minutes and rinse. You'll smell heavenly for hours.

5. Pumpkin Décor: Small pumpkins make great bowls. Use seasonal spices to fill, or try my recipe for potpourri. You can also try a candle to create a floating decoration. Float them in a glass bowl or in your bath for a relaxing spa feel. Try this with apples or squash too!

Potatoes

6. Potato Foot Soak: Take leftover mashed potatoes and mix well with warm water till thin. Soak feet for 20-30 minutes to help with dry skin, cracked heels and swelling.

7. Dark Circle Relief: If you have raw potatoes on hand, grate one up into cheesecloth. 20 minutes on the eyes followed by a warm water rinse will have you looking rested and ready.  Fig slices work also!

Sweet Potatoes

8. Sweet Potato Skin Mask: Baked sweet potatoes can be mashed up and combined with oatmeal, sugar, sweet almond oil, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg in a blender. Once the consistency is creamy, spread the mix over your skin and rest for 5-10 minutes before thoroughly rinsing. This is another recipe that may leave you smelling like a delicious pie. 

9. Puffy Tired Eye Relief: Slices of raw sweet potato on the eyes for 20 minutes will help reduce puffiness. Try this with pumpkin, potato, squash and cucumbers too. 

Speaking of Cucumbers...

10. Cucumber Everything!: Go ahead and pick the little miracle workers off of that salad. When eaten, they've been shown to help aid digestion, promote hair growth, reduce cholesterol, help fight illness, treat tapeworm and even relieve arthritis and gout pain - but that's just scratching the green surface.  Slices over the eyes can reduce puffiness. When rubbed on your nails, cucumber can help prevent splitting. Cucumber rubbed onto sunburns, bug bites or rashes can provide cooling relief. Mix with equal parts avocado and an egg white for a wonderful face mask.  My website, www.JustAskDavid.Com, features recipes for cucumber astringents for oily skin, a refreshing toner featuring cucumber and rose water, and several others you can try at home.

Say goodbye to all those leftovers and hello to a fabulous new you!

Looking for more recipes, check out my Facebook.com/JustAskDavid or Pinterest.com/JustAskDavid

David Pollock is a global beauty expert who has formulated products for some of the most recognized names in the business. He is a published author, radio personality, and was recently named one of the "20 to Know" by Global Cosmetics Industry. Today, David is empowering women to take control of their health and beauty. Subscribe to his free newsletter at www.JustAskDavid.com. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.