by Gretta Breedlove

Fine Crystal Bathing Sand

You will need:

2 cups (500 ml) borax (desert salt)

1/2 cup (125 ml) fine ground sea salt

1/2 cup (125 ml) baking soda (soda ash)

1/4 cup (50 ml) white clay

1/2 cup (125 ml) dried herb of your choice

10 drops essential oil

To make:

In a large bowl, mix together the salts, baking soda, and clay. Prepare the dried herb by powdering in a spice mill, crumbling by hand, or leaving whole if you prefer.

Add the dried herbs to the salt mix, stirring with a wire whisk. Scent the mixture using the essential oil of your choice. (Be sure to choose oils that are safe for external use.) Do not overscent; excess oil results in a clumpy, unattractive product.

Mix well with a wire whisk, then cover with a towel. Leave overnight to fix the scent. In the morning, thoroughly mix again and package.

To use:

Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup (50 to 125 ml) sand to a tubful of warm water.

Yield: Approximately 3 3/4 cups (925 ml)

A Note on Preparing Herbs

Crush the dried herbs for bath sand as finely or coarsely as you like, or you can even leave them whole. Powdering is the best idea for anyone with temperamental plumbing; if you leave the herbs whole, it's probably a good idea to package the finished mixture in a small muslin bag for use in the tub. This will also make tub cleaning easier than if you throw the sand freely into the tub.

Avocado Moisture Scrub

Tired of sprouting or just throwing away avocado pits? HereÂ’s a great way to use them, and it gives you low-fat dieters an excuse to splurge. Avocado, high in fat and oil, is very therapeutic for dry skin.

what you'll need:

2-3 fresh avocado pits

1 cup (250 ml) milk, water, or yogurt

Yield: 1 treatment

To make:

Let the avocado pits dry for a few days, but not to the point of becoming rock hard (or they will break your spice mill). Using a spice mill or coffee grinder, grind the dried avocado pits to create a grainy, mealy powder. Add the water, milk, or yogurt to the powder and mix to form a paste.

To use:

Sitting or standing in the bathtub or shower, pat avocado paste all over your body using a circular motion. Start from the tips of the extremities and work toward the torso. DonÂ’t forget to apply this mixture to your face, too.

Leave on for 10 minutes, then shower, first with warm water, then cooler water. Pat dry.

A great way to exfoliate the skin and remove toxins is to make a grainy herbal body scrub. Any number of fruits, grains, herbs, minerals, and vegetables can be used alone or in combinations to make scrubs. Most substances that are safe to eat are also safe to use on the skin, provided you do not have an allergy.