Beauty Quickie: Turn your morning coffee/tea time into a multitasking spa time!

If your morning ritual consists of reaching for a cup of coffee or tea to wake you up, why not use this time and the same basic ingredients to help your face feel fresh and rejuvenated?

You probably have all the necessary ingredients to de-puff and hydrate tired eyes and smooth rough lips.

What you’ll need:

• Honey or Agave Nectar
• Any sugar with a medium course texture
• Two tea bags (preferably caffeinated tea)
• Two silver spoons

Told you–your kitchen has everything you need for a mini-spa treatment!

Let’s do this…

{Puffy Eye Treatment with Spoon}

This is probably the simplest home remedy for puffy eyes. Just place two clean silver spoons in the fridge over night or in the freezer for five minutes in the morning.

While you are upright, gently massage the area around the eye and sinuses to help drain any fluid. Be gentle. The area around the eye is very delicate.

Next, dedicate 5-10 minutes to lay down and relax. Be careful not to fall back asleep!

Place one spoon on each eye, concave side facing the eye. Once the spoons turn warm, take them off and gently massage sinus area again.

This will help reduce swelling, promote circulation and minimize dark under eye circles.

{Puffy and Dry Eye Treatment with Tea}

If I’m not drinking hot water with lemon in the morning, I usually go for some green or black tea with honey.

After you’ve steeped the tea (three – five minutes should suffice), remove the bags, place them on a paper towel inside a bowl and let them cool down. You can apply the bags while they are warm (not hot) or you may place them in the fridge for a cooling effect.

Just make sure the bags are not too damp. You may want to place a tissue under below the bags to catch any dripping.

It’s the same concept as using the cold spoons, where you will lay down for 5-15 minutes and apply one bag per eye. Relax, meditate and let the antioxidants and tannins do their work.

Optional: To begin with a gentle facial massage or to follow up with two slices of  cool cucumber.

This will help reduce puffiness and promote moisture retention around the delicate eye area.

{Lip Sugar Scrub}

Grab that clean spoon again and get ready to whip up the most ridiculously simple and cheap homemade lip sugar scrub!

Take roughly half a tablespoon of course sugar (I prefer dark brown sugar) and drizzle enough honey or agave nectar to evenly coat the sugar.

Use a clean finger to mix the two ingredients in the spoon until a thick, soft paste is formed. Place a thin coat of the mixture onto clean, dry lips and move finger in a circular motion to lightly buff off dead skin.

You may want to repeat this step a few times depending on how dry your lips are or depending on how yummy your scrub turns out!

Simply rinse your lips with lukewarm water or wipe off the remaining mixture using a wet cloth, et voilà!

You can save any extra scrub if you place it in a clean, air-tight container and place in the fridge for up to one day.

{Diva Tip: save any empty lip balm jars to reuse for homemade scrubs and balms}

The grains of sugar will help remove unwanted dry skin from the lips and the honey or agave will help soothe and condition lips. Feel free to pucker or pout and enjoy how easily your lipstick or balms will glide on your baby soft lips!

Now you can turn this quick, inexpensive morning facial routine into your new ritual and enjoy your new glow!

{Liz}