#1 Kelp (Seaweed) Powder (To Tighten Skin and Reduce Appearance of Cellulite)
#2 Bentonite/Green Clay To Mix Seaweed Powder With To Form a Paste for Cellulite Mask
#3 Rubberized Skin Brush To Improve Circulation and Reduce Appearance of Cellulite (Use Daily)
I am a naturally skeptical person, especially when it comes to spa/health products that seem to be hyped up. On a whim I decided to order the three items above from Amazon after reading a lot of reviews and narrowing my choices down. You see it’s bikini/short season and my legs are already pretty short and stubby as it is and I’d prefer they look half decent with as little cellulite as possible. Sitting all winter and doing a lot of driving has not left my legs in the best shape they could be in. So I thought what the heck, I will see if a cellulite skin brush and a homemade seaweed mask would make a difference at all. All in all it only cost me about $48 with free Amazon Prime shipping (I like to order a few things at once and drive across the border to get them on my US trips) and was cheaper and in a larger quantity than what the local health food store was charging. I also like that Amazon offers reviews and refunds which local stores can’t really compete with when it comes to spa products.
I have done skin brushing before with a few different items. I’ve used a “soft” bristled skin brush (made my skin a bit itchy), a copper skin roller (takes some getting used to), and this new rubberized “cellulite” skin brush. I don’t think it matters too much what kind of brush you get. But this rubber one is easy to hold and pretty cheap which is nice.
The first thing you want to do (and you want to try to do this every day) is to brush any of your “problem” areas gently with a skin brush in an upward motion, moving the brush up towards your heart. This will bring in more blood and improve circulation along with oxygenation of your skin and slough off old dead skin cells and make your skin brighter and smoother. This alone is beneficial to do every day. If you’re wanting to do your face, make sure you get a small gentle brush and brush down towards your heart, only for a few minutes so you don’t irritate your skin too much.
The next step (and you can do this once or twice a week if you want) is to make your seaweed skin mask. I mixed one part kelp powder, with one part green clay and added enough water for it to become a loose paste. I would suggest using about 1/4 cup of each if doing a large portion of your body, or 2 tablespoons of each if you’re only doing your thighs. You can use water, olive oil, lemon juice etc to bind the paste together. If you end up getting the Natural eSCENtials kelp powder I mention above they send you a free mask recipe book to make all different kinds of masks which is helpful. They will personally email you after purchase with the ebook, which I thought was a very nice touch. You can also ask them questions too!
Once you have made your seaweed mask you can (in the shower or bathtub, trust me) gently rub it onto your desired area. Smooth it on in one direction for best results so it stays on and covers the most surface area, as opposed to rubbing it on in circles. You can either wrap your body in saran wrap, gauze or paper towels and stand or lay down (on some more towels) for about 30 minutes to let the product absorb into your skin.
Lastly just head back to the shower/tub and rinse off the seaweed mask. You should notice that your skin is much much smoother to touch and in appearance, and you’ll have far less dimpling from cellulite as well. When I was rinsing my mask off for the first time I was kind of in shock, it made such a big difference and that’s the reason I wanted to share this with you guys. I’m pretty happy overall in my small investment and will make this part of my weekly routine especially in the summer.
Alternatively if you don’t want to make a mask or don’t have time to lay around and wait for it to absorb, you can mix the kelp powder with some coarse sea salt and oil and make a bath/shower scrub with it and use it every day or every other day. Just be sure to be gentle at first as your skin won’t be used to being scrubbed with the large salt granules.
This was a pretty exciting experiment for me to try and I’m glad in this case I took a chance. I have no affiliation whatsoever with the makers of these products, I’m just sharing my positive experience with it as I know a lot of my readers are curious about seaweed masks and body wraps. Take it for what you will, and at least if you find it’s not for you, Natural eSCENtials offers a money back guarantee on the kelp powder which I appreciate. 🙂
Can I use this seaweed powder in drinks and smoothies as well?
Natural eSCENtials kelp powder is a spa product for use in scrubs, masks and wraps. I wouldn’t recommend eating it. If you are looking for a food safe type of kelp to add to drinks or smoothies I would suggest this. Actual food grade powders are going to be safer for consumption.
What about those Body Wrap Things?
I knew I was going to be asked about the “body wraps” that are all the rage. I have a few friends that are into these body wraps, and there are a few brands going around online and privately. Although they are more expensive in the long run than making your own seaweed body mask, it’s an option if you want to save some time. I did find they don’t stay on too well on their own and I suggest wrapping saran wrap around it to hold it in, or using a corset or body shaper to hold it on (one you don’t mind getting a bit dirty). You CAN also add your homemade seaweed mask to these body wraps as well, but that’s optional.
Have you ever tried a seaweed mask or body wrap before? What did you think of it? Did you notice any difference in your skin’s appearance?