DIY Hand and Foot Care Products

These recipes are great for those of us who are on a budget. Most of the ingredients can be found in your kitchen or your local health food store.

Cuticle Softener: For this recipe all you need is the following:

1 teaspoon of olive oil

1 teaspoon of vitamin E oil

Combine the two ingredients in a bowl. If you are worried about waiting the vitamin E oil, which can be a little pricey, simply use an eye dropper to be exact with your measurements.

Firmly massage the mix into your cuticles. This will help keep them moisturized and hydrated. It will not only help your cuticles but your nails as well. Vitamin E encourages new nail growth.

If you have any of the mix left over, you can store it for a few days, in the refrigerator, in a glass or plastic container.

When it comes to your cuticles, try to avoid snipping them off. This can make tiny cuts, possible infections and can make the cuticles dry. A great way to get them out of sight is to push them back when you are using the above mix. Or, you can wait until you are in a warm shower, and use your nail to gently push back the cuticle. You can still get that neat appearance without having to cut them.

Sandy Foot Scrub: For this recipe you will need is the following:

2 tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil

2 tablespoons of beach sand (You can buy a baggie from the craft store, if your beaches aren't especially clean.)

3 drops of rosemary oil

3 drops of peppermint oil

Combine the ingredients and mix into a paste using a fork. Gently massage scrub onto your feet, concentrating on your problem areas, like your heels, or calloused toes.

"Why sand?" You may ask. Clean sand works as a wonderful exfoliate, removing dead skin or softening calluses without the vigorous and potentially painful scrubbing with a file.

Both canola and vegetable oil work as skin softeners. Rosemary and peppermint work to invigorate and refresh the skin.

When it comes to our feet, people often neglect them. Yet, they are probably the most abused part of the human body. A simple foot rub, or soaking your feet in warm water can make your entire body feel better.

For the last recipe, a foot rub mixture, you will need:

2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel