Title: Equipment & Ingredients 5 - Natural Beauty at Home
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Luffa (Loofah) Sponge: The luffa sponge has been used for years to remove dead skin cells from the body. Many commercial products today contain bits of luffa chopped up into fine pieces. The luffa is not really a sponge but a gourd that you can grow in your garden (luffa sponge seeds are available at most garden shops and anywhere seeds are sold). The seeds are slow to germinate, so sow early or start your plants indoors and then transplant. It takes about seventy-five days to produce a luffa sponge from seed. The plant likes to have a trellis to grown on for support, and the mature fruit can be up to eighteen inches long. It is time to harvest your luffa when the skin turns brwon. Dry the gourds in the sun, then soak them in water until the outer skin disappears. You wil now have plenty of skin scrubbers to last the year, and homegrown luffa make nice gifts. If you don't want to grow your own, you can purchase luffas at any grocery or drugstore in the skin care section - they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some people also use them as natural pot scrubbers in the kitchen. Never use a luffa sponge on your face, as they can be too harsh. To keep your luffa clean, wash it with mild soap and allow it to dry after each use. It is a good idea to get a new luffa every two months, especially if you use it every day.

Pumice Stone: Our feet can thank volcanoes for this natural beauty tool. Pumice stones are supercooled bits of volcanic lava used to remove dead skin and calluses from the feet, knees, elbows, and hands. They always work best when wet. Soap the pumice stone and rub it gently over your skin. These stones can be purchased at any drugstore or pharmacy.

Cotton: Cotton is a very popular and important natural fiber. During the autumn months, fluffy white cotton bolls can be seen covering cotton fields in many southern and southwestern states in the Unites States. Cotton starts as a lovely white flower that blooms only for a day. As the flower withers and falls from the plant, a cotton boll containing the fully cotton appears. The cottom fibers are called the bur. Cotton is excellent for applying and removing beauty products because it is naturally soft and absorbent. Cotton balls and pads can be purchased at the grocery store or drugstore.

Sea Sponge: The sea sponge is an animal that lives at the bottom of the ocean. Sponges are one of the oldest animals; for centuries, people have used their skeletons for cleaning and bathing because they are soft and absorb a large amount of water. You can purchase sea sponges at many drugstores and natural food stores.

Sand: Sand is a loose accumulation of tiny pieces of rocks or minerals. Beach sand is usually made up of calcite, which comes from broken shells and coral. In Hawaii there are gorgeous black-sand beaches that are made up of crushed bits of black lava.

Source: "Natural Beauty at Home" by Janice Cox

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