While the scientific community is not yet sold on the benefits of body wraps, there are countless testimonials, personal websites, spa treatments and online products available today because people have seen results from body wraps. Whether it’s improving the appearance of the body or drawing impurities from the skin, there are methods that really work that can be made at home for a fraction of the retail price.
Body Wrap for Cellulite
While a body wrap won’t “melt the fat” away, it can improve the appearance of the skin and get rid of those ugly bumps. Here’s an awesome recipe with ingredients you already have:
In a bowl, combine 1 cup of coffee grounds, 2 tbsp coconut oil (you can use olive) and 1 tbsp of lemon juice. Warm in the microwave for 30 seconds and massage into the area to treat. Once massaged in, cover the body part with plastic wrap for 30 minutes. Adding a sports bandage will hold in place more securely. Wash off with warm water.
Body Wrap for Detox
Getting rid of everyday toxins seems to be a losing battle, but applying DIY body wraps 2x a month has fabulous effects on the skin.
For this recipe you will need 1 cup bentonite clay (available online or some health food stores), 2 cup brewed green tea, sports bandages, or a cut up sheet, and plastic wrap.
Mix the ingredients in a non-metallic bowl and combine with a wooden spoon. The bentonite will extract properties from the metal that will then be absorbed into your skin. You don’t want that. If the consistency is too thick or thin, simply add a little more of one ingredient (depending on which way it needs to go).
Massage the mixture into the skin being treated (thighs, stomach, arms, etc.), secure with cloth wraps and cover with plastic wrap so they stay on. Do this until all the parts you want to treat are covered. Keep the wraps on for one hour, being sure to sip water frequently, then unwrap and take a shower to completely remove the clay from the skin.
Body Wrap for Slimming
Everyone has a little black dress event or a hot date where they want to look a little smaller. There’s a wrap for that! It’s no replacement for diet and exercise, but it will help you get into those jeans that are one size too small.
This recipe is a little messy, so you may want to stand on a towel or in the bathroom. In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp coconut oil, ¼ cup Epsom salt (you can use sea salt), the contents of 2 bags of green tea, and 1 tbsp cacao powder until if forms a paste. Next, spread the paste on your stomach (from the pubic bone up towards breast) until the skin is covered. Wrap your body with plastic wrap five or six times.
It should be tight, but not so tight it’s constricting. You can add sports bandages on top of the plastic wrap for added stability. Put an old t-shirt on, then grab a heating pad and a book, or turn on Netflix, and relax for two hours with the heating pad on your belly. Be sure to stay hydrated. When time is up, unwrap and massage into the skin before getting into the shower.
Body Wrap to Reduce Stretch Marks
That’s right beautiful! Camphor and oils in vapor rub (the brand name one) not only make the skin softer, but also reduces the “dry look” that makes stretch marks more noticeable.
Before bed, rub the vapor rub on your stretch marks, wrap your belly with plastic wrap four or five times and put on a pair of leggings and a t-shirt, then sleep. This may have to be done a couple nights in a row, depending on the severity of the marks, but do not despair!
Body Wrap for Loose Skin
Whether it’s post-partum or you dropped some weight too quickly, most women have experienced sagging skin. Like the other wraps, this isn’t a magic cure, but it’s an awesome temporary fix for a summer BBQ or a day at the lake.
The great thing about this recipe is that it is incredibly simple, and you only need one ingredient: Vitamin E oil. Simply rub the oil into your belly and wrap up with plastic wrap and wear for an hour and a half, then take a shower. You can use sea salt or coffee in the shower to help get the oil off the skin. After drying off, use a good quality butter lotion.
There are hundreds more recipes on the internet, but these are tried and true. If you want DIY body wraps that really works, pick your demon above and get wrapping!