Peels are essentially an exfoliation process that removes dead skin cells, mainly through the use of acids that loosen the bond between the cells, and dissolve debris away. Below are three DIY facial peels to make at home. They're known as chemical peels, which sounds scary, but it's the acids in the ingredients that are doing the work. As with all products, you may find one that feels the best to you or gives you the results you most want. Try them all to find out which one is your favorite.

DIY Sugar Peel

Ingredients 1/4 cup of sugar 1/4 cup yogurt Combine the sugar and the yogurt to make a paste. Using your fingers apply to the entire face while avoiding the eyes. Let the peel rest for about 15-minutes and remove with cool water and a towel if necessary. This peel will help restore hydration and even out dark spots.

DIY Peel for Wrinkles

Ingredients 1 egg white ½ cup of de-seeded cucumber pulp 1 tsp lemon juice Beat one egg white and mix it with cucumber pulp. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice and mix well, creating a paste. Apply the finished product to your face and allow it to sit for 20 minutes before rinsing it off with water. This combination of egg whites, which naturally smooths wrinkles, with cucumbers will help de-wrinkle and moisturize the skin and is the perfect peel for springtime skin.

DIY Sensitive Skin Peel

Ingredients 1 cup green tea 1 cup of chamomile tea 1 small cucumber 1 tsp unflavored gelatin 4 ounces of water Green tea calms irritated skin, while the cucumber provides ascorbic acid (vitamin C), which can soothe skin irritations and help reduce swelling. Steep the chamomile and green teas together in approximately 4 oz of water and add the unflavored gelatin. Blend a cucumber until it resembles the consistency of a paste and add the cucumber juice to the tea and gelatin mixture. Before applying to your face, allow the mix to cool in the refrigerator for about a half an hour to thicken it up. Apply to your face for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it completely dries, and then peel off the mask using warm water. Many thanks to The Lantana Spa at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa for providing us with these DIY mask recipes. If you want to skip the DIY, in their boutique they also offer Kerstin Florian Correcting At-Home Professional Peel. This product has ingredients worth highlighting: • Glycolic & Lactic Acids – natural exfoliants slough skin surface and promote cell turnover • Salicylic Acid – lifts away impurities, relieves congested pores and inhibits bacterial growth • Phytic Acid – boosts brightness and cell turnover as it reinforces skin’s natural defenses • Oleanic Acid, Olive Leaf Extract & Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract – soothing anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial botanicals help clear skin and reduce sensitivity • Matrixyl 3000 – powerful peptide complex promotes reduction in wrinkle depth as it improves smoothness, tone and tissue strength Which DIY peel will you be trying? Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Or check out our natural bath and body line!

In the skin department, Summer usually means oilier than normal skin for me. Which also means clogged pores, and at times, acne prone skin accompanied by dehydrated and irritated skin thanks to time spent in the sun and insane amounts of sunscreen. One of the best ways that I deal with summer skin issues is by relying pretty heavily on face masks.  For me, it's just easier to introduce face masks intended to treat my particular skin woes than to change my entire skincare routine; plus masks always makes an at-home facial feel incredibly indulgent. Two masks that I just recently discovered just in time for summer are the African Black Soap Clarifying Mud Mask and the Raw Shea Butter Hydrating Mud Mask from SheaMoisture.  Mud masks are great for oil absorption, pore-clearing and overall skin detoxification, combined with an ingredient like shea butter which is both hydrating and restorative, SheaMoisture Mud Masks are basically your best skincare weapon against summer skin issues. I love using the  Hydrating Mud Mask whenever my skin feels dry and dehydrated.  It leaves my skin feeling both moisturized and soothed.  The Clarifying Mud Mask is great for when my skin is clogged thanks to heat, humidity, sweat and sunscreen.  The Clarifying Mud Mask unclogs my pores and leaves my skin feeling smooth and refreshed. Using these masks on a weekly basis, depending on my skin needs, has enabled me to avoid irritated, clogged, oily, acne prone skin so far this summer! I love them! I'd love to know if you've tried them! Leave a comment! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Disclosure: press sample

During my two month stay in Bali, a significant amount of time was spent at Amo Spa in Seminyak.  I enjoyed the most amazing spa treatments that I've every experienced and though I have only been back in the US for a week, I am going through serious Amo Spa treatments withdrawal.  I figured the best cure for my withdrawal symptoms was to try to recreate one of my favorite Amo Spa moments at home. One of the many things I loved about Amo Spa was the little luxuries that they took the time to incorporate into their treatments.  One such luxury was the cucumber mask that was always applied to my face during a facial, massage and body scrub.  The cucumber mask consisted of thinly sliced cucumbers sliced lengthwise (not rounds) and left in the refrigerator to cool, then applied directly to the face.  In hot and humid Bali, this cucumber mask was an absolute dream. Cucumbers just so happen to be amazing for the skin.   Cucumbers contain vitamin C, an antioxidant, as well as plenty of vitamin K, also an antioxidant, which fights dark circles under the eyes.  Pantothenic acid, or vitamin B-5, is another compound found in cucumbers that helps your skin retain moisture.  The vitamin A, or retinol, in cucumbers fights dark spots and freckles because it helps control your skin's production of melanin.  Cucumbers are a source of silica, which, as a precursor to collagen, can help fight wrinkles, in addition they have high water content and a cooling quality, making them appropriate to help soothe mild burns, particularly sunburn. They can also reduce swelling and relieve minor skin irritations. Now back in LA where summer is in full swing, the cucumber mask feels just as amazing especially after a day at the beach.  To recreate the Amo Spa mask, I bought some organic cucumbers from Whole Foods, sliced them thinly, placed them in a bowl and left the slices in the fridge overnight.  I then applied the very cool slices to my face the following evening.  I plan on adding some face serum or lemon juice to the slices at some point to mix it up a bit.  This mask is super easy, has amazing benefits and is perfect for your skin during summer.

So let me begin this post by letting you all know that this recipe was actually compliments of my quick thinking sister, as I had originally intended to ingest this and not use it topically.  You are all well aware (based on my earlier post on the DIY Pineapple Strawberry Enzyme Facial Mask) that I started out the year, like a lot of you, on a health kick.  I received a juicer for Christmas and have been really enjoying juicing and coming up with different fruit and vegetable juice recipes, which led to me discovering how amazing the pulp of some fruits work as a facial mask. Well the health kick continues and in addition to juicing I also wanted to whip up fruit and vegetable smoothies. So I went out and got a Magic Bullet. My first smoothie was going to contain avocados, pure coconut water, honey and coconut oil. I've been reading up on the health benefits of avocados and was really excited about incorporating it into my diet.  Well I did not have coconut oil handy first thing Monday morning so I substituted extra virgin olive oil instead.

Not measuring anything (because I was so anxious to get going), I put one half of a very large avocado, a bit too much olive oil and honey and not enough coconut water in the bullet and blended.  It tasted absolutely awful, one sip was enough, I could not finish the rest.  When my sister asked about my smoothie I told her how horrible it tasted and she then suggested that it would make a great face mask...something I had definitely not considered, but was glad she mentioned it because that meant I wouldn't have to toss an entire glass of bad tasting smoothie.

Later that night I applied the mask to my face, including under my eyes, since that area is so delicate and often feels dry. I also applied it to the ends of my hair since that part tends to get really dry and brittle.  My skin definitely felt softer and more hydrated after I removed the mask. The skin under my eye felt as if I had applied a heavy eye cream.  My hair felt the same as if I had just conditioned it and rinsed so I did not notice a huge difference right away, but I will continue using the mask on my hair and leave it in for longer than ten minutes to see if I notice a change in the condition of my hair with continued usage.  I am definitely thinking that avocados are my new health and beauty superfood! Have you made face masks with avocados? Share your recipe! If you found this DIY skin care post helpful, please Like, Share and Pin it! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!