A seaweed wrap can remove toxins, soften and tighten skin, and relax your whole body. It is a simple but messy procedure that you can easily do at home. The health benefits of seaweed have been known to traditional cultures for centuries. Seaweed contains chlorophyll, essential fatty acids, vitamin A and amino acids, which all work in a body wrap to make your skin and body beautiful.

If you have time to prepare for your wrap, take a week before to drink less coffee and other caffeinated drinks, eat less sugar and processed foods, eliminate alcohol and cut down on fatty foods. If you gently move to a healthier diet before the seaweed wrap, you will prepare your body for its detoxifying properties and end up with greater benefits.

You will need a few hours for the wrap and the resting you will need to do afterward. You will also need a quiet spot, a bathtub and clean towels and sheets that will get very messy. You will want to stay warm, either with extra blankets or a thermal blanket. While you rest, you may want to listen to music, so prepare for this beforehand.

Before you bathe and wrap, dry skin brushing is helpful for added benefit. You can get a dry skin brush at health food stores or pharmacies. Brush your entire body, paying special attention to areas with cellulite, and avoiding bruised, sensitive or cut areas. Brush toward the heart for about 2 to 5 minutes. This improves the circulation and exfoliates dead skin cells.

Taking an herbal salt bath before your seaweed warp can enhance the effects of the seaweed wrap. One to try includes Dead Sea salts and lavender. In a lukewarm bath. Pour 2 cups of Dead Sea salts and 6 drops of lavender. Relax for as long as you are comfortable, or at least 30 minutes. Soaking in the minerals of the Dead Sea salts will soften your skin and muscles, decrease wrinkles and improve circulation, according to the Dead Sea Research Center. Lavender relaxes and is good for skin issues such as dermatitis. If you wish, you may also exfoliate with the Dead Sea salts.

Prepare the kelp by simmering it in about 4 cups of water for 20 minutes until it is soft. If you have a friend who can help you apply the seaweed, this is ideal, but not necessary. One method is to place two towels on the bed, then strips of seaweed. Lie on the seaweed and continue placing strips of seaweed on your body. When you are finished, cover yourself with both towels and the blanket. You will need everything within reach before you start.

Lie still for 20 minutes and relax. After 20 to 30 minutes, you need to rinse off the seaweed in a shower. This is the messiest part. The towels with the seaweed should be immediately placed in a plastic bin. Shower without soap, then wrap yourself in a robe and rest for at least an hour.