We spend most days working long hours under the hot Ecuadorian sun. Cold showers are usually not too painful, but I can never seem to get the dirt out from underneath my fingernails.

While life on the farm is relaxing, it is not necessarily a place to pamper yourself. But last Wednesday, a few volunteers and I decided to relax in the hammocks and cleanse our skin with organic facials.

"Baño Negro" face masks are made by grating a clay stone, mixing it with water and applying it to your face for about 20 minutes. After rinsing off the mask, we cut up fresh aloe vera leaves from the garden to put on our skin.