So, yeah. All the spas and salons are closed and you aren’t going anywhere any time soon. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take care of yourself and your body. In fact, this very stressful period is the exact time you should be making sure you prioritize self-care. And luckily for y0u, everything you need to pamper yourself is right in your kitchen.
Easy Body Scrubs
Body scrubs are a great way to feel like you’ve spent a day at the spa without leaving the house and they’re incredibly easy to make at home. All you need is a rough, scrubby agent of some kind and a carrier. Here’s a simple recipe I use all the time.
- Combine 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/4 sugar (white or brown, whatever you like) in a bowl.
- Rub it all over then rinse off. That’s it!
The sugar exfoliates and the oil will leave your skin moisturized. There are a lot of ways to vary this simple combination though.
- Instead of sugar, you can substitute old coffee grounds. Yes really, they’re just as rough and the residual caffeine is good for your skin.
- You can also use salt instead of sugar, but make sure it’s coarse sea salt or kosher salt. A fun way to dress this one up is with some lemon.
- Not into olive oil? Not a problem. You can substitute any oil that you like. Coconut oil is great for your skin, and so is almond if you have it.
- Make it fancy by adding a few drops of essential oil if you’ve got it, or even a few drops of vanilla. You’ll smell delicious.
Simple Masks
All the ingredients for a nice facial are withing your grasp. To really replicate the spa experience, make sure your face is cleansed and exfoliated before you slap on a mask and then get pampering. There are endless combos of ingredients for easy face masks and you might not have them all, so instead, here’s what you can use depending on the results you want.
Hydrate:
- Avocado (make sure it’s ripe)
- Oats (these work better if they’ve been run through a food processor)
- Banana (again, make sure it’s ripe)
Brighten:
- Plain yogurt
- Honey (only a tablespoon or so)
Minimize pores/puffiness
- Egg white
- Lemon Juice
- Cucumber
My favorite combo? Honey, yogurt and avocado. Mix it up and slather it on for fifteen minutes then rinse off. It leaves your face glowing and it’s also pretty tasty.
Another fun hack I’ve seen is brushing egg whites onto your nose or other trouble spots and then covering it with thin tissue or toilet paper (if you can spare some) and letting that dry out then peeling it off: voila, easy, at home blackheads remover/pore strip.
Hair masks are a thing too!
Most of the ingredients above are also great for your hair! You should be careful with some of them though—especially banana, which has to be mashed really well or you’ll end up like me, rinsing banana bits out of your mane for a long time. With facials, you can get away with mashing stuff in a bowl but with a hair mask, use the blender. Another good ingredient if your scalp is giving you trouble is apple cider vinegar.
If your tresses need some tender, loving care, try this combo.
- Â 2 egg whites, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey and avocado (if you’ve got it).
- Leave in for up to fifteen minutes. (I like to slap these on while I’m relaxing in a bath or doing something like shaving my legs – then I use the extra to moisture post-shave).
- Rise!
Soak it Up
There’s nothing better than a relaxing bath, and it’s easy to use some of the ingredients we’ve already mentioned to elevate your tub experience. Got oats? Throw a cup or so in a sock or stocking and attach it to your faucet with a hair tie or rubber band then let the hot water flow through it. Bam! At home oatmeal bath.
Another easy and fun bath treatment? Add some milk and honey to the water. Both are great for your skin and it looks lovely too! And if you want to stay Vegan, grab some Epsom salts and a few drops of essential oil and you’re golden.
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As you can tell, most of these recipes and components are mix and match, as things that are good for your skin and face are often also good for your hair and a nice addition to a hot bath, so get creative with your spa and don’t be afraid to substitute stuff. The most important thing is knowing that you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars or even leave the house to do something nice for your self. So sit back, relax and try not to get too much banana in your hair.
(image: Pexels)
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