CREATING SPA TREATMENTS AT HOME Part 1 – HEADS UPBy Shari
My favourite addiction is going to a spa and being pampered. Working in the spa industry allows me to indulge in this fairly often. But when these golden opportunities aren’t available I put my knowledge to use at home and create my own spa treatments. All of these treatments I will describe can be created with common things that you have in your kitchen or is readily available at the market. Most ladies love going to the spa, but it can be quite expensive to go on a regular basis. Treatments rejuvenate the skin, leaving you looking healthier, younger and happier. It’s good to treat yourself once a week. But when the coffers are low create your own home spa.
Plan your own home spa day. Do you need time by yourself to rest, relax and renew? Set the mood by lighting some candles, lighting incense or an aroma burner, get out a bathrobe and slippers. Put on some inspiring music. Make a healthy meal. One of the easiest spa treatments is a facial and hair treatment. You’ll need a few supplies: blender, tea strainer, bowls and towels. Love yourself. It’s even more fun to invite a few friends over to share the love. Have a sparty! You can give one another a facial and hair treatment. Everyone will love it! And it costs next to nothing.
FACIALS
Here’s how to give a professional and relaxing facial:
• Cleanse the skin using a gentle cleanser in order to remove surface oil, dirt and germs. If you have oily or combination skin, use a stronger cleanser; if you have dry skin, look for a creamier blend that won’t dry out your skin
• Exfoliate. Using circular motions, gently rub in your exfoliator in order to remove dead skin cells. Focus on the areas of your face that tend to be oiliest; these areas are usually the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin)
• Steam. This version is much gentler than that used at the spa. Fill your bathroom sink with warm water, dip your washcloth in the water and press to your face gently. Repeat two to three times
• Apply a mask. If you have oily or combination skin, use a citrus mask; for dry skin, look for a hydrating mask. Apply mask to the skin, being careful to avoid the eye area (this can lead to sagging skin). Leave mask on for 10 to 20 minutes or as directed
• Moisturize. Apply a light moisturizer in order to prevent dehydrating the skin. Look for a moisturizer with SPF 15 or higher in order to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays
Tropical Fruit Facial Ingredients
• Cucumber juice is used as a toner and freshens the skin. You can keep a bottle in the fridge and use daily.
• Kemiri or candle nuts contains oils, which act as a soap to cleanse the skin.
• Papaya & pineapple are high in vitamins A & C, contain alpha hydroxoide, which is a natural skin exfoliate.
• Honey softens and heals the skin.
• Eggs provide nutrients and the white tightens the skin.
• Lime juice acts as an exfoliate and reduces excess oil.
• Banana provides nutrients and softens the skin.
• Avocado is rich in oil and nutrients for dry skin.
• White root is known for its skin lightening properties.
Method of Production
• Wash the cucumber and peel then put into a blender or juicer to make juice. Strain off the pulp.
• Chop 3 sticks of lemongrass and steep in 1 cup boiled water for 20 minutes. Cool the water and strain, keeping the water.
• Place 20 kemiri nuts in a blender with some lemongrass water and blend until it makes a paste. It will turn a milky colour. Strain some of the liquid to use as a cleanser and use the paste as a scrub.
• 1 cup Papaya or pineapple for normal skin. Peel the fruit and put in blender until a thick paste for the mask.
• Mix 1 tsp of honey with the milky cleanser
• ½ Avocado for dry skin. Scoop out the avocado and mash or put in blender until smooth.
• ½ Banana for sensitive skin. Mash or put in blender until smooth. Add an egg white and 1 tsp of honey.
Instructions – Choose the fruit mask for you skin type.
• Use the milky cleanser with cotton pads.
• Apply the scrub and massage in circular motions for a few minutes. Then remove.
• Apply cucumber toner with cotton.
• Apply the fruit mask and relax for 20 minutes.
• Remove the mask with warm water.
• Apply toner, then a moisturizer.
Some other recipes for scrubs and masks.
Almond – Mayonnaise Scrub
Dry Skin Exfoliator
1/4 C. almonds
1/8 tsp. mayonnaise
Grind almonds in blender until they form fine almond meal. Whirl in mayonnaise. Gently scrub onto your face, and leave in place 10 minutes. Rinse. Use a toner afterwards. Shelf Life: Refrigerate for 2-3 weeks.
Avocado Oily Skin Mask
Put the white of an egg, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and the mashed pulp of a half avocado into a blender. In seconds, you should have a lovely green mixture. Wash your face and neck thoroughly, then apply mask evenly on those areas. Relax for 20 minutes; remove with tepid water and a face cloth. Follow with cold toner.
Avocado Carrot Cream Mask
This mask combines avocados, which are rich in Vitamin E, with carrots, which are high in beta-carotene and antioxidants, and cream, which is high in calcium and protein. These ingredients will rebuild skin collagen, improve tone and texture, and fade age spots.
• 1 avocado, mashed
• 1 carrot, cooked and mashed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tablespoons honey
Combine all ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Spread gently over your face and neck, and leave in place 10-15 minutes. Rinse with cool water and follow with your favorite toner.
Mango Aloe Facial Toner
This overnight treatment will help reduce redness as the result of sunburn and windburn.
• 1 cup aloe vera gel, chilled
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mango
• 1 lime, juiced
Puree the aloe vera gel, chopped mango, and the juice of one lime. Chill mixture, and apply to face at night with clean cotton pads. The toner will feel slightly sticky from the exfoliating sugars in the mango. Leave on overnight, and rinse in the morning with cool water. Keeps for approximately 2 weeks.
Rosewater
To save some money, make your own rose-water toner, which has great astringent properties. For every one firmly packed cup of rose petals, pour two cups of boiling water over the top. Cover and steep until the liquid is cool. Strain, squeeze out the liquid from the petals and refrigerate the rose water in a sterilized jar between use.
Cucumber Eye Gel Ingredients:
1/4 large cucumber
1 ounce aloe vera gel
Puree the cucumber in a blender (leave a little pulp), strain the mixture into a glass bowl until you have at least 2 ounces. Spoon in just a tad of the pulp from the strainer). Add the aloe vera to the cucumber puree in the bowl and mix lightly. Pour into a clean, sterilized container. After cleansing face, stir mixture gently and apply with a cotton ball to undereye area. Avoid the eyeball. The shelf life of this product is very limited by the fresh cucumber. It should be used within a few days, and kept refrigerated between uses.
HAIR
Hair looking less than shiny after a summer filled with sun, saltwater, and chlorine? Try treating your tresses to a nutrient-packed masque that gives the hair really great shine, moisture, and softness. This homemade hair mask contains protein, iron, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C, and biotins for healthy locks.
• 2 tbsp. yogurt
• 2 tbsp. papaya (pureed or mashed)
• 2 tbsp. avocado (pureed or mashed)
• 1 ½ tbsp. kiwi (pureed or mashed)
• 2 ½ tsp. honey
• 1 tbsp. egg whites
• 5-8 drops of essential oil
• Plastic wrap
Beat one egg white with a hand blender or wire whisk until soft peaks form. In small, shatterproof bowl, combine all ingredients except egg white and essential oil. Blend thoroughly. Fold in 1 Tbs of the egg white and add essential oil.
Apply masque to clean, wet hair. Massage into the hair and scalp (saturate hair thoroughly). Use a couple of pieces of large plastic wrap and wrap the hair and scalp tightly. Sit in sun or stay in a steamy shower for 15–20 minutes for best results. Rinse hair thoroughly with slightly cool water. If necessary, follow with your favorite conditioning rinse.
Cucumber Hair Drench
If you swim in a chlorinated pool for exercise on a regular basis, the same damage you’ve noticed happening to your skin and bathing suit, is happening to your hair, as well. Try this treatment at home to keep chlorine damage to a minimum. • 1 egg • 1 half-eggshell’s worth of olive oil (i.e., one portion of the eggshell you broke apart) • 1 quarter of a peeled cucumber
Blend the egg, olive oil and peeled cucumber in a blender or food processor until smooth. Spread evenly through your hair, leave on for 10 minutes, then thoroughly rinse. For the best results continue this treatment monthly.
