FlickrAs you may have noticed, I had a birthday earlier this week. And while 26 isn’t a landmark birthday, it’s always nice to do a little something to celebrate the passing of another year. For me, it was a spa day (my masseuse worked some crazy magic, I felt so good) and the final day of a short Blueprint Cleanse. I may do a full review of the juice cleanse in another post sometime soon, but today I want to focus on the more indulgent aspect of my big day—the pampering.
As gathered ladies, we focus a lot on presenting our best selves to the world, and this is very important. But I also wonder if we sometimes forget to take care of ourselves on a more basic level in our efforts to be fabulous. I recall my mother—an absolute force and quintessential gathered lady—calling me into the bathroom one day, shortly after I reached puberty. It was a weekend, and she was getting ready to soak in tub that she had likely spent part of the morning scrubbing. What followed was a conversation on the importance of regularly pampering myself as detailed as those she had given on the virtues of good hygiene or perfect posture. Her thesis: every woman should have some recurring personal time, during which she should do things to relax, de-stress and feel good. Now this could be a standing massage appointment, but for me, I usually pencil in some time with my tub. Inspired by my mother, I am now a strong advocate of the weekend soak. Draw a hot bath, drop in some bath salts, light some candles and set some mood music. Really make an event out of it and disappear into your bathroom for a half-hour or two. The great thing about pampering is that you don’t have to burn up a bunch of your disposable income to enjoy yourself. Below are two of my favorite recipes for cheap spa days at home:
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Easy (& Delicious) Hand & Foot Scrub
You’ll Need:
- Raw Sugar
- Oil
- Honey
- Lemon (optional)
- Essential Oil (also optional)
I’m lazy and impatient, so I just eyeball these concoctions rather than measuring out exact amounts. That said, it’s really hard to mess this scrub up, since it is so easy to make. All you need to do is dump a fistful of brown sugar in a bowl and drizzle your favorite oil over it until the sugar is wet, but not floating. I prefer either almond or coconut oil, but you can use whatever you like. Mix in a dollop of honey (don’t go too crazy with it since it will get sticky) and you’re ready to start scrubbing. This is great for buffing hands and feet (I slather it on after using my pumice stone). You can also use it as an all-over body polisher, but I usually add a little more oil to make the scrub a smidge thinner, so it spreads easier over the large surface area (your sugar still should not be floating in oil!). I’ve also added some fresh lemon juice for extra exfoliation, and I’ve heard of people adding a few drops of essential oil to add fragrance, but I personally love the natural smell. Your skin will be super-soft and hydrated after using this scrub, you can use it as often as you want and it is really cheap to make!
FlickrHydrating Yogurt & Honey Hair & Face Mask
You’ll Need:
- Plain full-fat yogurt
- Honey
- Lemon (optional)
As you can tell, I love DIY beauty recipes with multiple uses and this mask is great for hydrating both your skin and hair. Honey also has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, so it’s a good option for acne-prone skin like mine. My natural aversion to measurements aside, you’re looking for a ration of roughly two parts yogurt to one part honey. How much you make will depend on if you’re treating your face and hair, and how much hair you have. Upside is you can eat any leftovers!
Have any tips on how you like to pamper yourself? Or perhaps an easy DIY beauty recipe that you love? Share it with us through email, Instagram, Twitter or Facebook!
P.S. Just wanted to send a quick thanks to Bree and Danni for their lovely post on my birthday. Thanks ladies!