Is cabin fever raging in your household? Are you eager to get some pampering to chase away those “stay-home” blues and ease the anxieties? How about a DIY spa with common kitchen ingredients?
You can enjoy a salt scrub or a honey facial. After all, natural ingredients are used in spas as well, at a premium of course. We have some nifty recipes for that mask to shave two weeks of HBL + WFH stress off the face, hair and feet!
1. DIY Masks for the Face
Masks have taken on a different meaning during COVID-19. We don’t mean the protective gear but a do-it-yourself mask to help brighten the skin. Depending on what you have in your kitchen, you may choose different recipes that cater to different skin types. This is also great for the little ones who may be tempted to lick the mask. Cleansing your face first would help with optimal absorption of the nutrients.
#protip Don’t forget to apply the mask to your neck as well, where visible lines tend to appear.
Yogurt Honey Exfoliating Mask
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of yogurt (plain is great!)
- 1 teaspoon of honey
Simply mix the ingredients and apply them on your face. Yogurt contains lactic acid, which gently exfoliates dead skin cells and brightens the complexion, while probiotics heal blemishes. Honey naturally hydrates the skin, is rich in antioxidants as well as anti-microbial properties.
Papaya Lightening Mask
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- Half cup of mashed papaya
Want to battle sun spots, freckles, other pigmentation issues and uneven skin tone? This papaya mask is great for lightening pigmentation and smoothening skin tone. Leave it for 15 minutes then rinse it away.
Acne-fighting Turmeric Mask
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons of turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
If you are experiencing breakouts due to stress or less-than-ideal diets, try this mask. Mix the ingredients till it becomes a thick paste. Apply it for 5 minutes and wash it off. Turmeric reduces microbial growth, sebum production and inflammation. Vitamin C from the lemon juice will give you more youthful-looking skin as Vitamin C is known for its anti-ageing properties.
Anti-ageing Green Tea Mask
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of green tea powder/crushed leaves
- 1 tablespoon of baking soda
- 1 tablespoon of honey
First mix the green tea and baking soda before adding the honey. Stir it and spread evenly on face. Add liquid to make the mixture less sticky. Green tea is not only an effective treatment for oily and acne-prone skin but has antioxidants that fight free radicals and keeps the skin hydrated. Baking soda will also help with a skin detox by getting rid of dead skin cells and dirt, while honey moisturises and rejuvenates.
Good Old Egg White Mask
Just one ingredient needed for this mask – egg white. I used to see my grandmother apply this and she still has silky smooth skin. Apply egg white, with an optional dose of lemon juice or honey. Apply the egg onto the skin and rinse after 30 minutes. The protein tightens the skin and absorbs excess oil.
Honey, Salt & Oats Exfoliating Scrub
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- Half teaspoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of oats
One of my favourite go-to scubs, this honey salt and oats combination will leave your skin feeling moisturised and smooth.
2. DIY Eye Masks
Anxiety can disrupt sleep and cause a worse sleep quality. This might cause dark eye circles or eyebags that pile on years to your actual age.
Tea Bags
Recycle tea bags by chilling them and then placing them to soothe tired eyes. The eye pads will sooth the swollen, puffy eyes and reduce the dark eye circles. Tea also contains flavonoids and tannins, which are anti-inflammatory.
Potato Paste Eye Mask
Blend potatos into a paste and apply it under the eyes. Why potatoes? They have natural bleaching properties to help lighten dark circles.
Cucumber & Lemon Juice Eye Mask
Cucumbers are always popular for providing a cool and refreshing therapy for tired eyes. Grate some cucumber, squeeze the juice of half a lemon and mix the cucumber and juice. Chill it, soak two cotton pads or dry tea bags in the mixture then leave them on your eyes for fifteen minutes.
3. Hands & Feet Soak & Scrub
Oatmeal Hand/Foot Bath
Add half a cup of oatmeal to a tub of warm water and leave your hands or feet to soak for 15 minutes. Oatmeal is moisturising, soothing and inflammation relieving for the skin.
Hand & Feet Sugar Scrub
Use two parts sugar to one part oil (olive or coconut) and mix well. Massage the scrub into hands, wrists, feet, and remember the nails and nail bed. The scrub will loosen overgrown cuticles and leave your hands and feet smooth and soft.
4. Don’t Forget Your Hair
Turn your hair from drab to fab. It might be impossible to get a hair treatment now, but you can certainly make your own hair mask from scratch.
Honey, Egg and Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Mask
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
This hydrating treatment might leave you feeling like you just emerged from a shampoo commercial. It provides shine and nourishes. Simply combine it, leave it on for 30 to 40 minutes before rinsing.
Coconut Oil, Sugar and Essential Oil Hair Mask
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons of coconut oil or MCT oil
- 4 teaspoons of sugar
- 5 drops of peppermint oil
- 2 drops of tea tree oil (optional)
Mix ingredients together. Use your fingers or a brush to apply it directly to clean, damp hair in the shower. Once evenly applied, massage for one to three minutes and let it sit for the duration of the shower. This exfoliating treatment removes and reduces dandruff, doubles up as a scrub that gets rid of dead skin cells. Coconut oil is anti-inflammatory while the essential oils promote circulation and are anti-fungal.
Milk and Honey Hair Mask
Ingredients
- 2 cups of milk
- 2 teaspoons of honey
A combination of milk and honey works wonders on brittle, damaged hair. Heat up the milk till it is lukewarm before putting the honey in. Pour it over your hair in sections and massage it in. Shampoo after 15 to 20 minutes.
Get Moving, Mummy and Treat Yourself to a DIY Mask/Scrub
It has been 15 days of Circuit Breaker life and I think almost everyone needs a little perk-me-up. Give your skin, eyes, hands, feet and hair the rejuvenation it needs. And you might feel a brand new version quite quickly.
SHOP: For some Home Spa accessories to complete your experience, check it out here!
READ: 5 Essential Beauty Products To Look Video-Con Ready
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