If you fancy some pampering after breakfast in bed (hint, hint), setting up your own at-home spa is easy. Marissa Abdo, MS, RN, CANS, and Morgan Renfro, RN, CANS, of Scottsdale-based aesthetic practice Lumen + Bevel Aesthetics, outlines three of their favorite DIY spa-day recipes.
At this point, summer temps are knocking at our doors which means dehydrated and dry skin is almost inevitable. The best way to guarantee glowing skin is to get ahead of the heat with three of our favorite DIY hydrating recipes that can be found in your home.
Oatmeal and Honey Facial Mask: This gentle mask is super-hydrating and safe for those of you with very sensitive skin. Honey actually attracts and retains moisture and can help keep wrinkles at bay and leave your skin feeling smooth. The best part is most of the ingredients needed should already be in your pantry.
Ingredients:
½ C oatmeal, uncooked
¼ C water
½ C almond milk
1 T pure honey
Directions: Cook oatmeal, water, almond milk and honey over medium heat in a small saucepan for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Massage a layer of honey over your clean face before applying the mask. Apply the mask to your face in an upward motion and let sit for10 minutes. Remove with a warm washcloth.
Avocado Hand Mask: There’s nothing worse than dry hands! Now that we’re washing and disinfecting more than ever, chances are you’re experiencing cracked cuticles and sandpaper-like surfaces. Avocados happen to be a source of biotin, which helps to soften dry skin and nails and yogurt contains lactic acid, which hydrates and exfoliates. The recurring theme here is honey because it attracts moisture to the skin while olive oil conditions and smoothens.
Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado
2 T raw honey
1 T olive oil
2 T organic plain yogurt
Directions: Blend all ingredients together in a blender until smooth. Apply to your hands (and feet), and wrap with a towel to allow the mask to absorb into the skin more effectively. Let sit for 10 to 20 minutes and rinse thoroughly.
Green Tea Sugar Scrub: Exfoliating your skin is a must when you live in the desert. If you don’t remove dead cells, they accumulate on the skin’s surface and lead to dull, dry skin. Including green tea to a homemade sugar scrub takes it to a whole new level. Green tea is beneficial for your skin in many ways because it is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have even shown that greet tea has the potential to reduce harm to the skin caused by sun damage. Try using our favorite DIY exfoliator in the shower by applying it in circular motions.
Ingredients:
2 teabags of green tea
½ C hot water
1 C organic brown sugar
¼ C organic, melted coconut oil
Directions: Add the teabags to hot water, and let the tea steep until it cools. Mix the melted coconut oil with the brown sugar in a bowl, and add the tea once it has cooled. Make sure the tea is cool, so the sugar doesn’t dissolve. Spoon the scrub into a container and use in the shower.
If you experience any redness, itching or irritation after applying any of the masks, be sure to remove immediately with cold water.