In today’s hectic world, what we often really need is a chance to chill out and be pampered.

However, I had an awful spa experience a few months ago where the jacuzzi was tepid and dirty, the door handle fell off the steam room door and my therapist told me about her traumatic childbirth experience whilst massaging my face rather over-vigorously during my facial. Not relaxing at all.

The good news, however, is that you can make your very own spa in the comfort and privacy of your own home – it will cost you buttons and leave you feeling super-relaxed.

If you plan ahead (get someone to mind the children, switch off your phone and prepare your treatments beforehand) there is nothing more relaxing than some quiet “me” time at home. Dim the lighting, light some scented candles, play calming music, perhaps add a glass of wine or a herbal tea, whatever takes your fancy – and then just relax.

I have put together a selection of DIY home spa treatments that are easy-peasy to make and oh-so-effective.

1 Start your spa experience by taking off all jewellery, makeup and your nail polish. If you soak your nails in lemon juice for 10 minutes, then lightly file over your nails, it takes away any yellow stains resulting from the constant use of nail varnish, smoking and general wear and tear.

2 A great hair treatment is an avocado hair mask. All you need is half a cup of runny honey, two tablespoons of olive oil, one egg yolk and a whole avocado without the pip. Mush all the ingredients together in a bowl. Lather and massage all over your hair and then wrap your hair in an old towel for a good hour. Rinse off well with hot water and then shampoo and condition as usual.

3 A brilliant body scrub that not only smells heavenly but also leaves your skin silky smooth is cinnamon crunch. Measure eight cups of white or brown sugar, eight tablespoons of cinnamon, four cups of coconut oil (slowly work in the coconut oil together with the sugar until you have a dough like consistency) and 20 drops of cinnamon essential oil. Pop all these ingredients into a large bowl and mix until it is like putty. Jump into the shower and cover your body with a light splash of water. Then turn off the water. Stay in the shower and using your hands, smother your body with the scrub starting from your shoulders down to your toes. Don’t forget your neck, elbows and feet. Gently rub the scrub into your skin using circular movements, rinse off well and pat your skin dry.

4 For a vanilla lavender facial scrub, measure one cup of white sugar, half a cup of almond oil, half a teaspoon of vitamin E oil (you can break a vitamin E capsule and pour into the mix), half a teaspoon of real vanilla extract and 15 drops of lavender essential oil. Mix all the ingredients lightly together in a large bowl. Carefully apply the scrub to your cheeks first and then in circular movements lightly rub the scrub on to the entire face and neck. Take great care when applying around the eye sockets and do not get the scrub in your eyes. Leave on for 20 to 30 minutes, wash off with warm water and gently pat your face dry.

5 Cleopatra was well known for her passion for long, luxurious milk and rose bud baths. To recreate this treatment, you will need a good handful of rose buds, which can be easily purchased from the tea section in the supermarket or a health food/herbal store, and a large saucepan of hot water. Allow the buds to steep in the water for 20 minutes. Half run your bath as normal, add a carton of full-fat milk directly into the bath, then pour in a cup of runny honey under the hot tap. Add the steeped rose buds and the water from the saucepan and finish off by adding two capfuls of baby oil. Top up the bath as required and make sure you give the water a good stir before you get in. Lay back and relax for 30 minutes; though make sure you give the bath a good rinse out after.

6 An oatmeal and avocado face mask is so easy. I fondly call it my face treat. It really does help weathered, dry skin feel moisturised and loved again. Peel a large avocado and get rid of the pip. Place it in a bowl with two teaspoons of almond oil or virgin olive oil. Mush into a paste-like consistency and use your hands to pat the mix on to your makeup-free face and neck. Before I get into my bath, once I have my hair mask on, I pop on my face mask and then slide in Cleopatra style.

7 If you suffer from acne or pimply skin, an oatmeal and honey mask will calm down the angry redness and help it heal. Measure two tablespoons of runny honey, five tablespoons of fine oatmeal and one egg yolk. Place all the ingredients into a bowl and mix to form a paste. Remember oatmeal is very dry so you may need to add more honey to get the consistency right. Get a face cloth and run it under a hot tap. Wring the cloth out and whilst it is still nice and warm, lay it over your face for a few minutes. This will open up your pores and get your skin ready for the mask. Then apply the mask sparingly over the face using your hands. Pat the mask around the eye area, nose and chin. Leave on for 20 minutes and then wash off with warm water. Always pat your face dry – never rub.

8 A great natural eye treatment, which I have tried and tested on many a celebrity after a late night, is the trusted tea bag and frozen peas trick. Lay yourself down with your feet up and pat two used tea bags over closed eyes with a small bag of frozen peas gently laid over the top for 10 minutes. It’s so not glam but so very Hollywood.

Hopefully after your home spa treatments you will feel pampered and relaxed. Do let me know how you got on or send me your queries by emailing dollybuckley1@gmail.com or write to Dolly Buckley, Irish Country Living, Irish Farmers Journal, Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin 12.