At the moment it’s easy to get worried and stressed, but now more than ever, it’s important to take a little time out for yourself. Different people do different things to relax, but I love nothing better than a spa day.
And, seeing as we can’t go out for one right now, I’m going to teach you how to do your own personal DIY spa in the comfort of your own bathroom. It’s far easier than you think, is very rewarding and will cost you next to nothing.
Planning ahead is key. Try to have your spa evening when you can get the children to bed before you start, or like me, having three teens around, do make sure they are fed and doing their own thing. Also, aim for an evening when you can get a much-needed early night after your pampering. Switch off your mobile phone, light scented candles, brew herbal tea and maybe put on some relaxing background music or a podcast.
1 Start your spa experience by taking off all your jewellery, makeup and nail varnish. Then jump in the shower and give your skin a really good scrub to prepare it for a relaxing, nourishing soak in the bath. A good body scrub will take away any dry skin, especially on your feet, hands, elbows and neck. I make my own scrub I like to call “cinnamon crunch”.
It’s made with:
1 cup of brown or white sugar
1 tbsp of cinnamon
½ cup of coconut oil
5 drops of cinnamon essential oil
Pop all ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix until it’s like a putty. Splash your body with water and then apply your scrub using small circular movements.Wash off and pat your skin dry. For your face scrub:
¼ cup of white sugar
2 tbsp of almond oil or olive oil
1 tsp of vitamin E (I use vitamin E capsules for this)
½ tsp of vanilla extract
5 drops of lavender essential oil
Mix together and gently apply to your face. Start with your forehead and work down the face. Mind your eyes. Gently massage the scrub into your face and neck. Wash off the scrub with warm water and pat your face dry with a towel.Note: If you don’t have any or all of the essential oils for these scrubs, don’t worry, go without. It’ll still work well.
2 An easy DIY face mask is my oatmeal and avocado mask. It’s a quick and easy face treat and is great for dry skin. Leave on for the last 15 minutes you are in the bath and rinse in the sink.
Peel and de-pip a large, ripe avocado. Place in a bowl and mash up, adding in two teaspoons of almond oil or olive oil. Slowly add in the oats until you get a paste-like consistency. Once all mushed together, use your hands to pat the mask on to your face before you get into your bath. use two thickish slices of cold cucumber for my eyes or slightly soggy, used tea bags, especially if you suffer from dark circles and puffy eyes. It will work a treat. 3 A super easy DIY hair treatment that I use at least once a month and gives my hair shine and nourishment, is my honey, egg, avocado and olive oil mix. Apply and leave on whilst you are having your soak in the bath.
Put half a cup of runny honey, 2 tbsp of olive oil, one egg yolk and one large, ripe avocado in a bowl. Mix all together and cover your hair with it. It’s messy, so I apply an old towel over my hair like a turban so the mix can really soak in. Rinse in the sink with warm water after 30 minutes. Shampoo and condition as usual. 4 Now for your bath treatment. Cleopatra had a passion for milk and rose bud baths. She had the smoothest, most-perfect skin ever known to man, so we can take a leaf out of her book and recreate her luxury bath milk.
Run your bath as normal and add a two litre bottle of full-fat milk to the water. Add in two capfuls of baby oil. Swish your hands into the glorious mix before you get in and relax for at least 20 minutes. Do make sure you give the bath a proper rinse out afterwards. 5 Once you have washed off your hair and face mask, and have patted your body dry, then moisturise. I make up a soothing coconut oil moisturiser for my face and body.
Simply use:
2 cups of coconut oil– in cold months the coconut oil can be rock solid, so to create a creamy texture use your hand mixer to smooth up the oil
1 tsp of vitamin E oil
6 drops of lavender essential oil
3 drops of tea tree oil
Mix together and rub into the skin. It’s that easy and soothingly nourishing on the skin. Note: if you don’t have the extra oils, coconut oil on its own will do just fine. This moisturiser can be stored in a container.
6 Finally, to finish off your DIY home spa night, wrap yourself up in a pair of PJs, pop on your bed socks, quickly blow-dry your hair and cosy into bed. An early night will do you the world of good. Sleep and relaxation are great healers for the mind and the body.
Read more
Dolly Buckley: be daring and glam up
Dolly Buckley: cold weather skincare
At the moment it’s easy to get worried and stressed, but now more than ever, it’s important to take a little time out for yourself. Different people do different things to relax, but I love nothing better than a spa day.
And, seeing as we can’t go out for one right now, I’m going to teach you how to do your own personal DIY spa in the comfort of your own bathroom. It’s far easier than you think, is very rewarding and will cost you next to nothing.
Planning ahead is key. Try to have your spa evening when you can get the children to bed before you start, or like me, having three teens around, do make sure they are fed and doing their own thing. Also, aim for an evening when you can get a much-needed early night after your pampering. Switch off your mobile phone, light scented candles, brew herbal tea and maybe put on some relaxing background music or a podcast.
1 Start your spa experience by taking off all your jewellery, makeup and nail varnish. Then jump in the shower and give your skin a really good scrub to prepare it for a relaxing, nourishing soak in the bath. A good body scrub will take away any dry skin, especially on your feet, hands, elbows and neck. I make my own scrub I like to call “cinnamon crunch”.
It’s made with:
1 cup of brown or white sugar
1 tbsp of cinnamon
½ cup of coconut oil
5 drops of cinnamon essential oil
Pop all ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix until it’s like a putty. Splash your body with water and then apply your scrub using small circular movements.Wash off and pat your skin dry. For your face scrub:
¼ cup of white sugar
2 tbsp of almond oil or olive oil
1 tsp of vitamin E (I use vitamin E capsules for this)
½ tsp of vanilla extract
5 drops of lavender essential oil
Mix together and gently apply to your face. Start with your forehead and work down the face. Mind your eyes. Gently massage the scrub into your face and neck. Wash off the scrub with warm water and pat your face dry with a towel.Note: If you don’t have any or all of the essential oils for these scrubs, don’t worry, go without. It’ll still work well.
2 An easy DIY face mask is my oatmeal and avocado mask. It’s a quick and easy face treat and is great for dry skin. Leave on for the last 15 minutes you are in the bath and rinse in the sink.
Peel and de-pip a large, ripe avocado. Place in a bowl and mash up, adding in two teaspoons of almond oil or olive oil. Slowly add in the oats until you get a paste-like consistency. Once all mushed together, use your hands to pat the mask on to your face before you get into your bath. use two thickish slices of cold cucumber for my eyes or slightly soggy, used tea bags, especially if you suffer from dark circles and puffy eyes. It will work a treat. 3 A super easy DIY hair treatment that I use at least once a month and gives my hair shine and nourishment, is my honey, egg, avocado and olive oil mix. Apply and leave on whilst you are having your soak in the bath.
Put half a cup of runny honey, 2 tbsp of olive oil, one egg yolk and one large, ripe avocado in a bowl. Mix all together and cover your hair with it. It’s messy, so I apply an old towel over my hair like a turban so the mix can really soak in. Rinse in the sink with warm water after 30 minutes. Shampoo and condition as usual. 4 Now for your bath treatment. Cleopatra had a passion for milk and rose bud baths. She had the smoothest, most-perfect skin ever known to man, so we can take a leaf out of her book and recreate her luxury bath milk.
Run your bath as normal and add a two litre bottle of full-fat milk to the water. Add in two capfuls of baby oil. Swish your hands into the glorious mix before you get in and relax for at least 20 minutes. Do make sure you give the bath a proper rinse out afterwards. 5 Once you have washed off your hair and face mask, and have patted your body dry, then moisturise. I make up a soothing coconut oil moisturiser for my face and body.
Simply use:
2 cups of coconut oil– in cold months the coconut oil can be rock solid, so to create a creamy texture use your hand mixer to smooth up the oil
1 tsp of vitamin E oil
6 drops of lavender essential oil
3 drops of tea tree oil
Mix together and rub into the skin. It’s that easy and soothingly nourishing on the skin. Note: if you don’t have the extra oils, coconut oil on its own will do just fine. This moisturiser can be stored in a container.
6 Finally, to finish off your DIY home spa night, wrap yourself up in a pair of PJs, pop on your bed socks, quickly blow-dry your hair and cosy into bed. An early night will do you the world of good. Sleep and relaxation are great healers for the mind and the body.
Read more
Dolly Buckley: be daring and glam up
Dolly Buckley: cold weather skincare
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