Wrap me in seaweed, scour me head to foot, slap hot rocks on my back and I am in heaven.
If you haven’t guessed, I’m a spa devotee. Happily, I have an esthetician in the family so I get to wallow in mud at a discounted price. For those not so lucky and eager to save a few bucks, my daughter Claudia, the esthetician, offers some inexpensive but effective at-home treatments.
Here are her top five home spa ideas:
Bath soak
Combine two tablespoons of Epsom salts with 10 drops of a favourite essential oil — lavender relaxes you, peppermint and eucalyptus are uplifting and help with sinus clearing, geranium is a mood balancer.
Lip treatment
Using a soft toothbrush, gently scrub lips in a circular motion for one to two minutes — I did it for one, which was plenty. Apply organic honey and leave on as long as possible. I advise lying down for this one or the honey dribbles down your chin an onto your shirt. Keep fingers handy for mopping and licking.
Body scrub
Use three to four tablespoons of brown sugar, depending on amount of coverage needed. Mix in olive oil but don’t let it get runny. Add two to three drops of vanilla to scent. Scrub away and shower off.
Deep conditioning for hair
Take a small jar or a cup of mayonnaise and half a ripe avocado. Mash the avocado in a bowl and mix in mayo thoroughly. Rub into hair. Put on a shower cap and let sit 20 minutes. Rinse. This is great to do while you are soaking in the bath. Rinse your hair in the tub water and you’ll really gross out your kids.
Face mask
This is good for exfoliating and unclogging pores. Mix oatmeal and water together until a paste forms. Apply to your face and leave on until dry. Scrub off over the sink and rinse. Easy, cheap and, I have to admit, kind of fun.
