Family gatherings are nice, but if you’re hosting…then at the end of it you’re going to feel like you’ve just been swept through and through by a whirlwind. It’s absolutely exhausting yet somehow you just don’t feel it until you’ve wave your last guest good bye and you plunk yourself down on the sofa.
All that week of planning, setting up, cooking, hosting then now the cleaning, whilst emotionally rewarding can really leave you all worn out with unsightly physical traits like dark circles and sallow skin to show for it.
Well the rich and famous have a remedy for that. They would simply just drop by a luxurious spa to claim their self reward of a relaxing, rejuvenating and invigorating treatment for that job well done. But since the lot of us doesn’t exactly cash in paychecks with as many zeros, that sort of luscious spa treatment after each event might not exactly be something we can lay out hands on without risking the need for a second mortgage…
But we all worked hard and we deserve a little pampering don’t we?
Well I strongly believe so and that’s why I do most of my pampering right at home where just like my meals, I know exactly what’s in it. I mean if you care about what dresses you and feeds your tummy then why would what pampers your body be any different?
An all natural/organic home spa, made by you just for you.
Some people call it frugal living, others call it conscious beauty and some perhaps say it’s a waste of good food but whichever way you look at it, an all natural homemade spa treatment will leave you refreshed, revived and lifted with a lighter conscience knowing your beauty didn’t come at the further expense of Mother Nature or innocent rabbits.
Now there are many (and I mean many) kinds of treatments you can have at home. You can always do a half and half which means you buy the organic treatments from stores such as WoodSprite Organics and Aburey Organics and apply them at home or you can make it all from scratch.
I do both and deciding between the two is just about how much time I have to offer myself. On week days when I need a quick fix/pick me up for the next day, I would slap on a purchased organic mask for my hair and face. But on weekends and holidays I will make my own spa treatments because it’s fun and relaxingly effective (I speak for myself).
Here’s one of the simplest basic homemade facial treatment I’ve been using among many others:
Step 1: Cleansing with dairy
You won’t believe what wonders fresh cold organic milk and a drop of sweet almond oil will do for your skin. Applied to the face gently with a cotton ball, it will remove makeup and leave your skin soft and moisturized. Leave on for a few minutes to allow your skin to soak up nourishment from the milk then rinse and pat your face dry.
Step 2: Sweet exfoliation
I make my own exfoliating scrub with sugar (cane sugar), virgin olive oil, fresh aloe vera gel and a drop of rose essential oil. You won’t believe how amazingly soft your skin will feel after a lovely rub down. In fact you might want to consider making more so you can use it on the rest of your body.
Step 3: Steaming beauty
This is really simple. Some people wrap a warmed towel around their face, but I’m old school about beauty so I prefer to use a steam bowl.
Nothing fancy just boil a kettle of hot water then pour into a wide bowl, add a drop or two of your desired essential oil, I usually use rose because it’s romantically relaxing then just lean over it ,with a damp towel draping over both your bent over head and the bowl. The idea to create a little tent so the steam won’t escape.
It takes a bit of practice to get it just right, and a lot more to feel comfortable with that sudden rush of hot steam going in through your nose but slowly and surely you’ll feel it’s calming and cleansing effect. About 5 minutes of steaming would be enough but honestly sometimes it feels so wonderful I end up doing it till the steam is no more…usually that happens by about 20 minutes or so.
Don’t be alarmed to find your skin reddish after, it’s normal because the steam creates that rush of blood circulation. Remember at this point your pores are open so it’s important you use a clean towel to wipe your face after steaming to prepare you for the next step.
Step 4: Mask Away
I absolutely love this step. Apply your favourite mask. Mine is the rose yogurt mask. It’s really simple to make because all you need is a tbsp each of rose water, plain yogurt (chilled) and honey. You can add the pounded petals of a fresh rose bulb if you like. Leave on for about 10-15 minutes and relax as you lay down with maybe some hot stones on your shoulders to read a book or just practise deep breathing. Mind that you might actually fall asleep…I know I have and almost every time too!
When done, again just rinse and pat dry.
Step 5: Rose Tone
Rose water is an excellent toner. The gentlest of all astringents, rose water will tighten your skin and ignite a calming sensation. Exactly what you need to prepare you for the last step. And do remember to let the rose water air dry off your face!
Step 6: Moisture me Aloe
I use a really simple but effective homemade moisturizer. After all that purifying, the last thing I want is to apply a thick dollop of heavy cream moisturizer to my face. That’s why I make my own by applying fresh aloe gel watered down with distilled water. It’s refreshing, light and tops off the home spa treatment for my face.
As you can see, it didn’t take much of anything for me to have my organic facial. I had everything I needed right in my kitchen and garden. It’s inexpensive, pampering and virtually guilt free (I didn’t spend extra money nor did I destroy the environment or subject poor defenseless animals to being test subjects for my indulgence).
This holiday season, give it a try…reward yourself for that great job well done!
Image Source: Freefoto
