At-Home Spa Day

 

 

Because of synthetic chemicals, preservatives, and excess packaging that come along with many of my personal care products, I decided that using foods and herbs straight from nature is an easy way to create some of the best beauty products.  When you use fresh and natural products, you are helping both your body and the planet.  Fresh fruits, homegrown herbs, and refreshing scents made up the at-home beauty products that I created. 

I recently invited one of my best friends, Eva Rumble, who is also my VP of Marketing, and her two daughters to come to my house for an At-Home Spa Day with me and my two girls.  Our daughters get along so well, and we had a blast pampering ourselves and teaching our girls about natural beauty.  Not only is this an excellent way to connect with friends, but it is also a budget-friendly, hands-on experience that everyone learns from.  Plus, I get to spend quality time with my girls.  We had such a fun time at our mommy/daughter “spa day.”  

 

I used miniature mason jars to store each mixture.  Here is what we made.

Banana Hair Mask

Bananas and coconut oil condition hair, while the apple cider vinegar helps remove product buildup and protect against dandruff.  We tested this on Riley’s very curly and tangled hair, and it worked like a charm!

1 ripe banana
2 teaspoons coconut oil
1 cup apple cider vinegar

Mash banana, mix with coconut oil, and spread onto clean hair. Tuck hair under a shower cap and let it sit for 30 minutes. Shampoo the mask from your hair and rinse with apple cider vinegar.

 

 

Rosemary Sea Salt Body Scrub

Sea salt scrubs away dead cells and helps seal in moisture. The fatty acids in olive oil provide a boost of moisture, while rosemary tones and firms skin. I loved being able to use my fresh rosemary for this scrub. The smell is incredible!

2 tablespoons sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 sprig of rosemary
2-3 drops rosemary essential oil (optional)

In a mixing bowl, add sea salt and slowly stir in the olive oil. Remove the rosemary leaves from the sprig and add into mixture.  Add rosemary oil for a stronger aroma if desired.  Massage the scrub into damp skin, rinse off, and follow with a moisturizer.

 

 

Avocado Hand Lotion

I always have extra avocados in my home, so this is a different way to utilize their superfood qualities.  The fatty acids and vitamin E in avocado and olive oil help smooth away rough skin.

½ overripe avocado
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 drops rose essential oil (optional)

Mash avocado and mix with olive oil and rose oil. Massage onto hands.

 

Moisture Boosting Carrot Mask

The beta-carotene in carrots helps clear away blemishes and smooth fine lines.  The olive oil and rose oil help to hydrate dry skin.

2 carrots
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 drops rose oil (optional)

Chop the carrots and drop them into a pot of boiling water cooking until soft.  Mash the carrots with the remaining ingredients.  Let mixture cool and slather the mask onto clean skin and leave on for 20 minutes.  Scrub and rinse with water.

 

 

Celery and Parsley Toner

This toner is perfect for any skin type.  Parsley acts as a mild astringent to clear pores while celery provides vitamin C to sooth inflammation and stimulate skin regeneration.

½ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped celery

Place parsley and celery in a bowl, then pour in 1 cup of boiling water.  Let sit for 30 minutes then strain out the solids and transfer liquid to a sealable container.  The toner will keep for 2 weeks in the fridge.  Use a cotton ball to apply toner to freshly cleansed skin.  Do not rinse.

 

Beautifying Foods

Why not serve your At-Home Spa Party guests some delicious, beautifying foods, too?  Try my Detox Salad or Broccoli Boost Salad from The Thankful 30 Recipe Guide.  You can also fill a pitcher of purified water with slices of lemon, lime, cucumber and mint and serve this detoxifying water along with the salads.

To learn more about foods that “flunk” your age, read my blog about the Top 3 Foods That Flunk Your Age.