Natural Beauty

Every once and a while, I need a little DIY spa treatment. I don't really want to go out and spend a ton of money on deep conditioners, body scrubs, face masks, etc., so I just hit up my pantry. All I use is oil (preferably coconut), apple cider vinegar, honey, sugar, and baking soda. Tell me you don't have those laying around your kitchen.

The second best part about these DIY spa treatments (first is that it's cheap) is that it doesn't take up that much time. I typically do other things while I have the hair mask in (I have done yoga and even gone to Walmart...don't judge). Then in the shower, I use the body and face scrub. If you plan it right, it may only take an additional 5 minutes out of your day. So, next weekend, treat yourself to your own DIY spa treatment(s). Your hair and skin will thank you.

Hair mask:

2 parts oil (I use coconut, but olive, grapeseed, or almond oil work well, too)
1 part honey
2 parts apple cider vinegar

I like to put the oil and honey into a small bowl and microwave for about 15 seconds to warm it up and make it easier to absorb into the hair. Then I add the vinegar and whisk to combine. Starting at the tips, I work the oil mixture into the hair all the way up to the scalp. You can adjust the amount based on how much hair you have. I have long, thick hair, so I use about 2 tbsp of oil/vinegar and 1 tbsp of honey.

I just throw my hair up into a bun and leave this in for at least 30 minutes, if not longer. When I wash it out, I shampoo twice to get out all of the oil, then condition as usual. 

Sugar Scrub:

1 part sugar (natural sugar is better with the larger crystals, but I just have normal white sugar)
1 part oil (see above)
1-2 drops of essential oil, like lavender or eucalyptus (only for the scent. omit if you don't have on hand)

I mix everything together into a paste and during my next shower, I apply liberally to skin. With the normal, granulated sugar, I don't have 'scrub' to hard. The sugar will wash right off, but the oil won't wash off with just water, so if you don't want to leave the oil on your skin, you must use soap afterwards. Coconut oil does not clog your pores like you might think, and it is an excellent moisturizer, so I would recommend not washing it off. Your skin will be SUPER soft. I occasionally get eczema on my elbows during the summer, but this scrub has pretty much eliminated any signs that.

Be careful though, the oil makes the bottom of the shower pretty slick. So, no dancing in the shower.

Oh yeah, use on your feet, too, during your next at-home pedicure. You can thank me later.

Face Scrub:

1 part water
4 parts baking soda

The baking soda and water don't really mix, so if I add too much water, it doesn't work well. If that does happen, I just add a little more baking soda. Too dry, I add more water. I will use this a couple times a week either in the shower or after I've washed my face. It gets rid of all the dead skin and leaves my face feeling super clean. I wouldn't suggest using this any more than 2-3 times per week because it might irritate your skin.

The third best part about these treatments is that I'm not adding any harsh chemicals to my hair or skin. The harshest thing about these treatments is that the hair mask will makes my hair smell like salad dressing until it's washed out. B hates to be around me while its sitting in my hair. He just doesn't understand, sometimes you have to make sacrifices in the name of beauty.