You already enjoy hanging out in the kitchen, experimenting with recipes. Why not use those same principles to whip up a mask, scrub, or cream for your skin? Here are some of our favorite spa-quality beauty recipes that you can create at home.
Parsley Eye Mask
What you need:
A handful of parsley
1 tablespoon hot water
How to:
Roughly chop the parsley and drop it into a small bowl. Grind the leaves with the back of a wooden spoon (or drop them into a food processor if you’re short on time). Add the hot water and stir the mixture together. When it has cooled, soak up the juice into two cotton balls or pads. Lie down on your back and gently press the cotton balls under your eyes for 10 minutes.
Why it works:
Parsley contains vitamin C, chlorophyll, and vitamin K — ingredients that help lighten skin (think: dark undereye circles) and reduce puffiness.
Cucumber Cooling Mask
Best for: Irritated, breakout prone skin
What you need:
-1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
-1 teaspoon natural honey
How to:
Start by pureeing the cucumber pieces in a food processor. Add the puree into a bowl and mix in the honey with a spoon. Lie on your back (with a towel under your head, in case the mask drips a little); massage the mixture all over your face, making a circular motion with your fingertips. Let the mask sit on your skin for 10 minutes before rinsing off with lukewarm water.
Why it works:
The vitamin C in cucumbers is a natural antioxidant that soothes irritated skin, while reducing puffiness and swelling.
DIY Salt Foot Scrub
Get rid of rough, dry skin with our easy salt foot scrub. Choose your favorite essential oil and mix with coarse sea salt. All it takes is a simple soak and you’re feet will be ready for summer sandals.
Chocolate-Oatmeal Face Mask
Best for: Sun-damaged complexions
What you need:
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons heavy cream or sour cream
3 tablespoons old-fashioned oatmeal (powdered in a food processor)
How to:
Use a spoon to mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl until well-blended. With fingers or a fan paintbrush (which you can get from an art supply store), apply the mask onto your face. Use the tips of your fingers to massage the mask into skin. Let the mask work its magic for 15 minutes before rinsing off with lukewarm water.
Why it works:
Cocoa powder is a natural antioxidant that protects skin from UV damage. Oatmeal is a gentle exfoliator and honey is a great antibacterial ingredient.
Make Your Own Rosewater
Rosewater is what your skin care routine has been missing. Whip up a batch and keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks. Use the rosewater as a toner, makeup remover, and even to tame dry, frizzy hair.
Tomato Scrub
What you need:
1 medium tomato
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons salt
How to:
Scoop the flesh out of the tomato and muddle it in a small bowl with the back of a spoon. Add salt and olive oil, and mix until blended. Apply to clean dry skin, letting it soak in for at least five minutes. Leftovers? You can keep them refrigerated for a few days.
Why it works:
Tomato and olive oil work together to boost skin’s elasticity, while salt sloughs away dead skin cells.
Soften Brittle Nails
Pamper your hands at home with an easy nail softening treatment. Mix lemon, carrot, and coconut oils and apply to nails. Simply massage until soft.
Foot Soak and Detox
What you need:
1 cup Epsom salt
1 cup baking soda
1 cup sea salt
¼ cup vinegar
1 cup warm water
3 drops of peppermint oil
How to:
Pamper your tootsies by first mixing all of the dry ingredients — salts and baking soda — in a large bowl or basin. Add the vinegar, water, and peppermint oil, stirring until everything is completely dissolved. Let your feet soak for 20 minutes (yay, power nap!), and then pat dry before applying foot lotion or petroleum jelly.
Why it works:
Salt helps ease pain and stiffness in the joints, while naturally exfoliating skin. Baking soda, vinegar, and peppermint oil are deodorizers.
Stimulate Circulation in Legs
Stimulate circulation (and soften skin!) with our oil-based skin treatment. For best results, apply to damp skin and massage after showering.
