Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Mother's Day Home Spa Treats

I have my home spa day, or half day, once a month when I have the house to myself, but a home spa day with friends or family can be very nice, and why not give the mum in your life a hamper of beauty treatments, or pamper her for the day?

As a herbalist and aromatherapist here are some of my nice 'safe for anyone' treatments, and then later in the post I will tell you some of my favourite budget friendly ready made goodies in case you want to fill a hamper for her.

Peanut Butter Scrub except for those with peanut allergies, this is a great treatment for tough or roughened skin for example, heels, elbows, knees and for dirty hands from gardening.
4 tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter,
2 tablespoons finely ground sea salt,
2 tablespoons of almond essential oil.
Mix these ingredients into a paste, adding the oil last of all, rub onto dampened skin where the treatment is required and massage for a couple of minutes, you can then rinse off or have a bath.

Avocado Mask Mashed avocado flesh applied to the face for a short time, up to 5 minutes, will reduce signs of aging and leave the skin glowing and fresh. Honey is often also added into the avocado flesh, just a little, and mix it in.

Carrot and Lemon Zinger grated carrot with the lemon juice squeezed over it, and applied to oily skin on the face, or to body acne is brilliant, the skin is so clean and clears up as if by magic.
I leave this treatment on my face for up to 10 minutes, first timers should try 5 minutes, and on the back or body up to 15 minutes.

Cucumber Cream Mask blend 1 tablespoon of fresh cream with equal amounts of cucumber, melon, and pumkin seeds in a food processor. Apply the cream to the face and leave for up to 30 minutes, rinse off and relax!

Rosemary Bath for body aches and pains, low mood, and to ease stress, go out to the garden and pick two branches of rosemary about 30cm long. Come inside and steep them in boiled water in a large vessel for 15 minutes. Run a bath and pour the steeped rosemary into the bath, you may prefer to strain the herb out of the water but you can safely soak with the rosemary in the water.

My Favourite Ready Made Treats
1. Herbal Essences Drama Clean Shampoo and conditioner, for silky smooth, clean hair that lasts for days.
2. Botanical Creations Body Butter (I buy at Priceline) in Lavender, Chamomile and Geranium, use this and you won't only have moist skin, but you won't need perfume.
3. Lux Shower Gel in Neroli and YlangYlang, love it! Boosts your mood and wakes you up without stress.
4. Megan Gale Invisible Zinc Tinted Moisturiser, gives me luscious creamy skin the boys go mad for! You can wear mineral makeup over the top without looking like you are wearing anything.
5. Sally Hansen Lip Inflation in clear, the peppermint oil really gives it the tingly sensation while it keeps you moist and chap free.
Hope this helps for now, in the future I will be doing a naturopathic first aid kit post for all you mummies who want to soothe and treat the family aches and pains safely.

4 comments:

STILLMAGNOLIA said...

I love these. Strawberrys and kiwi mashed up...make a nice mask too.

Starry said...

ooh yes, they are great for the skin, but I can't spare any strawberries too tasty, I have never cared for kiwi fruit so they're okay!

aaaaaaaaaaa said...

Oh these are so cool...I would feel delicious after those treatments! :D I sometimes put olive oil through my hair and scrub myself with salt..and I think strawberries make my teeth feel extra clean for some reason...lovely stuff Starry!

Starry said...

Shazam you are so right, strawberries are natural teeth cleaners just the way your mum would have told you that carrot and apple are. The only thing is you wouldn't want to do these things on retreat in a cabin where a bear might get you!