Hey lovelies!
Ok, I have been thinking about holding a "me" night, and pampering myself for quite some time. I know that we all have this same type of thought, but a lot of times we get so caught up in what we are doing and working on that we never try and take out time for ourselves. I believe that this is a huge flaw. I mean, we have to keep ourselves going and healthy even to be able to work! And your mental health is just as important as your physical, and I definitely believe that every now and then, we could all use a good bubble bath. I also know that a reason that some of us don't pamper ourselves the way we deserve to be is because we believe that we don't have the money for it. Trust me, I am right there with ya on that one! As a college student, I don't have the type of income that I can go pay someone $30 to paint my toe nails! I am compiling this list of cheap or do it yourself, at home spa treatments! These are tips and tricks that I have learned over the years, picked up and done before, and I can assure you that they work, and you will feel so much better after spending a little time on yourself! Some of these tips might be to help you look better, some of them might be just to help you feel better :)
Steam Facial
For this here's what you are going to need:
Green Tea Bag
Water (no specific amount)
Pot to boil water in
Bowl to put water in after it has boiled
Towel
Here's what you do:
You're going to want to put some water in your pot to boil. It doesn't have to be an exact amount, you want enough to where the water will not boil away and that your tea will be diluted. I normally use about 4-5 cups I would guess.
Bring your water to a boil. Once you notice in boiling, pour your water out of the pot and into a big bowl. Place the Green Tea Bag in the bowl.
Let the tea dilute into the bowl for just a minute.
Grab your towel. Put the bowl in a position where it's going to be comfortable for you to hang your head over it. Grab the towel and place it over your head and over the bowl so that your head is hanging over the bowl and the towel is enclosing the space.
You are going to feel like your sweating, but a lot of it is the steam condensing on your face. Which is just what we want :)
The steam is going to help clean out your pores and the green tea is going to help tighten them.
Ice Facial
Starting out in the same way!
What you need:
Water
Pot to boil water in
Green Tea Bags
Ice Trays
Saran Wrap
Toothpicks
Now a few of you might have seen this from Michelle Phan, and I have to give her credit where credit is due. If you haven't ever watched any of her videos, she has some great tips and tricks.
Boil your water, and place the tea bags in the boiling water. Let them steep for a few minutes. Take the water once it's cooled (you don't want to burn yourself) and pour the mixture into your ice tray.
Place saran wrap over the ice try and then poke your toothpicks through the saran wrap and into the mixture in the tray.
Place it in your freezer and come back tomorrow! You will have green tea facials!! Just rub the ice on your face. I know it sounds weird, but you will seriously feel your pores tightening as you use it :)
Lemon Sugar Scrub
What you need:
Lemon Juice
Sugar
Cotton Balls
Cup to put it in
Take some lemon juice and squirt it into a cup. Mix enough to where you can save it, or just mix enough to make it so you can put the mixture all over you face. Mix in some sugar. Again, these do not have to be exact amounts, it's all relative to how much of an exfoliation you want.
Mix in together, then get some of the mixture on your cotton ball. You can apply this directly to your face with it!
The lemon acts somewhat like a toner, and of course the sugar acts like an exfoliant. And if you get any in your mouth, it tastes like lemonade! :D
Wash off with water, and your face should feel squeaky clean!
Lemon Toner
What you need:
Lemon Juice
Cotton Ball
If you don't feel like you want to exfoliate, you can just squirt some lemon juice on a cotton ball and use it to go over your face, just like a toner. But without that nasty alcohol smell! :)
Lip Exfoliator
What you need:
Olive Oil
Sugar
Similar to the lemon sugar facial scrub, here you need to mix some Olive Oil (I use Extra Virgin to make sure it doesn't clog pores) and sugar together. If your lips are really chapped, you might want to consider putting more sugar in the mix. This is what I did last week, and it helped soooo much.
After you have mixed the two together, just apply with your fingertips to your lips. Really rub it on there. You are going to have to do most of this work with your fingers, I wouldn't count on just rubbing your lips together to get the job done.
Get some water on a wash cloth and get off the excess. Your lips should feel silky smooth!
Nail Soak:
If you have recently applied a dark nail color and have taken it off, and now have the stain/residue left behind, you might want to try this trick.
What you need:
Lemon Juice
Water
Bowl to soak your hands in
Fill up your bowl with enough water that when you place your hands in it it will cover your nails, but the water will not overflow. Then squirt lemon juice in. Again, there is no specific amount or ratio, just whatever you feel comfortable with and want to use for this.
Soak your nails in the mix for about 8 minutes. Once you pull them out, your cuticles should feel smooth and some of the color should be faded from your nails.
You can also do this for your toes, I would just suggest using a bowl you don't eat out of! :)
Cheap Hand/Cuticle Cream
Vaseline Healthy Hand and Nail Conditioning Lotion
I have to tell you that I have been loving this stuff and have been using it before all my manicures that I have been giving myself lately, and I can definitely notice a difference in the appearance of my cuticles. A small tube of this will run your about $2.50, but trust me, it's worth it! I love it :)
It even claims to make your nails stronger too, which definitely can't hurt!
Facial Mask:
Queen Helene's makes a fantastic facial mask that you can find at Wal-Mart and drug stores. It's cheap, I don't think I have seen one over $5, and they really do get the job done. If you are looking for a cheap alternative to going to a spa to get a mask, try this first and see if you don't love it.
Of course, we can't forget bubble bath! The ultimate treat when you just want to relax. Wal-Mart has several low cost options, even some that smell like bubble gum! If you want to spend a little bit more, of course there is Bath and Body Works as well, but I have found that Wal-Mart options do the exact same thing and give you the same amount of bubbles! :)
An often overlooked aspect of the bath is bath salts. These salts are good for several different things depending on the type that you get. Some of them smell good and are supposed to release scent and moisturizer into your bath water, and some of them just smell really good. It just depends on what you are looking for.
If you are over 21, may I suggest a glass of red wine? Some scientists suggest that consumption of red wine might fight your risk of.... breast cancer! Red wines are rich in phytochemicals, which act as antioxidants (good for your skin as well!) and there fore might cut your risk of breast cancer. The wines that are highest in these chemicals are Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Syrah, and Pinot Noir.
I am in NO way suggesting that if you are under 21 that you should try this, it's illegal, and we all know it. I am also not suggesting that you should start drinking tons of wine to prevent your risk of breast cancer. As we all know, we are hearing that a lot of things these days help prevent certain types of cancer and ALL of it is still being tested to determine if it actually does or not. Drinking a ton of red wine in no way ensures you will not get cancer, all it does ensure is that you are going to help your liver right out the door! Please, if you do choose to drink, do so in a responsible manner!
I hope that you ladies can use these options as a low cost alternative to expensive beauty treatments! Enjoy and treat yourselves! :)
