by August Aurora James

Created on: July 26, 2010   Last Updated: July 30, 2010

   When it comes to beauty rituals the most expensive fix isn’t always necessarily the best. If done correctly, an at-home spa treatment can work just as well as the real thing.  Keep in mind that the best thing about a day at the spa isn’t always the treatments themselves. It is the element of relaxation that make a day at the spa memorable. So invest in your day at home and create a relaxing ambiance: light a few candles, buy some fresh cut flowers, and get in a fluffy bathrobe.

The Facial

1. Prep

To start, take a hot shower and allow steam to open up pores. Another option is boiling a pot of water and allowing steam from water to seep into your pores for 1-2 minutes. Next wash with a mild cleanser. Pay attention to labels: if you have oily skin, use a cleanser with 2% saliyic acid. If your skin is dry use a cleanser with “hydrating” in the label.

2. Exfoliate

Use a scrub to gently slough off dead skin cells.  St. Ives Apricot scrub is inexpensive and can be found in any drugstore, and best of all, it truly works.

3. Treat

The next part is the mask. You can use a store bought one, but homemade masks with natural ingredients are another great option. One recipe for a wonderful mask is made with ½ cup mashed papaya (a great natural exfoliant), 1 teaspoon yogurt, and 1 teaspoon honey. The papaya and yogurt remove dead skin cells, while the honey helps draw in water and plump up skin. For an extra brightening boost make a paste of equal parts strawberries and baking soda. Apply to skin and allow to dry, then wash off with warm water.

The Pedicure

1. Exfoliate

Start by washing feet with an antibacterial soap. Next rub heels and balls of feet with a pumice stone.

2. Soak

Fill a large bowl with warm water.  Add a generous scoop of mineral salts and soak feet for at least five minutes.  This softens skin and allows moisture to penetrate more effectively.

3. Moisturize

Finish by slathering on a foot cream that contains lactic acid.  One option is Amlactin, which can be found in drugstores.

Usually hair is left out of the spa experience.  One of the best advantages of being at home is you can add this in if you would like.  The following is a wonderful hair treatment for shiny frizz-free hair.

1.Cleanse

Saturate hair with a mixture of equal parts witch hazel, ( found in drugstores), and mouthwash, massaging it into the scalp with your fingertips.  This gets rid of flakes, and promotes healthier hair growth.

2. Condition

In a small  bowl, combine one avocado with 2 tablespoons each of olive oil, water, and whipped heavy cream.  Comb from roots to ends, and cover head with a shower cap for twenty minutes.

3. Rinse

Once the twenty minutes are up, wash treatment out of hair and wash with a gentle sulfate-free shampoo.

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