As 2020 comes to an end you may crave some self-care. You can skip the salon or spa with these tips for making your own hair mask, giving yourself a facial, relaxing with an at-home manicure, and more.
Perhaps these self-care indulgences can become a part of your routine, to relieve some stress and calm your mind.
Make your own hair mask
Do you have any eggs? Right in your fridge and pantry is the pathway to a DIY hair mask. Here we go! Here’s how to make a honey, egg, and apple cider vinegar mask. Just mix 1 teaspoon of honey, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of ACV in a small bowl and voila! Smooth the mixture into the strands of your hair for some hydration, leave on for 30 minutes and then rinse.
This hair mask with avocado and olive oil sounds good. Here’s more tips for at-home hair masks for damaged hair.
Wake up to a face mask
It’s easy to make your own face mask or at-home facial. Some at-home mask ingredients are right in your kitchen, such as honey, oats, avocado, milk and yogurt.
Did you know your morning coffee grounds can become a part of your beauty routine for a face mask or scrub? Here’s the ingredients you need for a recipe from Taste of Home: 1/2 cup fresh ground coffee, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup melted coconut oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
If you don’t have handy brown sugar or coconut oil, etc., just add lotion to your coffee grounds in a small bowl and apply for ten minutes and then rinse for smooth smooth skin.
Coffee grounds and olive oil can make a perfect treatment for dark circles under your eyes. Here is the recipe from Healthline.
- Combine ½ tsp each of coffee grounds and olive oil. Add in a couple drops of water to make a small paste in your hand.
- Gently pat underneath your eyes without rubbing.
- Leave the mixture on for five to ten minutes.
- Rinse off with water or gently wipe the mask with a soft cloth. Repeat as often as needed.
This book on beauty masks caught our eye.
A Perfect At-Home Manicure in 4 steps
Has it been awhile since you applied lotion to your hands? In just a few minutes you can make your dry skin soft and smooth, and revitalize your nails.
Step 1. Clean your nails
Prepping your nails is key to a beautiful manicure. Use a nail poish remover that can strengthen your nails and give them some vitamins for some extra love, especially if you wear nail polish a lot which can weaken your nails.
Step 2. File, clip and buff your nails
The most work happens here. First soak your nails in lukewarm water for a few minutes to soften them and clip your nails. Here is more on creating your favorite nail shape.
Some people use a sandpaper-style disposable file their nails, but using an emery cushion board is softer on your nails, and helps them stay strong and less prone to breakage. Nail expert Amy Ling Lin, the founder of sundays, a nail-care company with studios in New York City said in an interview with Coveteur that filing your nails is like ”playing the violin.” She suggests moving your file in one direction for one side of the nail and vice versa for the other side of the nail, and using the same press for the middle, for a smooth finish.
Then with a nail buffer, buff the sides and top of your nails. “If you don’t buff, the natural oils in your nails can build up, leaving manicure-ruining residue on them,” Rita Remark, Essie global lead educator, explained to Glamour. She said buffing is like brushing teeth for your nails.
Cut cuticles at your risk, the American Society of Dermatology says cutting your cuticles isn’t necessary and can cause bacteria to get inside your body and cause an infection.
3. Moisturize and exfoliate
Take a few minutes and use your favorite lotion on your hands. Hydrating your hands is so soothing. Here is a recipe for a DIY lemon scrub for your hands. Let the lotion and scrub soak in for ten minutes and then clean your hands with a warm towel, cleaning the area around your nails carefully.
4. Polish your nails
Paint on a base coat for your nails. A base coat can protect your nails and helps to avoid staining your nails, here are a few. Then paint on your favorite color, one stripe down the middle and then on the sides of your nail to keep the polish even across your nail. Two coats and then a top coat is typical. Here are more tips for applying your own manicure.
Feeling festive? Here are some ideas for Christmas style nails.
Here’s tips for a DIY spa pedicure.
Self-care is also internal and can involve simply listening to your body and getting enough sleep and eating well. Self-care can be a 20 minute walk, drinking your favorite tea while reading a few chapters of a book, listening to some music you love to clear your mind, writing in a journal the things you are grateful for, even these small moments of giving yourself some TLC can help you regroup for the day.
