Make every day a luxurious spa day with ingredients you can find in your home

“Corona Chic” is NOT a thing. It never will be. If days spent socially distancing – without a salon or spa in sight – have left you with a combination of dull skin, puffy eyes and frayed ends, it’s time to go beyond the old cucumbers-on-the-eyes and step up your home spa routine with some fresh newcomers.

We’ve curated are a few and simple DYI spa treatments you can do at home. The best part? We are not asking you to track down the mythical fair-trade, pickled, meadow fairy serum from the rainforest! Instead, we have focused on common ingredients that you’re likely to have at home or are easy to buy, even now, and selected uncomplicated processes that are as soothing to make as they are to apply.

Pro tip: During your next Mad Max supermarket run, pick up a dozen of organic roses, distilled water, coconut and Argan or lavender oil and make sure you’re stocked up on sugar, honey and oatmeal.

At Your Wits’ End

If the ends of your hair are as frayed as your nerves, it is time for a conditioning treatment. Melt two tablespoons of coconut oil and add two drops of Argan oil in a bain-marie. You can substitute for lavender oil if Argan oil is not available. Allow to infuse about 10 minutes. While warm (not hot) apply to your ends. Let it work its magic for 20 minutes. Shampoo, rise thoroughly and style.

Sweet Exfoliator of Mine

Sugar may be public enemy No. 1, but if you still have any leftover at home, add half a teaspoon of sugar per every tablespoonful of your favorite moisturizer to create your own at-home scrub. You’d be surprised how a little exfoliating action brightens your overall complexion while gently removing dead skin cells as you go.

The Mask

In a medium saucepan, cook 1/4 cup of dry, uncooked oatmeal, 1/2 of water, 1/2 cup of milk and one tablespoon of pure honey or coconut oil, stirring frequently over medium heat. Once thick, allow the mix to cool. Apply the mask and relax with it on for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water and gently remove with a soft cloth.

Coming up Roses

Sensitive and acne-prone skin sufferers, we thought of you! Rose water is the mild, heavenly-scented astringent of your dreams. It not only soothes redness and irritation, but keeps pesky acne on check. It can also be ultra refreshing, especially after those outdoor walks you’re supposed to be taking each day. Making rose water at home can be an enjoyable and oddly soothing process as well.

Process:

Grab a medium saucepan and place a small heat-safe saucer (upside down) at the center of the pan. On top of that saucer, place a small heat-safe ceramic bowl. Separate the petals from four fresh organic roses. Always give the petals a little rinse in cool water before you add them into the saucepan, arranging them around your small ceramic bowl. Pour your distilled water on top of the petals until you cover them completely. Do not add more water than needed to cover the petals or you will dilute your product too much. Raise temperature to the lowest setting that will allow a simmer.

Cover with a see-through lid which you will place upside down. Add about 6-7 ice cubes to the upside down lid in order to accelerate condensation. Continue to simmer until the color of the rose petals has completely faded and condensed water has seeped into the small ceramic bowl at the center of the saucepan. Uncover. Once the petals have faded, remove the ceramic bowl and pour the water collected there into a glass container. Voilà: this is you purest rose water. Chill and then bottle that magic into a small spray bottle and keep chilled in the fridge for a quick, hydrating mist.

Optional:

Strain the petals out and store the leftover water (should have color) into separate glass containers. Chill in the refrigerator to be used for cooking recipes. Ever tried rose-infused lemonade or macaroons? We think you should.