The holiday season is nothing short of hectic, and although we mamas would love (and need) nothing more than to jet off to the spa and get a facial, we usually just don’t have the time. Fortunately, there are some common kitchen ingredients that can be used to give yourself 5 minute in-home spa treatments to keep your skin and hair looking Yummy Mummy-worthy… until you get baby food in it, that is.
Natural Deep Conditioning Treatment
This natural deep hair conditioning treatment will leave your hair feeling luscious. The fats from both the avocado and the heavy cream are rich in emollients that quickly penetrate the hair, and the honey balances your scalp’s moisture in addition to acting as a natural antibacterial agent. Don’t have cream? According to InStyle, mixing avocado and egg whites into a hair mask is quite popular in Colombia!
1 avocado, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon honey
Directions: Mix ingredients in a blender. Comb mixture through freshly washed hair. Wrap head in plastic (a grocery bag will do), and cover with a towel. Let sit for 15 minutes, and rinse well.
Natural Scrub for Dry Skin
As a mom, we know you love coffee for its awakening properties – but did you know it’s also a powerful antioxidant? This recipe from WebMD mixes it with sugar to create one of the best body scrubs you’ll ever try.
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup freshly used coffee grounds
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions: Combine olive oil and vanilla extract. In a separate container, mix coffee grounds with sugar. Add the mixtures together and blend into thick paste. Before applying, let skin soften in the shower for 5-10 minutes. Apply in circular motions, avoiding your face, broken skin or any other sensitive areas.
Natural Acne Mask
We already know baking soda has a myriad of uses – but did you know it is also an amazing skin treatment that can help clear blackheads, soften skin and remove redness from acne?
Directions: Mix 2 parts baking soda with 1 part water and work into a paste. Allow your skin to steam for a few minutes, then spread evenly over skin and leave on for 10 minutes. Once dry, you may either wash off immediately or soften with water and use as a facial scrub before washing off.
At-Home Shine Treatment
Bet you didn’t know the secret to glossy hair is tea! It lowers the pH of hair and helps to close the cuticle for extra shine, softness, and manageability – it can even help reduce brassiness!
2 tea bags (black tea for dark hair, rooibos tea for redheads and chamomile for blondes)
2 cups water
Directions: Steep tea bags in boiling water for 10 minutes, or until it reaches room temperature. Pour the tea over wet, freshly washed hair, working it into your hair the way you would shampoo. Leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse and condition as normal.
At-Home Foot Treatment
Fix your feet right up by exfoliating and softening them with two very common household ingredients! Banana softens skin and cornmeal is a natural scrub with anti-fungal properties. You’ll be heel ready in a jiff.
2 tablespoons mashed banana
4 tablespoons cornmeal
Directions: Mix cornmeal and banana together until it has the consistency of wet sand. Massage all over feet, focusing on callouses, then rinse.
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Do you have a favorite at-home beauty treatment you love to use? Share with us in the comments below!