1. I condition my hair: I own no deep conditioner, but for vaguely the same effect you can wet your hair under the tap and then massage a good handful of your favourite conditioner into your hair tips (Try to avoid the scalp if you have oily hair, as it will make the problem worse) You will wash this conditioner out after you have completed all the other steps.
2. I exfoliate: It is important to exfoliate before and after you epilate to avoid ingrown hairs. You can use your own exfoliating scrub, or you can make your own by using 5 tablespoons of sea salt, 2 table spoons of granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda and 10 tablespoons of olive oil. This is my own recipe that I adapted to work best with my body, of course you may need to find your own recipe because everybody's skin is different. Make sure to only use half of the mix, as you need more for later.
3. I epilate: epilation is a hair removal technique that is less painful than waxing but does the same job (by pulling out your hairs at the root) A good epilator can cost upwards of £30, with some more up-market ones costing £100 or so. It is a long term investment, but incredibly worthwhile, because your hairs regrow slower and thinner than they would if you had shaved. To see more about epilation watch the video below, and remember to make sure all the exfoliating scrub is gone before you epilate, because most epilators can't cope with much moisture of any type.
4. I exfoliate again: I rub the remaining exfoliating scrub into my arms and legs and then wash it off using a wet sponge and some moisturising shower gel. I then towel off my legs.
5. I moisturise: I use my favourite moisturiser or body butter on the parts of my body I have epilated. It helps to calm the pain and stop irritation. In summer, if you use a tinted moisturiser it adds a lovely golden glow to your body.
6. I use a face mask: I make my own face mask using a tablespoon of plain yoghurt, 1 teaspoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of turmeric. Before I apply this to my face, I boil the kettle and brew a cup of green tea using two tea bags. Once the tea is brewed I take out the bags and leave the tea to cool while I lather the face mask over myself. Be careful to leave a lot of space around the eyes, because they can be very sensitive. Once the face mask is on, place the tea bags on your eyes and drink the green tea. Green tea is full of antioxidants, so it's very good for you. Leave the tea bags and face mask on for 5-10 minutes and then wash it off using a towel with warm water.
7. I use teeth whitening: I don't own any whitening solution, and of course a proper mixture would work better, but if you haven't got the time or money to buy any of that stuff I have a recipe you can use: just mix 1/4 - 1/2 of a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda with your mouthwash and run your tongue along your teeth to make sure you spread the mix all around your mouth. Then rub a tiny amount of bicarbonate of soda into your toothbrush and put a small blob of toothpaste on to then brush thoroughly. It is a good habit not to wash your mouth out after brushing, because the chemicals in the toothpaste continue to work after you have brushed, and if you wash out those chemicals go away.
8. I scrub my lips: To make a lip scrub you can either take 1/4 a teaspoon of vaseline and mix it with sugar or you can mix a few drops of olive oil with 1/2 a teaspoon of sugar. Massage this onto your lips and then leave it there for a few minutes to sink in (IT CAN BE SO TEMPTING TO LICK IT OFF, but you have to resist the urge! If it helps you not to lick it off, use salt instead of sugar)
9. I moisturise my lips: I use my favourite lip balm and apply a fairly thick layer to my lips just to make them as moisturised as possible.
10. I wash my hair: I usually just wash my hair under the tap to wash out the conditioner I put in on step 1. This is because I don't want to completely wash off all the natural oils that I have put on my body, I want them to sink in over-night to make my skin as lovely as possible. Find a high chair (High enough so that you can lean back from it and your hair will be in the basin) and then massage your scalp and tips to wash the conditioner out.
Tips!
-GO NATURAL: If you would usually wear a lot of makeup (especially full face makeup like foundation) then it can lock in moisture and oil, making your skin more acne prone and oily. On Spa Saturday, treat your face to a bit of time out in the fresh air, don't apply any makeup and your skin will really thank you.
-NO HEAT: You will find that straightening/curling your hair causes a lot of damage. For Spa Saturday, leave your hair in its natural state to let the conditioner do its work. Your hair will feel much more soft! Also, avoid hairdryers, because they too can dry out your hair and make it very frizzy. This is especially important if you have curly hair.
-DON'T SLEEP WITH WET HAIR: It can cause irreversible damage, especially if you toss and turn! If you are very pressed for time in the evening and you have no time to let your hair dry you can put it in two plaits and sleep with it like that. It still isn't wonderful for your hair, but it minimises the damage. When you wake up and undo the plaits it is likely your hair will still be slightly wet. Let it dry naturally if at all possible.]
-UNDER EYE BAGS? If you usually have problems with under eye bags, I have a solution! Before you go to sleep apply a layer of vaseline to your under eyes. You may think that it would cause oily skin to become problematic, but in fact almost eradicates eye bags and does nothing else bad! I wouldn't advise doing this every night, but for 2 or 3 times a week you can enjoy being bag-free. If you have no vaseline, I have found that a layer of nice lip balm will do.
Thanks for reading and please be sure to try this at home. Your body will really thank you, especially with all the home-remedies giving yourself a natural and well needed rejuvenation. This is my preferred routine, but of course feel free to alter recipes and add/miss out steps.
Enjoy x
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