Another Valentine’s Day has come and gone but the feeling of “being loved” still remains in my heart. It is such a wonderful feeling to know that you are loved, but it is an even better feeling to know that you love “yourself.” Loving yourself, in my opinion, means to give your body what it needs, inside and out, so you feel happy, healthy, and energized every day. One of the ways to do this is to incorporate some no-guilt free time for yourself in this hectic world we call life.
One of my resolutions for 2014 was to free up some space on my busy calendar do to something for myself at least once a week. For some people, this might be a no brainer, but for me, this is almost impossible. I don’t know why but for some reason my life seems to get busier as I get older. This could be a good thing as long as I make sure I take care of myself along the way.
One of the things I LOVE to do is go to the spa. I don’t go often, but I will say that when I get a facial or a massage, I can feel layers of stress leaving my body as relaxation takes over! It’s just amazing! Since spa treatments can get a little costly at times, I found some at home spa treatments that do the job just as well.
- One of my favorites face masks to make actually repairs, moisturizes, and exfoliates the skin all at once. All you need is ten blueberries and one tablespoon of plain yogurt. Mash up the blueberries in the yogurt and spread evenly on your face. About fifteen minutes later, rinse off with warm water. Blueberries contain vitamins C and E which repairs and moisturizes the skin, and the yogurt contains lactic acid which helps exfoliate the skin.
- If you prefer chocolate over fruit, you might want to try this face mask instead. Blend one-third cup cocoa, three tablespoons heavy cream, one-quarter cup honey, three tablespoons oatmeal powder, and two teaspoons cottage cheese together. Spread it evenly on your face. After fifteen minutes, rinse off with warm water. This mask is perfect for normal skin. The honey and cream help moisturize the skin, the oatmeal gets rid of dead skin, and the chocolate makes you smell yummy!
- To help make your rough, cracked, dry skin on the soles of your feet look smooth and young, all you need is one tablespoon of a mashed up banana and two tablespoons of cornmeal. Mix these two ingredients together until they feel almost like damp sand. Massage all over your feet and toes for about one minute and rinse off. The banana helps soften your skin and the cornmeal works as an exfoliator and an anti-fungal.
- For a great pick-me-up in the morning, instead of drinking your coffee, why not shower with it! Mix together two cups ground coffee, one-half cup raw sugar or sea salt, and two or three tablespoons of jojoba, sunflower OR apricot kernel oil. In the shower, rub the scrub onto your skin using wide, circular motions. Rinse off and pat dry. The raw sugar, sea salt and coffee help remove dead skin cells while the oil moisturizes your skin.
- My hands get so dry and chapped during the cold winter months, which is why I love to treat them with a sugar scrub hand wrap. Take one-half cup of olive oil and mix it with one-half cup of sugar until it forma a paste. Spread it evenly on your hands and rinse off with warm water. Next, warm up one-quarter cup of honey in a microwave. Be careful not to get the honey too hot. Spread the honey onto your hands. Wrap your hands in plastic wrap for about one half hour. Rinse off with warm water after. Your hands will feel so smooth after!
Treating yourself to spa treatments doesn’t have to be left for special occasions. You work hard. You deserve to be treated good all year round. Adding a few home spa treatments to your busy schedule will help you feel relaxed and rejuvenated so you are able to accomplish everything your busy calendar has in store for you!
