A SPA IN YOUR PARLOUR

EVERYONE LOVES a spot of pampering and there’s no place like a spa for that. Think soft cotton robes, deep relaxing massages plus the smell of seaweed and lavender wafting through the air. Yet, in today’s fast-paced world, it’s hard to find time for this luxurious pampering. So what’s the next best option? Try these at-home tips and you’re sure to feel revitalised in true spa style.

PUT A GLOW ON YOUR FACE

Whilst professional treatments are great, one can replicate their benefits at home with simple facemasks, which can literally be created from the ingredients in your kitchen cabinet. “I recommend exfoliating the skin once or twice a month for oily skin, and once to twice a week for normal skin, especially in today’s polluted environment, as this helps loosen debris in blocked pores,” says Colin Hall, spa director, Ananda Spa in the Himalayas. Try this simple home recipe to remove dead skin cells with ease and show off a glowing complexion: YOU NEED I Twothird cup of finely ground nuts or seeds (almonds are the most common choice. Try flax seeds if you have dry skin as it’s very lubricating), one-third cup oatmeal, brown rice flour or whole wheat flour, enough liquid (water, yoghurt, milk or aloevera gel) to make a paste. Yoghurt and milk contain natural exfoliants called alpha hydroxy acids, and they will slough off dead skin cells in their own right. As an option, add half to one tsp herbs (lavender, for example). YOU MUST I Combine the dry ingredients in a blender until they are reduced to a coarse mixture. Pour this into a glass jar with a screw top, and store in the freezer. When you want to use it, scoop out about one-fourth cup of the mixture and place it in a bowl. Stir in enough of the liquid to make a paste. Scoop up the paste with your hands or a washcloth, and rub over your face.

SMOOTHEN YOUR SKIN

The latest trend at some of the swankiest spas worldwide is the use of marine products in beauty therapies. Seaweed baths are considered therapeutic because of their very high mineral content. They are also called ‘iodine baths’ as the iodine content of one-third cup of seaweed is more than 2,000 times the recommended daily allowance. Besides, it also has a high calcium and magnesium content. “Marine algae or mineral-rich seaweed extracted from the ocean has a multitude of benefits – it detoxifies the skin and regenerates cell growth whilst providing moisture as well,” says Natalie Kuklina, spa specialist, Thalgo Marine Cosmetics, available in select salons in New Delhi and Bangalore. At home, one can soak in a luxurious marine algae bath with commercial available additives or even douse a generous capful of sea salt (another treasure from the sea) in warm water to alleviate fluid retention, stress and fatigue.

ADD SILK TO YOUR HAIR

Blow drying, highlighting, colouring, straightening, curling… chemical processes leave hair dull, dry and lifeless. Here is a fabulous kitchen cupboard formula with a luscious tropical scent that will soothe dry, brittle, damaged hair and make it silky and lustrous again…
YOU NEED I One ripe banana, one tbsp heavy cream, one tbsp honey
YOU MUST I Mash the banana. Add the cream and honey and whisk together until smooth. Apply to dry hair from the roots to the ends, cover with a shower cap, and then wrap your head in a warm towel. Allow the mixture to remain on hair for as long as possible – up to an hour at least. Rinse thoroughly with warm water, then shampoo as usual.

GIVE YOUR FEET SOME R&R

Feet can use a little rest and relaxation, especially when they are exposed to harsh elements all day. Soothe aches, remove odours, and soften rough skin with this foot soak made of Epsom salt. Add half a cup of Epsom salt to a large pan of warm water. Soak feet in this solution for as long as feels comfortable. Rinse and dry.
“Made of the mineral magnesium sulphate, Epsom salt has numerous benefits. When magnesium sulphate is absorbed from the water through the skin, it draws toxins from the body, reduces swelling, relaxes muscles and is a natural emollient and exfoliator,” says a therapist at Club Oasis Spa, Grand Hyatt, Mumbai.

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