I was invited to London this week by Smart Shoppers to a workshop all about making your own spa treatments. Not only are these treatments free of all nasty’s, they are much less expensive that buying them. Plus it is so much fun to make them and they are perfect to gift.
We made Homemade ginger and lime sugar scrub (I have blogged this on A Thrifty Mum), lavender and oat bath soaks and also face masks.
These bath soaks or sachets have excellent relaxing properties due to the lavender. Lavender is one of the most powerful remedies in the plant world, offering both physical and emotional relief for problems as varied as burns, migraines, insomnia, insect bites, skin problems, infections, stress and nervous tension. It is a remedy for aching muscles, acne, bugs and bacteria, burns, cuts and wounds, earache, eczema, fatigue, fevers, giddy spells, headache, insomnia, moths and mosquitoes, stress and anxiety and sunburn.
Oats are a well known an anti-inflammatory ingredient and have good moisturising and humectant properties. They are a natural antioxidant. Oats are helpful in relieving irritation and redness caused by exposure to harsh weather or certain skin conditions and skin itching, particularly psoriasis and eczema. Oat are perfect for people with sensitive skin.
Ingredients
- Dried lavender
- rolled oats
- Small organza bags or fabric and ribbon
Method
Take equal amounts of rolled oats and lavender and place them in to the organza bag.
Alternatively, you could take some fabric and cut in to a circle with pinking scissors and add the lavender and oats to the center of the bag and gather together and secure with a piece of ribbon.
Variations
Try adding powdered goats milk (available from health food stores) goats milk absorbs easily into the skin, bringing with it moisture, restorative proteins and minerals. Goats milk also contains pH-reducing caprylic acid. A low pH helps maintain the slightly acidic mantle that healthy skin generates to prevent bacterial invasion. Excellent for sensitive skin. It can be used successfully by people with psoriasis, eczema and other skin disorders. Milk is one of nature’s oldest and best-known skin softeners. Goats milk differs from cows milk in the molecular structure of the naturally occurring proteins and triglycerides. These shorter strands are easily absorbed by the skin, resulting in a natural moisturizing effect.
You could also try grinding up the rolled oats to make a powder.
Rather than actually give a ready made face mask I would give people a pot of the special clay’s that we came away with along with an ingredient card, so they could make up a variety of masks themselves from store cupboard ingredients.
Red Clay – A natural source of minerals, red clay contains the natural resources that will make your skin softer and help reveal all its radiance and glow. The secret? Its high content in iron oxides that brighten the skin and illuminate it with a deliciously velvet smooth and natural glow.
White Clay or Bentonite – Totally neutral, white clay respects all skin types, even the most sensitive, while ensuring their beauty and softness. And thanks to its incredible brightening and decongestioning power, it helps instantly reveal the skin’s radiance while providing deep-down replenishment.
Rhassoul or green clay – naurally rich in minerals, green clay is wonderful for all skin types, and particularly for oily skin. Used regularly, it delivers a powerful rebalancing effect, absorbing excess sebum, gently cleansing, stimulating the skin’s natural defense mechanism and restoring new tone in the face.
We have a small jar filled with equal quantities of the clay ready to make a mask as and when needed.
Ingredient Properties:
Banana – Nousring and contain magnesiuim, potasium, iron and zinc. They help soon and rehydrate the skin
Honey – Skin softening and anticeptic properties.
Cream – Norishing, softening and soothing to the skin. It contains Lecitin, which attracts water and acts as a mousturiser.
Strawberries and other fruit – Gentle fruit acids which have a peeling action.
Yogurt – Clarifying and exfoliating due to lactic acid, especially cooling for inflamed or irritated skin.
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