6 Fabulous & Simple Summer DIY Beauty Treatments July 24th, 2012
There’s nothing more relaxing than a day at the spa, especially during summertime when our skin and bodies take a hefty beating from the elements. Between sunburns, sweat, and steamy weather, who wouldn’t want to spend an hour or two cooling down and getting pampered? Unfortunately, however, trips to the spa aren’t always affordable or accessible for us college girls.
That fancy schmancy facial may sound enticing, but you don’t need to break the bank to treat yourself! Check out these easy, all-natural DIY beauty treatments that you can do at home for little to no money.
Disclaimer: As always, we recommend doing a patch test on an inconspicuous area before applying anything new to your skin or hair! This is important to ensure that you won’t have a reaction to the ingredients.
Citrus Salt Scrub
As we all know, sunless tanning is incredibly popular in summer, and if you’re going to do it, you should do it right! Exfoliating before you slather on that faux-tan lotion is always a must in order to avoid streaks and an uneven tan. So whether you’re gearing up to try a self-tanner or just want silky smooth skin, try this citrus salt scrub:
Start off by mixing 1 cup of sea salt and 1/4 cup of olive oil or coconut oil. Then, add 1/2 tsp of lemon juice and mix well. Be sure to store in an airtight container!
Oatmeal Cleanser for All Skin Types
Oatmeal and yogurt have major soothing properties and are both super gentle on the skin. Try out this oatmeal cleanser in place of your regular cleanser when you have sunburn or just want soft, rejuvenated skin:
In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp of plain oatmeal with 1 tbsp of plain yogurt. Feel free to add a few drops of honey or your favorite essential oil to the mix. (I love lavender oil!) Mix all the ingredients together and apply to your face in a circular motion, like you would your normal cleanser, and rinse off with warm water.
Avocado Mask for Dry Skin
Making sure to drink lots of water is crucial to staying healthy and hydrated, but you can do your face an extra favor by using this moisturizing avocado mask.
First, mash 1/2 of a ripe avocado and combine with 1/4 cup of honey. Mix well and apply mask to a clean face. Let sit for 10 minutes. For an extra boost, add 1 egg to the mix. The protein in it helps rebuild natural collagen to keep your skin youthful and supple.
Strawberry Mask for Acne-Prone Skin
While acne is never fun to deal with, it can be especially difficult in the summer when our skin is producing more oil than usual. It also doesn’t help that summer beauty is centered around a fresh, almost makeup-free look. But no fear — this strawberry mask is great for fighting breakouts and soothing your skin.
Take 1/4 cup of fresh strawberries and mash them together with 1/4 cup of plain yogurt. Spread on your face and wash after 10 minutes. Strawberries are a natural source of salicylic acid, a common acne treatment, and yogurt is great for calming irritated skin.
Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse
With all the swimming and sunbathing happening in the summer, it’s no surprise that icky stuff like oil, dead skin cells, and product build up can settle on our scalps, making hair greasy and dull.
If you can’t afford a pricey clarifying shampoo or hair treatment, apply apple cider vinegar after your regular shampoo to restore shine and clear away buildup. (We’ve talked about the benefits of apple cider vinegar before, so check out that article for even more uses for the rest of the bottle!)
Rose Water Foot Bath
Open toe and backless shoe season is in full swing, making dry, cracked feet extremely undesirable. Help exfoliate, refresh, and soothe your feet with this rose water foot bath.
Get a large bowl or small tub and combine, but don’t mix, 1/2 cup of sea salt and 2 tbsp of rose water. Then, cut up 3 stems of mint and mash into the other ingredients. Add 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and mix well. Once everything is mixed, fill up your bowl or tub with warm water and soak feet for 20-30 minutes.
Even More At-Home Beauty Recipes
Tried these and want some more? You’re in luck! Here at CF, we love DIY beauty and have amassed tons of tutorials you’ll want to check out. Here are a few more posts with tons more beauty recipe ideas:
- Dorm Room Spa: 3 Easy DIY Beauty Recipes to Try
- 11 DIY Beauty Recipes for Summer
- 3 Multi-Use Beauty Ingredients That Won’t Break the Bank
- 4 Autumn-Inspired DIY Beauty Treatments
What do you think?
Do you want to try any of these DIY beauty treatments? Have you ever had a spa night at home and what treatments did you do? How do you pamper yourself? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 24th, 2012 at 6:00 pm and is filed under College Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.