DIY Spa Blog Post

Written by Claire Weltz
Originally Published April 27th, 2020

Quarantine is a great time to try new things. From cooking Korean food to teaching your dog to play dead, there are plenty of new activities and routines to get into - especially when it comes to beauty. The world of beauty is always coming up with new ideas and techniques - many of which can be done from the comfort of your home! We recently had a quarantine spa night and would love to pass on all of the DIY treatments we tried out! 

Step One: Bring the Steam

To prep our faces for step two, we steamed our faces. Steaming opens up your pores and helps masks be more effective. Read more about facial steaming here. To do this, boil water and pour it into a large bowl or a sink. If desired, add a few drops of essential oil - we used lavender for some extra relaxation.

Step Two: Mask On

First, we tried out the Brightening and Tightening Mask from The Kitchen McCabe. Egg white masks are all over our Pinterest feed, so we figured that it was time to give it a try. Eggs whites promote elasticity and reduce the size of pores. The recipe is as follows:

• 1 egg white
• 1/2 tablespoon raw honey
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until it’s foamy. (An egg beater works best, according to our hands-on research.) Use a clean makeup brush to apply the mixture to your face, avoiding the eye area. Heads up, it’s a little on the runny side. Leave on until the mask feels dry and tight, about 30 minutes, then wash off. If you have sensitive skin beware of the lemon juice as some people noted that it irritated their skin. We did not run into this problem, but we want our readers to be safe and informed. 

The second face mask we attempted targets different areas. Taken from 5 Super Skin DIY Recipes by Dr. Ava, this Refreshing Avocado Mask is full of antioxidants and oils that moisturize your skin. Because avocados contain biotin and monounsaturated fats, they help create your skin’s natural oil barrier and can eliminate dryness. Next time you’re thinking avocado toast for breakfast, save the other half for this mask! Here’s the recipe: 

• 1/2 avocado
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon yogurt
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Mix the ingredients in a bowl and apply for 10-15 minutes. Because the avocado can be lumpy, we suggest a food processor or blender to achieve a smoother texture. This recipe creates more than one mask, so it’s perfect for sharing at a sleepover. The original website did not say anything about storage, but we assume you can keep this in the fridge for a day or two. 

Think that masks are only for your face? Think again. Hair masks are all the rage and surprisingly easy to assemble with ingredients you already have in your pantry! Finish off your DIY spa night with a hair mask to achieve softer, smoother hair.  

We attempted two very different hair masks. The first was a clarifying mask that restores the pH balance to your hair and scalp. From Peek and Ponder, the first mask was concocted with: 

• 2 tbsp honey 
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 eggs 

As a heads up, this mixture is very loose and will be best applied over a sink or else it will make a mess. Next time, we will cut back on the apple cider vinegar to help with the texture. Pour, massage into the hair, put a showercap on, and let sit for 15-20 minutes. Then, rinse. Another caveat, lemon juice can slightly bleach the hair, so do not let it sit much longer than this. Despite these slight obstacles, our hair felt fresh, clean, and soft, so it was totally worth it! 

Our last Spa a la Kitchen recipe comes from Wild About Beauty. Instead of focusing on clarifying and restoring balance to your hair, this mask is designed to hydrate. The healthy oils from the avocado, aloe vera, and coconut oil lock in moisture and help hair stay hydrated. This mask includes: 

• 1 medium-sized ripe avocado
• 2 tablespoons of raw honey
• 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of coconut oil

Combine the ingredients in a bowl and mix. The aloe vera in the mixture promotes hair growth, so be sure to apply to the scalp. Once the combination is in your hair, put on a showercap and leave for 20 minutes. Rinse out and enjoy your soft and sleeker hair. This one was our favorite because it made our locks glossy and took away the frizz. 

These recipes are just to get you started, so feel free to play around with them depending on your needs. A helpful tip: try out the combination on a patch of skin before applying to your face. Consult your doctor if you have any concerns about using any of these ingredients on your skin. We hope that you enjoyed your DIY spa, all from the comfort of your home.