Women – and men – have been relying on professionals for centuries to help keep them looking good. A trip to the salon is relaxing and guests leave feeling fresh and beautiful. But as the economy gets worse and worse, spa treatments become too expensive. How can one continue the relaxing luxury of spa treatments and not plunge into debt?
Do-It-Yourself Spa TreatmentsBelieve it or not, a relaxing treatment can happen at home! Here are some easy at-home beauty routines that can help maintain that glow.
The At-Home Pedicure
The average spa pedicure costs $25 to $75 dollars. Here is an easy pedicure that can be done at home.
- Begin by soaking feet in a large container of warm water with 1/2 cup of Epsom Salts ($2.99), which softens skin and relieves aching feet. Soak for as long as desired and then pat dry with towel.
- Using a pumice stone (available at your local drugstore for as little as $3.99), gently and carefully rub away dead and rough skin.
- Trim and file tonenails to desired length and shape.
- Use a heavy moisturizer made specifically for feet, like Burt's Bees Peppermint Foot Lotion ($8.99).
- Paint nails desired color.
Do this once a week but moisturize feet daily to keep them soft and pretty.
Make Your Own Face Mask
Having a facial at a spa is a wonderful experience. But simply doing a face mask once a week can help to keep skin smooth and soft. Do not apply any mask unless skin is clean and dry. Remove each mask with warm water. For dry skin, combine 1 tbsp of plain yogurt with 2 tbsp of honey. Mix together and let it sit on skin for 15 minutes. For oily skin, a mask made of Milk of Magnesia works wonders! Simply massage into skin and let it dry. For normal or combinaton skin, mix 1/2 cup of cooked oatmeal with a tsp of olive oil and 1 egg. Mix together and until smooth and spread on face.
At-Home Hair Removal
Salon waxing can cost $25 to $95 per visit! However, at can be done at home for a lot less. Sally Hansen Hair Remover Wax Strip Kit ($6.99) comes with 30 pre-made wax strips that are easy to use. Before using any home waxing kit, make sure to follow ALL instructions carefully to avoid burns, skin abrasions or an allergic reaction.
Bargain Spa TreatmentsIf one simply must go to the spa, there are options for cheaper treatments that are still good quality.
Check your local listings to see if there is a cosmetology school in your area. The Aveda Institute offers services in 46 U.S. cities, as well as Canada and Australia. Advanced cosmetology students offer services at greatly reduced prices; however, the guest must be prepared for the appointment to take longer than it would at a regular salon. Work may need to be checked by an instructor and the guest may need to spend extra time explaining what they need.
Siging up to be a volunteer hair model at your local salon can lead to a free haircut and style! Hair models must agree to have their hair cut and styled to the specifics of the class or hair show and usually must sign a waiver before the service. Also, some hair salons offer guests with long hair a free cut and style if they donate their hair to Locks of Love, an organization that makes hair pieces for children who are living with medical conditions or treatments that cause hair loss, such as chemotherapy.
Dresden Quinn Jones - I currently design, write and edit training programs at a corporate level, which doesn't leave a ton of room for creativity :) I come from ...
