5 Spa

Spa-worthy luxury - from home!

In need of some pampering but short on time? We get it. As our to-do lists grow, self care tends to fall by the wayside. But you — and your skin — deserve a little me-time. The fix: DIY scrubs and beyond. Done as you shower, these simple, spa-inspired add-ins and treatments will leave you looking gorgeous by the time you step out. Keep reading to find the one that's right for you.

You already know the scent of lavender is delicious and soothing. When infused with steam from the shower, however, lavender's anti-inflammatory properties envelop skin to calm irritation and shrink dilated blood vessels, eliminating ruddiness. Talk about flower power! Added bonus: These tablets melt away in the shower, leaving you with virtually no cleanup.

To try: Mix ½ cup each of sunflower oil and cornstarch, 1 cup each of baking soda and citric acid, and ¼ cup of dried lavender; let set in a muffin tin. Place the "tablet" on the shower floor when ready to use.

Yogurt has lots of health benefits, from gut-healthy bacteria to hunger-killing protein. But did you know it can also improve your skin? Mix it with matcha for a powerful facial to make you glow. Why use it in the shower? The steam opens pores, allowing matcha's chlorophyll to absorb deeply and pull out skin-dulling impurities, while yogurt's lactic acid sloughs off dry skin cells on the surface.

To try: Mix 2 teaspoons of matcha powder, 1 tablespoon of warm water, and 2 tablespoons of yogurt. Apply to the face in the shower and let sit for 10 minutes and rinse.

Argan oil, which is derived from a tree native to Morocco, has several health and beauty benefits. It's rich in hair-strengthening nutrients, and applying warmed argan oil to hair, then stepping into a shower (the hot oil and the steam open hair's cuticle) helps the oil's fatty acids deeply penetrate strands to reverse damage and lock in much-needed moisture.

To try: Warm 1 ½ tablespoons of argan oil, like SheaMoisture 100% Argan Oil (Buy from Walmart, $15.52) in the microwave. Apply all over dry hair, then cover with a shower cap. Shower for 15 minutes, remove cap, and rinse.

Coconut oil and brown sugar sound like the components of a delicious dessert, but they’re also ingredients for a skin-saving scrub that smells sweet to boot. Compounds in brown sugar draw moisture into parched skin to alleviate dryness, while its granules gently exfoliate to whisk away dead layers of skin. And using with hydrating coconut oil ensures skin will remain baby-soft long after you finish showering.

To try: Combine ¼ cup of brown sugar and 3 tablespoons of coconut oil in a bowl and massage onto damp skin for 1 minute while showering; rinse.

Cucumbers and aloe make a powerful beauty team. Aside from being refreshing, cucumber is rich in vitamin E, which heals cracks while pulling moisture from shower steam into lips. And anti-inflammatory aloe soothes irritation.

To try: Mix 1 tablespoon each of pureed cucumber juice and aloe vera gel. Swipe onto lips in the shower.

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A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman's World.

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