Confessions of a Social Climber

There’s nothing like hitting up a spa when you’ve just done some phenomenal feat at work, closed that deal, took care of nephews for a weekend, etc. The feeling of rewarding yourself for a job well done should be part of everyone’s lifestyle — you could hit up Bora Bora, Stevenswood or even Red Mountain.

But sometimes, (most times, really) tearing yourself away from reality is impossible, be it a job you can’t leave, a family member you have to take care of, or quite simply savings that you can’t touch.

Have no fear though, here are a couple of kitchen spa treatments that I’m sure most of us can indulge in, even at home, budget or not.

Milk and Honey Facial Scrub

This is a very simple facial scrub that will moisturize your face. (Though if you’re making this, or any of the other treatments, make sure to inform the family, they might eat the leftovers, thinking that you’re cooking up some kind of flan.)

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons of non-fat powdered milk
• 1 tablespoon of honey

Dump the powdered milk into a clean bowl and pour in the honey, mix it well to form a nice thick paste.

Wet your face with some warm water and scoop up some of the paste, scrub for 15-30 seconds, then rinse off with warm water. Pat your face dry with a clean towel. Doesn’t that feel nice?

Apple Cucumber Facial Mask

This is an easy to make face mask using ingredients you can find in the fridge.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cucumber, peeled
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon apple mint leaves
• 1 drop lime essential oil

Combine the cucumber, egg white, lemon/lime juice and apple mint in a blender. Blend it using the lowest (or medium) setting until it becomes smooth. Add the essential oil and mix well. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.

Rinse your face well, then apply a layer of the mixture to your face and the neck area. Leave it on for 20 minutes. Rinse well with warm water. The citrus juices act like astringent, and is good for oily skin. Isn’t that refreshing?

Cinnamon Hand Soak

This concoction will leave your hands silky smooth after use, and because of the cinnamon, it’ll smell yummy as well!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of water
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil
• A pinch of cinnamon

Mix all the ingredients in a microwaveable bowl that has enough room to fit both hands. Throw the mix in the microwave for 20 seconds, or until it feels warm enough but not piping hot!

Soak your hands in the mix for 10 minutes. After soaking, rinse your hands with lukewarm water, then pat it dry. Apply your favorite moisturizer to top off the soak.

Sugar Foot Spa

This will make your feet feel silky smooth that you’d swear you were wearing socks, even if you weren’t!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of your favorite moisturizing lotion
• 2 cups of milk
• 7 cups of water

In a large saucepan, heat the milk and water to a heat you can stand. While heating, mix the sugar and lotion until all the sugar is coated in lotion. When the milk/water’s on a heat you could tolerate, put it in a bowl big enough to fit both feet, then soak for about 10 minutes. After soaking, use your fingers to scoop some of the sugar/lotion mix and scrub the top, bottom and between-the-toes part of your feet. Stop when you feel like you’ve exfoliated enough, then wipe your feet off the excess sugar.

For added softness, (and maintenance) rub your feet with some moisturizing lotion and put those little piggies in socks ‘til you feel like showing ‘em off.