Shelter-at-Home Self-Care: DIY Beauty Recipes from Anantara Spas

As we all continue to practice social distancing, it’s more important than ever to focus on whole-body wellness and practice self-care. Sometimes it’s the simple things, like the soothing scent of a fragrant bath, that help us make it through each day feeling our best.

At-Home Wellness Remedies & Beauty Treatments That Transport You Around the Globe

To perk up your stay-at-home routine, various beauty experts at Anantara Spas have shared their favorite skin, hair, lip and body boosters that can be crafted with products you’ll find in your pantry and refrigerator. We think you’ll feel refreshed in both body and soul after you’ve finished any of these at-home-pampering treatments.

Skin Care

These facial treatments each require just two ingredients, but the results will make you feel like you spent a day at the spa.

Tomato Face Mask

*Courtesy of Garcia Alcorta, Spa Manager, Anantara Villa Padierna Palace Benahavis Marbella Resort, Spain

Use this brightening mask to breathe life back into dull and lifeless skin and reduce the appearance of blemishes. Tomato helps brighten skin tone, cools and freshens skin, while honey has beneficial moisturizing properties.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 ripe Tomato

• 1 tbsp Honey

Directions:

• Blend tomato with honey until it becomes a paste.

• Gently apply paste to face avoiding eye area and leave on for 15 minutes.

• Wash off with cold water and pat skin dry with a clean towel.

Cooling Cucumber & Yogurt Face Mask

*Courtesy of Lucia McMallion, Director of Spa & Recreation, Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas, Thailand

The combination of cucumber and yogurt has a soothing effect on skin. The natural ingredients in cucumber moisturize, soften, smooth, and reduce puffiness, while yogurt is refreshing for tired skin. Use this mask at least three times a week for fresh-faced results.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cucumber (grated)

• 3 tbsp Plain Natural Yogurt

Directions:

• Whip up a quick mask by combining yogurt and grated cucumber.

• Apply to face and neck and leave on for 20 minutes.

• Wash off using cool water.

Parsley Eye De-Puffer

*Courtesy of Kanatcha Buntongkaew, Spa Manager, Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel, Thailand

A soothing and easy treat for the eyes, parsley has active properties that help to diminish dark circles under the eyes and reduce puffiness. The frozen ice cube rubbed under the eyes also works to reduce the puffiness.

Ingredients:

• Distilled Water

• Chopped Parsley

Directions:

• Fill an ice cube tray with fresh water and add a pinch of parsley to each cube. Place in the freezer. Rub frozen cubes gently under the eyes to get rid of under eye bags and fine lines around the eyes.

Coffee and Honey Face Scrub

*Courtesy of Galina Antoniuk, Anantara Spa Director & Wellness Guru, Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort

Don’t throw away your coffee after you’ve ground it for your morning brew. Coffee is rich in anti-aging properties and honey keeps your skin moisturized.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp Coffee Grounds

• 3 tbsp Honey

Directions:

• Take a spoonful of the powder and mix it with honey. The sticky cream- like texture makes for a good scrub as well as a face wash. 

• If you have dry skin, you can also add a few drops of coconut oil to the mix.

• If using as a scrub, keep on for 15 minutes before washing off.

Brown Sugar Lip Scrub

*Courtesy of Vina Teodoro, Spa Manager, Anantara Vilamoura Algarve Resort, Portugal

Lips are often overlooked and only tended to during cold, dry weather when they become cracked and chapped. A lip scrub is a great way exfoliate and buff away dry skin. Make sure to hydrate with a next-level moisturizer to keep those lips luscious!

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp Brown Sugar

• 1 tsp Lime Juice

• 2 tbsp Honey (one for the scrub, one for the moisturizer)

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil

Directions:

• For the scrub, blend brown sugar, lime and honey together with a spoon until the mixture is consistent. Add a drop of flavored extract (vanilla or mint are good) to the mix (optional).

• Use a toothbrush to apply the scrub to the lips. Spread the mix over the lips with light movements. Wash with warm water after 10 minutes.

• Next step is to create a simple softening lip moisturizer with honey and olive oil. Add the 2 ingredients in a bowl and mix until completely blended. Apply the mix directly to the lips using fingers like a lip balm after the lip scrub and allow the lips absorb the mixture.

Hair Care

Staying indoors with air conditioning running or central heating on full blast can play havoc with your hair just as much as your skin. Follow these home remedies to show your mane some TLC..

*All hair mask recipes are from Vina Teodoro, Spa Manager, Anantara Vilamoura Algarve Resort, Portugal

Frizz-Reducing Hair Mask

Avocados are a great source of vitamin E and good for treating dry hair, while olive oil strengthens hair, tames frizz and reduces breakage.

Ingredients:

• 1 Avocado

• 1/4 cup Olive Oil

• 1 Lemon (juiced)

Directions:

• Mix all with an eggbeater until well blended.

• Comb mixture through damp hair and let it set for 20 minutes.

• Rinse with lukewarm water.

Hydrating Hair Mask

Yogurt adds protein to hair, olive oil strengthens, honey adds shine and softens tresses, and lavender oil helps with dandruff.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Natural Yogurt

• 1/4 cup Olive Oil

• 1 tbsp Honey

• 15 drops Lavender Oil

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients with an eggbeater until well blended.

• Apply warm water to hair until it is totally damp.

• Apply the mask and leave in for 15-20 minutes.

• Rinse with lukewarm water.

Mask for Damaged Hair

Egg adds protein (the main component of hair), coconut oil conditions, and bananas promote hair growth.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Yogurt

• 2 Eggs

• 1/4 cup Coconut Oil

• 1 Banana

• 1 tbsp Honey

Directions:

• Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

• Apply on the hair and leave in for 15 minutes.

• Rinse out with lukewarm water.

Body Care

These body treatments will help skin glow and relax you from head-to-toe.

Coconut Body Scrub

*Courtesy of Bodina Qureshi, Spa Director, Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort

A full-body exfoliation is the perfect pampering treatment to combat dry and dull skin leaving a beautiful glow—and the best part is you do not have to leave the comfort of your home to achieve this! A combination of grated coconut, cinnamon and nutmeg with a sprinkle of salt make for a beautiful body scrub with the perfect texture and an incredible scent. 

If you have some coconut oil hiding in your cupboards add some for extra moisture, but a little water will also create the perfect consistency. Nutmeg has long been used in herbal medicine as a treatment to sustain and promote skin appearance. In Ayurvedic medicine it is used for its anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties decreasing the likelihood of infections and helping control sebum production. 

Cinnamon is a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties and is a great addition to any combination with its bold flavor and scent.

Luxurious Vanilla Bath Bombs

*Courtesy of Vina Teodoro, Spa Manager, Anantara Vilamoura Algarve Resort, Portugal

Ingredients:

• 8oz Baking Soda

• 4oz Citric Acid

• 4oz Cornstarch

• 4oz Epsom Salt

• 2 tbsp Coconut Oil

• 3/4 tbsp Water

• 2 tbsp Vanilla Extract

• Purple Dry Soap (any dry soap bar, shavings from the bar of soap should be used. Purple is suggested so the bath bomb has a bright distinctive color. White shavings can also be used)

Directions:

• Mix the baking soda, citric acid, cornstarch, and Epsom salt with an eggbeater.

• In a separate bowl, mix the coconut oil, water, vanilla extract, and purple soap shavings with an eggbeater.

• When the two mixers are ready, add the second one to the first mix slowly and always mixing with a spoon.

• Place the mix in cupcake molds.

• Chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

• Take a finished mold and add to your bath water for a soothing soak.

Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas from all corners of the world will also be sharing bite-size video content and healthy living recommendations across social media channels and via the Anantara Nomads Blog using the hashtag #AnantaraEscapism. For more information, visit anantara.com and follow them on Instagram: @anantara_hotels

[Images courtesy of Anantara Spas]

Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk