DIY spa treatments at home

From body scrubs to hair spas and facials, you can do it all at home with handy kitchen ingredients. A look at some of our favourites...

1
Coffee-Yoghurt moisturising body scrub
Coffee is an excellent scrub with natural properties to rid yourself of cellulite and inflammation. Grind your coffee beans finely, and then stir one cup of yoghurt into one cup of coffee powder. Scrub all over your body and rinse. If you have drier skin and want to avoid yoghurt, mix in with coconut oil instead – although this tends to be a little messier!

Cheat sheet:
Skin Yoga’s Coffee Body Scrub
Rs.850 for 100gms

2
Banana and Olive Oil Hair Mask
Take a ripe, mashed banana, one egg and a tablespoon of olive oil. Blend well until it forms a thick creamy paste. Apply the mixture for about 15 minutes and put on a shower cap on. Shampoo and rinse well. Use at least once a week. Bananas soothe damaged and distressed hair as they are rich in tryptophan, which aids strengthening, while the olive oil and egg cure dryness.

Cheat sheet:
The Body Shop’s Banana Banane Conditioner
Rs.795 for 250ml

3
Multani Mitti Face Pack
Multani Mitti or Fuller’s Earth, has soothing properties, and helps rid your skin of acne, open pores and redness, naturally. It evens out your skin tone and rids your complexion of blemishes. Blend a fistful of Multani Mitti with 2 tbsp water, the juice of a lemon, a pinch turmeric and 2 strands of saffron. Apply this paste to your face and neck, and keep until it dries fully. Rinse and pat dry.

Cheat sheet:
Banjara’s 15-Minute Face Pack with Multani Mitti and Saffron
Rs.100 for 100g

4
Mixed Nuts with Aloe Vera Facial Scrub
Take two walnut, two macadamia nuts, two almonds, and grind finely. Add to about 50ml pure aloe vera gel, and stir until the nuts are completely mixed in the gel. Apply on the face and scrub gently in clockwise, and then anti-clockwise movements. The nuts cleanse the skin of impurities and increase blood circulation, adding a glow. Aloe vera gel moisturises, rejuvenates and is an excellent antioxidant.

Cheat sheet:
Forest Essentials’ Revitalising Gel Scrub: Kashmiri Walnut
Rs.995 for 50g

5
Milk and Honey Body Moisturiser
To one glass of milk, add two teaspoons honey, the juice of two strawberries and a teaspoon of mayonnaise. Stir in well. Apply to your body and leave in for about 10 minutes. Shower off. Milk has natural moisturising and cooling properties, while honey heals tiredness and body blemishes, strawberries remove tan and the mayonnaise adds that extra hydration.

Cheat sheet:
Oriflame Milk and Honey Gold Nourishing Hand & Body Cream
Rs.529 for 250ml