Homemade Spa Treatments from the Kitchen

Whether you are a top-ranking CEO, an active stay-at-home-mom or somewhere in between, you work hard. When you are feeling exhausted and depleted, there is nothing like a spa treatment to leave you feeling refreshed, pampered and replenished. However, in this economy, many of us are reluctant to part with hard-earned money for a spa facial, pedicure or even a special at-home treatment. Fortunately, you need look no further than your very own kitchen for some affordable spa treatments your skin and hair will love.

If you are embarrassed by cracked, dry heels and split toenail cuticles, head for the kitchen cabinets. Open a can of crushed pineapple and pour it, juice and all, into a plastic bin (the shoebox variety or a dishpan from the dollar store will work great - just don't use it for food or dishes later!). Soak your tootsies in this homemade tropical spa treatment, massaging the pineapple pulp into heels, toes and anywhere else dry skin appears. An enzyme in the fruit will soften cracked and calloused skin. Soak for 10 minutes, rinse and dry. Follow up with rich lotion and cotton socks.

A homemade spa tip teens and moms will both appreciate is one that is in most every kitchen. Take one egg, break it and separate the white from the yolk. Lightly beat the yolk and then the white (separately). Apply the white to your face as a mask, avoiding the skin around the eyes. Apply the yolk to your hair, especially dry or damaged ends and place plastic wrap around the dampened hair. When the white has dried on the face, rinse both the face and the hair to remove all egg. Your hair will be healthier and shinier, and your skin will look firmer and smoother. The egg white also helps remove and prevent blemishes.

Head to the kitchen and mix one part sugar with one part olive or canola oil for a homemade spa treatment your skin will adore. This simple mixture creates a skin-sloughing, deep-moisturizing sugar scrub perfect for your legs, elbows and heels. Simply scrub dampened skin with the mixture and then rinse it away. The sugar exfoliates dead skin and the oil penetrates, leaving behind smooth, soft skin. You can also use salt if you don't have enough sugar, but be aware that salt will burn and irritate any cuts or scrapes.

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why shouldn't it be a homemade spa treatment entry, as well? Treat oily or combination skin with an item from your kitchen's cereal stash. Fill a small bowl with plain, old-fashioned oatmeal. Add just a tiny amount of water and stir. The oatmeal should be damp and pasty but nowhere near soupy. Wrap your hair up in a towel or back in a ponytail to keep it away from your face. Apply the oatmeal to your entire face. If you find it doesn't stick, add more water - about a teaspoon at a time - until it works as a mask. Grab two slices of cucumber, lay back and place the cukes over your eyes. While you relax, the vitamin C and caffeic acid in the fruit (yep, cucumbers are fruit) will reduce any puffiness and the oatmeal will soothe dry skin and remove excess oil from acne-prone areas. After the oatmeal dries, wipe away as much as you can into the garbage (it might clog your sink) and then rinse face with warm water followed by a couple of ice cold splashes to close pores.