By Mikayla Mlynarczyk
Whether you’re on a budget, or enjoy making your own stuff, below are some great DIY facial masks and detox drinks perfect for those much-need ‘feel good’ study breaks every girl needs. No one really wants to spend a fortune on store-bought, pre-made body scrubs like the famous ‘frank’ brand or ‘lush’ when you can make just as good DIY products, right!?
CAUTION! Before you use these masks, it is always a good idea to test a small amount of your home-made mask on your skin to make sure you don’t react to any of the ingredients (inside of your wrist is a good testing spot).
De-stress maskThis DIY mask works best for calming and smoothing skin that is stressed-out and sensitive (and it smells great).
How do you do it?Nutmeg, honey and cinnamon! These ingredients act as natural anti-inflammatories, perfect for skin that’s prone to redness and swelling. This DIY mask also reduces acne scars and infection.
To create the mask:– Get a small bowl and a whisk or spoon (for mixing)- 2 tablespoons of honey (this will also help with the thickness and constancy of the mask)- 1 table spoon of cinnamon (this will act as a natural exfoliate)- 2 teaspoons of nutmeg- Mix all ingredients together— this should turn into a thick brown coloured paste.
After mixing, use finger tips to apply all over your face and parts of your neck. You will want to let this mask set for 20-30 minutes. When time is up, wash off in circular motions for exfoliation with warm water and a washcloth. If you want to save the extra contents for your mask, find a tightly sealed plastic or glass jar/ container, label it and place it in the fridge.
DIY Body Coffee Body Scrub:As crazy busy students, most of us are always running on that caffeine rush, especially during exams. Who were to think our favourite cram exam go-to; caffeine, would also work wonders on our skin?This DIY mask works best as a body mask more than a face mask—for those with really sensitive skin like myself, I would avoid using this as a face mask.
To create the body scrub/mask:
- ½ cup ground coffee
- 1/2 cup ground coffee
- ¼ cup coconut oil or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Again, mix this all together into a bowl until all ingredients are well blended. With this DIY body mask, you will want to place this in an air-tight container of some kind for continuous use in the shower!
Benefits to this amazing body mask:With all of these natural ingredients, the coffee grinds and cinnamon will act as an exfoliator, help take away dry skin and reveal a natural and beautiful moisturized glow from the coconut oil.
For dull-dried out hair that needs some shine, try:– Coffee- Hot water
Directions:Prepare coffee and add a bit of hot water—let this all cool until luke warm. You will want to pour this mixture into your hair in the shower or tub and then wrap hair with a plastic cap. Leave this on for approximately 20 minutes and then wash out with warm water.
Feel-good and cleansed detox waterBesides caffeine, do you want something to kick-start your day and give you that feel-good cleansed feeling?
Try:– 2L water- 1 Medium cucumber (dice as many as seem suitable)- 1 Lemon (dice into thin lemon slices—you can use half or the full lemon)- 10-12 mint leaves (this will give a cleansing wake-me-up taste)You will want to put this all in a glass container and let it ‘steep’ overnight in your fridge to keep fresh and cold.Not only is this a great detox, but it also works well for clearing skin!I personally love this drink in the morning before my classes, a workout or an exam—it gives me a great boost to help me get through the day, feel heathy and energized.