5 Ways to Treat Yourself This Spring Break

It’s Spring Break! The time to relax, sip a drink, hang with friends before the realization that there are only a few weeks of the Spring Semester left meaning that finals are just around the corner. But no worries you still have time to enjoy your mini vacay. Whether you are out and about in the state, country, or the world here are 5 things you can do to give yourself just that little bit of royalty treatment you deserve.

Mani Pedi

Hey, you’re relaxing and should be feeling and looking your best, that includes those fingers that have typing and writing non-stop, they deserve a pamper too.

Materials

• Nail polish (color and base/top coat)

• Nail polish remover

• Cotton balls

• cuticle pusher/nail cleaner

• cuticle nippers

• Nail clippers

• Nail file

• Buffer

• Exfoliating scrub

• Moisturizer

• Pumice stone

1. Soak your nails in a warm bowl of soapy water to soften your cuticles.

2. Clean your nails with nail polish remover using a cotton ball. Push back cuticles with your cuticle pusher and trim hangnails using your cuticle nipper. (Do not cut your cuticles!)

3. Clip your nails evenly to your desired length and then file your nails using an emery board to smooth and shape rough edges. Buff your nails to smooth and polish the surface.

4. Exfoliate your hands and feet using a scrub to remove dead skin. For your feet you can use a pumice stone to scrub callouses or rough patches.

5. Moisturize with lotion.

6. Prep your nails with rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover to remove excess oils.

7. Apply a base coat to each of your nails.

8. Apply polish in three strokes: one stroke down the center of your nail, then along the sides. Let first coat dry, then apply a second coat of polish.

9. Finish with a clear top coat to seal polish and allow your nails to dry completely. (If you have any nail polish on the skin around your nails, allow it to dry and you can remove it easily in the shower or with a cotton swab and nail polish remover.)

Face Mask

There are many types of face masks meant to target certain aspects in this case because we’re trying to relax I suggest the Calming Honey Mask, you’ll thank me later.

Materials

• 2 tablespoons of pure honey

• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (Cinnamon is known to reduce inflammation and redness and bonus it sops up excess oil when applied topically)

• 1 wedge of fresh lemon (Lemon acid helps exfoliate your skin and minimizes the appearance of dark spots.)

1. Warm the honey in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.

2. Combine the honey with the cinnamon and the juice of a lemon wedge into a small bowl.

3. Gently massage the mixture onto your face and leave on for about 15-20 minutes, then rinse off.

Hair Mask

Get your hair to feel smooth and shine, because c’mon, our hair is important it just adds to your fabulousness.

Materials

• 1/2 cup honey

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 whole avocado

• Shower Cap or plastic bag

1. Mix honey, olive oil and egg yolk in a bowl.

2. Brush your hair out and start putting the mix in your hair, as if you’re shampooing with the hair mask mix.

3. Put your hair in a bun, and tuck under the shower cap or plastic bag and leave 15-20 minutes.

4. Wash your hair afterward with shampoo don’t use conditioner at all.

5. Brush, leave to dry and feel the smoothness afterward.

Food

Simple and healthy fast meals you can make for breakfast, lunch, dinner and yes snack time too.

Breakfast: Blue Corn Breakfast Tacos

Ingridients

• 1 teaspoon butter

• 3 eggs + 3 egg whites

• 1 teaspoon milk

• 1 avocado halved, pitted, peeled, smashed

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

• 4 oz. thinly sliced smoked salmon

• 4 blue corn tortillas

• 1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped

• sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Place avocado in a medium bowl and mash with a fork, add lemon juice and stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat eggs and milk.

3. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add egg mixture and cook, stirring occasionally until large curds begin to form.

4. Once the eggs look barely set, remove from heat immediately. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Warm your tortillas in the microwave or over a gas stove on low heat so the edges become slightly golden brown and crispy.

6. Spread mashed avocado over each blue corn tortilla. Spoon eggs over avocado and add salmon over the eggs, top each with a bit of dill and add salt and pepper to taste.

Lunch: Avocado Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds diced chicken breast (roughly 3 boneless, skinless breasts)

• ¼ cup finely chopped shallot

• 12 large lettuce leaves (I like Boston, Bibb, or Butter lettuce for this)

  • For the dressing:

• 1 ripe avocado (ideally a medium-sized avocado)

• 1 large garlic clove

• ½ packed cup fresh basil leaves

• ¼ cup chopped chives

• Juice of ½ lemon

• Juice of ½ lime

• ¼ teaspoon honey or agave

• Kosher salt

• Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

1.Start by making the dressing. Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, mixing bowl, food blender…you get the idea. Process until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times if necessary.

2. Transfer the dressing to a mixing bowl. Add the diced chicken breast and shallot, and toss to combine. Taste and season with a little extra salt and cayenne pepper if necessary.

3. Time to assemble your lettuce wraps! Pile chicken salad onto lettuce leaves. Top with sprouts and garnish with jalapeño and radish slices.Serve with lime wedges, you’ll love it!

Dinner: Soy Ginger Salmon

Ingredients

• 4 skinless fresh wild salmon fillets

  • Sauce

• 3 tablespoons wheat-free soy sauce (or coconut amino)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 tablespoons water

• 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder (arrowroot powder acts like cornstarch)

• 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated

• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)

• Chopped scallions for garnish

1. Bring the water to a gentle boil in a large saucepan and drop in the salmon. Cook 3-5 minutes watch it carefully, you know it’s good when the flesh has turned from translucent to opaque.

2. In a small saucepan combine all sauce ingredients and cook for 2 minutes or until it starts to thicken and coats the back of a spoon. Set aside.

3. Using a wide slotted spatula, remove salmon from water place on a plate, spoon sauce on top, sprinkle with chopped scallions and serve.

Dessert/Snack: Pina Colada Yogurt Parfaits

Ingredients

• 2 cups European Style Yogurt

• Fresh pineapple, chopped – 1 cup

• Unsweetened coconut flakes – ½ cup, lightly toasted

• Raw Honey – 2 tbsp plus 1 tsp for drizzling

• Chia seeds – 4 tsp, divided (optional)

1. In a bowl mix the yogurt, 2 tbsp honey or stevia and 3 tsp chia seeds, set aside.

2. In two glasses layer a few tbsp. of the pineapple, a little of the coconut flakes and some of the yogurt. Repeat for as many layers as you want ending with pineapple and coconut on top. 3. Sprinkle the remaining teaspoon chia seeds on the top of the parfaits and drizzle the remaining 1 tsp honey over the top. Serve immediately.

Spa Bath

You aren’t truly spoiling yourself unless you include a bath at the end of the day and that includes a bath bomb.

Ingredients

• About 10 Bath Bomb Mold & Package

• 3 cups Baking Soda

• 1½ cups Citric Acid

• 1.5 oz. Hemp Seed Oil (Refined)

• 12 mL Flower Child Fragrance Oil

• Rosy Pink La Bomb

• Irish Green La Bomb

• Adobe Brick La Bomb

• Daisy Yellow La Bomb

• Cornflower Blue La Bomb

• Optional: Witch Hazel and droppers

1. In a large bowl, add the baking soda and citric acid. Use your hands to break up any clumps. To help make the mixture extremely smooth, you can strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Citric acid has a tendency to take off nail polish, so wear gloves to protect your manicure.

2. Add the refined hemp seed oil directly into the mixture, and use your hands to work the oil throughout the dry ingredients. Continue to mix for several minutes until the oil is completely incorporated.

3. Add the Flower Child Fragrance Oil into the mixture, and use your hands to thoroughly mix in.

4. Split the mixture equally into 5 containers. It’s okay to eyeball it! We found that each container will have a little bit more than 1 cup.

5. Add drops of each La Bomb colorant into separate containers, and use your hands to mix in. Increase the color a few drops at a time. Remember, a little La Bomb colorant goes a long way! Continue to add drops of the La Bomb colorants until you are happy with each color.

6. Check the moisture of your fizzies. When squeezed with your hand, the mixture should hold its shape. If not, add spritzes of witch hazel into each container, mixing between every couple sprays, until each container has a texture similar to wet sand. Try to work as quickly as possible!

7. Begin adding spoonfuls of various colors into one-half of the bath bomb mold, pressing gently after each layer. There is no right or wrong color combination, have fun with it!

8. Once one-half of the bath bomb mold is filled, begin layering other colors into the other half of the bath bomb mold. Slightly overfill the last color in each bath bomb mold to form small peaks. Firmly press the two halves together. Make sure the interlocking seals are clear of any bath bomb mixture so they can click together. If they don’t push fully together, you can add another pinch of the mix between the two halves.

9. Allow the bath bombs to dry in the mold and package for several hours. To use, drop the fizzy into the tub and enjoy! Because the bath fizzy contains oil, it may make the bottom of your tub a little slippery, so be careful when exiting the tub.

Try these simple DIY ideas for any occasion, keep yourself stress-free and make yourself a priority and if you aren’t feeling any of these ideas you can always resort to shopping, Netflix and comfort food because ain’t nothing wrong with a classic. Enjoy your Spring Break no matter where you are and live it up for the both of us.

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