When life gets stressful, I tend to forget to take care of myself. However, self-care is so important! It keeps me together and at times, can even reduce my stress levels. Self-care not only improves my emotional health but also my physical health. Here are three simple habits I use in my self-care routine, especially when I feel a little stressed out!
1. diy hair masks
I find making hair masks at home is not only fun, but it also can be very relaxing! The following are some simple hair mask recipes that I commonly use!
Coconut Oil and Amla
- Coconut oil
- Amla powder
Mix the two together and apply to the scalp. This hair mask will help grow and strengthen your hair. The amla powder has many components for creating strong hair, whereas coconut oil helps hair grow long and shiny. I try to use this mask once every 2 weeks and each time my hair only gets shinier.
Rice Mask
- Cooked rice 1/4 c.
- Aloe juice or rice water 1/2 c.
- Argan oil 3 tbsp
- Essentail oil (optional)
2. DIY face masks
Face masks are not only fun but also have the benefits of cleansing, moisturizing, and helping firm my skin. They are simple to make at home and have improved my skin. Here are two of my favourite face masks!
Brown Sugar Lip Scrub
- Brown sugar
- Honey
- Olive oil
Honey Face Mask
- Honey
- Nutmeg
Just mix all the ingredients together and there you have it! I leave the face mask on for about ten minutes before removing it. I try to do my face and lip scrub at the same time. It makes me feel so put together and also benefits my lips and skin!
Coffee Face Mask
- Honey
- Ground coffee
Mix the two together for a good paste and apply over the skin for 10 minutes. Honey exfoliates the skin, which can also be said about coffee. Another benefit of coffee is that it helps make your skin smoother, brighter and softer.
3. Skin icing
Similar to face masks, skin icing is a great way I like to care for my skin. Both face masks and ice cubes are applied on your face, but each is different in texture and has its own benefits. Ice can reduce puffiness on the face, firm up the face, help skin have a glow, and shrink pores. For skin icing, you can just use simple ice with no other ingredients than water. However, adding a few more things to the ice gives my skin a few more benefits.
Green Tea Cubes
Mix green tea with boiling water and let it sit for 5 minutes. Mix and pour over ice trays. Then leave in the freezer overnight. Once ready just apply over the whole face in circular motions until the ice cube has melted. Be careful to not concentrate on an area for too long as that can cause a burn, but just spread the ice cube all over your face. Green tea helps keep acne away and also protects your skin from radiation.
Cucumber Cubes
- Chopped cucumbers
- Lemon juice
Mix a bit of lemon juice, chopped cucumbers and water. Pour over the ice tray and let it freeze. Once the ice cubes have frozen apply them to the face in a circular motion until the ice cube has melted. The cucumber helps keep my skin hydrated but also helps brighten my skin.
Turmeric Cubes
- Turmeric
- Buttermilk
Mix the two together and freeze overnight. Once the ice cubes are ready, apply them over the face in a circular motion for 5-10 minutes. It’s important to limit how long you ice your face with turmeric, or it will stain your face.
These three self-care habits are not only easy but also really help me when I’m stressed out and in a pinch!