DIY Spa Treatment

by Jaime Richards

With Valentine's Day just about a week away, you might be looking for a few ideas for creating a relaxing spa-like atmosphere at home for you and your significant other. Many spas, like the posh Spa Claremont at The Claremont Hotel Club and Spa in Berkeley, CA (where Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie stayed when they visited the East Bay last August), offer up some amazing couple's packages. Their Duet Suite Service ($250 per person), for instance, includes 90 minutes of pampering, decadent treats, and a panoramic view of the San Francisco Bay. While a trip to the spa (or the SF area) might not be in your future, Claremont's spa director Stacey Parks has a few DIY ideas for making lover's holiday all the more sensual. To see her tips, just keep reading.

by Annie Tomlin

OK, so this is really not the sexiest item we've found lately, but hear me out. Sometimes, function is more important than fashion, and though CVS's neck heat pack ($8-$13) won't win any design awards, it is a nice little sybaritic goody to have at home. The sturdy vinyl pack is filled with a nontoxic liquid and a small metal disc; bend the disc back and forth, and the liquid turns into a warm crystalline gel. It stays heated for about 45 minutes before hardening, at which point it can be dropped into boiling water for about 10 minutes. Then, it's ready to be used again and again. Placing the heat pack on tired shoulders is relaxing, and you can always rest it on your abdomen the next time you're ready to claw someone's eyes out due to cramps. Like I said, it isn't all razzle-dazzle, but it feels so good.

by POPSUGAR Beauty

With the right tips, a do-it-yourself manicure can look just as, well, polished as a professional one. Watch this video as manicurist Tom Bachik reveals everything you need to create flawless nails at home.

by POPSUGAR Beauty

Kate Somerville has helped celebrities like Jessica Alba, Kate Hudson, and Demi Moore get glowing skin. Even if you can’t rush into her clinic, you can still get her expertise at home. Watch our video as Kate shows you how to make a hydrating mask using yogurt, flax seeds and honey.

by POPSUGAR Beauty

Marie Veronique Nadeau is the kind of woman you want to chat up for hours. Not only is the former chemistry teacher practically (and naturally) wrinkle-free in her early 60s, but she's also a licensed esthetician and founder of Marie Veronique Organics, an eco-friendly line free of toxins, nanoparticles, and petroleum-based ingredients. And when I asked Marie for a few quick, easy, and natural masks to do at home, she delivered. Find out two great recipes when you read more.

by POPSUGAR Beauty

In honor of Acne Awareness Month, we're all about keeping our skin healthy, protected, and in the clear. So this month we're getting to the bottom of our breakouts by tackling acne with a few of our favorite ways to treat and prevent breakouts — along with what works and doesn't. Check out my roundup to learn a few things about acne. Here's to gorgeous skin.

Honey and Yogurt Acne Mask	How to Tell If It's Acne or Rosacea?	5 Great Cleansers That Put Acne in Its Place
Your Top 10 Acne Tips Revealed	Benzoyl Peroxide vs. Salicylic Acid	Follow This Easy Tip to Beat Backne

by OnSugar Blog

Here's an interesting tutorial from OnSugar blog Kiss and Tell:

Did you know that at any given time your body contains about two pounds of dry skin? Whether you’re looking for health benefits or just want to have super smooth skin, dry brushing is a technique that’s been around for ages which helps eliminate dry skin, leaving it feeling smooth and soft, while improving circulation and decreasing the appearance of cellulite. (To find out how to do it yourself, just keep reading.)

by Bella Community

This post comes to us from the Natural Beauties group, where member Baigneuse published an awesome DIY recipe.

While olive oil and honey have been used in natural beauty concoctions throughout history, it seems as though they've just recently received the spotlight that they deserve.  Honey, a natural antioxidant known for reducing inflammation, is antibacterial and antifungal, making it great for acne-prone skin, and due to its ability to stimulate cytokine production it is also capable of speeding up the healing process.  It's great for lightening scarring and, as a natural humectant, attracting water to the skin, leaving it hydrated and soft.  Olive oil is rich in polyphenols and hydroxytrosol, one of nature's most powerful antioxidants, which strengthens the skin's immune system and protects it from oxidation.  Hydroxytrosol also slows aging by stabilizing the cell plasma membrane.  Olive oil is rich in oleic acid and is a natural emollient and excellent moisturizer. 

While you may already know the amazing benefits that these ingredients have in masks, cleansers, and moisturizers, you should also be aware that they can make one banging body scrub.  Get silky smooth skin this Valentine's Day by using the following recipe one day prior to the big event (and as always, perform a patch test first). To find out more, keep reading.

by POPSUGAR Beauty

Since I've gone natural, lots of people have written in with great tips and ideas about fixes for my skin and hair. Recently, reader Tlsgirl tipped me off to this great recipe of hers from the Do-It-Yourself Beauty group. I tried it last night and it's l-o-v-e. She's totally right about the dripping, though. Here's what she has to say:

I just started using this mask a few weeks ago and I'm a believer already. I have crazy sensitive skin, acne, and some vicious scarring, and already the scars are fading and my breakouts are diminishing. It's like a minor miracle, or a major one if you're obsessed with your skin like me. I was the biggest skeptic ever, but it hasn't irritated my cranky skin a bit.

Recipe:

1 tbsp honey—I used regular honey, nothing fancy

1 tsp ground nutmeg—I used whole nutmeg and then grated it myself

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Mix the above together until they form a chocolatey-colored paste, adjusting as you go until you get the consistency you like. Let sit for about 30 minutes, then rinse off, using the nutmeg crumblies as a natural exfoliant. Just don't wear a cute shirt while you're doing this, since it'll drip.

Got a recipe or look you're loving that we can try? Post it in one of our Bella Community groups and it could wind up here!

by POPSUGAR Beauty

If you've been entertaining lately and are now the proud owner of a fridge full of extraneous yams, sweet potato casserole, and beer, I've got the perfect recipe for you. This one's a moisturizing and clarifying mask from Return to Beauty, a book of traditional skincare recipes. Just take a cup of your sweet potato (if it's already mashed or casseroled, great; if it's whole, boil it and smash it up) and add two tablespoons of beer. Apply the mask all over your face and neck, and keep it on for 15 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water and apply your toner or moisturizer. Easy, festive, and helps you clean out your fridge.