November 3rd is national housewives day, so in celebration of all you hardworking housewives out there, we are doing a post in your honour. Often under-appreciated, the role of a housewife or ‘stay-at-home Mum (or Dad!)’, is a busy and stressful role, so we think you deserve a day off to pamper yourselves. With this in mind, I have designed a home spa day just for you!

All you need is an entire day to yourself with no interruptions (turn the mobile to silent!), some delicious food and a few other ingredients for your homemade face and hair masks. For the fraction of the price of a fancy spa, you can create that sense of inner bliss from the comfort of your own home.

 

 

 

First you are going to make your homemade face mask and conditioning hair mask. This is very easy and will only take 10 minutes.

Your DIY face mask contains hydrating avocado and skin conditioning coconut oil to give you soft, supple and glowing skin. If you decide to use the Aloe vera gel, this will provide further moisturisation, along with being very calming and soothing, helping to reduce any inflammation. Honey has natural antibacterial properties.

Here is the recipe

Avocado Moisturising Face Mask

½ very ripe avocado
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Aloe Vera gel (optional)
1 tsp coconut oil

Mash the avocado well, stir in the other ingredients.

Next, make your conditioning DIY hair mask by following the recipe below. Avocado and coconut oil are moisturising and conditioning, while the protein in the eggs helps repair damaged hair and nourishes hair roots. The apple cider vinegar has a clarifying effect on your hair.

Conditioning Hair Mask

1 tbsp coconut oil
½ ripe avocado
1 egg
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Gently melt the coconut oil, allow to cool. Beat the egg, mash the avocado well and then mix everything together.

Body Brushing

Before you apply the masks, use a natural bristled brush all over your body to stimulate circulation and blood flow, and to give your skin a gentle exfoliation. Dry skin brushing aids toxin removal, reduces cellulite and improves the appearance of your skin. Start with the legs and buttocks working upwards, then the arms and then the torso, always brushing towards the direction of the heart, as this is the direction your blood flows.

Now, apply your face and hair masks and treat yourself to a long soak in the bath while they work their magic. The hair mask should be applied to dry hair, as this will allow it to penetrate more deeply into the hair. I suggest tying hair up and covering it with a plastic shower cap. Add some uplifting essential oils to your bath, such as orange, lime and basil or some Epsom salts if you have any aches and pains.

‘Tip: avoid bath products containing chemicals or artificial fragrances, as these will be absorbed through your open pores.

Make yourself a large colourful superfood salad with mixed leaves, beetroot, sliced apple, grated carrot, avocado and some sunflower and pumpkin seeds sprinkled on top. Make a dressing with 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ tbsp organic apple cider vinegar, ½ tbsp lemon juice, black pepper and a pinch of pink salt.

Go For a Walk

After lunch, go for a gentle walk somewhere you will feel at peace if possible. Exercise lifts your mood, melts away stress and increases circulation.

 

Meditation is scientifically proven to improve sleep and reduce stress levels and regular meditation also helps weight loss and even increases business success and creativity! Try 20 minutes and feel the benefits for yourself. Here is a simple breathing meditation to try, or you can use your own technique if you have one.

1. Sit in a chair or cross legged on the floor, making sure you are comfortable
2. Bring your attention to your breath, observing it as it enters and leaves your body.
3. If any thoughts come into your mind and distract you, allow them to float away. It can be helpful to visualise them floating up and away in to the sky like clouds.
4. Then gently bring the attention back to the breath and repeat each time your mind wanders.
5. Continue for 20 minutes

After your mediation curl up with your favourite book, watch a funny film or give yourself a manicure before dinner.

Your Home Spa Evening

Prepare yourself for a good night’s sleep by eating at least 3 hours before bed – to allow enough time to digest the meal before you go to sleep – this improves sleep quality and energy the next day. 

For dinner, prepare a baked salmon fillet with lemon, garlic and coriander, quinoa or brown rice, and serve with some green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli

Sleep is when all of our cellular repair and re-energising takes place. For the best quality sleep, aim to be in bed by 10pm. To aid restful sleep avoid technology for an hour before bedtime and remove electronic devices from the bedroom.