Fun Idea: At Home Spa Party

By Katie Moosbrugger

A couple of weeks ago, some friends and I attended a Nature Spa workshop. At first I envisioned all of us getting massages in the woods and I wasn’t too keen on the idea. But then I discovered it was a class designed to teach us how to create skin care products from whole foods – like vegetables, fruits, grains, and nuts – and how to incorporate essential oils for added effects.

Not only did I come away with naturally glowing skin and a list of inexpensive recipes, but I also gained a fabulous idea for my pre-teen daughter’s next birthday party (ideas work great for a Girls Night In too)! Today I’ll share the recipes we made in the Nature Spa workshop, as well as other pampering ideas I’ve found online! Have fun!

For the Face

All of the following facials include products you most likely already have in your kitchen, and are safe on children’s skin too. *Recipes courtesy of Beth Rivers, esthetics consultant (deerrivers@yahoo.com)

Skin Firming for All Skin Types
~ Mix 1 egg white (The protein rich properties in egg whites help tone and tighten skin)
~ Spread on face and neck until dry
~ Wash off with warm cloth, tone and add moisturizer

Dehydrated, Dry, Normal Skin (Oily skin can be dehydrated too!)
~ Peel and mash 1 avocado, mango or peach
~ Add 1 T honey
~ Mix and spread on face and neck for 15 minutes
~ Wash off with warm cloth, tone and add moisturizer

Oily, Combination and Dry Skin
~ 1 C plain oatmeal (I found instant oatmeal works better)
~ ½ C brown sugar
~ Ground almonds optional
~ ¼ C Epsom salts
~ Mix oatmeal masque with about ¼ – ½ C warm water to make a paste for face and neck
~ Wait for masque to harden
~ Wash off with warm cloth, tone and add moisturizer

Exfoliation for All Skin Types
~ 1-2 T each of Baking Soda mixed with fresh lemon juice to make paste (it will fizzle)
~ Apply to skin for 2-3 minutes
~ Wash off with warm cloth, tone and add moisturizer
~ Added Tip: The oatmeal masque is best to draw out and dry out breakouts. Use day and night to clear up skin. Wipe off with witch hazel before adding toner.

For the Body

For a spa party, consider making these scrubs and salts in advance and offer as take-home gifts for attendees!

Body, Hand & Foot Scrub
*Courtesy of Beth Rivers, esthetics consultant (deerrivers@yahoo.com)
Equal parts of sugar, sea salt and oil
Mix with a drop of essential oil and color (optional)
Wet skin, scrub, rinse and dry

DIY Sugar Scrub
*Recipe from diycozyhome.com
~ 5 cups white granulated sugar
~ 1/3 cup organic coconut oil (melted)
~ 1/3 cup organic jojoba oil
~ 3 tsp extract (mint/orange/lemon/vanilla*/rosewater) (use 1/2 tsp per 1 cup sugar mixture)
~ A couple drops food coloring
~ In a large pot, place the cans at the bottom, and fill the pot until the water covers the jars. Heat to a simmer then remove to let dry. Turn off the heat and let the mental lids sit in the hot water while you fill the jars.
~ Mix together white granulated sugar and both coconut and jojoba oils until evenly distributed.
~ If you’re making a big batch of 1 flavor, add 3 tsp whichever extract and food coloring and mix until incorporated. If you’re making separate flavors, add 1/2 tsp extract per 1 cup of the mixture.
~Store in the sanitized, jars, packing the sugar tightly. Store in a cool place away from direct sunlight.
~ If you use vanilla, it’s a little strong so reduce it to 1/4 tsp and add more as you see fit or tone it down with a little bit of honey

Bath Salts
~ Mix 2/3 coarse salt with 1/3 epsom salt
~ Add essential oil of your choice and/or coloring

Essential Oils
Note: Pregnant women should not use essential oils, and they should not be applied directly to skin. Essential oils are highly concentrated so be sure to mix with oils, scrubs and lotions. Good ones to choose from include:
~ Eucalptus for cooling, stimulating, healing and relaxing
~ Lavendar for skin care, good karma, and refreshing feeling
~ Patchouli for controlling emotions, promoting cell growth, healing scars and as an anti-inflammatory
~ Wintergreen for relaxation, pain relief and muscles
~ Rose Oil for hydrating, soothing, romance and lifting your moods
*Courtesy of Beth Rivers, esthetics consultant (deerrivers@yahoo.com)

For the Hands

Manicures have been a must for my daughter’s sleepovers, and these ideas are easy for a homemade spa party…

Crazy and Cute DIY Nail Designs
I found several easy-to-do designs on ivillage.com that are appropriate for teens and tweens, and even moms if you so fancy. From watermelons, to cupcakes, to Hoot Couture, click HERE to get inspired!

Newspaper Nail Stamping
*Picture and idea from www.nail-art-101.com
~ Start with dry, white-painted nails
~ Soak nail in rubbing alcohol for a few seconds
~ Place the newspaper print side-down on the nail (prints from cartoon pages work well too!)
~ Gently rub it onto the nail without shifting the paper
~ Peel away the newspaper and finish with a clear, top coat

For the Toes

*Recipe from www.kitchen-concoctions.com

Coconut Foot Treatment 
~ 1 tablespoon honey
~ 2 tablespoons almonds
~ 1/2 cup coconut milk
~ 1 lemon, cut in half
~ ¼ cup sea salt
~ Warm water, as needed
~ In a large enough bowl to soak both feet, combine the honey, almonds and milk. Add enough warm water to fill bowl. Soak your feet for 5 few minutes, then dip the lemon halves in the salt and rub them on your feet to exfoliate. Soak your feet for 10 minutes more. Recipe makes enough for one soak.

 

For the Guests

No spa party is complete without refreshments to keep guest hydrated. And if you’re planning a Girls Night In, simply add vodka to this sweet concoction…

Orange Julius Copycat
*Recipe from therecipecritic.com
~ 6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate
~ 1 cup milk
~ 1 cup cold water
~ 1/2 cup sugar
~ 1 teaspoon vanilla
~ 7-9 ice cubes
~ Put ingredients into a blender and blend for about 2 minutes until desired consistency.  You may not need the entire 1/2 cup of sugar depending on how sweet your orange juice is.

As you can imagine, there are many, many more fun ideas can be found on Pinterest. Simply search under Spa Party or Little Girl Spa Party and you’ll discover more recipes, ideas and party favors. Do you have other suggestions? If so, share them – including web sites for reference – as a comment below!