Opal Day Spa

Hydrate Your Skin

A dry face is much more prone to wrinkles and aging. Simply washing your face before you sleep and applying a rich, non-pore clogging lotion with anti-aging properties will make a huge difference in the texture of your skin.

If your face feels taught, rough and uncomfortable, then you may have dehydrated skin. Dehydrated skin poses a unique set of challenges which is best managed on two fronts: internal and external. Differing in symptoms from dry skin, the signs of dehydration are relatively easy to diagnose. Read on and learn a variety of ways in which you can tackle this common problem with relative ease.

Foot Indulgence

Soak your tired feet in a deep bowl filled with healing oils and natural fragrance. This treatment helps reduce foot pain and increase circulation while softening and refreshing your skin. A foot massage completes your treatment.

Lavender and Lemongrass Sugar Scrub

Aromatic hydrating scrub contains organic sugar cane, pure coconut oil, and flower extracts blended especially for aging or dry skin. The treatment concludes with a fragrant moisture application.

Body Wrap Slimming Gel

A homemade body wrap gel is a simple and effective way to detox and slim the body, as well as deliver a dose of minerals and moisture. Wrapping your body in a mixture of clay, salt, aloe and oil helps to remove unwanted toxins and excess fluid. Skip the high-priced body wrap from the salon and make your own in the comfort of your own home. While this slimming gel — a mixture of clay, salt, aloe and oil — won't help you magically shed 20 pounds overnight, it will help remove unwanted toxins and excess fluid.

Things You'll Need:
1/2 cup natural clay (French green, Bentonite or other)
2 tablespoons sea salt
1/4 cup aloe vera gel
1/4 cup castor oil
Wooden or glass bowl and spoon
Large sheet or towel

Step 1
Combine 1/2 cup of clay with 2 tablespoons of sea salt in a wooden or glass bowl. Do not use metal, as it can deactivate the clay. The clay works to draw toxins from the body, while your skin absorbs natural minerals from the sea salt. Epsom salt is another option, as it is a natural source of magnesium.

Step 2
Add 1/4 cup of castor oil, a widely used oil for beating bloat and slimming the body. You can heat the oil slightly to increase its effectiveness as it detoxes the liver and helps smooth the skin when applied to stretch mark-prone areas like the thighs and abdomen. If you don't have castor oil, you can substitute any hydrating oil you have on hand (such as coconut, almond or olive oil).

Step 3
Add 1/4 cup of aloe vera gel. A powerful skin healer, aloe vera reduces inflammation and swelling, not to mention helps keep skin clear and healthy.

Step 4
Combine the ingredients with a wooden spoon. If the mixture is too thick, add water until the body wrap gel is smooth and easily spreadable.

Step 5
With clean hands, apply a thin layer of body wrap gel to the skin. Standing on a sheet or in the tub, start with the feet and legs and work your way up the body, ending with the arms and hands.

Gentle Exfoliating Mask

New skin cells are created in the skin’s inner layer (dermis). As they form form, the old, dead skin cells are pushed to the outer layer of the skin (epidermis). These dead cells gradually flake off. But some of them hang on for too long, making your complexion look dull & rough and clogs your pores causing acne & other blemishes. Exfoliating the skin removes these dead cells.

What you will need:
– A bowl to mix the ingredients
– A knife to cut the grapefruit
– A fork to squeeze the grapefruit and mix the ingredients
– A spoon to apply/remove the mask to/from your skin
– 1/2 cup of uncooked rolled oats
– 1 grapefruit
– 2 tablespoons of raw honey
– 1/2 cup of full fat Yogurt
– A washcloth to remove mask residue from your face

Warming Rub For Sore Muscles

After a long day or a hard workout, soothe sore muscles with an all-natural rub that gently warms and releases muscle tension. Made with ingredients you have in your pantry and a few essential oils, the sore-muscle salve also makes a nice massage lotion. And it smells a whole lot better than the kind you can buy at the store.

What You'll Need:
Small saucepan
Small heat-safe bowl
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon beeswax
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
20 drops peppermint essential oil
20 drops eucalyptus essential oil
20 drops clove oil
Coffee filter
Strainer
Small bowl
Small sealable container

Directions:
Start by filling a small saucepan with water and finding a heatproof bowl that will fit inside the pan. You can also use a clean can for this step. Measure and add the coconut and olive oil to the bowl, along with the ground pepper and ginger. Bring the water to a simmer, and then let the mixture warm in the hot water for 20 minutes.

Green Tea Mask

Green tea contains catechins, which are anti-bacterial agents that suppress acne-causing bacteria and help regulate hormonal imbalances. It also possesses potent anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce the redness and inflammation brought about by zits, thereby helping them heal sans the scars. The EGCG compounds in green tea can actually reactivate skin cells that are dying due to poor lifestyle habits, exposure to sunlight and pollution. Plus, it contains high level of oligomeric proanthocyanidins – OPCs – some of the most powerful antioxidants known to scientists. These antioxidants help ward off premature aging by fighting free radicals and healing damaged cells.

Mix 1 tablespoon of dry ground green tea leaves with enough honey to make a thick paste. Apply this paste all over your face and leave it on the skin for 10-15 minutes. Then rub it off in circular motions with your fingertips, rinsing away the excess with warm water.

Citrus Body Polish

This invigorating and aromatic treatment stimulates the lymphatic and circulatory system, while re-hydrating and nourishing your skin. W the finest aromatic salts and organic sugar cane, pure coconut oil and flower extracts to gently scrub and exfoliate rough and dry skin. This treatment concludes with a fragrant moisture application.

Ingredients:
¼ cup of coconut oil (where to buy coconut oil)
¼ cup olive oil (where buy olive oil)
1 cup of cane sugar
20 drops lemon essential oil – substitute lime, grapefruit or orange oil if desired (where to buy steam-distilled lemon essential oil)
2 tablespoons lemon zest (or limes/grapefruits/oranges)
Instructions:
Melt the coconut oil until it has liquified
In a bowl mix together the olive oil, coconut oil, sugar, lemon oil and zest
Mix until well combined and store in your favorite glass jar.

Brighten Your Complexion With a Turmeric Mask

Another kitchen-favorite ingredient, turmeric isn't just for coffee and chicken. It also contains antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties and may even improve fine lines and wrinkles. Making it an excellent ingredient to add to your face mask. Turmeric contains a photochemical called curcumin, which can benefit the body, both inside and out. The turmeric basic face mask is easy to make and acts as a moisturizer, exfoliator and reduces redness. It brightens the skin and makes it look fresh and clean.
What you need:
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of raw organic honey
1 teaspoon of milk (or natural yoghurt)
Turmeric is a good antioxidant, and an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial agent. Honey is also an anti-bacterial and it moisturizes the skin well. Milk contains lactic acid, which is an alpha hydroxy acid and it exfoliates the skin. Together, these three ingredients make wonders for your skin.

Body Waxing

Home waxing is something every woman should try at least once. The pain is very manageable and you may be surprised at how easy it is. It is cheaper and offers more privacy than professional waxing too.

1. Purchase your home waxing materials. When purchasing a waxing kit for your sensitive area, be sure to choose one that is made for bikini or Brazilian waxing. Hard wax (wax that requires no muslin strips) is advisable as it is better at picking up course hair. There are plenty of suitable products. Apart from wax, you will need a bikini trimming razor with length settings, sensitive skin moisturiser, popsicle sticks and baby oil. A commercial waxing kit should include the Popsicle sticks and wipes that can be used in place of baby oil.

2. Plan your approach. How much is coming off? What shape do you want? Common styles include a neat triangle, landing strip, love heart, or full Brazilian. Have a clear idea of how you would like your result to look.

3. Take a shower and trim. A shower will soften your skin and reduce the pain of waxing. This is a good opportunity to trim to a waxable length (5-8mm) using your razor. Moisturising with a product suitable for sensitive areas will also reduce pain later in the process.

4. Prepare to wax. Choose a room to wax in that has a bed and a bin. Place a towel on the bed to protect it from mess and maybe have some pillows handy for your head. A comfortable bed makes a huge difference.

5. Follow the instructions for heating of wax. Different waxes will have different instructions. The hotter a wax is the more viscose or 'runny' it will get. Hot waxes can burn you, and hard wax will be impossible to use.

6. Get in position. For removal of any hair visible on the front of your body, it is best to lie on your bed with your feet flat on the floor (bent at the knees) and your legs slightly apart. You may like to prop your head with a pillow or two so you can see what you are doing. Hair between the legs is a little more difficult and may take some gymnastics to access.

7. Apply wax. Apply it with a Popsicle stick towards the hair growth. Start at the root of the hair, and go in the direction the hair naturally grows. It is advisable to leave a little tab of wax unconnected to the skin at the end of the strip.

8. Remove wax. Go in the opposite direction towards the application. This is to ensure and secure a smooth and pain free finish. Leave wax for 10-15 seconds (products may vary) or until wax is cooler and hard. If you did not leave a tab, flick up the wax to create one. Hold skin taught by spreading it with your fingers away from the wax-covered area. Grip the wax firmly in your other hand and tug quickly. It is important not to pull wax up off the skin, rather to pull parallel to the skin, back over top of the waxed area. Immediately place free hand firmly over waxed area to relieve any pain. The wax will not catch some hairs; however, it is important to wax each part of your skin once, so leftover hair must be removed at another time. Repeat application and removal of wax over the area of hair that you would like to remove.

Make Your Own Grapefruit Sugar Scrub

This citrus-inspired sugar scrub is a must-add to your spa day, if not your every day, for it's spring-like scent and moisturizing goodness.

Grapefruit Sugar Scrub:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup Raw Sugar
up to 1/4 cup Almond Oil (Olive Oil or Coconut Oil)
3-4 drops Grapefruit Essential Oil
1 drop of food coloring (no more or it will stain skin) or drop of raspberry juice
2-3 drops of Vitamin E oil (optional)

Directions:
Mix the sugars together and slowly add the almond oil until you reach the consistency you like. I like my scrubs less oily so I always use less than a 1/4 cup. Add Grapefruit Essential Oil, food coloring and Vitamin E if adding. Mix thoroughly and store in an airtight container. Good for up to 3 months if kept bacteria free.

To use: Rub a little bit of the scrub on your body or between your hands with a little bit of water. Rinse with warm water to remove excess oils. It will give your skin a nice exfoliation and leave your skin feeling soft and smooth and smelling fresh and clean. Great for use in the shower or bath and before bedtime.

Soothe Your Skin With a Chamomile Face Mask

Applying a chamomile face mask to help soothe irritated skin while naturally and effectively calming redness. Chamomile has always been an appreciated herbal remedy due to its many health benefits but also for its great usage in cosmetics treatments.This plant has been used for centuries as a treatment for colds and fevers, it has a pleasant distinctive aroma and it is also an effective sedative for people looking to calm and relax themselves. Chamomile has healing properties along with antiseptic and anti-inflammatory capabilities. It can successfully treat eczema, acne, can sooth skin rashes and it also helps with minor burns and sunburn. Furthermore this herb prevents bacterial infection, can help reduce skin inflammation and speed the healing process. Chamomile is a good remedy to have around when suffering from a skin problem. A product that contains this power flower can really make a great difference. There are particular substances that chamomile contains which have great healing properties and that are intensively used in cosmetics.