Happy Mother’s Day month! If you’re reading this from one of Hong Kong’s many five-star spas, having been treated to a day off with all the trimmings by your grateful brood, then please feel free to skip forward a page!
If however, a professional pampering session is a dimly-recalled notion these days and you’re more likely to sprout wings and fly than get a full afternoon to indulge yourself, then read on for some time-savvy, home-made DIY treatments and their off-the-shelf alternatives that will have you feeling tip-top from the comfort of your own bathroom.
Body
Sunshine and air conditioning play havoc with your skin’s moisture balance, leaving limbs more reptilian than resplendent. Buff your way to super-smooth summer skin with a homemade body scrub, applied liberally in a warm bath (ideally with the door locked to prevent unwanted interruptions from small family members).
First, choose your grain. While sea salt scrubs are very effective, they can irritate sensitive skin. A combination of brown sugar and olive or coconut oil, scented with a couple of drops of your preferred essential oil will gently exfoliate, moisturise and dissolve in warm water, leaving you silky soft. A word of caution – oil and water never mix so tread carefully getting in and out of the tub!
If you’re too pushed for time to get mixing, soften scales in the shower with a gentle loofah, then add lashings of oil while your skin is still damp. Nuxe’s multipurpose Huile Prodigieuse dry oil is feted by beauty editors the world over and can be used on the body, face and even hair, giving gorgeously scented results without greasy residue.
Face
We’ve all been there; waiting patiently for the overpriced avocado in your fruit bowl to finally ripen, and then – boom – overnight, it’s turned to brown mush. Fortunately for your face and wallet, avocados are packed full of monounsaturated fat. This dietary good guy amps up the skin’s moisture levels, leaving your face super-smooth. So if guacamole’s now off the menu for tonight, simply slather on, relax, (again, a locked bathroom door now may prevent childhood nightmares later) and plump, moisturised skin should be yours in around 15-20 minutes.
If you prefer your facial with an added dash of science, Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Masque is a gem of a timesaver that delivers moisture by the gallon, courtesy of its active ingredient, hyaluronic acid. Smooth generously onto a clean face, hop into bed and then rinse off in your morning shower. Hey presto! Happy face!
Nails
A bright manicure looks great… for exactly the amount of time it takes for you to smudge it. If you’re unable to sit still long enough for your home mani to dry properly, wait until the polish is just about set then plunge your fingertips into a bowl of iced water for five minutes, or else gently paint on olive oil to set your colour like a stone whilst moisturising your cuticles (mums are famous multitaskers, right?).
Really need to paint and run? OPI’s Drip Dry Lacquer Drying Drops will have you safely rummaging in your bag for keys within five minutes flat.
