Most of the Spa Foodie features we’ve put together over the past few months have been almost exclusively geared toward the needs of women (think Lavender Bath Truffles and Honey Apricot Beeswax Cuticle Cream… okay, we know our gays love this stuff too). But lest us not forget about our fellow bearded friends… men! Guys need at-home DIY spa treatments, too. Even though, there’s a big possibility that you will be the one making this recipe for your man instead of him making it himself, we’re pretty sure he’ll love to see you in the kitchen whipping this stuff up (in heels and an apron? Wink, wink). Plus, the ingredients are super cheap and most of them are already in your pantry (so he’ll love that you’re not spending loads of money). All of this catering to your man might even score you a Phenomenon-inspired John Travolta/Kyra Sedgwick sexy-face-shaving-scene. Bow chica wow wow.

Ingredients:

• 1 bar Dove® soap
• 1 bar Ivory® soap
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon castor oil
• Essential oils (try sweet orange and clove)
• 1 bottle of distilled water
• 1 grater
• 1 stainless steel pot (8 quart)
• 1 ceramic coffee mug
• 1 Pringles can, emptied and cleaned
• 1 shaving brush (badger hair is best, boar’s hair is acceptable)
• 1 razor (a classic double-edge razor is the most traditional, but any will work.)

Directions:

1. Grate 1 bar of Dove® soap and 1 bar of Ivory® soap into a large stainless steel pot
2. Add the olive oil and the castor oil to the soap mixture
3. Add just enough distilled water to the mixture so that the grated soap starts to stick together when stirred
4. Over low heat, continue stirring the soap mixture until everything is combined and the water begins to evaporate. This is called rebatching.
5. As the soap thickens, add essential oils for more manly fragrance
6. Pour the still-pliable thick liquid soap into a clean coffee mug and let it cure for several hours to a day. The final product should not be “goopy” … if it is, you can reheat it over a stove and evaporate more water out of the product. The best texture will be like chilled soft margarine (think the kind in a tub)
7. You’ll probably have leftover soap. Pour this into a small, cleaned Pringles® potato crisps container. After it hardens, you can slice through the cardboard to make disks that you can use to refill your mug

To Use:

• Dip  a shaving brush into very warm water and then whisk the brush in the coffee mug to create loads of lather. Spread on your face and shave as normal
• Rinse the shaving brush carefully and let it air dry between shaves

Tips/Tricks:

• You’ll probably have leftover soap. Pour this into a small, cleaned Pringles® potato crisps container. After it hardens, you can slice through the cardboard to make disks that you can use to refill your mug
• You can make a non-lathering shaving oil which works as well as the shaving cream by mixing sweet almond oil, olive oil, castor oil, and adding a few drops of peppermint oil, clove oil, and sweet orange oil. Spread a few drops over a wet face using the palms of your hands, and then shave.
• Castor bean oil is the oil that gives these shaving creams their thick moisture-rich lather

Recipe via

Stuffed to the brim with stuffing? Us too! Now that you have put down the fork and pledged to forgive yourself of your turkey transgressions, put your Thanksgiving leftovers to good use with these three homemade spa treatments made from all that stuff packed into of your remaining matching Tupperware. A few DIY spa recipes and a nice, well-balanced non-turkey meal will definitely help you feel happier and healthier.

De-puff Under Eye Circles with Potato Slice Soothers

Why: According to dermatologist Dr. Frederic Brandt (featured on LiveStrong.com), ”A chemical found in the potato called catecholase helps lighten skin.” It is found abundantly in potatoes and is commonly used in cosmetics to lighten skin. Refrigerated or frozen potato slices will act like mini ice packs to help reduce the bruised effect of under eye circles.

Ingredients

• Raw potato

Directions

1. Refrigerate whole potato overnight (freeze if preferred)
2. Cut 2 slices or, if you prefer, 5 to 10 very thin slices, several for each eye. Either method works
3. Spritz eye area with water
4. Lying down, place the potato slices on your eyelids and leave in place for at least 10 minutes for best results.

Recipe: Care2

2. Fight Acne with a Cinnamon and Nutmeg Masque

Why: Cinnamon is not only good for you when added to your plate once a day for two weeks; it is also great for your skin topically. Nutmeg has anti-inflammatory qualities so it helps to calm flare-ups as well as reduce redness of acne scars. Cinnamon is a natural exfoliant as well and it’s also known for its antiseptic qualities. Combined with moisturizing honey, it serves to calm your screaming skin.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp honey

Directions

1. Combine into a thick paste
2. Apply to your face for half an hour and then rinse off with warm water
3. Moisturize as per usual afterwards

Recipe: Viva Women

3. Smooth Skin with a Cranberry Body Scrub

Why: Cranberries are chock-full of anti-oxidants that fight free radicals that can age the skin. They are help improve blood flow and contain Phytochemicals that benefit body tissue structures and promote new cell growth and rejuvenation. Plus, they smell great and you can make a tasty Cranberry Lip Gloss, too!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 2 tbsp raw sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp orange peel
• 2 tbsp canned cranberries

Directions

1. Combine mixture completely.
2. Apply to your skin with a wash cloth or luffa.
3. Gently scrub your face and then rinse with warm water

Recipe: Planet Green

I’m all about at-home skincare recipes (like this DIY Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Scrub I made recently) but I was slightly concerned by Snooki’s recent confession. While promoting her new book she stopped by the Conan show where she dropped the bomb that she uses cat litter on her face! Conan looked just as baffled as I was. But Snooki reassured us she only uses clean kitty litter – “obviously.” The world is relieved. She said she found this tip while searching Google… so I did some Googling of my own.

Apparently she got the idea from beauty expert Diane Irons. Ms. Irons has written several books including The World’s Best-Kept Beauty Secrets and has been on TV shows sharing her budget-friendly beauty tips. She says that cat litter is made of the same ingredients as special clays found in $100 spa facials. When shopping for a natural clay cat litter make sure there are no added chemicals. Check the ingredients for “sodium betonite clay” or “100 percent natural clay.”

There are several kitty litter mask recipes out there but to make a clay mask, all you have to do is add water to turn it into a paste. So simple – it’s brilliant! The masks are great for oily skin. Snooki says she hasn’t broken out from using kitty litter so it gets her seal of approval. Who would have thought we’d be getting schooled on beauty by Snooks?

Perhaps she was hinting at this beauty secret with her Halloween costume this year. Meow!

Images via and via

You might think Spa Week is all about perfecting your skin and soothing your muscles, but many spas offer salon services, too! It’s easy to find a participating spa & salon near you – simply log on to SpaWeek.com and search by State. Then, use the drop-down menu and select hair to browse all of the spas offering $50 hair services during October 10 – 16.

In the meantime, here is a simple, noruishing Olive Oil, Mayonaise and Egg Hair Masque to do on a night-in to help soften strands and tide you over until Spa Week.

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 egg yolks

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients together in a bowl (be sure mayo is room temperature)
2. Apply thoroughly through your hair adding extra at the ends.
3. Twist in a lose bun and secure with a hair-tie or cover with a plastic shower cap or saran wrap.
4. Cover with a towel to keep in the heat so mixture penetrates deep into the hair shaft.
5. Leave on for at least 10-20 minutes.
6. Do NOT shampoo afterwards, just rinse out very well. Any oil that clings to your hair after you rinse it out, will continue to condition your hair until the next time you shampoo it out.

Note: For best results, use immediately after making without refrigerating first. The reason is, the fats and oil will penetrate your hair follicles better when warm as the molecules are more spread out and pliable.

Recipe originally featured on Food.com

This easy DIY face mask recipe only has two ingredients: peach and cucumber. That’s all you need to get your skin ready for Labor Day Weekend — well, that and some sunscreen in your beach bag. Ripe with enzymes and vitamin A, peaches help tighten pores and shrink acne spots. Cucumbers nourish connective tissue and rejuvenate the skin thanks to their abundance of silica. Plus, their ascorbic and caffeic acids prevent water retention, making them popular for reducing puffiness. The best part? Whatever you have left over, you can eat!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 peach
• 1/2 cucumber

Directions:

1. Puree ingredients in a blender until smooth.
2. Apply mixture to face and leave on for 20 minutes.
3. For an added spa touch, lay cucumber slices over your eyes and zen out to some relaxing music.
4. Wash with warm water and your favorite cleanser and pat dry. Tone, moisturize, smile!

Recipe originally featured on SpaMagazine.com