Pantry Spa Hacks for the Tired Mom That Needs Some Self Care

**Disclaimer: Our contributor is not a physician or, in any way, trained to offer health, holistic, or medicinal advice.**
Pantry Spa Hacks
Image by Seksak Kerdkanno from Pixabay

As a mom, my guess is you lack in the self-care department. Most of us are taking care of littles, husbands, and other relationships that are fruitful yet consuming work. Social distancing may have you running low on spa products at home, but that is no excuse not to pamper yourself. Even if your self-care comes in the form of grueling manual labor or exercise, check out this list of my favorite easy-access, pantry spa hacks you can find in your home for after you’ve worked out your toddler-sized aggression on the weeds in your garden.

Not only will these products feel good and steer away from synthetics and chemicals, but they also save space as you utilize items you already have.

**Note – We are all God-created exquisite snowflakes. These items may impact you and your best friend differently. You may want to try out a test area of skin before going full bore on your beautiful face. 

Pantry Spa Hack #1: Honey & Oil

Who doesn’t have honey and oil in their pantry right this very moment? Go as organic as you like using honey off the store shelf or raw honey from your local beekeeper. As for the oil, you might find yourself deciding based on scent. Just make sure it is a high-quality oil (e.g., olive, avocado, sesame, coconut, sunflower, etc.). The things you can do with these two ingredients alone are enormous. They are hydrating, regulating, exfoliating, wrinkle-fighting ninjas. Find honey and oil recipes for toners, face masks, body scrubs, and more here.

Image by Juraj Varga from Pixabay

Pantry Spa Hack #2: Avocados

We go through avocados like we are eating our last meal. Did you know they aren’t only great for the inside of your body but the outside as well? Avocado has become trendy in the healthcare game over the last several years. I keep a bottle of avocado oil next to my stove and use it as my primary cooking oil.  Avocados offer hydration, resolution of dark spots, retinol, and inflammation reduction. Check out these fantastic avocado spa treatments.

Image by Tafilah Yusof from Pixabay

Pantry Spa Hack #3: Sugar

Finally, someone is telling you to use sugar! As it turns out, sugar is an excellent spa treatment. You will want to be sure that the sugar you are using is raw and/or brown. Sugar dissolves and soaks into the skin, so bathing in refined sugar may be just as bad as eating it. That being said, with the right sugar in hand, you will discover smooth, supple skin beneath what you’re currently lathering lotion on top of. Sugar is an easy spa fix. Simply mix with your favorite hydration pairing for a leisurely tub scrub. Don’t want to use sugar? I bet you have oats in your pantry, try those instead!

Image by Aline Ponce from Pixabay

Pantry Spa Hack #4: Yogurt & Oats

These two ingredients are so soothing to the skin. It’s summer, so chances are you currently have a sunburn or are about to get one. Try these two anti-inflammatory agents to help reduce your discomfort.

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

Pantry Spa Hack #5: Turmeric

Okay, perhaps you don’t have this one in your pantry. However, it is noted on various spa sources and well worth mentioning. Turmeric offers incredible anti-inflammatory properties, making it a prized holistic recommendation of crunchies everywhere. This spice blends seamlessly into a face mask or dropped into a hot tea mixture. Here’s one of my favorite recipes, along with more information about the internal and external uses for turmeric.

Those are my top five, folks. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have more that I use regularly.

Two of which include apple cider vinegar (ACV) and magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt).

ACV can probably make you more spa and health treatment concoctions than any of the items listed above. This magic elixir can be used as anything from a hair tonic to a cold killer. I use ACV in baths for a detoxifying effect as well as a skin-hydrater and toner. My hair gets a periodic treatment and feels like feathers afterward. My colds get slammed with a hot tea mixture (see below for the recipe).

As for Epsom salts, this may be a special purchase for your household. I buy in bulk off of Amazon. Magnesium sulfate can ease sore muscles, promotes peaceful sleep, and help your body detox. If you have restless legs, you need mag in your life. Some of us are magnesium deficient which can cause symptoms from something as simple as a muscle twitch to the severity of delirium or depression. A magnesium bath is on my regular self-care agenda.

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You can use both of these on your kiddos, too!

Take Care Of You.

ACV Tea Tonic

  • 8-10 oz hot water
  • Tea of choice (something light in flavor)
  • 1-2 oz ACV (start with less)
  • Splash of lemon juice
  • A generous dollop of raw honey
Sara Hoogeveen
Sara is a career child welfare worker turned career mama. After having their first child, Marian (Feb 2017), she realized her true calling in life was to mom and mom hard! Sara resides with her husband, Blake, and daughter in West Omaha. They are expecting their second child, Henry, August 2019. Sara is a Nebraska transplant from Iowa while Blake grew up in Bellevue, NE. She has a professional background in child development, psychology, and human services, and puts these degrees to use every day in raising her children. Sara is a staunch believer in only being able to care for others when you also care for yourself. When she’s not momming, she can be found reading books from a book club she co-leads, cooking, or crafting.