Can't spare time or budget to indulge yourself with a day at the spa? You can still enjoy many of the same feel-good benefits. "There are many simple ways to incorporate spa-style luxury into your life, and you can do it using stuff you already have on hand," says New York City makeup artist Jessica Liebeskind. Here are six easy recipes to relax your body and rejuvenate your skin. Milk bath: Turn a simple soak in the tub into a totally decadent experience with Liebeskind's favorite relaxing treat. Fill the tub with warm water and pour in a half gallon of whole milk. "Don't use skim milk," she warns. "You want it to be creamy and full of fat to nourish and soften your skin." Make the soak even more luxurious by taking a few fresh roses, pulling off the petals and scattering them throughout the tub. Not only does it look beautiful, but it will add a wonderful, natural perfume to the experience. While you soak, the lactic acid in the milk will work as a very gentle exfoliant, so that when you get out of the tub and rinse off, your skin will be silky soft.
Hot oil body scrub: Pour about a quarter cup of olive oil into a glass jar and heat it in the microwave for a few seconds (you want it to be warm to the touch, but not burning hot). Add a handful of coarse, grainy sea salt. "You can control the proportions -- if you like a drier scrub, add more salt; if you prefer it oilier, then add less," says Liebeskind. Use it while it's still warm to exfoliate skin all over your body while in the shower. Use it several times a week to help slough off dry, dead skin cells and leave your body feeling soft and smooth. One warning: Don't use it on freshly shaved skin because the salt can sting and cause irritation. Or, if irritation is a concern, make your scrub with sugar instead of salt.
Moisturizing face mask: Feed your face something it will really love -- and that will leave it feeling soft, hydrated and well-nourished. Take a cup of plain yogurt (choose a full-fat, plain, natural yogurt that is free of added sugar, fruit or other flavorings) and add one mashed banana to it. The combination works together to deeply moisturize the skin. Adjust the proportion of yogurt to banana to achieve the desired consistency (it should be thick enough to cling to the face). Spread the mask over the face, then lie down and relax for about 10 minutes while the mask does its work. Rinse with warm water and apply moisturizer to still-damp skin to seal in the hydration.
Anti-aging face mask: This surprising mask combines ingredients from the kitchen and the medicine cabinet. Take four tablets of aspirin and crush them with a spoon. Then add a few drops of water to turn the crushed aspirin into a paste. Mix the aspirin paste with about a tablespoon of honey. "The main ingredient in aspirin is a derivative of salicylic acid which helps exfoliate the skin while the honey moisturizes," explains Francisco Cisneros, lead aesthetician at Bliss Spa at the W Hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona. Apply the mask to the face (avoiding the lips and the area around the eyes) and leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing off with warm water. Don't overdo this treatment, says Cisneros; once every two weeks is plenty to keep skin glowing.
Papaya exfoliating mask: The enzymes in papaya make it an excellent, all-natural exfoliant. To harness the skin-refining powers of this superfruit, simply pulverize the flesh of a ripe papaya (no skin or seeds) in a blender or food processor. Apply the papaya to your freshly cleansed face and neck, avoiding the eye area, and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.
Cooling eye treatment: When you wake up with puffy, tired-looking eyes, let this soothing treat revitalize you. Take two chilled cucumbers and chop them up very fine (you can use a food processor, but be careful not to puree them). Roll the chopped cucumbers in paper towels to create an eye mask. Lie down with this mask over your eyes for about 15 minutes. It will cool the skin, refresh tired eyes and help absorb excess water to alleviate under-eye puffiness.