Body & soul: gather your girlfriends and pamper yourselves with these 6 easy steps

Ever dreamed of pampering yourself from head to toe? Why not do it at a spa--especially when the spa is right in your own backyard? You can create an at-home spa experience that pleases both you and your pocketbook. All you need is time and a bevy of select, all-natural ingredients. You can easily complete a typical spa routine in 90 minutes. Or, if time is tight, try a mini-spa treatment consisting of a facial, which takes 20 to 40 minutes from start to finish.

Most natural food stores carry a selection of all-natural body-care products and ingredients, and there are many books with recipes for body scrubs, packs and creams. Dina Falconi, author of Earthly Bodies Heavenly Hair: Natural and Healthy Personal Care for Every Body (Ceres Press, 1997), suggests being creative and having fun with a home spa. "Don't feel limited," she says, "and feel free to use whatever you have on hand. For example, if you're out of clay for a body pack, then use flour."

FIVE EASY STEPS

To begin with, you'll need two soft towels, a facial sponge or washcloth, a pan for heating water and a small mixing bowl. You might also want to designate a quiet, private space where you can dim the lights and play your favorite relaxing music.

STEP 1

Cleansing (4 to 10 minutes)

Start your spa experience with clean skin. First, wash your skin with a mild glycerin soap or non-detergent cleanser. The scrubbing action of rolled oats helps release trapped dirt and oil from clogged pores. To make your own homemade cleansing oat scrub, grind together 1/2 cup oatmeal, two tablespoons cornmeal and two tablespoons herbs (such as chamomile or lavender) in a clean, electric coffee grinder. When ready to use, mix one teaspoon dry scrub with lust enough water to moisten it. Gently rub the scrub on your skin, then rinse off with warm water. For a full-body oat scrub, use in the shower. Make sure the room is warm enough to keep you comfortable.

STEP 2

Steam routine (5 to 10 minutes)

Steam is used to open pores, increase circulation, relax muscle tension and give skin a deeper skin cleanse. It also delivers the healing properties of essential oils to your skin. You can simply do a facial sauna or--if you're lucky enough to have a home sauna--a full body steam.

For your steam, add five drops of essential oil to a quart of simmering water (see sidebar), avoiding "hot" oils or herbs such as peppermint, cinnamon and ginger that can sting lungs and skin.

For a facial sauna, bring scented water to a simmer in a covered pan. Next, place the pan on a countertop or surface that allows you to comfortably hover over it. Place a towel over the back of your head, and lean your face toward the pan, about a foot away from the water, and secure the ends of the towel around the pan to capture the steam. Enjoy the relaxing warmth, keeping your eyes closed so the essential oils don't irritate them. After one minute, come out into the fresh air. Go back under the towel, and repeat several times. In a regular sauna, depending on the kind you have, place the pan of scented water on the heating element, or pour it over the hot rocks and steam your whole body.

STEP 3

Body Pack/Facial Mask (5 to 20 minutes)

Body packs and facial masks are great for removing the surface layer of dead, dull-looking skin. Most packs and masks are astringent, so they stimulate blood circulation in the skin. They also draw water from underlying skin levels to surface layers, which makes skin puff up slightly so lines and enlarged pores seem smaller. Take advantage of this illusion while it lasts, since it has a "Cinderella" effect, wearing off in several hours as water is reabsorbed and evaporates. To do a body pack, evenly apply it to your skin, beginning with your feet and working up so it remains on your face, where skin is thin and sensitive. If the pack begins to dry, pull or feel uncomfortable anywhere, it's time to remove it. Wash it off with warm water, and gently pat your skin dry.

If you prefer to make your own pack or mask, there are countless ingredients you can use, such as yogurt, ground oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, eggs and nutritional yeast. Honey and foods naturally high in fat, such as avocado, and whole milk products, such as yogurt, are very moisturizing and are especially suitable for dry or damaged skin.

STEP 4

Toning (1 to 3 minutes)

Toners, as their name implies, improve skin tone and temporarily diminish enlarged pores and wrinkles. A toner can be applied with a facial sponge, splashed onto skin or spritzed on with a spray bottle.

There are several natural ingredients that make for great toners. Aloe vera is an ideal toner because it is soothing and healing. Apple cider vinegar is another good choice because it softens skin, restores the natural, protective acidity of skin and relieves itchiness. (Don't let vinegar's smell deter you; it only lingers a short while.)

Aromatic hydrosols -- waters produced during essential oil distillation -- contain a micro drop of essential oils and watersoluble compounds, so they make excellent toners. Mildly astringent yet nondrying, they are ideal on psoriasis, highly sensitive skin or at any time essential oils might be too strong. Alcohol-based toners, such as certain drug-store varieties, are too drying for all but very oily or acne-troubled areas.