10 DIY Beauty Treatments that You Can Do at Home

Whether you’re keeping yourself preened and entertained during lockdown or just fancy a pamper on a budget, I’ve put together a list of DIY beauty treatments that you can do at home. Sometimes half the fun is doing it yourself! Over the years I’ve picked up plenty of tips and tricks, particularly as a cost-saving student. Now, in lockdown, I’m revisiting my favourite DIY beauty treatments. It’s self care and something to keep you busy all in one!

1. DIY Gel Manicure

Get salon-like nails from your sofa! A DIY mani/pedi is one of the best beauty treatments you can do at home. It keeps your hands busy and with a bit of practice you’ll soon be hooked! I wrote a full tutorial and kit list here.

How to do at home DIY gel nails step by step tutorial: click here. 

2. Make your own facemask with kitchen-cupboard ingredients

• Exfoliating coffee mask: 2tbsp greek yogurt & 2 tsp ground coffee
• Moisturising honey mask: 2tbsp oats, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil, a little water
• Glowing banana mask: half a mashed banana, 1 tbsp orange juice, 1 tbsp honey

3. Tint your own eyebrows

Doing my own eyebrows was my favourite DIY beauty treatment as a student. I used the Eylure Dybrow kit. It cost around £7 and would last me about 6 months if I did my brows every fortnight! It’s super easy to use; an at home beauty treatment that you can’t really get wrong.

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4. Host an at-home spa day or evening

Bring all the spa vibes in to your own home! Set the ambiance with calming music, low lighting and candles. Enjoy a glass of your favourite wine or a chamomile tea. Then pick your favourite DIY beauty treatments!

5. Give yourself a facial beauty treatment at home

Start by double-cleansing your skin with your favourite products. Then use an exfoliator or make your own with sugar, oil and coffee grounds! After, apply your favourite mask or a homemade mask and chill out for 15 minutes. Wash it off, tone and moisturise. The perfect 20-30 minute DIY beauty treatment. Bonus points if you can get your house mate to massage your shoulders…

6. Learn massage with your partner

Swap-isolation massage treatments with your lockdown buddy! If you’re comfortable doing so then follow an online guide, youtube video or this nifty Wiki-how page and learn to give a great massage. You can massage through a t-shirt too; this definitely doesn’t have to be a part of iso-date night unless you want it to be…

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7. Give yourself a spa pedicure

Go the full works with this DIY beauty treatment! A salon spa-pedi can set you back upwards of £50…Thankfully it’s a beauty treatment you can do at home with little trouble.

• Pop your favourite Netflix show on, pour your favourite drink
• Soak your tootsies in a washing up bowl full of hot water and bubble bath
• Use a scrub (or a DIY scrub!) to exfoliate your feet and lower legs
• If you want, use a manual foot file, an electronic foot file or a pumice stone to work on callous skin
• Dry your feet and trim and shape your nails
• Give yourself a normal or DIY gel pedicure
• Massage in your favourite body lotion
• Bonus trick: use a heavy foot cream, pop a pair of cotton socks on and you’ll have baby soft feet a few hours later…

8. Glow up from home with a fake tan sesh

I don’t know about you, but a good tan makes me feel a whole lot better about myself. Take the time to give yourself an at-home tan, even if nobody but you will see it. My favourite brand is the Tanya Whitebits Bronzing Mousse (get 15% off with sandland15!). It’s easy to apply, the colour is great and it fades nicely. Plus, it’s made in Wales and is a fabulous one-woman small business!

9. Use a homemade hair mask

This is one of the easiest DIY beauty treatments because you’ve probably got most of the ingredients in your kitchen cupboard! Apply, wrap in a towel and leave to sit for 30-45 minutes whilst you zen out on the sofa or in the bath.

• For dry hair: 1 tsp honey, 1 egg, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• Encourage growth: equal parts coconut oil and ground cinnamon
• Greasy hair: 1 egg white, juice of half a lemon
• Damaged hair: half an avocado, 1 egg, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp honey

10. Have the ultimate bath

I am self-proclaimed queen of bath time. Running and enjoying the perfect bath is practically a fine art form…

Make sure the room temperature is just right; I like to have a window open. Turn the extract fan off if the noise drives you mad like it does me! Run your perfect temperature bath. Choose products that suit the time of day – zingy and uplifting in the morning or calming for the evening. You could use bubbles, oil, a bath bomb…

If you don’t have a bath tray then put a chair next to the bath for your things. Pick a cleanser and pop on a face mask whilst the bath is running! Pour a glass of wine or a mug of tea and grab your favourite book or set Netflix up on your laptop on a chair beside the bath. Don’t forget candles but make sure they’re in holders; never put a tea light directly on the bath or tray, it’s a fire risk. Make sure you’ve got a flannel handy and a dry towel for wet hands mid-bath. If you fancy some snacks, there’s no judgement here…

Have your towels or dressing gown on the radiator warming up for when you’re ready to get out. A casual 3 hours later…

Have I missed any of your favourite DIY beauty treatments? If you try any of these at home then let me know!

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