Cocooning at Home: Beauty and Pampering Tips from Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas

Bangkok, April: As we continue to practice social distancing, we understand the importance of practising self-care, and that maintaining a beauty regime is key to looking and feeling good.

Life under lockdown does not have to mean a complete pause, after all, it’s the simple things, like a soothing face mask or fragrant bath that can help us through the day.

As part of our ongoing efforts to share healthy living recommendations across social media using the hashtag #AnantaraEscapism, we consulted with our pool of experts at Anantara Spas, who are also staying home for the greater good, to share their favourite skin, hair, and body boosters that can be crafted into your routine at leisure.

Read more below and check out https://www.anantara.com/en/blog/spa-pamper-tips-at-home for online reference.
Skincare
Tomato Facemask from Garcia Al Corta, Spa Manager at Anantara Villa Padierna Palace Benahavis Marbella Resort, Spain
This brightening mask breathes life back into dull skin and reduces the appearance of blemishes. Tomato helps brighten skin tone, cools and freshens skin, while honey has beneficial moisturizing properties.
Ingredients
• ½ ripe tomato
• 1 Tbsp. honey

Blend tomato with honey until it becomes a paste. Gently apply paste to face avoiding the eye area and leave on for 15 minutes. Wash off with cold water and pat skin dry with a clean towel.

Cooling Cucumber and Yoghurt Facemask from Lucia McCallion, Director of Spa and Recreation at Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas, Thailand
The combination of cucumber and yoghurt has a soothing effect on skin. The natural ingredients of cucumber moisturize, soften, smooth, and reduce puffiness, while yoghurt refreshes tired skin.
Ingredients
• Half a cucumber, grated
• Three Tbsp. of plain natural yoghurt

Whip up a quick mask by mixing yoghurt and grated cucumber. Apply to face and neck and leave on for 20 minutes; then wash it off using cool water. Use this mask three times a week for fresh-faced results.

Coffee and Honey Face Scrub from Galina Antoniuk Spa Director at Anantara the Palm Dubai Resort, United Arab Emirates.
Don’t throw away your coffee after you’ve ground it for your morning brew. Coffee is rich in anti-ageing properties and honey keeps your skin moisturized.
Ingredients
• 1 Tbsp. coffee grounds
• 3 Tbsp. honey

Take a spoonful of the powder and mix with honey. The sticky cream-like texture makes for a good scrub as well as a face wash. If you have dry skin, you can also add a few drops of coconut oil. If using as a scrub, keep on for 15 minutes before washing off.

Eye DePuffer from Kanatcha Buntongkaew, Spa Manager Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel, Thailand
A soothing, easy treat for the eyes. Parsley has active properties that can diminish dark circles and reduce puffiness under the eyes. The frozen ice cube works to reduce the puffiness when rubbed under the eyes.
Ingredients
• Distilled Water
• Chopped parsley

Fill an ice cube tray with fresh water and add a pinch of parsley to each cube. Place in the freezer. Rub frozen cubes gently under the eyes to get rid of under-eye bags and fine lines around the eyes.

Luscious Lips Mask and Scrub from Vina Teodoro, Spa Manager at Anantara Vilamoura Algarve Resort, Portugal
Quite often lips are overlooked and only tended to in cold dry weather when they become cracked and chapped. A lip scrub is a great way exfoliate and buff away dry skin. Make sure to hydrate with our next-level moisturiser to keep those lips luscious!
Ingredients:
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 2 Tbsp honey (one for the scrub, one for the moisturiser)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

For the scrub, blend brown sugar, lime and honey together with a spoon until the mixture is consistent. Add a drop of flavoured extract (vanilla or mint are good) to the mix (optional).
Using a toothbrush, apply the scrub to the lips and spread with light movements. Wash with warm water after 10 minutes.
Next step is to create a simple softening lip moisturiser with honey and olive oil. Add the two ingredients in a bowl and mix until completely blended. Apply the mix directly to the lips using fingers like a lip balm after the lip scrub and allow the lips absorb the mixture.

Hair Care
Staying indoors with air conditioning or central heating on full blast can play havoc with your hair. Follow these home remedies to show your mane some TLC.
Frizz-Reducing Hair Mask
Ingredients:
• 1 Avocado
• Olive Oil (1/4 Cup)
• 1 Lemon (juiced)

Steps:
• Mix all with an eggbeater until well blended
• Comb mixture through damp hair and let it set for 20 minutes
• Rinse with lukewarm water

Benefits of the Ingredients:
• Avocado: Great source of vitamin E and good for treating dry hair
• Olive oil: Strengthens hair, may tame frizz and reduce breakage

Mask for Damaged Hair
Ingredients:
• Yogurt (1/4 Cup)
• Eggs (2)
• Coconut Oil (1/4 cup)
• Banana (1)
• Honey (1 Tbsp)

Steps:
• Place all the ingredients in a blender smooth and well-blended
• Apply on the hair and leave in for 15 minutes.
• Rinse out with lukewarm water.

Benefits of the Ingredients:
• Eggs: Adds protein, the main component of hair
• Coconut Oil: Conditions hair
• Bananas: Promotes hair growth

Body Care
Body Brushing from Bodina Qureshi, Spa Director at Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort
A full-body exfoliation is the perfect booster treatment to combat dry and dull skin leaving a beautiful glow.

A combination of grated coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg and a sprinkle of salt makes for a beautiful body scrub with the perfect texture and an incredible scent. If you have some coconut oil hiding in your cupboard add for extra moisture, but a little water will also create the perfect consistency.
Nutmeg has long been used in herbal medicine as a treatment to sustain and promote skin appearance. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is used for its anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties decreasing the likelihood of infections and helping control sebum production.
Cinnamon is a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties and is a great addition to any combination with its bold flavour and scent.

Luxurious Vanilla Bath Bombs from Vina Teodoro, Spa Manager at Anantara Vilamoura Algarve Resort, Portugal
Ingredients:
• Baking Soda (8 oz)
• Citric Acid (4 oz)
• Cornstarch (4 oz)
• Epsom Salt (4 oz)
• Coconut Oil (2 Tbsp)
• Water (3/4 Tbsp)
• Vanilla Extract (2 Tbsp)
• Purple colour bar of soap (for colour). White soap shavings can also be used.

Directions
• Mix the baking soda, citric acid, cornstarch, and Epsom salt with an eggbeater.
• In a separate bowl, mix the coconut oil, water, vanilla extract, and purple soap shavings with an eggbeater.
• When the two mixes are ready, add the second one to the first mix slowly and always mixing with a spoon.
• Place the mix in cupcake molds.
• Chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Take a finished mold and add to your bath water for a soothing soak.