Fragrant Massage Oil

• 1/2 oz olive oil

• 3 drops chamomile oil

• 3 drops birch oil

• 8 drops lavender oil

• 3 drops ginger oil

• 3 drops rosemary oil

Combine all oils and massage into tense muscles after a warm bath.

Dry Brittle Hair Treatment

Mediterranean cultures have long known the lustrous effects of coating lackluster locks with olive oil. Massage about 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil into the scalp for at least two minutes, then brush it through the hair. Either wrap it all up in a terry-cloth turban, or sleep on a towel-covered pillow and shampoo it out in the morning. 

Face Treatment

One of the best treatments for the face is found in the produce section of the local supermarket. Mash about one teaspoon of avocado with a tiny squirt of lemon juice and gently massage it into the face and neck areas. Rinse it off with cool water once it dries. Rich in vitamins C and E, avocados cost a fraction of what vitamin-enriched face treatments sell for.

Luxurious Milk Bath (and affordable)

Make your own milk bath by mixing two cups of dry whole-milk powder with one cup cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon of any fragrant oil. Scoop half a cup of the mixture into running bath water to smooth and soften rough skin. Store the remaining mixture in a pretty container next to the tub.

 Instant Relaxation

• Sip a cup of tea, chamomile, for instance. It will actually relax you right up.

• Sit in a rocking chair. People relax almost immediately when sitting in one. 

• Breathe deeply. When you are stressed out, slow your breathing, focus on each breath, breathing in and out through your nose. Concentrate on nothing but inhaling and exhaling.

• Shift your activities: If you're doing something that makes you anxious, do something else. Get up and move around. Shift to something mindless and when you do go back to the first activity, you will be refreshed.

• Most importantly, make yourself smile: Keep a funny joke or cartoon near your desk or work area and look at it often.  Pictures of your family will also do the trick.

Homemade Skin-Care Aids to Pamper Yourself With

• For an easy, weekly facial sauna that unclogs pores, add a few tablespoons of your favorite herbs to water and boil for several minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and use a bath towel as a tent while you let the steam rise to your face for 3 to 5 minutes. Then rinse your face with very cold water to close the pores.

• For a toning/cleansing mask for normal to oil skin, add 3 tablespoons of finely ground oatmeal to 3 tablespoons of witch hazel to form a paste. Apply to your face and allow to dry for 20 to 30 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

• For a drying facial mask for oil skin, slice a washed but unpeeled cucumber and puree the slices with a tablespoon of plain yogurt in a blender or food processor. Apply the mask to you face and allow to dry for 20 minutes. Wash off with warm water and finish with a cool rinse.

• For a toning mask for normal and oily skins, combine half a small papaya, 1 egg white, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice and mix in the blender until creamy. Leave the mask on your face for 20 minutes and then rinse with cold water.

• For a cleansing mask for dry skins, mix the yolk of an egg with 2 teaspoons mayonnaise and 1/2 teaspoon or lemon juice. Apply to you face and allow to dry for 20 minutes. Wash off with warm water.

• For a skin-tightening mask for normal and oil skin, whip an egg white, apply to the face and allow to dry. Rinse off after 20 minutes. Avoid this treatment on dry skin, where it may be too harsh.

• For an excellent astringent for oil skin, combine 1/2 cup witch hazel with 1/4 cup lemon juice. Splash on your face. Store remainder in refrigerator.

• To treat pimples and discourage blemishes, apply a mixture of calamine lotion and 1 percent phenol (available from a pharmacist).

• For a softener for rough areas, such as your feet, knees and elbows, mix a paste of 1 tablespoon finely ground oatmeal and cold cream. Apply it several times a week and rub gently as you wash off the paste with warm water.

• For another softener for rough areas, mix 1/4 cup table salt, 1/4 cup Epsom salts, and 1/4 cup vegetable oil. Stir constantly as you mix the ingredients. Massage the paste into rough skin for several minutes. Remove by bathing or showering.