Thrive Tries It: A Dude Treats Himself to a DIY Spa Night

Never in my life have I thought, “I could really go for a facial tonight” … and then actually executed it by creating my own.

But really, what better way to spend my Sunday evening than wearing a face mask and catching up on football highlights? Talk about relaxing. So with just three ingredients, and a slight understanding that turmeric has myriad health and skin benefits, I went for it.

Here’s everything that was on my spa menu, curated by Thrive’s Health & Wellness Editor Dana Poblete just for me:

• Skin steaming
• Turmeric glow mask
• Honey lip mask
• Self tanning

First, I made the mask. After carefully measuring out and mixing together 1 teaspoon turmeric, 3 tablespoons yogurt, and a few drops of honey, I got worried: with its bright yellow color, it was apparent that any of my roommates might walk in and mistake the concoction for a bowl of mustard. I had to move quickly. I washed my face, and steamed it over a boiling pot of water for five minutes.

The application of the mask was cold and smooth, and I felt its soothing effects within seconds. Then I spread some honey on my lips, which—in case you are wondering—is truly the superior answer to chapstick. After successfully getting all of these foods into my ears and hairline, the waiting began.

I flipped on the TV and settled into the couch while I waited for the mask to work its magic. After just a couple of minutes I didn’t even notice it—I felt rather comfortable and it dried nicely without cracking. After watching Peyton Manning return to the field and clinch the No. 1 seed for my beloved Denver Broncos, it was time to wash it all off.

This took a little persistence, but with water alone, I rinsed my face clean and immediately felt a difference. Having returned that very night from a four-day ski trip at 11,000 feet of elevation, the treatment successfully moisturized my dry and winded skin. This was the best improvement, along with a general feeling of smoothness (without any oily side effects). And my lips had fully absorbed the honey within the 20 minutes.

To be honest, I didn’t expect much. But I could actually see and feel results! Running on only five hours of sleep after a six-hour road trip, I felt refreshed and alert.

I finished things off with a quick DIY self-tanning spray made from tea leaves and vanilla. I spritzed my face and patted it dry after a couple minutes. It worked really well and added some much needed color to my Irish-German complexion. If only this simple trick was applicable to my entire body…

Some of you guys out there may be shaking your heads or palming your face, but let me confess that I now understand why some women love doing these kind of things—it’s relaxing, and for very little money, you can pamper yourself. Why not give it a try? The women in your life might respect you for being open-minded and more agreeable to how some of them enjoy spending a Sunday night.

Photo credit: Alicia Cho