These Ideas Prove Self Care Doesn't Have To Be Expensive

We love a good self care day. With so much uncertainty and anxiety surrounding so many parts of life right now, it's important to acknowledge when your brain, your body, and your spirit need some TLC. And even though we'd go to the spa every day if we could, it's definitely possible to indulge in self care on a budget. Pour yourself some iced coffee, grab your loofah, and get ready because once you try these 10 ideas, you'll be daydreaming until you can do them again.

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Body Self Care

Make A Bath Bomb

We love (and we mean LOVE) baths here at Brit + Co, and bonus points if it's a bubble bath. Make yourself a bath bomb to take your soak to the next level. If you usually grab your bath bombs at LUSH, making your own may sound difficult, but it's actually easier than you think! Like a lot of other spa recipes, you probably have a lot of what you need in the kitchen.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup citric acid
• 1/2 cup epsom salt
• 3 teaspoons water
• 3 teaspoons coconut oil (melted)
• essential oils
• food coloring
• dried flowers/ dried lavender

Instructions

1. Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl – 1 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1/2 cup citric acid, 1/2 cup epsom salt. Then mix the wet ingredients together in separate, smaller bowl – 3 teaspoons water, 3 teaspoons melted coconut oil.
2. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together.
3. Separate the mixture into several bowls, and mix in essential oils and food coloring.
4. Pack the mixture into the two halves of the bath bomb mold. Make sure they are both overflowing, press the two halves together and then remove one side of the mold.
5. Wiggle the bath bomb out of the other half of the mold and let it dry out on a cookie sheet for eight hours.

Try Some New Nail Art

Sometimes all you need to feel brand new is to get a fresh color on your nails, plus there's something relaxing about how rhythmic painting your nails can be. Grab some of your favorite polish and a few different brushes and try out an at-home manicure design that you've never tried before. Or paint your nails a solid color, take it off, and do it again.

Instructions:

1. Start with a base coat, then apply a thin coat of pale pink to your thumbs and a thin coat of candy pink to your other nails. Once your first layer is dry, add a second coat. Keep those layers thin to help keep them from chipping.
2. Dip your thin nail art brush in the white polish to start painting your letters (we recommend simple letters made of mostly straight lines). Clean your brush with 100% acetone polish remover between each letter. Then draw away!
3. Switch hands and start writing your second phrase — we wrote the phrase “LUV U!” When your nail art includes text, we recommend avoiding the thumb because it’s harder to see a full phrase or word when the thumb's included.
4. Move on to your thumbs to create a heart gradient. With your clean thin brush and the candy pink polish, paint two curved lines starting from the middle edges of the nail that meet in the middle to create the top of heart. Continue painting towards the tip of the nail, but don’t worry about painting it all the way to the tip. Clean your nail art brush, and use the red polish to create the same heart shape in the bottom 1/3 of your nail. Paint the rest of the nail to the tip in red.
5. Since this is a layered look, make sure to give the polish plenty of time to dry. Then top it all off with your favorite topcoat!

Make A Face Mask

Nourishing for your face and soothing for your soul, a good skincare routine (whether it's a Gua Sha facial or a homemade face mask) are a great self care activity. Taking care of your skin allows you to spend time away from your phone, other people, and any other chores you may need to do while also giving your skin some much-needed nourishment and hydration.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 avocados
• 1/4 cup honey

Tools:

• muddler or masher
• jar (to store)

Instructions:

1. Cut 2-3 avocados in half and throw away the pits.
2. Using your hands (or a spoon) pull out the avocado and mash it up. Transfer to a medium bowl.
3. Add 1/4 cup of honey to the bowl with your avocado.
4. Use a muddler or masher to blend the two ingredients together.
5. Scoop the mix out of the bowl and into a jar to keep in the fridge. (Note: This mask mix has a shelf-life of three to five days.)
6. To use, rub onto your face with your hands. Leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse with cool water.

Make A Healthy Recipe

Nixing junk food is a great way to take care of your body while still keeping within your budget because you're already buying groceries! Make a healthy and tasty meal like these stuffed artichokes so you can enjoy your meal *and* feel good after it. Not only will eating healthy help you feel better, it's also good for your brain too.

Ingredients (Serves 3):

• 3 globe artichokes
• half of a lemon
• 6 ounces dried giant couscous
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• pinch of salt
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• small bunch fresh parsley
• small bunch fresh mint
• small bunch fresh basil
• zest of one lemon
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• seeds from half a pomegranate

Instructions:

1. Cut the very top off the artichoke, then trim the spiky tops of the leaves and cut off the stem, so the artichoke can stand up. Pull out the leaves slightly to leave enough room for stuffing. Rub any cut edges with the half lemon.
2. Place the artichokes in a large pan and cover with water. Add a larch pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 minutes. Drain and leave to cool for a couple of minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place the couscous in a saucepan with the garlic, all but 1/4 cup of the stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to the boil, cover, and simmer for 6-8 minutes until tender. Drain, then fluff with a fork.
4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Gently pull out the very center part of the artichoke and discard. Sprinkle each artichoke with a good pinch of salt.
6. Mix together the couscous, parsley, mint, basil (reserve a tablespoon of chopped parsley for sprinkling at the end) and lemon zest, and spoon into the artichokes (on the center and inside the outer leaves). Place the artichokes in a baking tin. Sprinkle with Parmesan and drizzle on the olive oil.
7. Pour the remaining ¼ cup of just-boiled stock in the bottom of the baking tin and cover the tin with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, removing the foil for the last 10 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and drizzle on the melted butter. Sprinkle with pomegranate and parsley, then serve.

Dance Around Your House

There's something about listening to a fun song that boosts our mood (and makes us want to dance), and if you feel the same way then follow those instincts! Dancing around your room is a great way to release endorphins and get your blood pumping at the same time. Think of it like some at-home cardio!

10 Of Pandora's Top Songs For Happiness And Healing

1. A Beautiful Morning by The Rascals
2. A-O-K by Tai Verdes
3. All I Do Is Win by DJ Khaled, T-Pain, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg & Rick Ross
4. Alright by Janet Jackson
5. Beautiful by Snoop Dog feat. Pharrell & Uncle Charlie Wilson
6. Beautiful Day by U2
7. Beers And Sunshine by Darius Rucker
8. Born This Way by Lady Gaga
9. Cake By The Ocean by DNCE
10. CAN'T STOP THE FEELING! by Justin Timberlake

Mind Self Care

Start A Gratitude Journal

One of the best ways to take care of your mind, and in turn the rest of your life, is to remember everything you're thankful for. Use a gratitude journal to keep your mood in check and help you remember what you have to be grateful for. Here are five prompts to get you started.

1. Write about the last time you pampered yourself. What did it feel like to indulge in self-care? What parts of that experience are you grateful for?
2. Make a list of everyone in your life, from your family to your Starbucks barista. List what you appreciate about the conversations you have with each of them. Do they have witty banter? What's their funniest theory? Or their most caring choices of words?
3. Write down why you're grateful for your job. Even if it's just that it pays the bills, it's still something to be grateful for. Be creative about what you define as "job" too — your passion project is still work!
4. Write down something you've read, listened to, or studied recently. What did you learn about, and how did it affect you on a deeper level?
5. Take a few minutes to write down your values. Think deeply about what's important to you, then write down all the ways you've embodied your values recently.

Read A Book/Binge Watch

Take a break from thinking about everything that's happening in your life and veg for a bit. Binge watch your favorite show (anyone else watching New Girl?) or stay up a little late to finish just one more chapter of your current read. It'll let you indulge in some escapism too!

Some Shows We're Loving Right Now

• Emily In Paris
• Friends
• The Office
• Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Outer Banks
• Stranger Things

Go Phoneless

People who check their phones often are more likely to have an increase in stress, so give your brain (and your eyes) a break from constant screen time by cutting your phone usage or going on a total digital detox. We recommend a week, but feel free to go longer! Constantly seeing what hundreds of other people are doing isn't good for our brains, so go hang out with a friend, explore your hometown, or just relax instead.

Get Your DIY On

Try one of our online classes or go crazy with your own DIY wall art. It's a great way to spruce up your home in a fun way, without the cost of a really expensive piece. You can customize it to fit the rest of your decor and it's fun! You'll be able to flex the right side of your brain and relieve stress at the same time.

Materials and Tools:

• acrylic paint: pink, lavender, blue, gray, yellow, gold
• sable paintbrush
• palette
• water
• paper towel
• cold-pressed watercolor paper

Instructions:

1. Start with the lightest paint colors first. Load the sable paintbrush with water and mix with paint on your palette to create a watercolor-type consistency.
2. Paint loose, flowing lines that are thick and thin. Just go with the flow and don’t worry about being perfect!
3. Once dry, add dark paint colors in thin lines (gray, navy blue, and gold) to make the painting pop and give it dimension.
4. Let dry and frame it for all to see!

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