Why: It's pretty much impossible to do a deep tissue massage on yourself says King. You just won't reap all the benefits of a pro massage, which include, "an increase in blood and lymph circulation, oxygenation of tissues, removal of toxins and lactic acid from tight muscles, improved sleep patterns and digestion, etc. Not to mention the release of endorphins and lowering of stress hormones, so you feel amazing," she says. Money-Saving Tip: Find a cheapie massage place that'll do a great job -- you just might not get the frills of a robe, sauna, etc. And if a light massage is all you need, grab a partner and make them watch this video to improve their massage skills.
Why: "It is safer, more effective and convenient and way less messy," says King. Pain-Minimizing Tip: Find a waxer that uses hard wax, and maybe even some numbing gel. If all else fails, have one (and just one!) glass of wine before you go.
Photo 11/13
But ... brow upkeep can be done at home
Why: "If you are very talented at keeping up your eyebrows, I would say a good pair of tweezers can be your best friend at home, says Tingley. How-to: "I would go for a professional eyebrow shaping once or twice a year to get the right shape and then follow the lines yourself at home," she says. Don't have a brow pro near by? Follow these tips straight from a brow guru.
Photo 12/13
Get cuticle work and hard skin removed at a nail salon
Why: King says �most people don�t know how to properly push back their cuticles gently or scrape the nail bed with a cuticle knife. (Plus, it�s super tricky to do it on your own.) She adds that if done too harshly and with a lack of lubrication, it can dent or cause white spots to the nail bed, and cutting cuticles incorrectly with nippers can result in bleeding and bacterial infections in the nail wall too. As for feet, she says using a strong acid or alkaline-based exfoliant and not removing properly can burn them, and using a slicer to remove skin can result in chunks getting taken out of the foot. Ouch. Money-Saving Tip: Find a sexy color from this best nail polish list and BYO polish to do touch-ups when chips inevitably happen. It'll help stretch out your time between appointments.
Nothing has us running for the hills more than the idea of doing a skin care treatment like a bikini wax at home -- cue horror movie soundtrack. There are some things you can do safely and easily at home, but then there are certainly hair care and skin care treatments that should be left to trusted professionals. Case in point: Loving the trendy lob (aka long bob) is one thing, but deciding to do it yourself by plopping a fruit bowl on your head (visions of the Jack in the Box commercials are running through our minds) is definitely not recommended, and will most likely demand a trip to the hair salon afterwards anyway. So leave the scissors to the pros by going in for a haircut. On the other hand, something like a deep conditioning treatment you can do at home by simply using your fave conditioner and a shower cap. Doing this once a week will help maintain shiny, healthy hair.
You don't have to skip spa trips or settle for uneven highlights because we picked the brains of skin care experts, Olga Lorecin-Northup of Kinara Spa in West Hollywood, Calif. and Annet King, Director of Training and Development for The International Dermal Institute, as well as Whitney Olson, a hairstylist at the Warren-Tricomi salon in Los Angeles and celebrity hairstylist Jessica Tingley -- they revealed which hair and skin care treatments are worth splurging on, and which skin care and hair services you can do at home, yielding pretty much the same results.
