Tis the season for damaged hair, cracked heels, sunburn, mosquito bites and just generally being hot from the inside out. What if I told you that you could make something for each of those summertime issues at home? Think of it as a little DIY project for your summertime soul. These 5 homemade summertime must-haves include hair masks, foot balms, hydrating drinks, sunburn relief sprays and insect repellents. Your go-to summer items no longer need to be bought at your local drug store. 

Hair, for a lot of us, is part of our identity and when it is damaged, it is the absolute pits. Between chlorine pools and ocean water, our hair doesn't stand a chance in the summer...or does it? There are tons of different hair masks out there that only require a few ingredients that you most likely already have in your kitchen. But worry not. If you don't have them right now, these ingredients are super inexpensive as well as super easy to find - hint - one of them is an egg.  Homemade Hair Masks for Dry or Damaged Hair, is an amazing site dedicated to a few simple hair masks that you could whip up in less than five minutes. Another site, 8 Homemade Hair Treatments, is the bees knees. It breaks down the perfect masks for specific hair types. Knock yourself out with these. You truly won't regret it and neither will your hair. 

Oh the foot. The poor defenseless foot. We put our feet through a beating in the summer. If you are anywhere where it is hot, you most likely spend your days in flip flops, sandals of some sort or maybe even go barefoot. This can wreak havoc on your feet, causing cracked heels, calluses and thicker pads on the balls of your feet. Fret not.You can make a foot balm to soften your skin each day with just a handful of items. The best time to use any foot cream is at night, allowing it to work its magic while you sleep and your body is already in restoration mode. Take it one step further and put some socks on after the application. You'll wake up to softer feet over time or stop them from even getting bad in the first place. The key is consistency. One of the best balms I have ever used is this Ultra Healing Foot Balm. It's AH-MAZING. If you don't have all the essential oils required on hand already or don't feel like spending the money on multiple ones, this Peppermint Foot Cream is a perfectly wonderful one essential oil only option. Either way your feet will thank you. 

Your body needs water all the time and when it's hot, it needs water that much more. Hydration is so crucial to making sure you stay healthy during the summer months. Beyond water, who would have even thought that there were drinks out there that are designed to specifically cool your body down from the inside out? These 5 Summer Drinks To Keep You Cool all sound so refreshing and are guaranteed to keep you cooled down and properly hydrated. The best part, however, is that they are tasty and some are downright treat-like. Smoothie anyone?

image credit: medicalnewstoday.com

Okay. So you forgot your sunscreen (tisk, tisk) and now you look like a lobster. Yikes. Even the slightest sunburn can make you miserable. Trust me. Been there, done that. My pale Irish skin just couldn't handle the sun back in the day. Now that I'm in my thirties I'm finally able to enjoy the sun without wearing four layers of clothing to avoid shedding what felt like an exoskeleton. It was the worst and I know a lot of people can relate. There are an abundance of things you can do at home to help ease the pain and swelling of a gnarly sunburn. This Homemade Sunburn Relief site has an amazing homemade concoction that will rock your world. It's extremely effective, not to mention fast acting. This After-Sun Spray Recipe is just as great with a few less ingredients. Seems like the perfect eenie meenie miney mo situation to me.

image credit: motherearthnews.com

Last but not least. Well yes, least. I hate these things. Mosquitoes. Well bugs in general really. Now I know that bugs are an important part of our ecosystem but that doesn't mean that I have to like them - or enjoy the bite marks they leave that itch until the cows come home. Luckily for us humans, we have ways of making non-toxic, all natural insect repellents. Homemade Bug Spray Recipes That Work is phenomenal. This mama knows her stuff and has put together a list of homemade bug sprays that will keep those bugs far from you and make bites a thing of the past. That sounds like my kind of summer. 

Now go delight in all things summer - you now have an arsenal of homemade tricks up your sleeve.