With the stress and fast-
paced routine of your day-to-day life, making time for yourself often seems impossible. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, it's time to take a day for pampering and relaxation. If you can't afford a stay at an expensive luxury spa, you can create one right in your own home!
Get some privacy
The most important part of an in-home spa is steady peace and quiet. Get your partner out of the house, turn off your phone, and send your rambunctious kids off to the babysitter. Uninterrupted time just for you is crucial when trying to relax and indulge in self-care and pampering. If crying children are banging on the door or your phone is ringing incessantly, forgetting reality will be downright impossible.
Pick your music
Relaxing, mellow music will set the mood for your spa. Choose tunes that are soft and ambient to whisk you away from your troubles and put your mind at ease. Keep the volume moderate--loud enough to drown out sounds of the outside world but not too loud to disturb your tranquil atmosphere. Programs and apps like Pandora and Spotify make it easy to create a relaxing spa playlist or tune into a randomly-generated radio station.
Set the lighting
The lighting scheme in your in-home spa can make or break the ambiance. Bright, harsh lights are unpleasant and distracting. For the optimal spa experience, keep your lighting low--turn off any fluorescent or glaringly bright fixtures and use only soft lamps. Set out flickering candles to cast a soothing, warm glow.
Take an aromatherapy bath
Nothing relaxes your muscles and mind quite like a warm bath. After drawing the water, add essential oils or bubble bath in scents known for their calming effects, such as lavender, mandarin, bergamot, ylang ylang, or jasmine. After a nice, long soak, use a natural salt or sugar body scrub (you can even make your own!) to exfoliate and rejuvenate your skin. After your bath, slather your skin with a moisturizing oil or cream to nourish and hydrate.
Choose your beauty treatments
Now that you're fresh and clean, wrap yourself in a warm fluffy robe and continue the pampering with beauty treatments.
- Put a conditioning hair treatment into your locks--you can buy one at the beauty supply store or make your own using items in your fridge. Eggs, yogurt, avocado, honey and even beer are known for strengthening hair, increasing shine, and adding volume. Look up a recipe online according to your personal needs and get mixing!
- Apply a skin purifying mask on your face. Clay and charcoal masks work great to detoxify skin and reduce pore size. You can get crafty and make your own face mask as well--bananas, vinegar, milk, oatmeal and mayonnaise are commonly used for DIY facials--just not all together!
- While you let the products work their magic, give yourself a pedicure--scrub callouses off your feet with a pumice stone, buff off dead skin with sea salt scrub, and finish up with a luxurious lotion massage. Give your toes (and fingers) a pretty coat of nail polish to finish off the look.
Get a massage
Just because your spa day is at home doesn't mean you can't end it with a deep, relaxing massage--use a self-massager to loosen up tense muscles and make your stress melt away. If you feel like splurging, schedule an in-home appointment with a licensed spa therapist--you'll combine the luxury of a massage with the comfort and privacy of your own home!