We could all use a little peace right now, so we’ve put together a short guide to help you enjoy an at-home spa experience
From the moment you step foot into a spa to the moment you leave, everything is designed to help you feel relaxed. Therapists talk in soothing tones, while the lighting is kept low and the air is heavy with sweet-smelling oils. Just the thought of it is enough to unfurrow your brow, and help you breathe a little deeper.
At this moment in time, we’re sure many of you could do with exactly this scene. Sadly, however, going to the spa isn’t something on the cards right now. But we don’t think this should stop us from getting that deep exhale we desperately need. With a little ingenuity and preparation, we can recreate the spa experience for ourselves at home.
It turns out, a lot of us are already thinking about DIY when it comes to beauty. Research from Showers To You shows 83% of us have considered recreating our favourite beauty products at home, including shampoos, face masks, and lip balms.
Before you get started with your DIY spa day, you’ll need to carve out some time and, if you live with others, let them know so they can give you some calming space and peace to relax.
Setting the scene
Think about appeasing all of your senses, starting with scent.
Scent: Our sense of smell is directly linked to our limbic system in the brain, which is why it can have such a powerful effect on how we feel. Utilise aromatherapy here and burn some essential oils, spray a room scent, or light a scented candle. Scents known to relax and soothe include lavender, bergamot, and ylang ylang.
Sound: Having calming music on in the background can really help to set the tone of your experience. Try the music section in the Calm app, or look at the ‘spa & massage’ genre on Spotify, which has a collection of playlists.
Sight: If it’s possible, keep the lighting nice and low. Light several candles (just be careful not to leave them unattended), and let the warm light permeate.
Touch: For your spa experience you want to feel relaxed in every sense, so be sure to wrap your body in comfortable, tactile fabrics. Why not put your robe on the radiator so it’s warm when you wear it?
Taste: Infuse your water with fresh mint, lemon, or cucumber if possible, or brew some herbal teas. Chamomile, peppermint, and lemon balm teas can all help ease stress, giving you a moment of tranquillity.
Your treatments
At this point, you’re hopefully already feeling a little more relaxed. Now it’s time to decide on your treatments for the day. Here we’ve listed some suggestions to get you started.
Enjoy a warm bath with salts: If you can get hold of bath salts, add a couple of scoops to your bath. Depending on the blend, they can encourage relaxation, ease muscle pain, and uplift your mood – we love Radox’s Sleep Aromatherapy Calm Your Mind Lavender bath salts. If you don’t have a bath, drop some essential oils on to a damp washcloth and inhale deeply while in the shower. Just make sure not to put the oils directly on your skin!
With a little ingenuity and preparation, we can recreate the spa experience for ourselves at home
Exfoliate: Great for improving circulation and getting rid of dry skin, treating yourself to a body scrub is an easy at-home spa treatment to try. Plus, you can easily make your own! Dr Asher Siddiqi, medical aesthetic expert at Transform, suggests combining coconut oil with coffee granules or sugar for a DIY body scrub.
Have a facial: Stress can really take its toll on our skin, and if you’re anything like us you’ll have noticed a few more break-outs than normal. If you have a mask already, go ahead and use that, or if you want to make your own Dr Siddiqi says banana, coconut oil, egg whites, and oats can all help your skin to feel more hydrated, while honey and yoghurt can help oily skin.
Give yourself a massage: A lot of us are missing physical touch right now, so giving yourself a gentle massage can be a nice way to fill that gap. Try using a moisturising oil, and use long sweeping strokes. An oil on our wish-list is LLIO’s rose quartz bath and body crystoil, which is a blend of rose geranium, sweet orange, lavender true, and palmarosa oil, imbued with rose quartz crystals (known for encouraging self-love).
And… relax
For the rest of the day or evening, try to keep things slow and relaxed. Try a short meditation and get stuck into a new book. Journal about how you’re feeling, and whether or not your self-care needs are changing. If you can, avoid screens, drink plenty of water, and get an early night.
Let the after-effects of your spa experience sink in as you melt into a blissful, uninterrupted sleep. And then? Well, get planning for your next one of course.
For more information on complementary therapies visit therapy-directory.org.uk