Self Care Essentials: Home Spa Edition
This guest blog post was curated for Bucky by Diana Wills.
So, you’ve finally snagged some home alone time, what are you going to do with it? Whether you’re married, in a relationship or single, everyone needs and deserves some real quality ‘me’ time. Some days you just want to veg out and do nothing, other times you want to take a walk all by yourself, or maybe even grab lunch and see a movie – take yourself on a date.
However, there is one type of a date with yourself that is perhaps more satisfying of all – creating your own spa in your very own cozy bathroom and beyond. Not only do we love the occasional uninterrupted pampering session, but we absolutely need it. Life is stressful, so every now and then, a little unwinding and de-stressing is a must, and today we’re going to teach you how to set the mood and spoil yourself supremely.
Before You Dive In
In order to even begin to create a real spa atmosphere, you’ll need scented candles, as many as you can get. They can be different fragrances, but just make sure they mesh well together. For a true soothing effect lavender is a foolproof choice, as it has well-known soothing properties and aside from that smells plain divine.
The next thing you need is a good playlist with all the feel-good songs. Some people would recommend ambiance tunes, but we say, put on anything that brings you joy. This is your evening, you might as well engage in a dance session.
Now, one of the best things you can do, as you don’t have a massage therapist, is to get that long brush and do some dry brushing. It helps with cellulite, exfoliation, and blood flow and has an incredibly calming effect on the body. Make sure you slip into the comfiest fluffiest robe you have and let your body know that some serious spa goodness is on the way.
Now, in the spirit of pampering and health, as this is what it’s ultimately all about, invest in a finest whole house air purifier that will keep all the pollutants such as dust, mites, and all other micro-particles so you know you’re not only in a pampering but also pure and safe environment.
The Main Ingredient
Oh, the mighty relaxing tub, you just can’t wait to dive into all the bubbles. When it comes to the perfect bath, spare no expense – get it all, the bubble bath products of your choosing – the Body Shop, for instance, has amazing fragrances. Get some essential oils – lavender is again highly recommended and while you’re at it, get some bath salts for a full-luxury experience.
Create the perfect amount of bubbles and water temperature, and immerse yourself in the heaven of your own creation. Lean back, close your eyes, put on soothing warm flaxseed and lavender pillow over your face and just unwind. The water and the pillow will turn you into a relaxed mush that’s free of all tension. While your face is resting as well as your body, don’t forget to take care of the hair with a deep conditioning treatment.
The Final Part
If you’re one of those people who like to stay in the tub until they start to prune or after all the bubbles have dissolved, do it – it’s your party and you can soak as long as you want to. However, once you do decide to get out of the tub, some further nourishment awaits.
Slip back into your robe, put a towel around that rejuvenated hair and get to some serious exfoliation to reveal a great and glowing complexion by removing all those pesky dead cells. Once the skin is squeaky clean, place a few drops of your go-to facial oil or serum, warm it up with your fingers and gently massage the skin until it has absorbed the product. This facial massage will reduce any puffiness and you will awaken looking like an Instagram ‘woke up like this’ goddess. Finalize the routine with a rich evening cream and the mandatory under-eye treatment, and your face is good for the night – and the following morning.
Finish Strong
Once you’re done slathering your body with the most skin-softening body butter out there (Bonus tip: heat the lotion or butter on your bathroom radiator, it will feel so much better on the skin when it’s all warmed up), don’t even bother getting dressed; again, it’s your night, and there are few clothing items more comfortable than that robe. Put on some fluffy slippers, pour yourself a glass of wine, and either take that book you’ve been dying to read or play your go-to feel-good movie. Put on some fluffy socks, find the perfect position on your sofa or favorite chair, and just enjoy the peace and quiet – and that is how you do date night, spa style.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Diana Wills is a Biochemist and a Blogger based in Sydney. She is a science, health, food and fitness lover, with interests in beauty and fashion. Diana believes her love towards all of these things is so contagious that she just had to start writing about them so she can share it even more. Dina is a contributor to the health and fitness blog ripped.me and can be found on Facebook and Twitter.