Too much to do and not enough time? We juggle many roles as women, including being a mother, grandmother, employee or boss, and when we make a to-do list, we always seem to be at the bottom. So it's essential to make time just for us, and where better to unwind and relax than at a spa?
Admittedly, I love a Spa weekend, but it's costly, and money is tight after Christmas. The promise of soothing facials always tempts me, hot cloths smelling of gorgeous oils, body massages, a warm swimming pool and all the attention from the lovely staff.
Since the start of the Pandemic, I've created my own at-home spa experience with the minimum expense, and I started by making changes to my bathroom.
Put it in the diary for your at-home spa - once written down, it's hard to ignore!
We deserve to recharge our batteries, especially during winter, when sunny days are few. Even an hour a week as a self-pamper session will help you rejuvenate.
Here are some tips on creating your spa experience at home and making or buying products that don't cost the earth.
First, set the mood - visiting a spa is to RELAX! So, you want to create a vibe that's calm and clean.
Keep your bathroom and countertops utterly free of unnecessary items and clutter.
Have a selection of moisture-loving plants in the bathroom. The Boston fern and Parlour Palm are great in bathrooms, and ferns thrive in steamy environments, like your bathroom or shower room.
Put out clean, fluffy towels and light a few candles, preferably essential oil candles and fragrances you love. Lavender is soothing and relaxing; Neroli is another essential oil that's lovely in candles and body-care products.
Banish the laundry basket to another room.
Start with a foot spa/soaker. You cannot easily do a full pedicure at home, but you can pamper your feet using a foot spa. You can add your favourite bath milk or salts or just warm water.
If you are after a complete foot spa treatment, plenty of different ones are on the market. Check out the link below for a roundup of reviews on the various manufacturers and models. Excerpt with the kind permission of Expert Reviews.
Tired feet need looking after - use a pumice stone or foot file to help remove hard skin.
Homemade Foot scrub
To create an excellent salt scrub for your feet, mix a handful of Epsom salts with a tablespoon of bath or olive oil in your hand or on a bath sponge.
Rub gently over wet skin to exfoliate, soften, and remove dead skin before rinsing off with water.
Excerpt by kind permission: https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-remove-dead-skin-from-feet#methods
Homemade Facial mask
Tie up your hair or hold back using a bandeau or headband.
Remove all makeup, cleanse, wash the face, then pat dry.
Depending on your skin type, use either a clay mask for oily skin or an oil-based one for dry skin.
For Dry Skin: Avocado
Ingredients:
One Avocado
Two tablespoons plain yoghurt
One tablespoon of olive oil
One tablespoon honey
How to use:
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, apply liberally to the face, leave for 10 minutes, and then rinse off. What Avocado you don't use for your skin facial is excellent for salads.
For Normal or Oily Skin: Clay
Many types of clay are used in the beauty industry, but I prefer French green clay. French clay absorbs excess oils and helps remove dead skin cells. Kaolin clay acts as a mild exfoliate and is particularly good for acne.
Ingredients:
1½ teaspoon of French Green Clay
½ teaspoon of Kaolin Clay
1½ tablespoons of Aloe Vera Gel
One tablespoon of Rose Water
How to use:
Mix the green and kaolin clays in a bowl.
Add Aloe vera gel and rose water, then mix.
Apply to the skin with fingers or a damp face cloth, sit and relax for 10-20 minutes or until the clay has dried. Rinse with a warm, steamy washcloth and pat the skin dry.
For all skin types: Green Tea Facial Mask
Our gorgeous face mask contains all-natural ingredients and is Certified Vegan. It's rich and creamy, infused with green tea, and is excellent at drawing out impurities and excess oils from the skin.
Ingredients:
Dead Sea mineral mud
Sunflower oil
Vegetable Glycerine
Olive oil
Shea butter
Apricot kernel oil
Apple, melon, cucumber and green tea extract.
Hyaluronic acid
Lavender & Lemon essential oils.
How to use:
Apply a generous layer to a cleansed face and neck, avoiding the delicate eye area. Sit back, relax for 10 minutes, rinse your face with warm water, and pat dry.
At-home spa treatments can be as beneficial as visiting a salon - don't forget to tune into your favourite music, enjoy the benefits of aromatherapy candles or diffusers and take some time out just for you.
To view the complete luxury natural soap and skincare collection, plus our home spa gift set, please visit www.livewellnaturalskincare.co.uk.
Thank you for checking into my blog on natural beauty & wellbeing. We always appreciate a share or comment, Thanks, Pam x