Danielle McCarthy
Beauty & Style

Simple tips to have a relaxing spa day at home

Your body may be screaming out for some pampering but your wallet is saying otherwise. Ditch the spa experience and make your own at home with some of these spa hacks.

Read on to find out how you can create a relaxing environment without having to leave your house.

1. Set the scene

Light a candle and dim the lights if you can – it might seem cheesy, but it really does help to position your mind and body into relaxing. If you have a bath, run a long, warm bath and add some bath salts, bath bombs or oil into it. Allow the fragrance to fill the room just as a room in a spa smells. Pop on some music and sit back to relax. Try to clear your mind and be in the moment. While you lay there relaxing, the botanical ingredients of the products you added will start to soften and nourish your skin. Those without a bath need not worry, there is still plenty you can do to create a spa experience. Hop into the shower to wet your skin and then either move the water away from you or quickly pop out to apply a salt scrub or body oil, use a loofah or exfoliating glove to work the product into your skin before popping the water back onto your body to rinse off. 

2. Get the right tools

From inflatable pillows to body brushes, there are plenty of cost-effective options for spa tools out there. Visit your department store or pharmacy to see what's on offer. A great start is to get a body puff which can be used to wash and also exfoliate your body. Another great option is a cooling gel eye mask which you can pop in the fridge and lay over your eyes to either help your eye cream sink in or on its own for a de-puffing treatment.

3. Mask up

There is no denying that masks are big news at the moment and this is thanks to their ability for drawing out impurities while also delivering a high concentrate of skin-loving goodies into your dermis. Choose what you want depending on your needs and pop it on while you are soaking in the tub. 

4. At-home mani and pedi

Ditch the salon and give yourself an at-home experience. There are plenty of gel polishes on the market now which will give you two weeks’ worth of colour. Take the time to push back cuticles, buff and shape your nails to the desired shape and polish. Set aside enough time to allow your nails to dry sufficiently or invest in some quick dry drops.

Happy spa days!

Written by Sarah Simpson. First appeared on Stuff.co.nz.

Tags:
home, tips, relaxing, cheap, day, spa