Some days, you need to kick up your feet, take a deep breath, and relax. Treating yourself to a spa day can be helpful, but most spas come with a pretty hefty price tag that may be difficult for you to swing — especially as often as your body might need a break!
Thankfully, there are plenty of great ways to make your own DIY spa at home. Bust out those candles, turn on some spa music, and get ready to relax in your bed, couch, or tub because these tips on how to have a DIY spa day at home will chill you out in no time.
First, Clean Your Home
We know what you’re thinking — you’re supposed to be learning how to relax, not discovering new ways to add work to your plate! But getting out of the bath only to step on crumbs or find a load of dirty laundry on the bed can pull you right back out of the relaxed vibe you’ve worked so hard to attain.
Set yourself up for success by cleaning your home before you start your spa day. That way, you can enjoy those chill vibes and relaxed muscles all throughout the rest of the day and into the night.
Don’t Look at Your Phone (Really)
If you have a fun game on your phone that puts you in the mood, it’s not the end of the world. But for the most part, phones are a constant tether to the outside world, along with all of the responsibilities that come with it.
Consider shutting down your phone and computer for the afternoon to give your mind a true respite from those pesky notifications, emails, text messages, DMs, and more.
Draw Up a Cozy Bath
When you think of a home spa day, a bathtub might be the very first thing that you picture. As you relax into those soothing suds, you just might find that a bath can help your mind to wander, soothe those knots in your back, and set your spa day off on the right foot.
As an added bonus, there are plenty of health benefits that come with taking a bath. In fact, submerging yourself in warm, bubbly water can lower your heart rate, reduce pain, address inflammation, improve blood circulation, and much more.
You can even take advantage of spa-like extras, including Epsom salts, bath bombs, and other spa products. A round of invigorating Lemongrass Bath & Body Gel can expertly clean your skin while locking in moisture. Or, soak your way to relaxation with the Rose Hip + Lotus Mineral Milk Bath. Sit back, relax, and let this emollient rich milk bath do all the work, leaving your skin feeling soft and smooth.
So dim the lights, put on a relaxing Spotify playlist, and spend some time in a warm bath.
Hydrate
Hydration is incredibly important to a healthy, refreshed body. When you’re dehydrated, you might suffer from symptoms like:
- Headaches
- Tight skin
- Lethargy
- Muscle cramps
- Constipation
None of those side effects are great to have, especially when your body is desperate to relax.
If you’re like many people, chances are you’re at least a little dehydrated. Make sure to drink plenty of water for the day.
If you plan to drink coffee or alcohol throughout your spa day, keep a water bottle on hand. Generally, it’s a good idea to enjoy one glass of water for every glass of a diuretic to stay properly hydrated.
Is water feeling a little too blah and bland for your mood? Spice it up! Infuse your water by adding watermelon, berries, and mint to take your zen to the next level.
Exfoliate Your Skin
To truly take advantage of your spa day, make sure to exfoliate. When you exfoliate, you can gently scrub the skin to clear away dead skin cells from your face and body.
Exfoliating can provide some outstanding benefits. For example, regularly exfoliating your skin can help to:
- Prevent acne and breakouts
- Make your skin tone appear to be more even
- Reduce or prevent ingrown hairs
- Stimulate collagen synthesis
- And more
There are many exfoliators out there. Look for a product that not only removes dead skin cells but also nourishes the healthy cells underneath.
The Kabosu Sea Salt Sugar Scrub is sure to delight with its powerful combination of bamboo powder, shea butter, and avocado oil and is gentle enough for the face.
It’s not all about the face, though! Just about any part of your body could do with a bit of exfoliation — especially your feet.
While you can use a general exfoliant to gently scrub your entire body on a regular basis, special products like foot exfoliants can be a great way to pamper yourself.
The Coconut Milk and Verbena Exfoliating Foot Mask can help to give your feet some much-needed hydration. Not only does this mask rub away dead skin, but it also soothes and nourishes tougher areas, like heels and calluses. You’ll be ready to pop on the strappy heels and show off your feet or slip into some plush slippers in no time!
Your lips need exfoliation, too. Because the skin on your lips is so thin, it’s important to use a gentle lip exfoliant polish, like the Vanilla Bean Lip Scrub. With aloe, vitamin E, and brown sugar, the Vanilla Bean Lip Scrub will leave your lips softer, smoother, and plumper than ever before.
Moisturize
Between long walks under the summer sun to using dehydrating products, it’s easy for your skin to get dried out.
Pamper your skin with a full body moisturizer. Whish Body Butter features a triple-antioxidant formula that softens skin. It’s a perfect way to transition your skin from a soak in a sudsy bath to a luxurious bathrobe that you can lounge around in for the rest of your at-home spa day.
For a more intensely moisturizing treatment, Bakuchiol Super Cream works deep within your skin to hydrate while also helping to reduce the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles with its unique plant based active ingredients.
At-Home Steam Treatment
Steam treatments open up your pores and help to clean out all of the trapped dirt, grime, and sweat that gets locked in your skin after a long day out and about.
To design the ideal at-home steam treatment, you’ll need to gather a few essential materials and ingredients. You’ll need:
- Oven mitts
- A few essential oils in your favorite fragrances
- A large pot
- A heat-resistant or heat-safe bowl
- A large towel
Once you’ve gathered everything together, bring water to a slow boil on the stove. After your water is so hot that it’s boiling, pour out the water from the pot to your heat-safe bowl and pour in a few drops of essential oils of your choice.
It’s important to note that you should only choose essential oils that are safe to inhale. Lavender and eucalyptus release chemical compounds called terpene, toluene, and benzene, which can lead to tightness in the chest, inflammation of the lungs and airways, and asthma attacks.
Make sure to research any essential oils before you inhale them. If you prefer to keep things simpler, you can always enjoy a few drops of lemon or lime in your water to enjoy a pleasant scent.
After your bowl has been filled up with hot water and any oils you want to put inside, lower your face over the steam. Don’t get too close to the water — just enough to feel the pleasant, warm sensation of the steam caressing your face. To maximize your spa experience, drape the towel over your head to barricade the steam and breathe in deeply.
Face Masks
What’s a spa day without a good face mask? While you may feel a little silly wearing a face mask, they are a wonderful way to refresh your skin and relax your mind. Some DIY enthusiasts love to whip up their own face masks with items found in the kitchen cabinets, including bananas, oatmeal, yogurt, eggs, and more.
But if you’re looking for something a bit more powerful (and less work on your part, of course), there are plenty of incredible face masks on the market. The Blue Matcha Restoring Mask refreshes and soothes tired skin, while the Renewing Mud Mask with Bakuchiol exfoliates and penetrates the skin, activating anti-aging properties deep under the surface of your skin.
Treat Yourself
At its core, an at-home spa day is all about making yourself feel good. You know your body best. So find what works for you and lean into it.
Maybe for you, a spa day means slathering on a face mask and binging the latest true crime documentary limited series for a couple of hours. It could mean propping up a good book in the bathtub or ordering some takeout while you let your foot mask soak in.
Whatever you’re into, make sure to take the time to pamper yourself — after all, you deserve it!