How to Have a Spa Day at Home
Small commitment, big stress-relief.
This isn't to say you need to turn your bathroom into an elaborate wellness retreat, though. A spa day at home can be as simple as popping on a sheet mask or investing in a muscle-soothing soak to ease tightness from sitting at your makeshift desk (read: couch) all day. Plus, if you've got the means, it's also good time to think of your neighborhood spas that have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Right now, you can help keep them in business by purchasing vouchers or ordering some of their in-house products.
Ahead, we asked estheticians, spa owners, and other experts in the art of self-care to share their best DIY spa tips and home spa treatments for you to try. Sure, there's no comparison with the massage you'd get at five-star resort, but we'll take all the little luxuries we can get.
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Do a dry-brushing session.
We often turn to Joanna Vargas, celebrity facialist and founder of Joanna Vargas Salons and Skin Care, for her trusted advice on glowy skin. Her spa treatments are guaranteed to help you unwind (while also providing beauty benefits), and you can easily re-create some of her favorite tips at home. “I love dry brushing with my Ritual Brush for a full-body exfoliation,” she says. “Dry brushing increases blood flow and stimulates collagen production, which will help to strengthen your skin. It also dramatically increases elasticity, so it's great for lifting and toning."
She recommends starting at the tops of your feet and brushing upward toward the heart. "Don't forget to include the backs of your arms and your back,” she adds. Do it right before you step in the shower, then proceed with your usual routine.
Combine your bath and mask time.
“After my kids have all gone to sleep, I sometimes feel like I haven’t had a moment alone the whole day,” says Vargas. “Before bed, I like to wind down with a bath, and I love combining a great bath with a mask.” To make her bath more spa-like, she tosses in aromatic chamomile and rosemary, which help calm and hydrate skin. While she's soaking, she'll grab a mask from her Glow-to-Go Mask Set. “They're loaded with enough serum to treat your whole face, neck, and chest,” she says.
Drift off with a one-minute hand massage.
“My hands have been so dry and sensitive from all the handwashing lately,” says Vargas. To soothe them, she applies the lavender and honey-scented Burt's Bees Hand Cream right before bed. “The shea butter is great for soothing and repairing overnight,” she says. You can also squeeze in a quick hand massage as you work the cream in. It's an easy way to add some self-care to your evening.
Light a candle during your next bath.
It might seem obvious, but when was the last time you took three extra minutes to light a candle before hopping into the tub? “I've started trying to slow down during my shower time instead of racing through to be out in five minutes,” says Glamour senior beauty editor Lindsay Schallon. “One thing that helps me focus on self-care—instead of the dozens of Slack notifications coming through each morning—is lighting a candle and taking a few deep breaths in front of it.” Any candle that brings you joy will do the trick, but she particularly loves one with a sense of personality. “No matter how crappy I feel, anytime I pull out this candle from Urban Outfitters, my mood is immediately lifted. How couldn't it be?”
7/29Indulge in a bath bomb.
Whether you want something made for Instagram or a scent that'll mentally transport you anywhere but your house, there's a bath bomb for that. “I used to think bath bombs were silly, but then I tried one of Ouai's new Chill Pills and realized the escape I'd been missing,” says Schallon. “They're made with hemp, jojoba, and safflower seed oil, so they leave your skin feeling so soft. Plus, the jasmine and rose scent truly smells like a fancy spa.”
Soak your feet in bath salts.
“Even though I haven't been walking as much, my heels are still dry and cracked,” says Schallon. To help soothe aches and treat calluses, she loves Asutra's Therapeutic Foot Soak. “It comes in a few different scents, but my favorite is the tea tree and eucalyptus. I've started pouring them into a big bowl of warm water and letting my feet bliss out while I catch up on Netflix at night.” The best part? The soak comes with a pumice stone so you can buff away dead skin like they do at the salon.
Blog Credits: Sarah Y. Wu
