Treat Yourself to an At-Home Spa!
Isn’t it time for a break from all the anxiety-producing news of the day? We’ve got the perfect antidote with an at-home spa. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to treat yourself to a little TLC. The tricks – and we culled several from the pros – are easy, affordable do-it-yourself ploys to help untangle those knotted nerves!
Start with Mood Music
Start with mood-altering music. Turn on Pandora and tune into the Relaxation Station. Brew a cup of chamomile tea or sip on some bubbly and encourage every tense muscle in your body to unclench.
Bathe your face for five minutes over a bowl of hot, steamy water with a few drops of essential oil or herbs. The benefits of an herbal steam facial include boosting blood circulation and unclogging pores. Check out Scratch Mommy’s three recipes for an herbal facial steam, and recommended herbs that are especially great for calming (lavender), for itchiness (calendula) and for dull, oily or irritated skin (peppermint).
Use any exfoliating body scrub recipe and apply it in the shower. Two options: the vanilla sugar scrub from Thank Your Body, or a coconut coffee scrub from Hello Glow. These are gentle enough for face and body, and for nine more luxurious body scrubs, check out Byrdie’s nine homemade exfoliants to soften your skin.
Oil, Milk and Honey
A face mask can hydrate, tighten, and improve the appearance of your skin. The Healthy Honeys features five recipes for clarifying and detoxing masks.
Apply a hot oil hair treatment to your hair to increase shaft strength, reduce frizz and encourage increased blood flow to your scalp. Studies show coconut oil and olive oil both penetrate the hair and make it stronger.
Run a moisture bath with a can of coconut milk, a tablespoon of almond oil and 20 drops of lavender essential oil. Be sure to dim the fluorescents, light candles and bring your tea and tunes with you!
Smooth as Butter
A body butter for your feet is a spa essential, while the face mask is working its magic. Apply one of these: an intense healing cream from Say Not Sweet Anne or peppermint whipped body butter from Thank Your Body. Then swaddle your feet in plastic wrap and a hot wet towel for 10 to 15 minutes. This is the pièce de résistance at the spa, so don’t skip this step!
Infused water is refreshing and the perfect finishing touch. Here’s a strawberry, cucumber, lime and mint-flavored water recipe from Oh My Dish and even though it only takes 10 minutes to make, you’ll want to prep it ahead of time so all you have to do is pour!
Real Buzz has a few additional at-home spa tricks, and of course Pinterest has another 687!
Spa Days in Crystal Valley
The spacious master bathrooms in the new homes that make up the family-friendly community of Crystal Valley are the perfect refuge for your home spa day. Take a look at the relaxed lifestyle of Castle Rock and check out the beautiful model homes from Kauffman Homes, Richmond American Homes, D.R. Horton, and Century Communities. With ranch and two-story models available, new homes are priced from the $300s.