Show Yourself Some Love With a DIY Spa Day at Home This Valentine’s Day
Has the latest lockdown scuppered your plans for a relaxing spa day, or even a couples spa break? At Martin and Phelps Hair & Beauty Salon in Cheltenham, we know that life sometimes has a way of tampering with even our best laid plans, so the team have created a simple guide for how to have a relaxing spa day at home. Cut off the Wifi, turn your phone off and chill this Valentine’s Day (or any other day!) with our DIY Spa Day plan – this would work perfectly as a gift of “me time” for a loved one too!
Cheltenham
Gloucester
Tewkesbury
Cirencester
Step #1 Prepare Your Spa Area
Turn on some soothing music, turn the lights to low and perhaps light some candles. Ensure that you have enough clean, soft and fluffy towels to hand in each of the areas you will be using as your spa. Prepare some water, perhaps with mint and your favourite fruit and ensure that you have healthy snacks to hand – relaxing is hungry work!
Step #2 Dry Brush
Dry brushing is an excellent wake up call for your skin, it stimulates the circulation of your blood and lymph system, which allows your body to get rid of toxins a bit more easily. It is also a fantastic way to slough off those skin dulling dead skin cells!
When you are dry brushing, is always best to brush in the direction of your heart. Brush firmly enough that you can feel it, but not so hard that you irritate the skin. Use circular strokes on your joints, such as knees and elbows and longer strokes on your limbs. Brush counter clockwise on your belly to invigorate your digestive system.
Step #3 – Create The Perfect Bath
When you’re done dry brushing, it’s time for a decadent, relaxing bath. The perfect bath is the best way to relax and begin your spa day, especially with a good book or playlist.
Treat yourself to a bath bomb for your bath to make it smell amazing and help your skin, as many of these contain ingredients to moisturise the skin. You can also opt for an epsom salt bath, which has the added benefit that the magnesium helps your muscles to relax, perfect after a home workout. You can also add a few drops of essential oils including
- Lavender essential oil to relax
- Chamomile essential oil, flowers or tea bags to relax
- Lemon essential oil for a pick-me-up
- Oatmeal for your skin. You can sprinkle this in directly into your bath or add to a cloth bag and drop into the bath.
If you can’t take a bath, add essential oils on a washcloth or small towel and put that in your shower, out of the water. The steam will help the oil spread, making your bathroom smell amazing and giving you many of the benefits of the oils.
Step #4 – Apply a Hair Mask
Once you’ve settled in your bath, or you’re out of the shower and wrapped in towels and a dressing gown, it is the perfect time for a hair mask. Let it sit while you’re relaxing and let it work it’s magic on your tresses, leaving your hair soft, hydrated and glossy.
Step #5 – Face Mask
The next step in your DIY Spa Day is to apply a face mask. The steam from the bath or shower will have opened your pores so the mask can sink in and give you the full benefits of the moisturising products that you use.
Step #6 Exfoliate (All Over)
To get glowing skin, the next step is to exfoliate your skin to remove the remaining dead skin cells. Get your hands on a delicious premade scrub, or make your own using some sugar or salt with oil – you can even add some essential oils to add a lovely fragrance if you like.
Sugar scrubs are generally softer as the sugar dissolves, while salt scrubs are harsher on the skin. You can also use coffee grounds for a scrub, which works well and is a good, cheap zero waste option. Do not use these home made scrubs on your face, as they are too harsh for your delicate skin.
Step #7 Moisturise
Once you get out of the bath, it’s time to moisturise your whole body, including your heels and feet. For a spa like experience, opt for a creamy body butter or hydrating oils and give yourself a massage until the products have been absorbed.
Step #8 A DIY Facial
After you have cleansed your face and enjoyed a face mask, it’s good to use a refreshing toner on your face, to make sure your skin is clean. After that, use a serum or oil on your fingertips and massage into your face.
For the full spa experience, use a jade or rose quartz face roller to invigorate your lymphatic system and give your skin a beautiful glow.
