It isn't always easy to remember to take care of ourselves. Practice some self-love by creating the ultimate at-home spa day. We’ve compiled our favorite ideas to provide you with a little inspiration.
Take a Restorative Hot Bath
Taking a hot bath is a relaxing activity in its own right, but you may take it one step further and decide to light aromatic candles and turn some relaxing music on. To make the experience even better, mix oils with some aromatic flowers and pour them into your hot bath. We love Eminence Organics Apricot Body Oil for its nourishing ingredients including jojoba oil, apricot kernel oil, and vitamins A, C, and E.
Use a Body Scrub For Extra Smoothness
Besides removing the buildup of old dead cells which dull and clog up your skin, the rubbing action of body scrubs helps drain and detox your lymph nodes and boosts the circulation of oxygen-rich blood to the skin to give you a healthier glow. Exfoliation also speeds up skin cell renewal and helps other skin products penetrate deeper, so makes everything work better all round.
To reveal smoother skin, gently exfoliate and remove dead surface layers with Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Body Polishing Exfoliator or IMAGE Skincare Body Spa Exfoliating Body Scrub. Apply the product gently using small, circular motions. Do this for 60 – 90 seconds and then rinse with lukewarm water.
Give Yourself A Facial Steam
We all fall victim to the daily attempts at skincare sabotage from dust, pollution and even makeup. Steaming your face is a great way to get rid of all that grime and clean the gunk out of your pores.
For a spa-like steam treatment at home, simply fill a bowl with hot water and add a couple of drops of essential oils. Choose mix of lavender and tea tree for oily, acne prone skin, or lavender and rosehip essential oils for dry skin. Drape a towel over your head and lean over the bowl for a few minutes to allow the steam to softly penetrate and decongest your skin, leaving it nicely plump and hydrated.
Next, use a moisturizing cream that’s worthy of any spa! We suggest Multi-Lipid Replenishing Moisturizer by Clinical Skin, Obagi Hydrate Luxe, or PCA Skin Collagen Hydrator to help seal in the extra moisture you just accomplished with your at-home facial steam.
Indulge In A Facial
A proper at-home facial will likely form the centerpiece of your spa session, and today’s best skincare treats offer pampering and performance all in one.
First, be sure to cleanse! A balm cleanser like Elemis’ pro-collagen rose cleansing balm will melt away stresses as well as it will oil and grime, while a gentle exfoliator like Obagi360 Exfoliating Cleanser will ensure your skin is squeaky-clean and prepped for the main event: your face mask.
Be sure you’re using masks that are soothing, not stripping. For a rich, soothing mask with yogurt-based probiotics and clay to reduce shine, try IMAGE Skincare’s probiotic mask. To achieve a firmed and tightened look try 24K Gold Mask by Peter Thomas Roth. Looking to even your skin tone with the help of retinol, peptides, and antioxidants? You will love the Retinol Plus Mask by Jan Marini.
After your mask, don’t forget to use toner and apply your serums before sealing with moisturizer. Obagi Balancing Toner is ideal for normal to oily skin while the Intensive Pore Minimizing Toner by Perricone MD is great for combination skin.
Our top pick for a high performance serum that hydrates, plumps, and increases the appearance of skin firmness is Clinical Skin’s Polypeptide Firming Serum.
