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A spa day at home is just what the doctor ordered!
Who says you need to head to the spa to feel rejuvenated? There are lots of ways to indulge in an immersive (and inexpensive!) spa experience right at home.
Face masks and pedicures can’t solve all of the world’s problems, but they sure can’t hurt 😉 Set the mood and settle in for a day of self-care and restoration.
Follow these 10 steps for a cheap at-home spa day, and you’ll be on your way to total bliss.
STEP 1: Prep!
Before you get going with your day of rejuvenation, glance through the list ahead and prepare your products and the items you’ll need.
This is a key step that most people skip over during at-home spa days!!!
Glance through the list below and “pre-set” all the items you’ll need. Nothing ruins a relaxing soak in the tub like having to waddle into the bedroom without a towel or robe because you forgot to set one by the tub.
Before you’re in a state of relaxation, mix up your hair masks (recipe below) and set out your facial oil, etc. You’ll be glad you have everything handy and won’t have to walk back and forth between rooms or dig for toe separators with wet fingernails.
TO MAKE:
Homemade Sugar Scrub
You can make a super luxurious body scrub with just three simple ingredients: Coconut oil, essential oils and sugar! There are lots of variations on that, though — here are two recipes that are easy to follow:
Brown Vanilla Sugar Scrub
This recipe from Suburban Simplicity smells like warm-baked cookies!
Lavender Honey Sugar Scrub
This scrub from Sugar, Spice & Glitter uses honey and vitamin E oil.
DIY Facial Mask:
Running low on your favorite face mask or sheet mask? Fear not. You can whip up a safe-to-use, easy-to-make version with things already in your kitchen.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon oatmeal
- 1 teaspoon honey
No yogurt? No problem. Swap it with a smashed avocado, olive oil, or simply a little bit of warm water. Greek yogurt contains lactic acid, a skin softener, and probiotics, which supposedly help ease inflammation. Honey is a natural astringent, and oatmeal is widely recognized as a good solution for sensitive skin.
Mix it up and set it to the side for now.
When you do put it on, leave it on clean skin for 10 to 15 minutes, and rinse it off with warm water.
STEP 2: Coconut Oil Hair Mask
This one doesn’t even need a recipe.
The reason why this is almost the first step is so that the oil can soak in for an hour or two while you prep other things and take your bath.
Simply take a few tablespoons of coconut oil (varies depending on your hair length) and massage it into your scalp, but concentrate on the bottom half of your hair. Coconut oil has endless benefits for hair, namely that it will help with shine and softness!
NOTE: You’ll likely need to shampoo twice to get it out completely.
RELATED READ: 6 Easy Summer Up-Dos for Medium-Length Hair 
STEP 3: Set the mood
Light candles and/or start your essential oil diffuser.
Part of the spa experience is total relaxation and knowing that there’s nothing else that you have to be doing. At home, you have to create that atmosphere of tranquility — even if you have to fake it a little bit.
So, if you’re the kind of person who won’t be able to relax if you see a pile of dirty dishes or an unfinished load of laundry out of the corner of your eye (hi, me), go ahead and take care of those distractions (or put them behind a closed door) so that you can chill out guilt-free. That’s the first part of setting the tone.
Next, light candles around your “spa” space and crank up your essential oil diffuser with your favorite scent (I love lavender for relaxation vibes!).
Aromatherapy can have very real benefits — so don’t hold back!
STEP 4: Pour a drink
Mint tea is excellent for digestive health, and can help you come out of your spa day feeling truly fresh. Green tea has a number of antioxidants, which goes hand-in-hand with a day of rejuvenation. And of course, hot lemon honey tea is my go-to for all maladies.
Champagne is beneficial for … my mood. 😉
It’s your choice! Pour a glass of whatever makes you feel most relaxed.
RELATED READ: 11 All-Natural Ways to Boost Your Immune System 
STEP 5: Draw a bath
Now that you have your potions mixed, your robe and towels laid out, a big bowl and dishcloth set out, your nail polish chosen, and your drink in hand, you’re ready to let spa day fully commence!
Pour a heaping two cups of epsom salts into your bath, along with a few drops of lavender essential oil and a splash of coconut oil if you’re feeling particularly naughty. (People say this can really clog up your pipes … so maybe don’t? Do you. And maybe don’t do it every day.)
Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salts is what I use —you can find it easily at Wal-Mart, Target, Amazon, and grocery stores.
Now is where your DIY sugar scrub comes into play! Don’t forget to wash that coconut oil out of your hair, too.
Luxuriate in your hot, salty bath for as long as you’d like. (But if you’ve poured champagne … be careful when you stand back up!)
STEP 6: Facial steam
Once you’ve had enough in the tub, wrap up in your fluffiest robe and fill a big bowl with super hot water (you can use the faucet from your tub and let the bowl fill as you comb your hair out).
When the bowl is full, place it on the counter and lean your head over the hot water (not in it!!) and drape a towel or big dishcloth over your head.
This effectively produces a steam room for your face — a great way to get your pores “opened up” and awesome for clearing sinus issues. You could even put in a drop of mint or tea tree essential oil for an added boost.
STEP 7: Face mask!
Next up during your spa day at home is the face mask you made!
Once the water has cooled off, time to put the bowl away and apply your face mask. You can use whatever one you have in your cabinet, or the DIY one listed above.
STEP 8: Pedicure
As the face mask soaks in, go ahead and get started on your pedicure. Your feet should still be super soft from the bath, so it’s a great time to buff, clip, file and paint!
STEP 9: Face Massage
This is my FAVORITE daily indulgence. Using a few drops of facial oil, pure aloe vera (not the lime green stuff!), or thick facial lotion as a barrier, simply massage your face. This helps prevent wrinkles, release tension and brighten your skin — and it just feels good!
You can massage in tiny circles, by hitting tension points, or by going random — the important thing here is that you are never pulling on dry skin. Keep a thick barrier of slippery oil or lotion in between your hands and your skin (I like using either Cereve Moisturizing Cream or Honest Beauty’s Facial Oil for this — this oil smells like HEAVEN and feels super luxurious without being ridiculously expensive!).
For a step-by-step guide on facial massages, Lisa Eldridge is my most trusted resource.
STEP 10: Manicure
The final step for your spa day at home is the manicure.
Always leave this step for last — the grand finale of your spa day — so that you lessen your chance of chipping or smudging your polish. Go ahead and put on a good rom-com and paint your nails a fun color!
I’m currently loving the Orly Breathable brand of nail polish — it’s “13 Free,” meaning it doesn’t contain 13 known harmful ingredients common to nail polish, and is less likely to poison your bloodstream. Because apparently that’s a thing we need to be worried about now. Anyway!
There you have it — the ultimate guide to creating a spa day at home that will cost a fraction of the cost of a day spa!
What’s your favorite way to pamper yourself at home? Let me know in the comments below!
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