When you have a collection of high-quality beauty products and loungewear on hand, it’s easy to experience the luxury and pampering of professional spa services in the comfort of home. Want to promote total relaxation and rejuvenation but don’t have time to go to the spa? We asked the top spa insiders for their favorite at-home spa treatments:
Set the mood for peace and tranquility
Elena Duque, esthetician and owner of Bodybrite Bayside Spa in New York City, knows how challenging it can be to set aside time for going to the spa. But with a few simple tools, the spa-like experience can be easily re-created at home. Along with playing a soothing music playlist, she recommends dim lighting and a few candles to help mellow your mood after a busy day. An aromatherapy lamp with essential oils can also add another level of soothing comfort for the senses. Also, wrap yourself in the plush and comfy softness of a robe; that way, you’ll be ready for self-care treatments while staying dry and comfortable after a shower or bath.
Cleanse the skin
Choose an appropriate cleanser for your skin type and wash your face thoroughly. This will clear away any dirt or makeup from your pores, allowing your skin to get the most benefit from your beauty treatments. Sylvia Brownlee, the owner of Pure Beauty Skin Bar, uses a series of products for cleansing the face, which starts with the balancing Pure Pre Cleanse oil, a soap-free cleanser that doesn’t clog your pores or dry out your skin. “Next, apply the balancing cleanser and…be sure to give yourself a nice massage during the cleansing process.” For even more detoxifying of the skin, you can also use a mask made with clay and other cleansing ingredients. Finally, she sprays a refreshing toner such as a cucumber mist, which feels like “a nice drink of water for your skin.”
Refresh and rejuvenate the complexion with a facial steam bath
Caleb Backe from Maple Holistics suggests detoxing and opening the pores with an at-home facial steam bath, which recreates the similar effects of a sauna: “Start by placing your head over a bowl of steaming water. You should be careful to not touch the water or spill the bowl. Drape a towel over the back of your head to keep all the steam in. You can also put a few drops of essential oils into the water for extra benefits. After, gently wash your face with a cleanser of your choice.” This simple at-home spa treatment has a lot of surprising benefits for the skin such as boosting circulation and cleansing your pores of toxins.
Soak in the Tub
An essential evening ritual for Oprah Winfrey, a soothing soak in the tub is just what you need for unwinding after a long day. Letting the stress of the day flow down the drain is the way to follow. Make this special time of self-care even more luxurious with mineral bath soaks, a top product recommended by Celebrity Skin Behaviorist Leaine Dehmer of Leaine Dehmer Clinical Skincare. Her custom bath soaks are made with pure essential oils like thyme, juniper, and birch, which help relieve achy muscles and softens the skin. Another essential oil blend with a dreamy and relaxing effect is rose, rosewood, and geranium, which can help transport you to a beautiful space of meditation. She also recommends customizing your bath soak with a pure essential plant aromatherapy blend that doesn’t contain a carrier oil.
Exfoliate the skin
Now that your pores are open and cleansed from the steam, cleansers, and toner, your skin is prepped and ready for a deep and nourishing exfoliation treatment. Gently exfoliating the skin with scrubs helps to increase circulation while also removing any dead skin cells, giving your skin a smooth and youthful glow. Shannon from A Girl’s Gotta Spa has two favorite salt rubs that are perfect for pampering your skin: “Energizing citrus salt scrub is an all-natural blend of dead sea salt, avocado oil, green tea extract, and citrus essential oils.” Another soothing and restorative scrub is the Synergy Himalayan salt scrub, which is all natural with pink Himalayan salt, lavender, Jasmine, rose, geranium, and other premium ingredients.
Skincare expert and esthetician Tracey Evelyn Reed can’t live without her sugar scrubs, which have a long list of benefits for the skin: “Sugar scrubs smooth the body skin by removing dull skin cells, which promotes a soft and healthy glow. Sugar scrubs also stimulate cell renewal, which helps reduce wrinkles and cellulite.” All it takes for a soft and healthy glow is 5 minutes in the shower while enjoying the sweet smell of sugar scrubs. Sugarcane contains glycolic acid, a natural alpha hydroxy acid that helps to exfoliate the skin. When dead skin cells start to pile up on the skin’s surface, it can give you a dry, uneven, and dull appearance, which is why daily exfoliation is essential for your skin care routine.
Gua Sha Facial
For facial acupuncturist Annie McDonnell from Joy Alchemy Acupuncture, her secret to glowing skin is a combination of energy medicine, massage, and the healing properties of crystals. She loves teaching her patients how to easily give themselves a spa-like facial at home: “Gently massaging the entire face and neck with a smooth jade or rose quartz Gua Sha tool not only feels wonderfully relaxing but also helps serums/moisturizers absorb, releases muscle tension, drains lymph nodes, boosts circulation, and helps contour the jawline.”
Deep moisturizing foot treatment
Besides her tips on setting the mood for relaxation, Elena Duque also recommends a moisturizing treatment that will keep your feet baby-soft for days. “To really kick it up a notch, massage shea butter or coconut oil into your feet and then wrap in Saran wrap. Do this while you’re already in bed, then lay back and relax. You can even do this for your hands!” Also, it is an effective way to lock the moisture in the dry weather.
Dry brushing
One of the most powerful ways to eliminate toxins is with dry brushing, which exfoliates dead skin cells and other impurities. Skincare expert Naomi from Naomi Sinead Beauty suggests a dry brushing treatment after other body therapies like wraps and massages. Before you shower, she advises that you exfoliate with a special dry brush, starting with your feet and working towards your heart for increasing lymphatic drainage. “Follow with a great body moisturizer to really reap the benefits thoroughly.”
Follow these pro tips and get ready to relax, renew, refresh, and repeat!
