The "At Home" Spa

Yesterday was ONE-OF-THOSE-DAYS. You know the days I'm talking about. It started early, ended late, and was jam-packed in between. We all have them. I needed a trip to a spa! A mani-pedi at the very least! Unfortunately, as the holidays have just ended (and you may remember that I am married to a fairly tight-walleted accountant), the spa budget at our house is slightly depleted.

Now, it is likely no surprise to any of you readers that I absolutely adore a visit to a day or overnight spa. It's one of my favorite indulgences in all the world. I have bi-monthly facials at a local day spa, and I try to visit a getaway spa at least once a year. Of course, visiting a professional spa with regularity can be expensive (and overnight spas can be VERY expensive), so I've learned that in a pinch, setting up your own at home spa will do, and the cost is much more palatable.

In a previous post, we discussed stress and the effect it can have on your skin. Anytime our body registers stress, it has a physical reaction. You tense your forehead, you hunch your back and shoulders, your tummy begins to hurt. Quickly, let me try to explain what is physically happening to your skin during this process.

When we are stressed, tense, angry, depressed, or when we go through hormonal changes, our adrenal glands (located above the kidneys) begin to over-produce hormones, one of these being the hormone Androgen. Androgen production stimulates our sebaceous glands and causes them to enlarge and secrete more sebum, which ultimately leads to our skin getting out of balance, and forming acne papules. Another side effect of stress can be that it breaks down our Immune System, meaning that once the acne is formed, it has a harder time healing itself. Recent research out of Germany actually shows a strong link between stress and cystic acne- but enough medical talk.

Clearly, relaxation is not only pleasant- it's crucial- for our overall health and well-being, as well as a secret to glowing, happy skin. Here are my steps to creating an at home spa, so that you can save money and still have a delightfully indulgent day/evening to yourself.

Step One: Choose a day or night carefully. One where the kids have a sleepover, your husband is working late, your housekeeper has just been the day before (I'm always more relaxed in a clean house). If you choose a day, you may have more luck with getting the house to yourself. Either way, schedule at least an hour that you know you'll be totally alone.

Step Two: Copy this list, and the next time you are at the grocery store, stick each of them in your cart. I like to get these supplies from Whole Foods, as I tend to go a bit "natural hippy" when I go into spa mode.

1. A small packet of mineral bath salts OR I also like fragrance free Epsom salts. Whole Foods sells these in small, one-bath packets, and they only cost around $4. Epsom salt can be purchased at your drug store and a large container is very inexpensive.

2. One lemon and one lime OR two granny smith apples.

3. A small bottle of body oil (not to be confused with the more concentrated essential oil). My favorite is sweet almond oil, but you may choose from several types- Jojoba, avocado, grape seed oil (a good one if you have more oily skin). This should cost around $8 or so, depending on size and type.

4. Some unscented candles OR one scented candle of a scent you like.

Step Three: Once you are prepared, and you're ready to start your at home spa, throw your bathrobe (or towel) in the dryer. There is nothing more divine than a warm bathrobe to snuggle in as you run your bath!

Step Four: While your bathrobe is warming in the dryer, cut up your fruit (lemons, limes, or apples) and place them in a water pitcher, with ice. Give it a good stir and place it in the fridge. This will create that nice "detox spa water" that you always have to drink whenever you visit a real spa. You may be tempted to choose a glass of red wine, but I'd suggest the detox ice water, as it really will help keep you cool and comfortable during a hot bath.

Step Five: Put on your robe, light your candles, and turn on spa music. I like to use Pandora's "Spa Suite" Radio Station. It is just like being at a real spa! I have an iPhone, so it makes this easy, but if you don't have Pandora, you can also turn on light classical music on a radio or CD player.

Step Six: Run nice warm water in your tub. Pour in your mineral bath or salt mix, and give a little squirt of your new body oil into the water as well. As the tub fills, wash your face, and give yourself a gentle rub of your new body oil onto your face. (Don't worry, you'll wash it off later, but it will make for soft, happy, skin!)

Step Seven: Enjoy and relax! While you soak, sip on your detox water to help stay cool in the hot tub. When you are done soaking, towel off gently and wash your face again with a gentle cleanser. You'll notice the oil has softened the skin all over your body, and this feels really decadent. Do be careful getting out of the tub, as all this oil can make for slippery surfaces.

Step Eight: I like to follow my spa with a facial steam. Take a pot of water, put it on the oven, and wait until the water begins to steam. Lean over (carefully and not to closely) and give yourself a nice 5-minute steam. Great for your sinuses and your skin.

And there you have it, a few hours of spa-like bliss, in the comfort of your home, and for only around $20!