Not everyone can afford to go to an expensive spa resort or visit a spa regularly – some people do not have enough money, others do not have enough time. But that doesn’t mean you should deny yourself the pleasure – you can have a spa day at home, too. Here’s how to choose the right spa products for your home spa and how to choose the right treatments to get the most out of your spa experience.
Home SPA: Features and Benefits
SPA is an acronym that stands for Salus per Aquam, which means “health from water”. Everyone has water at home, so you can arrange a vacation with health benefits at any time.
The advantage of a home spa
- You do not need to make an appointment for treatments and worry that plans may change. You are not in a hurry, so it is easier to relax and disconnect from the hustle and bustle. Yes, it can be hard to get absolute quiet and privacy at home if you have kids. On the other hand, adjusting your schedule for home treatments is much easier than going to the salon.
- A spa at home saves money, especially if you use natural products instead of professional cosmetics. In this case, the effectiveness of care remains the same high – in the absence of chemical additives, the useful substances are absorbed much better. You can perform an entire course of important treatments for less than a single salon visit.
- At home, you are completely safe. The risk of allergies is lower – you can check the reaction of your skin to a particular product in advance. You do not need to think about whether the salon complies with the requirements for cleanliness and hygiene – at home you will not catch fungus or covid.
- You don’t have to worry about an unqualified or rude technician ruining your mood or, at worst, damaging your health. You don’t have to adjust to the salon’s routine: your home is your rules. No strangers, just you and yourself.
Home Spa Kit
Let’s make a list of products you’ll need to care for your face and body at home.
Bath Salts
It’s ideal if you have three basic types in your home spa collection: epsom salt, pink Himalayan salt, and sea salt, best of all, Dead Sea salt. You can mix them in any proportions in one bath, or alternate their use. All these salts can be purchased at the manufacturer’s price.
Choose the salt depending on the desired effect. Epsom salt, or magnesia sulfate, has a relaxing and anti-cellulite effect. Pink Himalayan salt nourishes the skin with various minerals. Dead Sea salt revitalizes the skin, it is recommended for various rashes and irritations.
Dry herbs
Herbal infusion is also added to the bath or used to rinse the face. For example, an infusion of chamomile helps to fight inflammation and acne. Baths with an infusion of mother wort and valerian root soothe, relieve nervous tension. Baths with rose petals and lavender restore emotional balance, lift your spirits and improve your skin.
Bath Bombs
In between courses of salt baths, you can use baking soda bombs. Pay attention that the composition was not artificial colors or fragrances. For a pleasant aroma, should be responsible for natural essential oil.
Scrubs
Universal scrubs that are suitable for everyone – scrubs based on salt with the addition of coffee, coconut chips, essential oils or without additives. On a wet body, the salt gradually dissolves, the crystals roll off and do not scratch the skin. The salt gently exfoliates dead cells, draws excess water and toxins from the subcutaneous tissue, which helps get rid of cellulite faster. The skin looks fresh, well-groomed and firm.
Face and hair masks
A home spa necessarily includes the application of masks – bought in the store or prepared by yourself, especially since most of the ingredients you already have at home. For example, if you want to get rid of puffiness, prepare a mask with epsom salt. Take away acne will help, salt from the Dead Sea.
Ingredients for body wraps
For a spa at home, use special gels, mud, cosmetic clay and salt. Their main task is to strengthen the skin structure, restore its tone and destroy the “orange peel”.
Aromatic products
They create a relaxing atmosphere, so the spa at home will be as comfortable as in the salon. Burning scented candles will look great in the bathroom, emitting a pleasant scent. They will help you detach from your worries and totally immerse yourself in tenderness.
The rules of home spa treatments
How to Prepare
Plan a date and time for your home spa – a full-blown program should be enough for 1-2 hours. Ask family members not to distract you.
On the day of the home spa, you can arrange unloading: switch to a light meal, refuse alcohol. The last meal should be no later than two hours before the bath. Drink more water.
Choose the remedies you will use this time, so that everything is at your fingertips. Prepare masks and wraps if you don’t use ready-made ones.
Dim the lights in the bathroom, or light candles and turn them off altogether. Turn on relaxing music. Remove rings, chains and earrings.
How to Spend
A spa day at home is a whole set of procedures that need to be done in the right order.
- Warm shower. Before starting the program, the skin should be cleansed. Then during the scrubbing, no infection will get into the microscratches, and all the beneficial substances will be fully absorbed.
- Body scrubbing and facial peeling. With these home spa treatments, you’ll remove dead cells and cleanse pores, activating blood and lymph flow to improve skin tone.
- A salt and/or herbal bath. These make a home spa experience truly luxurious. Take a bath for 20-30 minutes. The water temperature is comfortable for you, usually 37-38 degrees. For one bath for relaxation purposes, 500 g of salt is enough, for weight loss – up to 1000 g of salt.
- Apply a mask to the face and hair. Parallel to taking a bath, apply masks to the hair and/or face, put patches on the lower eyelids.
- Wrap. It works perfectly on steamed skin: it removes toxins and excess water, provides penetration of important minerals and vitamins into tissues.
- Apply the skin care product. Spread evenly over the body lotion, cream or milk, which has the desired effect: moisturizing, toning, anti-cellulite, nourishing.
What to do afterwards
After bath, drink a cup of tea or a herbal drink to restore the water-salt balance in the body. Water with lemon and a pinch of Himalayan salt or natural fresh juice will also do. If you feel hungry, give preference to light snacks and fruits. Forget about urgent matters, better watch your favorite movie or read a book.
The benefits of a spa day at home
For Your Skin
A spa treatment at home can cleanse your skin as effectively as a salon treatment. The metabolic processes are activated, excess fluid is removed from the subcutaneous fat and cellulite is reduced. The skin restores its elasticity, becomes firm and at the same time gentle.
Irritation and itching disappear, the number of inflammatory manifestations decreases, acne marks and pigment spots disappear. After taking a salt bath, there is a visible lifting effect and stretch marks are reduced.
For hair and nails
Depending on the mask you use, your hair can become soft and manageable, gain volume and shine. Scalp peeling with salt can reduce hair loss by strengthening hair follicles and improving circulation of the scalp. Nails after salt baths are infused with the necessary minerals, stop splitting, become smooth, strong and shiny.
For the Nervous System
One of the ultimate goals of a spa at home is psychological reset. Even a short time alone can help with nervous tension, irritability and fatigue.
Baths, especially with epsom salt, are a proven remedy for stress. They relax the muscles and relieve pain in tired legs and back, relieve migraines and insomnia. Magnesium sulfate, by penetrating the body, stimulates the production of serotonin, the hormone of joy and happiness.
For overall health
The benefits of a home spa are all-encompassing. Regularly performed procedures greatly improve the function of the nervous, cardiac and respiratory systems. Digestion and metabolism are normalized, and mood and vitality increase. No wonder, doctors prescribe various spa procedures as a part of hormonal disorders treatment, joint diseases, and rehabilitation after trauma.
In order not to cause any harm to your health, you should keep in mind the contraindications. Natural remedies can also cause allergies, so test them on a small area of the skin before use. Baths should be taken with caution in hypertension, varicose veins, cancer. If you are pregnant or have a chronic illness, be sure to consult your doctor.
Check-list: how to organize a spa day at home
Let’s summarize how to conduct home spa treatments:
- Assemble a home spa kit of bath salts, various scrubs and peels, baking soda bombs, products to create masks and wraps. Don’t forget scented candles, which are needed to create a relaxing atmosphere.
- Prepare your spa day program and choose your treatments. Allocate a couple of hours for total relaxation.
- Then take turns in the shower, scrubbing, salt bath and wrapping to make your skin more and more plump, firm and soft.
- Complete the complex with the relaxation you’ve always dreamed of – with a cup of tea in hand and your favorite TV series on your laptop.
- Appreciate the benefits of a home spa: the beauty of skin and hair, good mood and calm nerves. Be sure to repeat – at least in a week.