Spa Party!

We are sequestered at home and honestly how much Netflix can you really watch? For the past several weeks, I have shared with you some ideas for skincare, footcare, and overall well-being that features massage, exercise and meditation, as well was healthy whole foods. This week I am suggesting that we have a treat and give ourselves a spa treatment at home. Are you in?

When you go to a spa the first thing you notice is the surroundings. Everything is so calm, so serene, so subdued. And the smell…aaaaaah! You feel relaxed already and you haven’t even done anything yet.

Set the scene for your spa. If you have your own ensuite bathroom set the mood with candles, aromatherapy via either the candles or an essential oils diffuser. If you are using essential oils, try eucalyptus for that super-spa feeling.

Make sure you have fluffy towels at the ready, a pair of flip flops, and a nice cozy robe.

Now for the treatments, in this order.

HAIR:

I usually like to give my hair an oil treatment once a week to keep it shiny and moisturized. The best way I know how to do this is with coconut oil. But first I like to massage my head to loosen up the scalp muscles (relaxing), exfoliate the dander and stimulate the follicles. I then brush my hair and shake it out. I will show you this week in a short video (stay tuned). After about five minutes of this, I scoop the coconut oil out of the jar and put it in my palm, where it immediately starts to melt into an oil. From there, I start to work it into my hair and scalp. Once I have thoroughly coated everything from my roots to the tips (thank god my hair is short) I put a warm, damp towel around my head while I go to work on my …

FEET:

Look at these feet. I need a pedicure bad! Since everything is closed now, I will have to make do on my own. So here we go.

Lay a towel down on the floor you will be working on, just to contain the mess (nail polish remover pads, pieces of toenails, etc.) Now remove the chipped nail polish as best as you can.

Next, fill a small tub, bucket or cooler (sometimes you have to get creative) with hot water. Add ½ cup of Epsom salts and an essential oil of your choice. You can stick with the eucalyptus or try lavender. Either one will soothe you.

While the hot water is cooling a bit, exfoliate your feet an Epsom salt paste (mix some salt with some coconut oil) and scrub away the rough spots before your soak.

Now that the water has cooled, put your exfoliated feet into the water and let them sit there for a good twenty minutes. The Epsom salt has magnesium in it which is wonderful for tired, achy or inflamed feet.

Take your feet out of the water, pat dry and start your pedicure. Cut your nails straight across, push down the cuticles and file any rough nail edges. Now take that coconut oil again and start massaging it into your toenails, your feet (top and bottom) and don’t forget your ankles. You may want to leave your nails polish-free for now and let the nail bed breath or maybe you feel like applying a new color. If so, use remover to get the oil off of your toenails first.

While your toenails are drying, and your hair is soaking up moisture, let’s move onto the...

FACE:

Cleanse your face first to get rid of all the makeup and then use micellar water on a cotton pad to make sure all of it is gone. Now that you have a clean face, apply a mask. There are so many simple DIY ones you can make at home. Here are a few to try:

Hydrating:

1/2 ripe avocado

1 teaspoon plain organic yogurt

1 teaspoon of honey

Mash the avocado and mix it with the yogurt and honey into a paste. Apply it to your face and leave it on for 10-15 minutes. Wash off with warm water.

Pore reduction:

1 egg whites

1 teaspoon of orange juice

1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder

Mix all together, being careful to cover yourself, because the turmeric will stain your clothing. Apply to your face and once it is dried, remove with warm water.

Exfoliating:

Maybe you would rather just exfoliate the dead skin cells to get your natural glow back? Mix this into a paste and scrub gently all over your face, rinsing with warm water.

2 tablespoons of brown sugar

2 tablespoons of coconut oil

Now, don’t you feel better? Which one was your favorite? Post your comments here.