Bringing The Spa Home
We miss you too. While we can’t see you all again just yet, we wanted to give you ways that you can bring a similar experience to your home during this time. Whether you’re creating your own spa day or taking a quick ten minutes to yourself, we’ve got some ideas for you relax and unwind with things you can find around your home.
Multi-Tasking and Masking
Have a face mask around that you never seem to have the time for? Why not throw it on while you do your laundry, watch mindless TV or check emails (maybe just skip this one for your Zoom or video calls). You can clean out your pores while you clean out your inbox – who doesn’t love efficiency?
Warm Compress
You know that amazing feeling when your massage therapist or esthetician wraps a warm towel around your feet? Why not try it at home? This simple trick is sure to make even the simplest of spa days feel luxurious.
- Place a clean hand towel or washcloth in a glass bowl and pour hot water from your kettle (or just a regular pan if you don’t have one) on the towel, making sure the entire towel gets wet.
- Temp the water – if it’s above 120 degrees, let it cool for a few minutes and then check again. Once it reaches 120 degrees, carefully check to be sure this is a comfortable temperature for you. If not, just let it cool for a few more minutes until it’s to your desired temperature.
- Wring it out and wrap the towel tightly around your feet or use it to gently massage sore muscles.
Take caution using this on a fresh injury such as a muscle sprain or a cut.
Body Scrub
Longing for The Spa’s luxurious body scrub? While it may not be as relaxing as having someone else do it for you, your skin will still feel amazing and will be looking radiant after this full body exfoliation. The best part is, this can be made with items you probably have lying around the house.
Start with a combination of a granule such as salt or sugar and your favorite oil, such as sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil or coconut oil. This duo will leave your skin feeling soft and moisturized — try adding a few drops of your favorite essential oils into the mix to really elevate the experience.
Once you mix your ingredients, you can adjust the oils and granule mixture to a consistency of your liking. Then, gently massage the scrub into your skin using circular motions, rinse it off with warm water and follow with your favorite lotion to lock in that moisture! Apply in the bath or shower to make it mess free.
Although your skin will feel amazing after a scrub, try not to overdo it as it can start to irritate the skin. For normal to oily skin, you should exfoliate two to three times a week, if you have dry or sensitive skin try about once a week to see how your skin reacts. Do not use scrubs on your face as they will most likely be too harsh, grab an exfoliating face wash instead.
Here are some of our favorite duos:
Sweet Dreams
Sugar is great in a body scrub because it contains glycolic acid and is a natural humectant, so it will help your skin retain moisture. The granules will also be slightly less harsh, so this scrub can be used on the entire body and will be better for those with sensitive skin. Brown sugar can be slightly gentler than white, but try out both to see which you prefer.
- ½ cup brown or white sugar
- ½ cup oil
Escape to Sea
Sea salt is going to be more abrasive than sugar, so it is great to use on the rougher parts of the body – such as the bottom of your feet or elbows – or for those with less sensitive skin. The minerals in the salt will also help to stimulate circulation and reduce inflammation. Just be careful not to scrub too hard with this one.
- ½ cup sea salt
- ½ cup oil
Coffee Break
Caffeine used topically as a scrub will help to improve circulation, and it has been said it may help with the appearance of cellulite – plus, it smells amazing! Even if it isn’t a magical fix, the warmth and smell of this scrub makes a nice combination and provides great exfoliation.
- ½ cup coffee grounds
- 2 tbsp. hot water
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil, warmed
Massage
Take the time to give yourself or a loved one a nice relaxing massage. While you’ve probably already thought to work out the shoulders, and upper back, there are a few spots that can elevate your home massage experience.
- Hands – we use our hands constantly and some of us can even carry stress in our palms. Adding a small hand massage to your routine can achieve some great benefits. Use a little of your massage oil to knead the meaty parts of the palm, gently pull on each finger, and massage up into the wrists. Your hands will thank you – not only will they be moisturized, but also less stiff and tense – perfect for those of us that might be working on the computer more.
- Forearms – while you’re working the hands, use your palm to warm up the muscles between your elbow and wrist by stroking back and forth on both sides. Do this multiple times to be sure everything is warmed up and then slightly increase pressure using your hands and knuckles to work these muscles.
- Scalp Massage – Gently massage with your fingertips, while paying special attention to your temples and the base of your skull. If you want to take this to the next level, try warming your favorite hair oil or deep conditioner for about 15 seconds in the microwave, and then massage this into your scalp and wrap in a heated towel for 15-20 minutes of relaxation. Who says taking care of your hair has to be a chore?
- Face, Jaw & Neck This one may be easier done on yourself than someone else because you’ll be able monitory the intensity of the pressure. All you need is a clean face, a facial oil or something similar and your fingers to release the tension that you are storing in your face, jaw and neck. Use a light to medium pressure to gently massage using circular motions and intermittently pushing lightly into the areas that feel they are holding the most tension – for many, that will be behind and the jaw, along the jaw line and within the joints. Try gently pinching the bridge of your nose, or lightly stroking a line above your eyebrows. You can also lightly stroke the front of your neck for a nice sensation – take turns looking left and right and see how that changes the feeling for you. Keep in mind that the skin is thinner around the eyes and neck, so be extra gentle when working around these areas.
Aromatherapy
We all know that scents can trigger strong reactions and memories, so why not use that to your advantage? Are you missing your regular service at Woodside or just want to relax? Diffuse some lavender in your space while performing any of these mini services on yourself or drop some in with your at home concoctions giving you the feeling of being back at The Spa. Feeling a little sluggish? Diffuse some citrus scents in your space such as lemon or orange for a little burst of energy. Play around with different mixes of oils until you find your favorites. If you don’t have a diffuser, you can also just dab a few drops in a tissue and perform some inhalations or add some into your hot towel compress – just apply a few drops to the dry towel before you soak in hot water. Deep breath in, hold for a second, deep breath out…and repeat.
We want to see your spa day at home! Grab a selfie or before and after and share on social media using #thespaatwoodside. We can’t wait to have you all back at The Spa again soon.
