Spoil Your Sweetheart (or Yourself): DIY Spa
February 3, 2012
The big day is almost here and whether you are single or attached, sometimes Valentine’s feels too commercial to bother buying overpriced flowers and gifts. Instead of going for the traditional present, spoil yourself and your Valentine with an at-home spa treatment.
Take the night off.
Do whatever it takes to get some alone time. Even if you can’t find a sitter on the 14th try the night before, the night after or the following weekend. You want to be relaxed, not rushed. Knowing that you have the house to yourself will help you unwind even faster.
Choose your treatment.
Giving yourself or someone else a mud wrap might not be the most practical thing do at home. Instead, opt for something that you can do without worrying about making a big mess or the need for any special equipment. My favorites are a hot stone massage (heat the stones in a bowl of hot water), a facial (warm a damp facecloth in the microwave for 15-30 seconds to recreate the spa-feel) or a mani/pedi (use a rich lotion for deep moisturization).
Be moody.
One of the many things that great spas have going for them is that there is always calming music playing. For your playlist, select something you find relaxing – it doesn’t have to be waterfalls (but if you find that soothing – go for it) it can also be Sinatra tunes or classical music. Next, light some candles around the room and dim the lights.
Scent-sational.
Now the stage is set, you need to incorporate one last thing – your sense of smell. Whatever products you use, opt for something that isn’t overpowering. I love to use lotions and oils with lavender scents to relax and citrus-based fragrances to reinvigorate. Remember, a little goes a long way. If you used scented candles already in the room, make sure the scents in your oils don’t compete. You’re going for rejuvenated not headache-y.
While some of this may seem like too much trouble, it’s the small details that will take an ordinary at-home treatment to the next level and make your Valentine appreciate it all the more.
Whether you pull out all the stops for this holiday or just a lazy Sunday, now you can get your Zen on anytime without a hefty spa price tag. You might just make this a regular part of your routine.
