Don’t let anyone in your life tell you that having an at-home spa night is just a luxury – it’s a necessity. Research out of BMC Medical Education shows that individuals who regularly participate in self-care rituals (like DIY spa nights) report a better physical and psychological quality of life. Spa night gives you one more important thing: alone time. Alone time might be when you get some of your best thinking done, says research out of Harvard Business Reviews.
There are many reasons to treat yourself to regular at-home spa nights. Plus, the at-home part of that is easier on the budget than going to a real spa. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get that upscale spa feeling in your own abode. You just need to know a few tricks that the pros use to up the relaxation factor. Here are ways to take your DIY spa night to the next level.
Get a Great Robe and Slippers
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If you’re going to have a luxury spa night at home, then you need the luxury garb to go with it. Your big fluffy robe you wear to watch Netflix won’t cut it. Everyone loves the feeling of slipping into one of those waffle texture, clean white robes at the spa – the ones that have thick collars and are lined with terry cloth. Invest in one of those for yourself. While you’re at it, get some great spa slippers, too. A pair of terry cloth slides will make you feel like you’re at a hotel spa. Don’t forget a facial headband to keep your hair off of your forehead while you’re applying your mask.
Make a Jug of Spa Water
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Spas always have the most delicious water. You can make it for yourself at home, too. Fill a large pitcher (very large – the heat of your DIY spa will have you sweating) with water, then add cucumber slices, apple slices, lemon or lime slices and grapes. You can also add fresh rosemary or mint. Let the mixture sit in your fridge for a couple of hours to get the flavors mixing. Then add as much ice as the pitcher can handle. Put it on a nice tray, along with a tall glass and a napkin and keep it in your DIY spa area.
Dim the Lights
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Spas always have that perfectly relaxing lighting. It’s not so bright that you feel alert but it’s not so dark that you fall asleep, either. You can achieve that by adding a simple dimmer to your lights. You can either add one to your ceiling fixture or add an easy one to a stand-alone floor lamp (the latter is the most affordable). This will let you set the mood in your DIY spa. If you’d rather not buy a dimmer, you can opt for lots of candles. Choose simple white or yellow candles to achieve that spa-like lighting.
Fluff and Roll Towels. Add Lavender.
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Admit it: you love the abundance of towels at a spa. Everywhere you look, there is a pristine pyramid of fluffy and fresh towels, rolled up, with a sprig of lavender on top. There’s something about having access to all the towels you want – and really big towels at that – that feels luxurious. Invest in a few oversized bath towels with a high thread count. Wash them in a great-smelling detergent and throw them through the dryer minutes before spa night to make them warm and fluffy. Roll them up and keep them beside your tub.
Light Candles In Advance
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If you want your bathroom to smell like a spa, it’s important to work on the aromas process early. At least an hour before your spa night, light aromatherapy candles in your bathroom. Close the door and let the aroma fill the room. You can also buy a lavender spritz to spray a few times in the air at the beginning of your spa night. Research out of Frontiers shows that smelling lavender has deeply relaxing effects on the body.
Get the Right Products
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Create a little spa gift basket for yourself. Make sure you’ll be covered from head to toe. Find a great body scrub. Don’t forget a good face mask (we rounded up a list of some of our favorites here). Find a nourishing hair mask. Get a cooling gel eye mask and put it in the freezer for 20 minutes before spa night. Add some nice salts or essential oils to your bathtub. If you’d like to DIY everything, we also created a list of spa products you can make mostly from items in your kitchen here.
Make a Steam Room
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There’s one thing it seems spas have that your home cannot: a steam room. But that’s not true. You can turn your bathroom into a steam room or sauna. First, choose the smallest bathroom for maximum effect. Next, increase the temperature limit on your hot water heater. Go in your bathroom, close the door and shove towels under the door to cover any cracks. Take a hot shower to get the steam started. Then fill the tub about halfway with hot water. At this point, your bathroom should be filled with steam. Sit and enjoy.
