DIY Spa Day

Happy Thursday! I hope everyone is having a great week back to work. After Tuesday’s post, a lot of the new year goals/resolutions I heard were to practice better self care. This is also a goal I work towards for myself. There is no more important person in your life than you and when life gets in the way the first thing to go out the window is usually self care. When I feel myself getting really worn out one of my favorite things to do it have a spa day at home. An at home spa day really helps me relax and take care of myself without spending hundreds of dollars at a spa. In case you need a day to relax and spend time on yourself, I’ve included what I do so you can recreate your own spa day at home too!

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Get in some comfy clothes – In order to relax, I have to be comfortable. I’m the type of person who changes into sweats the minute I get home from work. If I’m at home, I’m in comfy clothes. My favorite loungewear lately has been these joggers  and this hoodie from Alternative Apparel. They are the softest loungewear ever. I have the navy pair but I love them so much I’m going to get them in every color! You can order online or if you are an Atlantian they just opened a store in Ponce City Market. Whatever you choose to wear while lounging, make sure you’re comfortable and feel good!

Play some relaxing music – I love Spotify and use it every day! There’s a station on there for every mood I’m feeling. When I’m trying to relax my favorite station is “Relax and Unwind”. It’s free for the basic subscription! Find music that makes you feel calm, whether it’s classical, jazz or any other genre you like!

Light a candle – I usually have candles burning all around my apartment. I love how they smell and how they give a relaxing flicker of light. My favorite candles to burn are from Candlefish. During the holidays, I was burning scent number 5 (gingerbread, nutmeg, and brown sugar). It smells so good and it’s a plus that T loves it too. Candlefish started in Charleston, NC but now have a store in Atlanta. I love stopping in and picking up a few candles for home. You could also burn oils, or spray something you like the smell of in the room. I love the smell of lavender when I want to relax.

Find something to read – I’ve already mentioned that I love to read and to me, reading is the definition of relaxation. Find something that you are interested in and you think would be relaxing. It could be a magazine (I love InStyle and Better Homes and Garden) or a book (I just read this and this and am currently reading this)

Hydrate – One of the best ways to practice self care is to hydrate! The average person does not drink enough water in a day and water can make your skin glow, your hair shine, give you more energy, and overall just make you feel better. When I’m having a spa day I like to cut up lemons and cucumbers and put them in my water (just make sure they are organic – you don’t want the pesticides from the skin getting in your water!). Drinking with water with lemon and cucumber aids in digestion and detoxification.

Face Mask – My favorite way to practice self care is to do a weekly face mask. I am constantly trying new ones and so far this and this are my favorites. If you don’t want to buy one – I found one that you can make yourself with the items in your fridge!

1 fully ripe avocado
1 tablespoon of honey

Directions: Mash together the avocado with a fork until smooth and then add the honey. Leave on your face for 10-15 minutes and wash off with lukewarm water. Pat your face dry with a towel.

Hair Mask – While you’re waiting on your face mask, you can do a hair mask too. I use this one but sometimes I put coconut oil on my ends and put my hair in a bun (make sure to wash it out after about an hour) to help with any dryness and make it shine! Or here’s a homemade hair mask recipe:

1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
¼ cup yogurt

Directions: Mix the ingredients and apply to damp hair. Let sit for 15-20 minutes and then wash your hair as normal.

 

The above suggestions are what I do during my spa day but I came up with a few more ideas for you to enhance your self care and relaxation experience:

1. Soak your feet and give yourself a mani/pedi
2. Take a hot shower and exfoliate using a sugar scrub.
3. Make yourself a green smoothie or green tea to sip on while relaxing
4. Watch a fun movie or TV show

Everyone deserves a little pampering and TLC and I hope this post gave you a few ideas for how to treat yourself right in 2017! What are your ways you like to relax and pamper yourself? Let me know in the comments below!