Need a day at the spa to really unwind? Why not turn your home into your own DIY Day Spa to unwind and feel better without having to worry about spending money? There are things that you can do at home that will free up your mind and help you feel more balanced as you move through your day.
There are plenty of free tools that can help you to really achieve peace that will help you to move forward in a positive direction and feel really good about your life.
Take Off Your Shoes
Studies have shown that walking barefoot through wet sand or dewy grass is a great way to relax so take your shoes off and head outside for a stroll around the back yard BEFORE you get ready to set the stage for your few hours of spa time at home.
Aromatherapy
Set the stage of DIY Day Spa at Home with some deliciously fragrant aromatherapy infusions around the house. Aromatherapy can instantly have some amazing effects on your awareness. Certain scents like lavender are relaxing, citrus scents will get you moving. Rosemary can stimulate concentration while peppermint will provide invigoration.
Using essential oils, candles and aromatherapy oil diffusers can help you to create a wonderfully relaxing spa effect at home. Essential oils are also great for adding to your bath for some wonderfully relaxing me time. Just add 6-10 drops of your favorite essential oil to warm water, add a cup or two of Epsom Salts, sit back and relax.
Yoga & Pilates
Practicing Yoga or Pilates is one of the best things you can do for your body and the perfect way to complement your beauty therapies during your DIY Day Spa at Home.
The gentle stretching of Yoga can easily loosen up your muscles and tone them. It is also a great stress reliever. Grab your mat, get on some comfy clothing and take a look at this video to get yourself going:
This is the first in a series called 30 days of yoga to get you started.
a great way to start your 30 minutes of Pilates!
Meditation, Creative Visualization, Mindfulness
A key to a more fulfilling existence is to actively seek the peace that you can tap into within. Meditation can help to clear your mind so that you can get rid of all the things that are blocking your path to inner peace and tranquility. Using creative visualization can help to set up your thoughts so that your perception changes of your life. You DIY Day Spa at Home is the perfect time to practice these techniques.
Mindfulness will ground you and help you to really live in the moment and attract those good things to your life that we all desire and deserve. Training your brain to think differently takes work but the rewards are tremendous. A quick trip over to YouTube can help you to gather material that will help you succeed. You do not need your own personal guru to lead you when you have the internet!
Try these links to help you get started:
These are great relaxation tools to help complement the beauty treatments that you treat yourself during your DIY Day Spa at Home. See our previous articles on DIY beauty treatments or head to our Face Body and Hair pages from some great DIY Day Spa at Home recipes and ideas.
Facial serums are great for adding some much-needed moisture in the skin, as well as for applying regularly to usual problem areas such as directly on frown and smile lines, around the eyes, or when your skin just needs a little extra care. The best facial serums are completely natural and made from ingredients that can be understood and pronounced, meaning no chemicals or other harmful ingredients should be in your facial serum. Facial serums can be made from many different types of essential oils such as sandalwood, lavender or geranium added to a carrier oil or base oil. It truly is your choice what type of oil works best on your skin, since each of our skin make ups is different.
Add a few drops of one essential oil into a glass bottle with a dropper containing a base oil such as sweet almond, jojoba or rose hip oil. Feel free to add a few drops of another essential oil. It is your choice and your customized facial serum, so create it according to your specific skincare needs and desires or you can try some of the following recipes:
Serum for oily skin
1 oz light vegetable oil such as safflower or grape seed oil
5 drops ylang ylang oil
5 drops geranium oil
2 drops clary sage oil
Serum for dry skin
1 oz apricot kernel, avocado or almond oil
5 drops lavender oil
5 drops geranium oil
2 drops chamomile or sandalwood oil
Mix all the ingredients in a glass amber bottle and shake well before use. Massage well into cleansed skin using upward motions. The oil blends will keep for a number of weeks. In summer it is best to keep them in the refrigerator.
Applying your facial oil or serum is the perfect opportunity to give you skin an anti-aging massage.
After cleansing, apply a light layer of oil to your face and neck. You can use one of the serum recipes above or a light oil such as rose hip, argan or jojoba oil. Refer to the arrows in the image above for the directions you should follow for the facial massage.
Use the pads of your fingers or the palms of your hands and start smoothing the oil upwards over your neck and across your jaw. Repeat this about 10 to 15 times. Then perform sweeping motions along your jawline and upwards towards your temples. Repeat about 10 to 15 times. Next, gently use your finger tips to smooth the area around the eyes and nose, repeating these motions for about a minute. And finally, with slightly firmer pressure, smooth the forehead with upward strokes using the pads of your fingers or the palms of your hands. Focus on this area for about a minute.
If performed daily, facial massage is wonderful ritual for lifting and firming, encouraging blood circulation to the face and neck, helping your complexion appear more youthful and radiant. The oil will nourish and moisturize helping to minimize the appearance of lines and wrinkles. And the action of massaging in the directions indicated in the image above, encourages lymphatic drainage helping to remove toxins and reducing puffiness around the eyes.
Giving yourself a daily facial massage is a simple yet effective ritual you can perform to pamper your skin. It is also so relaxing, helping to ease stress and tension. It only takes a few minutes but the benefits are just beautiful!
