How to set up your own sense-satisfying spa at home

By Isla Hannah Knight, Founder, JustU

If you were looking forward to a spa day when the hotels re-opened, the news that this is not on the cards just yet may have been disappointing.

For me, the ultimate way to access luxurious treatments is to go to a spa for a day and I bet many people are looking forward to being able to do that again. If you just can’t wait, why not set up your own home spa? You could put aside some time and space for yourself to relax and rejuvenate.

Close your laptop, turn off your phone and thoroughly switch off from work. Here is my advice for creating your very own home spa, one which will stimulate all of your senses to ensure you will feel wonderful.

1. Sensational smells

It’s no good retiring to the bathroom for your home spa experience if it smells of bleach or other cleaning products. Create the perfect ambience by airing the area well before-hand and then adding some scented candles or essential oils. Decide what you want from your home spa and select your scents accordingly. If you want to emerge calm and relaxed, try some lavender; if you’re feeling anxious or stressed and need something to uplift you, bergamot is the scent for you; to invigorate you after a hard day, I would recommend grapefruit. If you have, or can get hold of, an aromatherapy diffuser, you can combine scents for specific outcomes. For example, for a sense of happiness, you might want to combine equal measures of frankincense, bergamot and orange. You only need a few drops to create the right ambience, so be careful not to overdo it. You’re looking for a serene environment, not to leave with your nose begging for mercy!

2. Sounds right

The background noise is also essential to set the right mood. Make sure you can block out intrusive noise such as next door’s TV, dogs barking and the competing music choices from your own household. Again, decide on your mood and pick your home spa backing track accordingly. For example, if you have the lavender scent for relaxation, choose something gentle in the background. It may be a cliché, but whale songs really are relaxing, or you might choose meditation or healing gong music. If you are trying to lift your mood and energy, try something a bit more vibey and upbeat. If you don’t want to spend ages planning a playlist, there are some great Apps on both iOS and Android, such as Musicovery and 8Tracks.

3. Looking good

Making sure your sense of vision is appropriately stimulated is also key to putting you in the right mood. Clear away any clutter and products that you are not using before-hand. Staring at a messy room or the toothbrush holder is going to detract from the authenticity of the home spa experience. Ideally the area you are using should be calm and muted in colour but, either way, low lighting is relaxing. Again, candles are a winner here, although if you’re not a candle fan you could try LED or fairy lights in a clear jar (battery powered only in the bathroom, of course) or go retro with a lava lamp.

4. Touchy-feely

Once you have the ambience right, you can get to the most important part which is the sense of touch. Why not start with a gentle, dry body brushing session, followed by a shower, alternating between warm and cold water to stimulate and invigorate your skin and then relax in a deep, warm bath. If you’re using exfoliators or face masks, use ones that cleanse gently and without leaving you feeling red-raw. When you leave the bath, make sure you have chosen your softest towels and bathrobes to relax in afterwards, plus fluffy socks or soft slippers. And make sure you apply top-quality moisturisers or oils that feel silky and luxurious against your skin.

5. Taste sensation

Whether you associate a spa day with health and healthy treats or with decadence and luxury, you can pick food and drink to accompany you in your home spa experience. Make your favourite fruit smoothie or green / chamomile tea or have a bottle of bubbles on ice. You could snack on sweet grapes, dark chocolate and mixed seeds and nuts or mock-up your favourite cream tea treats. Why not pick up a fruit you’ve never tried before, such as lychees, star fruit or papaya. If the purpose of your home spa is to pick you up and invigorate you, what could be better than a party on your taste buds to really liven you up and send you back into life stimulated and revived?

As someone who has a passion for wellbeing, I do hope that this article is helpful and I’m sure we are all looking forward to the end of this time, when we can emerge safe and well and look forward to a healthier future!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Isla Hannah Knight is the founder of JustUWellness. JustU is a booking service, accessed online or via the JustU App, that gives you the power to book a wide range of wellness treatments with the click of a button. JustU links users with professional salons and lifestyle providers.

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