Is is just me or is January always a crazy kind of month? No sooner are we back at work after the Christmas break and we’re immediately being pulled in multiple directions with so much to do and what feel like no time to do it. Does anyone else feel like there’s a big rush to get 2019 ‘done’? If so, today’s blog post could be your much-needed permission to relax a little, and I’m going to show you how to do it…
I guess I always feel a little behind in January because I work so hard in the run-up to Christmas in order to enjoy a good couple of weeks off that it feels weird being back in the office in the new year. Not rushing into the year is something I’ve learnt from my friend Gemma, the writer of HowToMakeFriends.co.uk blog. She mentioned the idea of rushing to achieve your new year goals in her newsletter and I had an ‘ah ha’ moment. That’s what I’d been doing. No wonder I was so tired already.
I decided there and then that things needed to change. I needed to slow down and relax into the year. And when I decided that, I knew what I personally needed in order to really clam down: a spa day. Now, being a thrifty blogger, you can probably guess that I’m not the kind of girl who just goes and books a day at a spa and splashes the cash on treatments. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t enjoy the benefits of a spa day at home. Here’s what I did…
BATHROOM DECOR
The first thing is to make sure you’re happy with your bathroom decor. I’m lucky because I only recently renovated my bathroom and we installed a deep freestanding tub and rain shower – the perfect ingredients for a home spa! If your bathroom is tired or looking dated, maybe you’ll consider a makeover for the space?
Sure, it’s a bigger job that you might want to take on in January, but just imaging how much relaxation you’ll enjoy once it’s done? It’s like a free spa day every time you run the bath! If you’re wondering how much a new bathroom will set you back, check out a free interactive bathroom cost calculator to give you an estimate. If your bathroom is already looking pretty sleek, let’s turn our attention to the things you’ll need to get that spa experience at home…
ACCESSORIES
At the very least, you’re going to need some big fluffy towels. Preferably white ones for that ‘spa hotel’ feel – and maybe a dressing gown and slippers to match! I have special ‘guest towels’ (that my ink-covered artist husband is not allowed near!) so I dig those out when I want to pretend I’m in a spa. If you pop into the pound shop you’ll probably find a lovely fresh microfibre hair wrap too, which takes us on to…
TREATMENTS
When you’re relaxing in your bath, make the most of the time by enjoying a deep conditioning hair mask. You can choose your favourite brand and even if it’s not the thriftiest product you can bet it’ll still be cheaper than paying for a hair treatment at the salon. I’ve tried out Philip Kingsley’s Elasticizer for the first time this year and that treatment really made me feel like I was enjoying a spa day. Plus, the tropical pattern on the bottle inject even more spa-style into my bathroom.
I got the Pomegranate and Cassis version of this classic pre-shampoo treatment, which is highly fragranced and gave me that ‘I’ve just been to the hairdressers’ feeling every time I wafted my hair about and caught the scent of it afterwards. And believe me, I was doing a lot more wafting than usual because my hair felt instantly better and bouncy. Even my husband (who rarely notices a hair cut, let alone a treatment) said ‘What have you done to your hair? It looks amazing’. Him noticing a difference is what I call amazing!
LIGHTING
Let’s imagine you’re really at a spa – how is the lighting there? I bet it’s low and cosy, and involves lots of candles. So that’s exactly what you should do in your own bathroom to set the mood. Of course, scented candles can be super soothing but I also like the safety element of LED candles. If I know that there’s no way that my elegantly draped towel can catch fire, I’m much more likely to relax. I found a reasonably priced pair of – wait for it – remote control LED candles, with a flickering flame inside a real wax pillar. They kind of smell a bit vanilla-y too and cast a cosy glow around the bathroom that really helps me to chill out.
SKINCARE
My only other must-have treat for an at-home spa day is skincare. This can be anything that you like, from a fresh face mask that you whip up at home, to finishing with the most luxurious cream around. I usually use natural Caudalie products on my sensitive skin so I would stick with the brand but invest in one of their more luxurious treatments to get that spa feeling. I’ve discovered over the years that you tend to only need to use a small amount of lux products to get a great effect so I think my Premier Cru Serum will last me a long time. It’s a lightweight formula that intensely revitalises the skin, adds radiance and boosts the performance of your usual moisturiser, bonus! Also, in January you can get a free Detox Kit when you spend £50 with Caudalie if you use the code DETOX2019.
MUSIC
Have you noticed that in spas it’s never completely silent but it’s still rather hushed? If possible, play some music to give you the feeling of a chill-out zone, but keep it calm. No rock or clubbing music! I’ve actually been listening to jazz playlists during my relaxation sessions so you might enjoy that kind of music too, or you could search for a peaceful spa backdrop video on YouTube and stream the sound through a waterproof bluetooth speaker.
My final tip is to give yourself time to enjoy your home spa. Don’t squeeze it into your busy schedule like an appointment, but do set aside a couple of hours as if you’re going to a real spa. Get changed into your robe, run the bath with plenty of bubbles or use a bath bomb to fill the room with scent. Apply your treatments and lay back in the bath with a book while you relax. And just think about how much money you’ve saved – and how that means you can revisit your spa as often as you like!
Let me know what you would add to your home spa or spare your favourite at-home treatments in the comments below.
Some items in this blog post have been gifted to me and the pink links indicate a gifted product, affiliate link or information source. All thoughts and opinions in this post are based on my own experience and I am not responsible for your experience 🙂
