Linda is single, 38 and works as a 7th grade English teacher in Seattle. Her job is excruciatingly stressful between trying to entice 7th graders into wanting to learn the material she is teaching and meeting the ever growing stack of reports imposed by the school.
To cope with the stress and constant clamor and clatter in her workday, Linda decided to create a homemade spa day designed around her needs. She told me it was the best decision she ever made.
Saturday is catch-up day for grading papers and cleaning the apartment after which she has an evening out with friends. On Sunday, Linda usually has dinner with her mother and dad. She picked Sunday at 7:00 P.M. as her homemade spa day. She figured this would be the perfect way to prepare for the week ahead.
In preparation, Linda makes sure she has the following items and her favorite products on hand:
- liquid potpourri and burner
- A bottle of vanilla scented essential oil
- vanilla scented flameless candles
- Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
- Green tea bags
- Chamomile tea bags
- Olay Definity Pore Redefining Scrub
- Clinique Repairwear Deep Wrinkle Concentrate for Face and Eye
- Keratase Volumactive Shampoo (for fine hair).
- Keratase Volumactive Lait (for fine hair).
- Lavender bath bomb
- Lavender scented bath salt
- A new copy of Woman’s World magazine
- Tea candles
- Facial cleansing pads
- Deep Cleansing Clay Mask by Laura Mercier
- Cold pressed sesame oil
First, Linda prepared for her homemade spa day experience. (That morning she picked up her apartment so it was tidy and uncluttered.)
She:
- Started her liquid potpourri and placed it on the table by her chair in the living room along with the Woman’s World magazine.
- Set the vanilla scented candles on the bathroom counter and lit them.
- Turned on the radio and tuned it to a classical station.
- Turned off all but the most essential lights.
Linda’s homemade spa day experience:
- Linda begins by washing and treating her hair with the Karatase products.
- She then adds 1/3 cup of boiling water to a green tea teabag and lets that steep while she begins her facial.
- She cleanses her face with the Cetaphil cleanser and scrubs with the Olay Definity Pore Redefining Scrub
- The scrub is followed by applying the Deep Cleansing Clay Mask by Mercier
- She then makes a cup of chamomile tea to drink while she reads her magazine and waits for the mask to dry.
- After rinsing the mask, the green tea toner is applied followed by the Clinique Repairwear Deep Wrinkle Concentrate for Face and Eye
- Now she gives herself a gentle message with cold pressed sesame oil and rests for another 15 minutes to let the oil soak into her skin.
- After the message, Linda luxuriates in a warm bath into which she has added the bath balm and scented salts. When done she pats herself dry with a soft towel and dons an equally soft robe.
Linda blows out the tea candles and snuggles into bed. She has set the timer on the radio to play soft music for 45 minutes which is about 40 minutes longer than it takes her to fall asleep. She is now completely relaxed, refreshed and ready for Monday.
Linda’s choice in products may not be yours and that’s fine. If you check out the resources you are sure to find the combinations of oils, candles, facial, and bath products that are perfect for your own homemade spa day.
You may also want to add features to your spa day that Linda chose to eliminate such as a pedicure and or a manicure. You may also want to begin your day completely different than Linda such as having it in the morning. You might begin with a light breakfast followed by exercise and meditation and then proceed with your spa treatment.
Whatever you decide you should make the experience rejuvenating in mind, body, and spirit. Each of us is different in what accomplishes this, but with a little experimentation, you can find what suits you best.
Related articles:
Don’t have Time for a Spa Day? Think Again