Zen Out With This At-Home Spa Regimen
/
Warm weather, beach hair, and a busy social life are just a few of the things that make us anticipate summer, and we all know the hype is real. It's easy to find yourself wrapped up in engagements and before you not know it *poof* summer has past and the rest and relaxation you promised yourself has also disappeared. Of course, when the sun is shining, we are in full support of heading outdoors and getting that much needed Vitamin D, your skin will thank you for it! But also, don't feel guilty staying in on a Friday night and give yourself some much needed TLC. We promise you'll rise from that comfortable spot on your bed more glowing and radiant than before.
So you want to jump right in and get started on that spa-night you've been promising yourself for months? Here's the Parlor guide on how to treat yourself in the best way possible.
Step 1: Body Brush
Step number one to a successful spa-night is taking care of your largest organ - the skin! Body brushing is a centuries-old practice that exfoliates the skin, stimulates the lymphatic system, increases blood circulation, and helps remove toxins from the body. Needless to say, this self-care routine should not just be a part of your spa-night, but should be a day-to-day health and beauty tool for everyone. Purchase a body brush at your nearest health food store, and then get ready to feel anew.
The most important component when body brushing is that your skin is completely dry. Brush the skin in small circular motions, starting at the shoulders and working your way down to the feet. It's important to brush for 5-10 minutes to experience the full affects of skin brushing. The perfect follow-up to a good brushing is, of course, a bath.
Interested in learning more about body brushing? Click here.
Step 2: Soak In A Salt Bath
Our bodies are made up of 60% water and so there's no question that a relaxing bath is the perfect place to start for a spa-night. Don't have a bath? Long showers work, too! It's been scientifically proven that baths are linked to reduced stress, increased blood circulation, improved sleep, and if you're having a case of the blues a cold bath alerts the nervous system and increases levels of beta-endorphin and noradrenaline that activity combat feelings of depression.
To simulate a spa-feel we recommend adding a 10-20 drops of your favorite essential oil into the water or add a scoop of Aveda's Stress-Fix Soaking Salts. The aromas of organic clary sage and lavender will be enough to push out any negative energy stuck in the crevices of your body. Don't forget to light a candle!
Step 3: Masque Time
After body brushing, a relaxing bath, and changing into your silkiest of pajamas, it's time to moisturize. For oily skin we recommend Aveda's Botanical Kinetics Deep Cleansing Clay Masque that will help give you a deep cleanse and leave your pores flushed. For a masque focused on hydration we recommend Aveda's Intense Hydrating Masque.
Step 4: Soak the Feet
It's good to give the feet a break - after all they carry us everywhere we go! Create a small foot soak and add a few drops of Aveda's Cooling Oil which helps relieve muscle tension. In addition, try to find a small ball around the house (a tennis ball will work!) that you can use as a foot roller.
After applying the masque and setting up your foot soak, it's time to kick your feet up. Grab a book, meditate, sip some tea, and unplug from technology for a few hours.
Step 5: Fuel Your Body
This next part will take some preparing before your spa-night begins, but instead of snacking on what's easiest, why not fuel the body with foods that have health and beauty benefits? Here are a few of our favorites:
Walnuts: this snack is great at keeping your hair shiny and eliminating any dandruff with it's omega-3 fatty acids and copper minerals.
Baked Sweet Potatoes: for soft skin this is a great source of beta-carotene, which our bodies convert into Vitamin-A and make the skin feel smooth and lush.
Hot CoCoa: the antioxidant flavanols in cocoa increases blood circulation and will create a radiant glow to your skin.
Source: here
