Creating a spa-style treatment at home is really very simple. You can treat yourself in the privacy of your own home and save both time and money. Create a spa environment by turning off your phone, playing your favorite soft music, lighting a few candles and making yourself a relaxing cup of herbal tea. Here are some easy steps to follow:
Cleanse: In the bath or shower, cleanse your skin with your favorite soap or gentle homemade cleanser.
Exfoliate: Mix up your favorite body scrub recipe or use a commercial product available at most natural food stores and bath and beauty boutiques. A very simple at-home scrub is equal parts light natural oil with raw sugar or coarse salt. Standing in the tub or shower, massage your scrub all over your body, starting with your feet and working your way up to your shoulders.
Be careful: The oil can make your feet very slippery.
Massage: Using a cotton washcloth or loofah bath mitt, massage your body in a circular motion. Be careful to not scrub too hard, as this can be more irritating to your skin than helpful. You just want to remove the top layer of dead skin cells and surface debris.
Rinse: Rinse well with warm (not hot) water and follow up with a cool-water rinse.
Dry: Pat your skin dry or wrap up in a warm, fluffy bathrobe.
Moisturize: Massage a rich body lotion or natural oil into your skin, which helps lock in moisture absorbed during your bath or shower.
Relax: Enjoy the moment and rest for 20 minutes, letting your body recover and re-energize for busy times to come.
Janice Cox is the author of Natural Beauty at Home (Henry Holt and Company, 2002).
Click here for the main article, Body & Soul: Skin-Soothing Herbal Scrubs.
