Wednesday Write Up: At-home Spa Treatments

The definition of pampering is 'to treat with excessive indulgence. To give in. To gratify'. And the cost of pampering? Usually expensive!

If you deserve a little pampering, but don't have the cash to splash on 30 to 120 minutes of bliss at a professional day spa you need to give at-home treatments a try. Don't worry! We won't have you mixing up blends of fruits, sugars and other odd assortments from your pantry. No sticky honey or goopey egg masks here!

Our tips can be used with many of your own products- really! Here we recommend 5 treatments that are worth treating yourself for but are also super easy to do. Plus you'll never have to experience that awkward moment at the day spa when a dodgy tea light candle produces so much smoke that the fire alarms go off and the entire fire brigade shows up while your top half is stripped down to your bra and plastered in a clay mask... Seriously. That actually happened to me once! Not. Very. Relaxing... But enough about that. Let's dive into these super easy, embarassment free, at-home treatments!

The at-home facial

- Remove all of your makeup under warm water before you begin

- Smooth your cleanser all over your face and neck. We love A'kin Rose & Geranium Pure Creamy Cleanser & Toner in one. Start behind your ears and massage gently downwards towards your collarbones. Then place fingers in the middle of your forehead and gently massage outwards to your temples. Close your eyes whilst massaging and take deep breaths

- Continue below the eyes, pressing your fingers gently onto your face, next to the sides of your nose. Smooth your cleanser outwards. Work down towards your jaw before beginning on your chin and then moving to near the corners of your mouth

- Then massage the cleanser into your cheeks, under your cheek bones and up towards your temples. Use a medium pressure but if you are sore in any places, keep repeating until it disappears. Tenderness can mean a lymphatic flow build up which is good to 'massage' out

- Once dry, finish with a spray of Kosmea Hydrating Rosewater Mist which locks in moisture and soothes, cools, refreshes and hydrates

The at-home full body scrub and moisturise

- Before you jump in the shower, turn on a gentle heater in your house to place your moisturiser near (Note: Don't put your lotion on your heater and be very careful putting it near an electric heater, or very strong heaters as your bottle will melt and be a fire hazard! Only place near the vent of a moderate heater. Central heating vents are best for this)

- Get into the shower and buff your skin all over with a great grainy scrub. For a tropical smell that makes winter a little more bareable, try Pure Fiji Coconut Sugar Rub.

- Once rinsed and out, grab your lotion which should be slightly warmed. Massage in to your skin without the 'skin shock' of using a cold lotion. Just be careful, as it may be slightly more runny than usual. We love Pure Fiji Hydrating Lotion in coconut!

The at-home fragrant steam room

- This works best if you have an enclosed shower (but is still nice in most showers too!)

- Grab a flannel wash cloth before you turn your shower on and add a few drops of your favourite essential oil to it. One of my faves is Sparoma's Lemon Myrtle for rejuvination. Place the flannel over the drain of the shower

- As you lather up and enjoy the warm water, the steam will activate the essential oil in the flannel, leaving a lovely smell to swirl through your bathroom

- Now take a deep breath and enjoy the natural fragrance!

The at-home relaxation therapy

- Before you have a shower or run a bath, light a bunch of candles and place them around your bathroom

- Make sure to keep them well away from towels/ bathmatts etc.

- Take your shower/bath, right before bedtime so that you can wind-down in the dark as you luxuriate in your tranquil bathroom

- To make it extra special, use scented candles. We love the Miller Harris Fleur Oriental Gift Set, which comes with a gorgeous candle as well as a sweet scent which you can spray on yourself or even lightly over your pillow before bedtime for very sweet dreams

The at-home non-surgical facelift

To get your face feeling refreshed and firm

- After cleansing, use a Skinvitals Hydraflex Face Cloth Treatment Mask

- Gently place the mask over your entire face, using your fingertips to stretch and smooth to contours. Relax for 15 minutes by reading your favorite mag!

- Remove mask and discard. Any extra serum can be wiped off with a tissue or gently pressed into the skin

- For fast refreshment (and the ideal remedy after a night of too many wines) remove one face wipe from a pack of cleansing wipes - our pick are the Yes to Cucumbers Hypoallergenic Facial Towellettes - and pop in the freezer while you shower. Take out of the freezer (it only needs 5minutes or so) and drape over your face. Your natural body heat will 'melt' the wipe onto your skin, cooling and refreshing your face like nothing else! (trust me, this really works to ease a headache)

- Also great after too much time in the sun or very humid climates

To get your peepers line-free and glowing

- Before a big event, try the Eyelift Kit

- Use one of the little pods, filled with the unique gel formula that is preservative free (no harmful parabens) and enriched with collagen to nourish the skin whilst in place. Swipe over any lines and wrinkles around the eyes with the spatula included. The unique formulation will smooth out the skin for up to 10 hours!

- For a calming under eye treatment that is suitable for use every day of the week be sure to apply a soothing balm or eye cream. We love Bellamer Botanical Skincare Eye Treatment Balm which is calming on the skin and smells of peppermint

- Get extra oomph if you store it in the fridge!

And there you have it bellas! Which treatment will you try? It is fun to do at-home facials and masks on your friends, sisters and Mum so why not enlist some help and even paint each others nails while you are at it too? It really can be fun and easy to turn your own bathroom into a day spa and is much, much cheaper! Instead you can spend your cash on products to use on yourself for longer than a 30minute booking! Give it a go and let us know what you think! - Lauren