Where did January go?  It feels like yesterday that I was celebrating New Year’s with my friends and family.  We are now in February, the month of LOVE!  I love that February is not just about Valentine’s Day anymore but more and more people are celebrating an entire month of love including self-love.  I wanted to share with you some of my favorite at-home spa rituals and safer products, in the hopes that you will start treating yourself by having your own at-home spa nights!

What Products Do I Use for Spa Night?

Skincare Routine

If you don’t already have a basic skincare routine you’re going to want to start there.  Spa days and fun skincare extras are amazing, but you’ll see the most benefits over the long term by consistently using an appropriate skincare regimen for your skin’s needs.  If you don’t already have a skincare routine, you can take this online skincare quiz.  Or take my skincare questionnaire for a customized individual free consultation.  We will work together to get a skincare routine built out for you based on your budget!  I currently use Beautycounter’s Countertime regimen for mature and aging skin and I’ve seriously never been happier with my skin!

Once you are comfortable with your basic skincare routine, you can get busy creating your own DIY at-home spa night routine!

Pre-Shower or Bath:

Masks

Who doesn’t love a good mask?!  Every Sunday I show myself a little love by doing a mask.  I used to use an argan oil/clay mask that I loved until I found Beautycounter’s Charcoal Facial Mask.  It only takes 10 minutes to work its magic.  In that time, it purifies and balances your skin by drawing out impurities and absorbing excess oil while gently exfoliating, giving your skin a polished look. 

When I came home from Bali, I had an unexplained rash on my face and arms.  I’m not going to lie, I was a little concerned considering I had just traveled around the world and there was no telling what I had picked up along the way.  My doctor said as long as I didn’t feel sick, have a fever and the rash didn’t get worse, not to worry about it.  I never figured out what it was but after I applied the charcoal mask, that rash went away!  Needless to say, I’m a strong believer in this charcoal mask.

Dry Brushing

I never understood the importance of dry brushing until recently and to be honest I don’t do it as often as I should but dry brushing has many benefits!  It’s a wonderful way to exfoliate dry skin and unclog pores.  It helps increase blood circulation and promotes lymph drainage.  My friends at Primally Pure did a blog post all about dry brushing.  You can read about it HERE.  It’s very simple, you start at your feet and work your way up your body, always brushing your skin towards your heart.  Do your hands and arms the same way, always brushing towards your heart and then hop in the shower or a hot bath.  I use this dry brush.  It’s made of soft boar bristles and fits perfectly into the palm of your hand.  You can always use code FERRA10 at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase at Primally Pure.

Sugar Scrub

Sugar scrubs are something I’ve been doing for years. They gently buff away dull skin and leave you with a healthy glow and silky-smooth skin. While I love Beautycounter’s sugar scrub, you can easily make your own at home and save your money for a good quality lotion or body oil!

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup avocado or olive oil (use a good quality oil)
1 dash cinnamon for scent
Mix it all together and start scrubbing!

Note: remember not to get water in your sugar scrub. Sugar dissolves in water and it will ruin your scrub! I stand in the tub and scrub up real good and then turn the shower on so I don’t risk getting water in my sugar scrub container.

Bath Soaks

The majority of the time I am a hop in the shower and get out kind of gal but when I don’t feel well or when I’m trying to really treat myself, I take a hot Epsom salt bath and sprinkle in my favorite Sea Soak. This soak is loaded with precious salts, seaweeds and clays that relax sore muscles and the organic essential oils of eucalyptus, peppermint and spearmint relax the body and mind! 

Post-Shower or Bath:

Lotion and Body Oil

When you get out of a hot shower or bath, immediately put on your lotion.  Your pores are still open from the heat and your skin absorbs the product so well. 

Body Butter

This is my favorite product.  There is nothing better than slathering body butter on after you get out of a hot shower or bath.  It feels so decadent and buttery yet not greasy.  I used to use an argan oil body butter that I loved and gifted to everyone I know but it left my skin feeling oily.  I now use this Body Butter in Citrus Mimosa.  It melts into your skin and absorbs easily without leaving you feeling greasy.

Body Oil

These can be the most expensive of moisturizers but if you want the full spa-like experience, invest in one of these!  You saved by making your own sugar scrub at home so you could splurge on something else, right?  I love the Primally Pure body oils.  They have 3 different scents (Blue Tansy, Jasmine and Lemongrass).  My go to body oil is Beautycounter’s Baby Soothing Oil and it is the most affordable! It is so moisturizing and not one bit greasy!  I use it daily in the winter months to cut down on the dry winter skin.  Bonus: the baby oil will remove your eye makeup too.  

Facial Oil and Rolling

My friend gifted me a rose quartz facial roller for my birthday and I must admit that I love it especially with the use of my Balancing Facial Oil.  I press a little oil onto my skin and then roll using upward strokes.  The coolness of the stone after a hot shower is a nice contrast against my skin and helps reduce puffiness.  Some people suggest keeping the roller in the fridge or freezer.

Before Bed

Over the years, while I have been good about a skincare routine, I have neglected my hands and they are showing it with fine lines and wrinkles.  My hands look like that of a 80-year-old woman.  I have recently started using the Citrus Mimosa Hand Cream though.  I keep it next to my bed along with my Lip Conditioner.  There are so many lip conditioners out there but I choose Beautycounter’s lip conditioner because I know I will likely be ingesting some of it and this lip conditioner is EWG verified meaning it is the safest on the market.  I no longer wake up with dry, cracked lips.  My lips are nourished and moisturized when I wake up in the morning. 

I hope this information has been helpful for you and maybe you even learned a few things!  Remember, you probably can’t buy everything you want for a spa day at home all at once but don’t let that discourage you.  Start slow and build up your spa supplies and soon you’ll have everything you need for self-pampering in the comfort of your own home!