Airy fragrance of lavender incense greets you as you walk through the door of your favorite spa. Music wafts around you through every open doorway as you are led to the realm of relaxation.


Bubbles spill over from the sink where your hair is massaged with herbal shampoo and where later your face tingles with the latest facial techniques. Now imagine that this occurs in your own home.
Personal home spa days can help you relax within a busy schedule. Can't fix a time to go to a health spa? With the following simple steps, you can make your spa time fit into your life.

Find a time when you are confident that you will be uninterrupted for an entire day. If you have to, send the kids and the spouse out of the house. Remember this is your personal time to forget the stress of your life; other people will only distract you.

Prepare for the Day

Mark your calendar ahead of time. It will give you something to which to look forward. Go to bed early the night before in preparation for your spa day. If you are exhausted, you won't enjoy what you have planned.

Start the day off right. Wake up naturally. Your body has its own clock and knows when it has had enough sleep. If you wake up to an annoying alarm, it might feel like another workday.

Take a refreshing morning walk, but don't overdo it. Walk for at least 20 minutes, but no more than one hour. You might also want to do some light exercises for 30 minutes. Put on your most relaxing clothes. Don't be constricted by tight pants and shirts. You may even want to trade those tennis shoes and shorts after your morning exercise for your slippers and robe.

Have a delicious, but healthy breakfast. Fruit would be a good way to start the day because it has water in it. Since you will become dehydrated, you will need to have plenty of water throughout the day. Instead of being awakened by coffee or tea, try some fruit juice.

Next, put on some relaxing music like Enya, Pure Moods or Yanni. Music sets the mood and can enhance your spa experience.

Pamper Yourself

Prepare your face and body for the experience. Shave or pluck unwanted facial and body hair. Remove finger nail polish and makeup. Your body has to feel as if it is being treated to something special.

Get a facial done. Start with a deep cleansing of the pores. Steam your skin by boiling a pot of water. Place your face 12 inches above the pot and wrap a towel over your head. Exfoliate your skin to remove dead skin cells and blackheads. Apply a hydrating mask and treat your eyes with a vitamin C eye cream.

After applying the mask, don't wear make-up for a while. Let your skin breathe and rejuvenate itself. Also, be sure to add sunscreen (SPF 15) to your face to prevent the newly exposed skin cells from being sun damaged. You may want to consult your doctor before beginning treatment to see what kind of skin lotions and sunscreens would be best for your skin type.

Next have a pedicure. You should start by cleansing your feet. You can soak your feet in a non-foaming, salt footbath Jacuzzi for 10 minutes or just soak your feet for 20 minutes in a normal bath. With a foot paddle scrub your feet. Do not use a knife.

With an orange stick, push back your cuticles. File your nails in whatever shape you like. The most common way now is in a square. Apply a base coat, and then two layers of the shade of your choice. Finally, apply a topcoat.

Space out all your treatments. Don't go directly from the facial to the foot massage. For 10 to 15 minutes, stop and read a magazine or have some herbal tea.

Now, it's time to eat lunch. You don't want anything too heavy, though. Try a vegetable dish or a salad.

Finally, prepare yourself a soothing bath. Trying using aromatherapy candles to add to the atmosphere. If you want, try an herbal bath but take it long before bedtime. Don't just shampoo your hair. Use natural shampoos and conditioners, and massage your head.

Enjoy the experience. Place a bath pillow behind your head so you don't cramp your neck muscles. Read a favorite book or magazine or simply let yourself soak.

Pat dry your body. Then apply a basic, light cream to it. It will feel like the finishing touches to your long relaxation plan.

It's dinnertime. Make fish or chicken with cauliflower or broccoli. Use candles, and dim the lights. Create the mood for dinnertime. You will enjoy the experience more.

Go to Bed Naturally

Go to bed when you're tired. Don't do any work; it will only stress you out.

Now you will be ready for what the next day has in store for you. Have spa days periodically, maybe even twice a month. Change it up the second time. Add something different like meditation, or just rearrange the schedule of treatments. This will help break the monotony of it and make the spa day feel new every time.

Spa days will help you deal better with the stress of everyday life and be a pleasant escape at the same time. Make time for yourself. You deserve it.