How to have a spa day at home: 5 tips so you can relax

Self-care is essential to your mental and physical health. By allowing yourself time to decompress, you release any stress that your body stores away. With stress contributing to anxiety, depression, headaches, stomach problems, insomnia and heart disease, you can start to understand why self-care is beneficial. If you’re planning on having a spa day at home, whether with your friends, significant other or just yourself, here are some ideas and products to help you relax and unwind.

Create a relaxing atmosphere

When choosing products to create the perfect atmosphere, think about what scents you associate with relaxation. Studies have shown that lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, peppermint, and ylang-ylang affect our physiology and behavior , providing natural stress relief. For some, they associate relaxation with scents of citrus, patchouli, rose, or even coffee. Once you know what scents help you relax, you can set up your space and choose the right products. Scented candles, essential oils or other options will do the trick depending on your style and preferences.

Set the space

Candles are perfect for setting the mood and creating a spa-like atmosphere. If you are planning this in advance, order a personalized candle from Homesick. Their candles have scents inspired by different parts of the United States, other countries, and celebratory moments in life. The candles are non-toxic, cruelty-free, hand-poured in the U.S., and made with a natural soy wax blend and 100% organic cotton wicks.

Since you’re bringing the spa to your house, you need to dress the part. The Parachute Classic Bathrobe is ideal for an at-home spa day. This robe is made from 100% Turkish cotton, machine washable, and does not contain harmful chemicals. MAXMODA is a popular favorite. This robe is mid-calf length and made from cotton and spandex. It comes in over 30 color options and ranges between $30 and $35.

Unwind in the tub with a bath bomb

Bath bombs are perfect for bringing aromatherapy and moisture to your bath. Love Beauty and Planet offers three bath bombs called Soothing Spa (argan oil and lavender), Bountiful Bouquet (murumuru butter and rose), and Fizzing Freshness (coconut water and mimosa flower). Jackpot Candles makes a variety of bath bombs that include a ring and the possibility of winning a lot of money. However, the highest quality bath bombs are by the company that invented them: Lush. Their bath bombs are hand-pressed and made with ethically sourced ingredients from sustainable resources. Some of our favorite bath bombs that Lush offers are Twilight, Big Blue, Intergalactic, and Deep Sleep, all of which contain either lavender, peppermint, chamomile or lemon.

Take a shower with an aromatherapy experience

If baths are not your thing, don’t fret; there are ways to elevate your shower experience. A popular trend going around on TikTok a while ago involved hanging eucalyptus in the shower. The steam from the water activates the oils in the plant to create a relaxing atmosphere. If you don’t have eucalyptus, you could always use peppermint, lavender or rosemary. Remember, you only need as little as four branches of whichever plant you choose and to place the plant behind the shower head, not in front of it. If you don’t have live plants on hand, sprinkling essential oils in your shower will do the trick. We like essential oils by the brands Now, Revive, and Rocky Mountain Oils, as these are all 100% pure and authentic oils that will give the same benefits as the live plant.

Pamper yourself with a facial

A facial is a quintessential part of any spa day. Facials cover everything from face peels, face masks, serums, exfoliation and creams. For a superb exfoliant face peel, check out Triple Berry Smoothing Peel by Renée Rouleau. It’s ideal for all skin types and helps with skin brightening; unclogging pores; and reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and large pores. The Ordinary and Pacifica are also great options if you’re on a budget; both are great at brightening and smoothing.

Following your face peel, you can use a mask. Some of our favorites include Florence by Mills Mind Glowing Peel Off Mask, which helps reset your skin after a tiring week. It contains charcoal, lavender and witch hazel to clear out, calm, and rebalance your skin. Ultra Violet Brightening Purple Clay Mask by Generation Skin contains Davidson plum, desert lime, bilberry and aloe vera. This mask brightens, hydrates, exfoliates and soothes, and reduces redness. There’s also the Tea Tree Face Mask by The Body Shop. The main ingredient is the tea tree which helps clear blemishes and gives your skin a deep clean feeling.