Spa Time!

I'm a little obsessed with the idea of spas, those almost mythical places where you do nothing but relax in a calming deliciously scented environment while dedicated people make your skin more beautiful. But frankly, who really has the time and money? Over the years I've perfected some relatively quick and affordable ways to get some of the benefits, especially in the facial category.

Shower Aromatherapy- If you don't own at least one divine smelling soap or shower gel, get one immediately! You don't have to buy into all the specific aromatherapy stuff about how lavender is stress relieving, citrus is energizing, etc., because I certainly don't. But it's proven that surrounding yourself with fabulous smelling things releases endorphins and adding that to a relaxing shower is an easy and cost effective way to feel luxurious. Bonus: if you use a bath poof or loofah to scrub yourself in long, brisk strokes you'll stimulate blood flow and further endorphin production. It doesn't matter what shower gel or soap you choose as long as you love the smell. I love The Body Shop Satsuma shower gel, Aquolina Pink Sugar shower gel, and Bath & Body Works Be More Pacific shower cream. Another great brand to check out is Philosophy, their 3 in 1 shower gels come in an incredible range of scents although I don't recommend using them on your hair unless it's an emergency.

Shower Exfoliation- I get complemented often (okay I admit, from boys) about how smooth my skin is, the secret is exfoliating often. You can use any soft bristled scrub brush (I use a surgical scrub brush my mom picked up somewhere) and a bar of soap, but it's nice to go a step nicer once or twice a week. The drugstore has tons of options, I recommend getting a sugar scrub that comes in a tub- tube scrubs are a little hit and miss, sometimes they don't have enough granules to be effective. Outside of the drugstore I really like Product Body's Crush On You sugar scrub- it feels and smells like heaven, plus the company is VERY eco-friendly. The Body Shop's scrubs are less of a splurge and come in a travel size (convenient given carry-on regulations) that is regularly on sale. Those of you who visit Starbuck's regularly (i.e. most of the population) are in a good place to make your own scrub- nab some of those raw sugar packets and mix it in a small container with a little squirt of your favorite shower gel until it's a paste and you're good to go. I've found that letting the steam and heat of the shower soften your skin first and then turning off the water to scrub up is most effective, and be sure to do your shaving after you rinse off to avoid irritating your skin. The same bonus applies from above.

All-Natural Skin Treats- Ever notice how spas really push their eco-friendly treatments? Skip on over to the organic/all natural section of your grocery store and check out what these brands have to offer in terms of bath and body products. Several of the products mentioned above are reasonably eco friendly, but your skin will thank you if you pick out one or two products from lines like Jason and Kiss My Face. If you're going to the effort of picking out some treats for yourself, consider the benefit these natural goodness packed products have: they contain fewer chemicals, are cruelty free, and biodegradable. I've personally noticed that my skin is less dry and acne prone now that I've switched to soaps without sodium laureth sulfate, a lathering agent found in basically everything that is known to worsen skin conditions. These products are also the best way to benefit your hair while you're treating the rest of your body- pick up an SLS free shampoo and massage your scalp to get rid of product buildup, then deep condition your hair with a silicone free conditioner. Some products I love: Kiss My Face Pure Olive Oil bar soap and Whenever Conditioner and Jason Tea Tree shampoo. If you don't have the cash to spend on new goodies, run a bath with some Epsom salts and toss in a few tea bags- peppermint and green tea work especially well together and this blend will provide your skin with a soothing detox.

Facials- I've experimented with countless at-home facials ranging from treatments to packaged masques and have mostly been disappointed, but I've come up with a few treatments that consistently yield fabulous and multitasking results. First, if you're going to do a masque treatment you should exfoliate first, but sometimes a little exfoliation is all you need. If you exfoliate once or twice a week with a gentle scrub you can get rid of dullness and congested pores will start to clear up- just be careful about scrubbing on top of infamed acne, you can further irritate your skin and spread the bacteria. I've been using Olay Microdermabrasion and Peel kit once every week or two for almost a year with great success- my pores are smaller and clearer, my skin is smoother and less red, and the kit has lasted me about ten months so the price is definitely worth it. You can also use a gentle face cleanser scrub if your skin isn't congested or dry and flaky, I like the ones from Neutrogena because the beads are smooth- steer clear of anything with a natural exfoliant like ground apricot kernel (I'm looking at you, St. Ives Apricot Scrub), the edges of the exfoliant aren't smooth and will cause small abrasions on the skin. If your skin is dry or is healing from acne or sunburn, the best thing I've found is to smooth 2-3 tablespoons of honey all over the skin and let it set for 15-20 minutes- just be careful after the 10 minute mark, the honey will start to drip off of your nose and chin a little. Sugar is a natural anti-inflammatory and is anti-bacterial, I found it to be really effective at soothing enflamed acne in high school and it seems to help the healing process. It's also wonderfully moisturizing, and helps your skin lock in moisture after exfoliating. If your skin is a little congested, try a basic clay masque- Queen Helene's Mint Julep Masque is highly affordable and great at pulling excess oil, sebum, and dirt from the pores. You'll look a little funny after you put it on, but the feeling afterwards is worth it. I find that the masque is more effective if I squeeze the tube out into an empty tupperware container and add more water, it's so thick it doesn't adhere to the skin as well as it could and it's a little difficult to work with because it goes on so thickly but this isn't a must to get great results. Be sure to follow any of these treatments with a quality facial moisturizer to lock in the moisture and prolong the benefits.

Although it's no seaweed wrap, I find that taking an extra long shower followed by a mini facial once or twice a week truly benefits my overall well-being, and improves my skin to boot. I doubt I'll ever go to a spa, but with a few splurges tucked away in your medicine cabinet, who needs it?