Everything You Need For a Perfect Spa Day At Home in Health & Beauty, Life on 08/30/18I’ve always loved a good spa day ($5 into the extra jar please, Meghan). A facial or massage at a hotel or fancy wellness clinic will always feel super luxe to me, but truth be told, at-home spa days have kinda been my thing since I was a kid. Seriously. One of my sister’s and my favorite games to play when we were little was “spa”; we would have our mum play Enya over the stereo in our living room, make cucumber water, and lie on the floor with those gel filled masks you put in the fridge and then put over your eyes. Ya know, normal kid stuff. Whenever I’m feeling anxious, stressed out, or just feel like my skin needs a little TLC, there is nothing that gets me back on track like a little pampering. It’s shockingly easy to forget to take care of yourself, and whenever I realized I’ve allowed that to happen, I’ll drop everything to make it a priority. Well, if it’s like Friday night or something and I can. Wow, don’t I wish I could just announce mid work day on a Tuesday “sorry fam, need to go home and play spa.” It’s usually just the reset I need to relax, check in with myself, and do a service for my mind and body. It really makes life feel a little bit easier, so today I am sharing everything you need for a perfect spa day at home, in hopes it’ll make your life feel a little bit easier too 🙂 I like to mix up the skincare products I use, usually depending on what my skin is needing in particular, but I also have been known to gravitate towards “seasonally themed” products for added fun (Fall facial with a Pumpkin Enzyme mask and apple cinnamon candles, anyone?). My most recent routine consisted of two of my latest skincare obsessions from Alba Botanica, the Acnedote Clearing Gel Peel and the Hawaiian Facial Mask Pore-Perfection Papaya Enzyme (smells SO good and summery!). With the summer heat still going strong, I’ve been sweating a ton and my skin has been paying the price. I’ll be switching over to more hydrating products once the air starts to get a bit dryer, but for now, fighting breakouts and getting that perfect end of August glow is my overall goal! I like to start with the Gel Peel and let it sit on my face for about 3 min (FYI it tingles a bit!). It’s packed with fruit acids and willow bark which work to kill the bacteria that causes acne. I personally find it to be fairly mild, but it does contain salicylic acid, which can be a bit drying depending on your skin-type! The Papaya Enzyme Mask goes on afterwards for about 15 min; this is when I sit back and just chill tf out and channel my inner Enya. The papaya and pineapple enzymes in this mask gently loosen and dissolve dull skin cells, minimizing pores and giving you that soft, smooth, and glory complexion. Besides these two powerhouses, behold the additional necessities to recreate my at home summer spa sesh: The Must Haves Candles strictly for ambiance (I’m super nitpicky about my candles and don’t like those sugary crap ones, only “clean” and mild scents) A totally zen playlist (whatever that means to you; classical music is a go-to for me) Diffuser going with your favorite essential oils (I love diffusing lavender to promote calmness and help me sleep really well) A fresh batch of infused water. This is actually the easiest thing ever and just requires a tiny bit of prep. You can take any old pitcher, fill it with water, and then let sliced cucumbers, lemons, and mint sit in it overnight. Keeping yourself hydrated works just as hard as those skin products do— plus cucumbers and lemon are filled with “pretty properties” (including vitamin C and caffeic acid, which help smooth and nourish skin). A foot soak, followed by essential oils rubbed into the soles of your feet, followed by cozy socks to let your feet soak up all the goodness) A hair mask A really good, rich body lotion, all over, everywhere End your spa session with meditation, journaling, or whatever your preferred method of self-reflection is A cute little robe to do it all in (the one I’m wearing is sold out in this print, but you can find the same style here) Bonus: Put your phone away in a drawer and keep it there! Treat this as “unplugged” time. Be present, focus on you and only you 🙂 A big thank you to Alba Botanica for sponsoring this post!