Taking time out to look after yourself can do wonders for your physical and emotional health. Everyone deserves to take a break on the weekend to indulge in a steamy bath, smear on their favorite body oils, and just relax in the moment.
Life on weekdays can be exhausting and grueling. Whether it’s the extra workload, stress, house chores, or the daily block of traffic on the way back home that saps you, life can be really hard and tiring. And, that’s all the more reason to treat yourself to a pampering session on the weekends!
Consider this your “me time” when you can finally trim your nails, oil your hair, give your face a good massage as you sip your favorite tea. So, without further ado, here are some enjoyable and relaxing ways to revel in a self-pampering session on a Saturday evening!
1.Prepare an Aromatic Steam to Soothe Your Senses
All that traffic, stress, and pollution have done enough damage to your skin. Reclaim your youthful glow through a facial steam. The best part is that you can infuse it with some of the most luscious essential oils for your face. Steaming not only benefits your skin, but it can also help with stress.
Start by gently simmering water in a saucepan. If you have a facial steamer, that’s even better! Once you can see little bubbles appearing, turn the stove off. Now, add 3-4 drops of lavender essential oil and a few drops of lemon essential oil. Cover the pan with a lid so that all the goodness and fragrance of the oils can seep into the steam.
If your skin doesn’t tolerate direct essential oils, infusing them into facial steam is a super-effective and gentle way to reap their benefits. Lavender oil is known for its soothing and anti-inflammatory properties, while lemon essential oil is a gentle astringent that also detoxifies.
Both the oils suffused into the steam will help open up your pores and lift off the dirt, grime, and dead skin. But make sure your face isn’t too close to the steamer as it could burn your skin. You’re looking for mild flurries of steam that slowly touch your face. Give it a few minutes and then move on to the next step!
2.Whip Up a Skin-Rejuvenating Mask
There’s nothing like a homemade mask packed with nourishing ingredients that you can easily find in your kitchen. Have an up-close look at your skin, what do you see? If you see a dull complexion, lots of whiteheads, and congestion, then you need to prepare yourself a detoxifying mask.
If your skin is looking fine but still needs a little pick-me-up, try whipping up a rejuvenating mask. Here’s an easy mask recipe that does both – detoxify and rejuvenate. Simply drop 2 tablespoons of Kaolin clay into a clean bowl, add two drops of lemon essential oil, two drops of tea-tree essential oil, and a splash of rose water.
Give everything a good mix and use a soft make-up brush to apply the mask right after you’re done steaming. Both oils have anti-septic and anti-bacterial properties that help clean the skin, while the rose water will give your skin an instant glow. Let the mask dry for 5-7 minutes and rinse with warm water.
If you want an extra glow, wet your fingers and massage the dry flakes of the mask into your face for an exfoliating action. Rinse with warm water and pat dry. Move on to the next step!
3.Focus on Toning and Moisturizing!
Most people think they don’t need toning, but it’s extremely important. It restores balance into your skin and tightens up your pores. You can follow up with your usual toner or simply make your own using rose water and a few drops of lemongrass and lavender oil. However, to ensure that you’re not allergic to the ingredients, perform a patch on your inner elbow.
Rosewater tightens up the pores, while lemongrass oil is a fantastic astringent that can keep your pores clean of oil and dirt. Use a cotton swab to massage the toner into your face. Follow up with your favorite moisturizer or use kokum body butter.
If you want, you can also add some coconut oil or grapefruit essential oil into your moisturizer for a refreshing and youthful glow. This is a good time to give your face a deep massage. Let all the oils seep into your skin and rejuvenate it down to the deepest layers!
4.Treat Yourself to a Warm Bath
Weekends are the perfect time to luxuriate in a warm and detoxifying bath. If you want, you can jump into the tub before or after the gorgeous facial we just discussed above. Once the bath is prepared, add a few drops of lemon and lavender essential oil and a few cups of Epsom salts.
All these ingredients will work together to gently detoxify your body from head to toe. Allow the stress and worry to escape as you bask in the hot tub. If you want, you can do some extra cleaning with a body scrub.
You can use Simply Sue’s delicious body scrub or make your own using Simply Sue’s Grapefruit essential oil. Simply mix some coconut oil, kokum butter, coffee granules, and grapefruit essential oil. Use as much quantity as you think you’ll need for your entire body, especially your feet!
Once the warm bath has softened up the dead skin, get out of the tub and massage the scrub in your skin in gentle, circular motions. Coffee is an amazing ingredient to try as a scrub. It stimulates blood flow, helps with excess cellulite, and has fantastic anti-aging benefits! Once you’ve scrubbed your body all the way through, step into the hot tub for a quick shower!
These are just a few of the many ways to pamper yourself; you can also add in a quick pedicure and head massage to relax. Lastly, don’t forget to tune into your favorite music while you’re at it!
