Spa Time

(this actually is a continuation of a blog post I had started to write a long time ago, but never finished-until now!)
One of my favorite things to do is to pamper myself. I admit that I am even a little hedonistic about it. I love facials, massages, manicures, pedicures, the whole nine yards. My biggest issue with all that is that I am too darn cheap to go and pay for all these services regularly. So I went out and bought a facial steamer (on sale + a coupon & gift card), a foot spa (also on sale and used a gift card) as well as a really cool manicure set (sale, gift card). A few years ago the Big Man got me a massage cushion that totally rocks. I love bubble baths or epsom salt baths (similiar to a spa's mineral bath).
I have all the tools I need at home to make a spa experience possible except one complete element...taking the time for me. I actually put an hour on my calendar every week to have my spa time. Yet, I don't seem to do it. I do little elements here and there, but I really don't do the whole nine. It really wouldn't take more than an hour, and the benefits would be huge.
When the Big Man worked overnights a very long time ago, I would occassionally take a bubble bath before bed and it was a very nice treat. I honestly don't remember the last time I did that. It mainly has to do with the fact that if one turns on the water in that bathroom, the puppy dog runs in fear, so I don't do that more than I have to. And it also has to do with the current schedule of life. If the Big Man is going to get 5 hours of sleep, he needs to go to bed by 8 pm. There isnt any time for me to soak in the tub and take a bubble bath.
Maybe some weekend. Maybe.
In order to maximize my time, I could soak my feet and do a facial steam at the same time. All I need to do is fill up the reservoirs and plug in. There done. Takes 15 minutes. Then I just need to give myself a pedicure, change the polish and feel pretty. Next up would be a manicure, and make my nails look pretty as well. while the polish is drying I could put a mask on and run the water for a bubble bath. If I really wanted to go all out, I could put some olive oil on my hair for deep conditioning and add shine (same basic ingredients as VO5 hot oil treatment). Taking 2 used tea bags (recycling!) I can try to reduce the pillows under my eyes. I can relax in the tub and let Calgon take me away. (making sure I get all the oil out of my hair!)
There you have it-one hour and complete spa like results.
In between weekly spa sessions, there is daily maintenance that helps keep me looking great. A few days a week there is the coffee ground scrub-I'm not going to claim it gets rid of cellulite, like I've heard from others. It does help get rid of the super dry skin I deal with. Its cheap and simple to make-coffee grounds and a dash of baby oil (hey its environmental too!). On other days I use regular body wash on a scrubby. I just feel very luxerious and decadent when I do this (although I have to really wash the shower down afterwards. I don't think that the Big Man wants to shower in a Starbucks)The other thing that helps is doing a vinegar rinse on your hair a few times a week. I laughed when I first heard about it but it really does work. I put a lot of product in my hair (mousse or gel and a ton of hairspray-hey I am still a Jersey girl!) and the vinegar works its magic my hair looks a lot healthier too. As I've gotten older my formerly awesome, low maintance skin has started to change. I now have mostly oily skin which requires a little more maintance than what I used to do. A few days a week I use an oatmeal scrub (oatmeal and baking soda, pureed in a blender) on my face (once again, needing to make sure I clean it up very well because it does look a little gross after its been sitting around for a while)and it helps keep me looking fresh & rosy. I switched from using toner to actually straight witch hazel which seems to work better in controlling oil build up. I am still trying to find a moisturizer that really works well that doesn't look or feel greasy.
My biggest issue are the bags under my eyes. They are so big that Louis Vuitton & Kate Spade are following me around...I've tried every eye cream out there. I try to get enough sleep. I try depuffers. I try neti treatments. Nothing seems to completely deflate them, so I've gotten very creative with concealer. I'm open to suggestions!!
At night, I really have to focus on taking off the war paint because that's just going to make my skin look icky as more time to go on. I do notice a huge difference when I use a night cream too, because my skin looks less tired (even if I am). The biggest difference I see though is when I drink enough water and keep myself hydrated. I just seem to look better (and feel better too!) and my skin looks less blah and wrinkly.
When I really indulge myself, I break out the massage cushion on a daily basis. That 15 minutes really relaxes me. I've been told by both a chiropractor and a massage therapist that I am one of the most tense people they have ever encountered. I guess that's not something to be proud of...but doing the massage cushion helps relax me and loosens up the tension that seems to build up between my shoulder blades. I also spend some time meditating or praying the Rosary (yes, there is a tradition of the Anglican Rosary) which relaxes me (once again, keeping the spa effect alive) and clears my mind. One of my biggest issues overall is shutting my mind down. Some people have no problem in shutting down their minds-I have incessent chatter going on and a continual to do list that goes through my mind. Actually, its the never seems to get done list-the little things that I know I should do, but don't ever seem to make the time for-cleaning the grout on my floor, waxing my shower, washing my curtains/drapes, etc etc etc. Its these little things that drag out my psychic energy and can really start one moping about.
But I digress...the topic at hand is spa time. The main reason a person goes to a spa is to relax primarily and then to look better secondarily (or at least that's been my experience). I need to remember that when the hustle & bustle of my life really hits and I feel like I'm about ready to explode...just think ahhh...spa.