After a busy weekend, Wednesday can feel like Friday already, but a mini spa evening at home (and an early night!) can work wonders as a mid-week battery recharger. So here are 7 ways to help you wind down on a Wednesday, including stress-less spa beauty picks and a few chillout-at-home tips from the winners of our Spafinder Wellness £100 voucher giveaway last month.
1. UNPLUG. Switch off all those devices….no pings, no rings, no Snapchatting, no Instagrams of your summer turquoise pedicure! The idea is to switch off completely. Silence is golden so give your brain a break from those constant alerts.
Summer chillout weekend inspiration: Pennyhill Park, Surrey
2. HEAL YOUR SOLE(s). Long day in high heels = knackered feet? Soak your soles in a mix of Epsom Salts, a little Sea Salt and a dash of Lavender Oil in warm water for a comforting calm-downer at the end of a completely manic day.
TRY: Pevonia’s Tension Relief Foot Gel, £13, which cools feet and helps take the heat off legs after a warm day or a lot of city walking.
3. CREATE A RITUAL to mark the end of your work day and the start of your “you time”. It can be something as simple as a 5 minute candle meditation (NEOM Organics’ Tranquility candle with English Lavender, Sweet Basil & Jasmine is a lovely wind-down scent) or a cup of herbal tea with your PJs on…cue an early night!
NEOM’s very summery English Lavender, Sweet Basil and Jasmine Tranquillity Candle
(Finalist, Best Luxury Candle 2014 Beauty Shortlist Awards)
4. FREE YOUR MIND. Holding on to “to do” lists is a heavier mental burden than we think – it takes up a lot of our brain’s storage space – plus, mulling over “undone” items on our to-do list is a stressor in itself. To lighten the load, offload! Take a few tips from Leo Babauta’s book Zen To Done and write down one or two “Big Rocks” – the big things that need sorting – and get those out of the way first tomorrow, before you start on the “Pebbles” – the smaller tasks. Get the important (often stressful) stuff out of the way first thing and you’ve pretty much cleared the deck – or desk – for the rest of the day.
5. INSTALL YOURSELF IN THE BATHROOM FOR A “DIY SPA” EVENING
The three winners of our recent SpaFinder £100 spa voucher giveaway share their at-home chillout tips:
Natalie Jasper – Pour boiling water over 2 black tea bags, squeeze out excess water, place onto a plate and pop in the fridge for half an hour. After half an hour place on (closed) eyes and relax for 15 – 30min. The caffeine and tannin in the tea bags helps to reduce dark and the coldness reduces puffiness. This is also very relaxing and nice to do in the bath with a face mask or before bed while you listen to music. I also like to focus on my breathing whilst doing this – it will leave you feeling extremely relaxed. After using this method for several months I can definitely see a difference and feel the benefits. It costs next to nothing and leaves me feeling like I have treated myself to a spa experience.
Shelley White – Drink reviving rosehip tea whilst lounging in a bath of warm water, rose oil & rose petals & listening to Debussy!
Juliet McArdle – In a hurry and only time for a shower? Mix a few drops of your favourite essential oil with a tablespoon of salt and a tablespoon of baby massage oil. Spread on your body to leave your skin feeling soft and smelling great.
TRY: Elemis Quiet Mind Relaxing Bath Elixir with patchouli, ho wood and eucalyptus
Therapie by Michelle Roques-O’Neil’s new Awaken Skin Rehab Scrub with zeolite clay, bamboo and lotus extract for glowy skin at Cult Beauty
Decleor’s Aromessence Relax Intense Super Serum for the Face after your bath, paying attention to the tension areas around your face and neck.
Decleor Aromessence Relax Intense dry oil super serum with 5 healing, calming facial oils
6. BOOK YOURSELF IN for a good read – something calming, inspirational or funny…
“Mindfulness: A Practical Guide To Finding Peace in a Frantic World” – Mark Williams
“The Alchemist” – Paulo Coelho (now translated into 56 languages!)
“Zen To Done” – Leo Babauta (an easy read and a great guide to doing more in less time)
Zen to Done, the ultimate simple productivity system £1.98 Kindle , £6.05 paperback
“Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It” – Kamal Ravikant (short and brilliant)
“A Lotus Grows In The Mud” – Goldie Hawn’s autobiography
“Thrive: Redefining Success and Creating a Happier Life” – Arianna Huffington
“Finding Your Own North Star” – Martha Beck
And for the ultimate spa escape, Travel + Leisure Magazine’s The World’s Best Hotels & Spas 2014 – especially Italy and Ireland!
Or get some pre-sleep spa research in, before your next escape at Spafinder.co.uk
We like the look of the Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa in Conca dei Marini, Italy:
High in the sky, unbeatable views, The Monastero is located on the coast between Positano and Amalfi
More pics at Spafinder.co.uk
7. THANK YOU…AND GOODNIGHT!
Few things are better for the heart and soul than an attitude of gratitude, and nothing’s more soothing for the mind than a flowing stream of positive thoughts right before you hit the pillow.
Even if you’ve had a so-so day, try to wipe the niggles and hassles of the day from your mind and say a mental “THANK YOU” for 5 good things or people in your life right now, before you drift off. Bonne nuit!
Sleep is the ultimate luxury
