Summer Spa at Home
There's nothing quite like an afternoon at the spa. Slipping into a soft robe, relaxing back in a cozy chair with a cup of hot tea or cucumber water, catching the calming scents of essentials oils lingering in the air and feeling your whole body ease into spa time.
Here in Central New York, we're fortunate to have two of the region's best spas: the Forbes 4-Star Ska:ná Spa, voted the #1 Spa in New York by Spas of America, and Ahsi Day Spa at Turning Stone Resort Casino.
Yet summer hits full stride, and down the busy rabbit hole we go, juggling work, kiddos out of school and weekends overflowing with to-dos that rarely include things like "book a facial and a mani/pedi." (Through the Seasonal Strawberry and Cream Manicure/Pedicure at Ska:ná certainly sounds divine...)
That's why we love a new summer beauty trend we've spotted: spa at home. The idea is simple. Make practicing self-care a priority by scheduling "appointments" at home between your regular spa visits - especially when the time between those starts to stretch.
Yes, it takes some planning. Yes, you'll need to carve out some time (and keep it carved). But there's no better summer beauty tip than to keep the stress levels in check. Which, we suspect, is exactly why this trend has taken off.
Wondering where to start? Here are some ideas to begin a spa at home practice of your own:
- Grab the essentials: Oils, that is. At Ska:ná Spa, our Spirit of Lavender massage taps into a centuries-old practice of using this fragrant oil for its healing and protective properties. As you're building your own oil collection, lavender in our book is, well, essential. Other oils you'll find during spa treatments at Ska:ná Spa and Ahsi Day Spa include sage, white pines, jasmine and bay laurel to name a few.
- Tune in: Refreshing your body, mind and spirit sometimes means refreshing your playlist. Try a spa classic, like the soul-stirring Native American flute of 11-time Grammy-nominated artist R. Carlos Nakai, or something completely fresh and new like Pleiades by Christel Veraart, voted Best Ambient Album of the Year for 2020.
- Soak it up: In between pedicures, treat yourself to a foot soak at home. Pedi tubs run anywhere from $12 for a simple soaker to $900+ for a premium wooden bath (either of which, we might add, hold water). Put Epsom salts in a pretty jar and add a few drops of your favorite oil and put it on your bathroom counter as an invitation to make a nice foot soak after a long day a regular practice.
- Sweeten the deal: Remember those strawberries we mentioned earlier? Dice some up and toss them with other anti-aging superfoods like blueberries, raspberries and some minced fresh mint leaves as a vitamin-C packed, antioxidant treat to savor while your feet soak.
- Hydrate your skin from within: A Slice of cucumber or wedge of lemon can turn ordinary water into spa water, and help you steadily increase your water intake to hydrate your skin from the inside out. In fact, dehydration does a number on the appearance of our skin, from sunken eyes to visible dryness. An app like Daily Water Minder or Aqualert can help make better hydration a healthy habit.
- Tune out: How long does it take you to get to sleep? What time do you wake up? Find the 8 full hours in between there and, starting with your spa-at-home days, make that sleep a priority.
- Take a wellness day: Spas are typically on the quiet side during the week, and both Ska:ná Spa and Ahsi Day Spa at Turning Stone Resort Casino offer discounts Sunday through Thursday.
August is National Wellness Month, so now is the perfect time to begin your own regular wellness practice. Make a self-care commitment by starting your own spa routine, then give yourself one day a month and leave the spa treatments to the professionals, whether it's as simple as a pretty summer pedicure or as special as a romantic couples massage. Remember, even once a month means only 12 days a year. Twelve days out of 365? Yes, you can - and you'll be so glad you did.
