I am reviving spa day! Once a week I used to have a spa day, a day which usually consisted of a mud pack facial and fragrant bath with luxurious bath salts. Besides the indulgence of feeling pampered, a spa day can help to destress. You don’t have to pay big bucks, though, for this indulgent experience. Here are some budget-friendly ways to easily incorporate spa treatments into your weekly routine.

Hot oil treatment for the scalp

Gently heat a couple teaspoons of jojoba or coconut oil. Wash your hair then pat dry with a towel. Mix warm oil with one drop of essential oil and massage mixture into scalp. Cover hair with shower cap and leave for 30 minutes. Rinse.

Facial

Wash face then apply a mud mask. You can buy one ready-made or make your own by mixing water with some fuller’s earth or pink clay, often available in health food stores. Leave on for 5-10 minutes then wash off. Apply toner, i.e. witch hazel, rosewater then apply a moisturizing oil. Can’t get mud? Mashed banana or leftover avocado will do in a pinch.

Full bath

Epsom salts, baking soda and essential oils are all you need, and perhaps some rubber duckies. Bathe for about 20 minutes and feel free to use candles, listen to music and/or have a cocktail (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) while bathing. Twenty to thirty minutes is enough to make you feel relaxed, refreshed and revitalized.

Foot bath 

Fill bowl with very warm water and throw in a bath bomb for some theatre. If no bath bombs are available, then use some baking soda, essential oils and dried rose petals instead. Strain the rose petals when you drain the water and put them in the compost. Dry feet and apply oil first then socks.

bath bombs – a solid piece of baking soda, citric acid and binder often infused with fragrance or essential oils. When placed in the water it fizzes as it dissolves.

The choice of essential oils for these purposes is largely a matter of personal preference. Good quality tea tree and lavender essentials oils are widely available at a reasonable price. Depending where you live, the cost averages $12-15 (Canadian). If you have access to a wider variety of essential oils, try rosemary, jasmine or ylang ylang for the scalp treatment. Rosemary along with lavender is ideal for a foot bath and for a regular bath any oils that help you relax should do. However, avoid bathing in peppermint essential oil unless you are trying to bring down a fever. It is very cooling.