Set up an at-home spa and DIY
By Carla Snuggs 

I have fallen in love with the idea of creating a spa at-home.  It can be just as special as going to day spa with the right ambiance and products. Julia Teren of Thesis Beauty highly recommends creating an at-home spa experience. Why? Because you are in the comfort of your own home, you don’t have to worry about sanitary practices, you know what to expect and that you will not be disappointed.

“You get to decide what products and scents you want to use for this day and hour and mood - not being locked into any package or limited options. You also are in control of the quality of the products - you know for a fact what you will be using on your skin and what it's made of. And finally, no need to worry about keeping the appointment or overpaying for services,” says Julia.

The key to a great at-home spa experience, according to Heidi Lamar, owner of Spa Lamar in Scottsdale, AZ, is to involve all of your senses. Heidi suggests the following:

Smell: Scented Candles: Choose a vanilla, lavender or eucalyptus candle

Sound: Put on a soothing spa CD or find the spa music channel on your TV

Sight: Turn your bathroom into a spa with soft lighting, plush towels, candles and something yummy

Taste: Pour yourself a glass of something you love

Touch: Slip into a warm fizzy bath, close your eyes and you will be at the spa

“Give yourself a body scrub and a facial. A spa body scrub is an amazing way to get baby soft skin from head to toe, but they can cost $100- $200. To make that feeling last as long as possible, buy a pair of "scrubby gloves",  a jar of sugar scrub in your favorite flavor and matching body cream. With these 3 items you can turn your shower into a decadent body scrub.” Says Heidi Lamar.

To help you set up your at-home spa, here are some product recommendations that will help you relax, distress and renew!

At-Home Spa Candles

Thesis Beauty Pure Soy Candles

Thesis Beauty’s Naturally Pure Soy Candles made with organic essential oils are quite beautiful and enhance your at-home spa experience. Posh beauty Blog loves Lavender Fields – so soothing and relaxing. Best of all, Thesis Beauty’s pure soy candles are made from 100% soy wax which comes from real all natural Non GMO soy beans produced in the USA.

Kat Burki Scented Soy Candles

Envelop the senses with captivating fragrance notes from Kat Burki. Kat Burki Scented Soy Cansles are made with 100% All Natural Renewable Soy Wax infused with fragrance oil blends. They are all natural and lead-free with a cotton wick. These luxe candles are available in Tuberose, Sandalwood, Eucalyptus & Verbena and White Orchid & Poppy (Katburki.com).

 At-Home Spa Baths

Yon-Ka Paris PHYTO-BAIN

Yon-Ka Paris Aromatherapy French Skincare Line brings the spa to you at home with YON-KA Signature revitalizing and relaxing bath. Get a  genuine spa effect at home with Phyto-bain, a highly concentrated aromatic bath treatment with plant extracts and essential oils known for their multiple therapeutic virtues. Invigorates, restores full vitality, relieves tired legs and gives the whole body a feeling of well-being and relaxation. 

California Earth Minerals Terrabathe Mineral Bath

TerraBathe is made from 100% ION-MIN clay. It re-mineralizes your skin, helps disinfect skin of bacteria and microbial pathogens, and assists your body in the elimination of toxins and many other harmful particulates.   

Step 1: Prepare a bath, filled with enough hot water to cover the most skin possible. Soaking for 15 – 20 minutes in dim light, enjoy the scents, luxuriate in the sounds while soaking. This clears the mind and make this totally “Me” time.

Step 2:  Soaking by itself is relaxing but adding bath salts of choice and a specialized anti-bacterial ionic charged clay minerals (Terrabathe Mineral Bath) takes this experience to a whole new level of relaxation and innervation, as shown here. Skin detoxification is thoroughly achieved, muscles are relaxed and the spirit is energized

Step 3: Lie still until all the water drains from the tub when done then rinse completely in warm water. Pat dry, snuggling inside the most comfortable robe owned, lie down until it is time to return to Earth with new armor and a charged spirit.

Fresh Sake Bath

Luxuriate with Fresh Sake Bath - a purifying soak of over 50% detoxifying sake which detoxifies and softens the skin. This delicate soak, inspired by ancient beauty rituals of Japanese Geisha, will leave you feeling pampered and renewed. Soak for 10 minutes or longer, rinse under a cool shower, and then apply your favorite body oil (options below under Moisturizers).

Thesis Beauty Dead Sea Bath Salts

Posh Beauty Blog loves Thesis Beauty’s Dead Sea Bath Salts in Lavender Fields. De-stress and detox with a skin-smoothing mix of Dead Sea salts and organic flowers that is richly infused with calming Lavender organic essential oil and uplifting Bergamot. If you have any aches or pains, this will gentle soothe them. Thesis Beauty Dead Sea Salts are made with certified organic botanicals.

Waterpik PowerSpray+™ EasySelect® Hand Held Shower Head

 If you don’t have a bathtub, take a spa-style shower. Install a hand held shower head like Waterpik’s PowerSpray+™ EasySelect® Hand Held Shower Head. Waterpik showerheads deliver power and performance, transforming your daily routine into an invigorating shower experience perfect for your at-home spa day. The EasySelect showerhead  allows you to easily change the spray settings on the showerhead’s handle without having to reach through the spray. This Waterpik showerhead also features Waterpik’s OptiFLOW technology, which increases water force up to 30% by optimizing water flow, so you feel refreshed and invigorated with every shower. I love the different fabulous settings: Circular massage, Full body, Misting spray and PowerSpray and Water saving trickle. Super easy to install - all you need is a wrench ($62.99, Home Depot). 

philosophy fresh cream shower gel and scrub duo

Philosophy Fresh Cream Shower Gel and Philosophy Fresh Cream Body Polishing Scrub are a great duo to use with your massaging hand held shower head.  Fresh cream shower gel is a super-sized   3-in-1 shower gel and scrub that acts as a shampoo, shower gel, and bubble bath. Then, exfoliate your skin to silky smoothness with the polishing scrub. The sweet fresh cream scent is heavenly! The set includes a 32-fl oz of fresh cream shampoo, shower gel, and bubble bath and 7-fl oz fresh cream body polishing scrub (Available at QVC.com)

At-Home Spa Facials 

Fresh Crème Ancienne Ultimate Nourishing Honey Mask

Fresh Crème Ancienne Ultimate Nourishing Honey Mask is a unique hydrating treatment made with pure honey for a unique texture that instantly melts into the skin, delivering 6 hours of supreme nourishment while improving elasticity.  Offering ultimate moisture. It also contains Echinacea and Seabuckthorn oil, antioxidants that help fight environmental stress. It melts into your skin, then rinses away to reveal supple, silky skin.  

Aspen Herbals Face Masks

 Aspen Herbals is a small family company located in Baker, Montana.  Aspen Herbals has three incredible handcrafted Herbal Face Masks: Wild Rose, Raven and Creek Bottom. They use organic ingredients, most of which are fair trade.  If you have dry, sensitive, or mature skin, try the Wild Rose herbal face mask. It can be used not only  on the face, but the neck, chest or upper back ($25 each). 

Terrasilk

Terrasilk is an all-natural, ionic mask and clay mineral powder. Mix a small batch of mineral powder (Terrasilk face masque) and apply liberally to the face and other parts  of the body that is to be pampered or soothed (Full instructions here) We recommend using Terrasilk together with the Terrabathe Mineral Bath (mentioned above), as meditating benefits using the clay in this way are amplified. Learn more: Terrasilk - California Earth MInerals

Yon-Ka Paris Masque 103

Yonk-Ka Paris MASQUE 103 is a detoxifying mask. With three kinds of clay, it purifies the skin, tightens pores, brightens the complexion and leaves it with an exceptional glow. The normal to oily skin version absorbs excess sebum. Your complexion is cleared and pores tightened while your skin is left feeling smoother.  

Fresh Umbrian Clay® Mattifying Mask

I like to use Fresh Umbrian Clay Mattifying Mask to spot treat my face. It removes toxins, tones the face and reduces breakouts. It also soothes skin with anti-inflammatory nettle, gentle chamomile flower, and purifying olive leaf extract. There are no Phthalates or GMOs.  

HydroPeptide at Home Duo

Start off with a Peel: Anti-Wrinkle Polish and Plump Peel, a gentle yet effective two-step at-home treatment formulated to improve the appearance of lines and wrinkles while delivering the benefits of microdermabrasion with zero downtime. A blend of 6 peptides minimize wrinkles by enhancing collagen production, provide antimicrobial protection for clearer skin and increase moisture retention by improving skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF).
 
Follow up with HydroPeptide's Purifying Mask: Lift, Glow, Firm. This detoxifying hybrid clay and gel mask instantly creates a more youthful, radiant glow, extracts impurities and minimizes the appearance of pores as purifying clays, peptides and hyaluronic acid lift, firm and hydrate skin. Kaolin and bentonite clays deep clean and make pores smaller by absorbing toxins and enabling skin to control oil more effectively on its own. It also exfoliates to improve cell turnover for skin that looks bright and feels as soft as it appears. 

Balanced Guru Calming Masque

Relax and treat your face to a calming blend of Lavender, echinacea, sea kelp, calendula flowers, aloe vera, alfalfa and Marshmallow root to help soothe inflammation moisturize. You can use Balanced Guru Calming Masque  during your at-home spa treatment and whenever you feel like your skin is acting out and asking for more attention. Cruelty-free!

NATURA BISSÉ

Indulge in the “Diamond Collection” from Barcelona born, luxury skin-care brand, NATURA BISSÉ, nationally available at Bergdorf Goodmans and other high-end retailers. If you’re going to splurge on a serum for your at-home facial, Posh Beauty Blog recommends Diamond White Serum which is a triple-action brightening serum. Then, follow up with the Diamond White Oil-Free Brilliant Sun Protection, SPF 50. These at home spa treatment products are complimented by the getaway of a lifetime to Hotel Arts Barcelona in sunny Spain. Their recently opened, Mediterranean-inspired, 43 The Spa features treatments exclusively developed for the hotel by NATURA BISSÉ which make use of their fab products!

Aubrey Revitalizing Therapy Anti-Wrinkle & Repair Hydrating Moisturizer

This 100% natural, Rich, Moisturizing treatment reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, firms skin and restores youthful softness for a healthy, vibrant complexion. This organic moisturizer contains Rosa Mosqueta® Rose Hip Seed Oil so it’s perfect for dry skin. Aubrey Revitalizing Therapy Anti-Wrinkle & Repair Hydrating Moisturizer is perfect for Posh Beauties on Budget ($22.50, Aubrey-Organics.com). 

Moisturize

Fresh Life Huile Pour Le Corps Body Oil

I love to apply Fresh Life Body Oil on my damp skin to lock in moisture. It’s got skin-soothing oils (sweet almond, jojoba seed, apricot kernel, sunflower seed and passion flower oils) and extracts that provide 24-hour moisture – and the earthy scent is heavenly!  

Balanced Guru Balm Me Up and Soothe Me Slowly

Nourish dry winter skin with a smooth and buttery body balm – Balm Me Up. Enriched with a mix of naturally moisturizing Cocoa and Shea butters and an invigorating blend of essential oils that will wake up your senses and moisturize your skin without leaving it greasy or tacky.

Naturally hydrate your skin and give your muscles the relaxation and relief they deserve with Soothe Me Slowly  soothing body oil infused with arnica. The essential mix of Baobab, Jojoba and Avocado oils that will leave your skin soft and smooth while sesame and Argan will balance your skin so that it never feels oily. Lavender, Orange and Geranium essential oils work together to create a nurturing scent that will linger throughout the day.

Laura Geller Italian Body Souffle Trio

Pamper your skin with amazing hydration. Laura Geller's Italian Body Souffle Trio inspired by treats at an Italian bakery are luxe and luxurious. The trio includes 4 ounces each of Vanilla Biscotti, Lemon Meringue, and Fig Cream.  The souffles are Infused with shea butter, honey, aloe vera, and vitamin E, and are a perfect way to lock in moisture post spa treatments ($44, Qvc.com). 

Teadora Rainforest Spa Love Ritual

Purchasing a spa-set can make setting up an at-home spa day a breeze. Try Teadora Rainforest Spa Love Ritual Trio (An $88 value, for $69). It’s a luxurious and romantic way to treat you and someone special to an at-home spa experience with products that utilize exotic, powerful, performance-proven ingredients that nourish, heal, and protect your body the way Mother Earth intended. This luscious trio includes an 8oz  Nourishing Body Butter, 2oz Nourishing Bath and Body oil infused with Teadora’s exclusive Rainforest Restoration Elixir + Argan Plant Stem Cells, Plus a 6 oz Nourishing Body Polish, which is infused with Teadora’s Rainforest Hydration Elixir + Açaí Seeds and Amazonian White Clay. Bonus: The trio also includes: a Kayapo Tribe Designed Makeup Bag that perfectly houses your trio and 2 travel size bars: a Toning  Beauty Bar with Coffee Butter and Patauá oil and Exfoliating Bar with Açaí seeds and Amazonian Clay.

Feature Images courtesy of Salonspa.com   Themotherhood.com

Press samples were provided by some brands/PR for editorial consideration, product testing, photography and review.