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How to Have the Perfect At-Home Spa Day

October 24, 2017 by

There is nothing more relaxing than a day at the spa.

Not to mention, it helps you rest and unwind after a long week of work, chasing your kids around the house, or whatever else it is that you do on a weekly basis.

The only problem is that going to a professional spa can cost a lot of money.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with treating yourself every once in a while, but for most people, going for a spa treatment on a weekly basis is simply out of the budget.

For that reason, we at The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction want to share with you how to have the perfect at-home spa day.

Our at-home version is just as fun, will make you feel just as relaxed, and can be thrown together for a fraction of what a day at the actual spa would cost.

Follow these steps for a perfect at-home spa day that will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world.

Step 1: Prepare Your Favorite Beverage

Most spas will have fancy fruit-infused waters or teas available for guests to drink when they arrive for their appointment. So, to begin your at-home spa session, grab a cup of your favorite beverage—coffee, tea, juice…even wine! We don’t judge!

Step 2: Start with a Face Mask

A face mask is an inexpensive way to rejuvenate your skin and leave your face feeling fresh.

You can purchase premade masks at just about any grocery store or skin care shop for under $5. Or, if you prefer to make your own, simply mix together 1 tbs. of coconut oil with ¼ tsp. of turmeric.

This simple 2-ingredient face mask recipe is great for hydrating your skin and reducing blemishes.

Step 3: Soak Your Feet in a Footbath

From walking all over the place to being crammed in high heels, our feet take a beating every day. This is why it’s so important to give your feet a break and soak them in a footbath.

You can buy a more expensive foot bath at the store for between $60 and $100. If you’re someone who constantly has sore feet, this might be a good investment for you.

However, if you’re only planning on enjoying a good foot soak once in a blue moon, a simple bucket will work just fine. All you have to do is fill a bucket with warm water, add some Epsom salts (you can find this at the grocery store) and let your feet soak for 15-20 minutes.

If you want to get really crazy, you can also add in some essential oils. We personally love adding about 3 drops of peppermint oil into our footbaths.

Step 4: Take a Hot Bath

If more than your feet need a good soak, we recommend that you fill a tub with nice hot water and take a bath.

Be sure to dim the lights, light candles, grab your favorite book, or turn on some soothing music. It’s such a good feeling to be able to separate yourself from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and lock yourself away in a cozy warm bath for an hour or so.

If you’d like, you can add some of the Epsom salts you used in your footbath to the water. These salts are known to help ease sore muscles and help you relax. Or, if you want to do something different, use a delightful-smelling bath bomb to make your bath time a little more special.

Step 5: Finish with Polished Nails

Most ladies have a few bottles of nail polish floating around the house. But here’s the question…how often have you been able to take the time to sit down and actually use them?

Make time after your relaxing bath to end your night with a manicure or pedicure.

Put on a pair of cozy pajamas, pick your favorite nail polish color, and go to town! While your nails are drying, indulge in some senseless TV, read a magazine, or play a game on your phone. It’s all about giving yourself the time to do what makes you happy.

Do you have any at-home spa rituals you love? Share them with us in the comments below!

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Holiday Stress Getting to You? Here’s Our De-stressing Tips

December 23, 2014 by

8179594890_3fb4115dc8_mBetween all of the holiday shopping, decorating, parties, getting your house ready for guests, and wrapping galore, it’s easy to lose your mind during the holiday season.

As fun and exciting as this time of year can be, let’s face it…sometimes you just want to scream: “I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE!”

Instead of telling you to just breathe—which might make you more stressed—we’re sharing our tips of how to keep the holiday stress from getting to you. Try these ideas to help you re-center, and remember that this season is a magical time of year to reconnect with family and friends.

Give Yoga a Try

Yoga improves your mind, benefits your body, and balances your spirit. Because yoga involves a series of poses while in a flow-like state, you strengthen your mind as you work out your body (talk about a win-win!).

Yoga benefits your mind, by teaching you how to breathe deeply and slowly. Unlike short and nervous breathing, long and controlled breaths train your brain to focus on consistent thinking. If you feel as if you’re constantly distracted, a yoga session will bring attention back to your inner thoughts. Because yoga puts you in a state of calm and control, you become more familiar with your body’s way of coping with stress. And let’s be honest, we could all use some self-centering during the holidays.

Enjoy a Spa Day

Muscles tightening up to the point where you feel “locked up” in certain positions? We know how it feels. Stress can lead to physical pain, especially in the neck and shoulders. Before the pain becomes unbearable, there’s something you can do to “reset” your body and mind: visit a spa! What’s the harm in getting treated like a King or Queen for a while? Gift yourself this season with a relaxing massage or facial!

Snuggle Up with a Mug of Hot Cocoa

On a tight budget after buying all of those holiday gifts? Sometimes curling up with a blanket and mug of hot cocoa, while watching your favorite holiday movie, can be just as good for the soul as therapy! Some of our favorites: Elf, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and The Polar Express. Don’t forget the marshmallows!

What’s Your Favorite Part of the Holidays? Share Below:

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The Importance of Taking Time to Reflect on Your Year

December 19, 2011 by

new yearEvery year, we take time not only to reflect on how thankful we are for our families, freedoms, and lives, but we also reflect on what we’ve accomplished during the year. We celebrate our successes and learn from our mistakes, and we decide what we’d like to achieve in the New Year. Here are a few ways to commemorate 2011 and plan 2012.

Make a list of your accomplishments.

What have you done in 2011? What were your successes and your leaps forward? No matter how small your wins may seem, they are still wins and should be celebrated. List them all so you can see what a tremendous year you’ve had. You may want to list them in categories, such as financial, health, family, etc. Rejoice in how long your list is.

Create a second list of your attempted successes that didn’t quite reach the mark. Those are worth celebrating too, even if the outcome wasn’t quite what you had anticipated or wanted. Simply attempting them is a win, and you can always try again.

Pat yourself on the back.

Look over your lists, and ensure you’ve included everything you’ve accomplished and attempted. You probably didn’t realize you made so many strides in 2011. Spend a little while remembering each accomplishment and how it made you feel. Re-create that feeling. Celebrate you and your success!

Use the lists to set your goals for 2012.

With the future in mind, decide what you want to try for next year. For each accomplishment, there is probably a natural next step. For example, if you lost 15 pounds, perhaps you would like to lose 10 more—or maybe you’d like to make sure you keep those pounds off by starting an exercise program.

If you attempted a goal and didn’t reach it this year, do you want to try again? Chances are that you learned something from trying it this year, and your odds of succeeding are even higher now. Give it another shot!

Finally, treat yourself to something special.

You deserve it for all your hard work, and this is the perfect time to treat yourself. Whether you book a spa day, take a trip during the holidays, or buy something you’ve had your eye on, celebrate yourself!

Tell us what you’ve accomplished this year so we can rejoice with you!

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