Pampering Yourself at Home

After a long week of grueling work and all that stress from different concerns, don't you feel that you deserve something that would relax that painful body and soothe those aching muscles?

A wonderful trip to a spa for a glorious massage is what most would consider as the best answer to this. But some may complain that even if going to the spa would give the most needed and wanted relaxation moment, it could cause a dent on their pockets.

So what can you do to give yourself a little pampering that would help your aching body but not give that undue stress on your budget? Here are a few simple tips that you could at a minimal cost and at the comfort of your own home:

1. Let your hair breathe. Your nearby drug stores carry many products that can be bought in sachets or little bottles. You may want to try the V05 Hot Oil Hair Treatment. A pack contains two small bottles which you warm if you put in a bowl of hot water. The St. Ives Formula Hair Repair Intensive also comes in sachets; therefore you can avoid buying the big bottles if you just wish to do this once in a while.

Stores that sell beauty salon supplies also have bottles of hot oil treatments that are relatively cheap and easy to find. But if you wish, a simple baby oil can also be applied in your hair. Put on a clean shower cap to let a little heat and moisture trapped inside. Let it stay for about 30 minutes. You can use a little shampoo and conditioner to wash off too much oil and rinse. The important thing here is for your hair to feel relaxed after all the abuse it gets from coloring, blow drying and all the chemicals from the shampoos and hair products you have been using.

2. Enjoy a facial sauna. Get a clean basin and put very hot water in it. It should be warm enough to produce some steam. Bend over and put your face in front of the basin for it to catch the steam. Put a towel over your head so you could trap the steam and feel the gentle warmth. This technique opens the skin pores and rejuvenates the layers of the skin.

A gentle exfoliant may also be used to get rid of dead cells on the facial skin. Wet your palm with water and add a little amount of sugar and rub it gently on your cheeks in an upward and circular motion. Don't forget the t-section, as well as the chin area. Rinse with cool water and pat dry. Never rub your face with a towel vigorously. Apply your reliable moisturizer to avoid drying.

3. Relax those feet. Pour warm water in a basin big enough to fit your two feet. If you have a pumice stone, you may use it to rub on your heels and other parts of the feet to scrub away extra skin. When the feet are already wet, lift them a little and pour the same baby oil you used for the hot oil treatment. Pour on both feet then rub each other. Then put them back in the warm water. Enjoy the relaxing feeling. When you feel that the water has gone cold already, you can take your feet out of the basin already. Pat feet with a paper towel. When your feet are already dry, apply petroleum jelly and cover each foot with cling wrap. Let the cling wrap stay for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the cling wrap and apply your favorite scented lotion and let dry. You may wear socks to keep them very soft, clean and sweet smelling.

4. Release the stress from your neck and shoulders. Use a microwavable neck & shoulder pillow. You can easily find these pillows of varying sizes and shapes in malls and stores. They are not too costly. Usually filled with flax seeds, some come in scents that should aid more to your relaxation moment. Warm the pillow in the microwave for about 1 ½ to 2 minutes and put them around your shoulder, near the nape or your back. These pillows usually have an attached Velcro that would help it stay in place. Do a little stretching for your neck and shoulder to complete the ritual.

5. Soothe those eyes. The very reliable cucumber is the favorite of many people when it comes to soothing tired eyes. Cool them in the fridge and slice in pieces, big enough to rest on your closed eyes. If you do not want this, using cotton dipped in cold water would give the same effect. Simply dip cotton balls in a glass of cold water and squeeze them a bit to avoid too much drip. Tilt your head back and place it in a relaxed position. Then put these cotton balls on each eye and just enjoy. Once you feel that the cotton balls have gone warm, you can dip them in the cold water again for another round of this eye soothing technique.

6. Pamper those hands. Of all the parts of your body, your hands are involved in a vast range of activities. Some say that the hands also give away a person's age. So its just important to give them the care that they need. Wash your hands with water and soap. Then while still wet, rub them with a little amount of salt to exfoliate them. Rub them gently for a few minutes. Rinse with water and then dry. Instead of your lotion, pour a little olive oil on your hands, rub and message them gently to moisturize them.