Plan a spa party at home


Beauty
23/08/2019
Low-cost me-time fun for you and your friends

Prepare your venue

Pack away any clutter, light some scented candles and pop on some chill-out tunes. You’ll need a stack of fluffy towels and warm, moist face cloths at the ready along with cotton wool, cleansers and facial wipes. Herbal teas and healthy snacks on hand will add to the spa at-home vibe. Keep things relaxed by asking guests to bring their own robe and slippers or to wear loose clothing.

At home facial

Base it on your own daily facial routine and you’re halfway to an at-home facial. Just take longer than you would on yourself first thing in the morning or last thing at night and include more facial massage along the way. Have your friend lie down on the sofa as you sit on a chair with her head more or less level with your hands. Prop her up on cushions or pillows if necessary! Cover her hair with a towel or shower cap before gently cleansing her face. Follow with a gentle exfoliator to slough away surface cells before whacking on a face mask. Any will do, but a wipe-off mask will be less hassle. Massage in some moisturiser and job done!

Tired eyes booster

Soak chamomile tea bags in a little water and place them in the fridge for a least a few minutes. Lie down, close your eyes and rest a teabag on each of your peepers for a de-puffing eye treat. You can use green, white or regular tea bags, too, but chamomile is the most soothing.

Shoulder and head massage

Sit in an armchair or sofa with your friend sitting comfortably on the floor with her back to you. You can massage through loose clothing, though your friend might want to at least pull her bra straps down to avoid them digging in! Start massaging around the scalp with both hands, using your fingertips as if you were shampooing the hair but working at a slower pace. Gently work along the base of the skull with your thumbs, moving them in circular movements down both sides of the neck. Squeeze along the tops of the shoulders and down the upper arms using all your fingers and thumbs to melt away tension. Finish off by creating sweeping movements with your hands flat, working from the middle out.

Mini pedi

It’s such a treat when someone else tends to your feet, so do swapsies with your guests. Sit your friend on a sofa or chair with a towel beneath her feet, then position yourself on the floor in front of her feet. Start by gently rubbing the feet with a foot file to soften, then pop both feet into a foot bath or bowl of warm water. Add a little bubble bath for a more luxurious twist. After five minutes, gently take the feet out one at a time and dab them dry before massaging in a foot cream. Take your massage over the ankles and up to the shins for a more relaxing experience, but be sure to remind your friends to shave their legs before they leave home or to bring their own razors with them. The Venus Sugarberry razor gives a great finish thanks to the built-in moisture strip. Nobody wants to massage stubbly legs!

Mini manicures

Painting your own nails can be fiddly, so give each other mini manis and take the stress out of polish. Start off by removing any nail colour before soaking fingertips in a bowl of warm water with a dash of bubble bath. Remove and dry hands before gently pushing back cuticles with an orange stick. Massage in a moisturising hand cream, then go over the nails again with some nail polish remover before applying a base, two layers of colour and a fast-dry top coat. If you’re not confident painting someone else’s nails, go for a forgiving shade of nude!