These winter months can do a number on our skin, our bodies and our minds. Especially, since the madness of the holidays fall during these dreary winter months. We run around like crazy visiting friends and families, prepping and preparing dinner for our families, large and small, as well as doing all the shopping, decorating…OH! and holding down our jobs – which can be stressful enough on it’s own. Especially, since our jobs provide for us and take up roughly eight hours of our day. Five days a week.

With so much going on we can lose sight of what is really important during these short, dark and gray months – OURSELVES. We often wear ourselves down forgetting that we need to tend to ourselves just as much as our friends and families.

Now that the holidays are over, take the time to take care of you! Your mind and body will thank you. But how? Start by creating a spa day AT HOME! Drinking lots of water, eating right, lathering up dry skin with lotion and layering on the chapstick will only get you so far through these dry, wintery days. You have got to go just a few steps further to fully create a day of treating yourself. Find a whole day, or even just part of your day to relax, find time for you and make the time to recharge (and not just your cell phone). Save the time and money instead of going to an actual spa, because you know we all spent too much money during the holidays, and create your own spa day on a budget from the comfort of your own home.

Splish, Splash, I was takin’ a bath

Start your day off by taking a nice warm bath with a bath bomb or fizzy. I am a huge fan of bath bombs. Lush’s Sex Bomb and Bath and Body Works’ Thousand Wishes bombs/fizzies are among my top favorites. I have so many favorites from each brand, but the brand that takes the cake, almost quite literally is the Da Bomb bath bombs found at Target, with my favorite being the Cake Bomb. I have not found a bath bomb from this company that I haven’t liked and the best part of Da Bomb is there is a special prize hidden in them so when they dissolve you end up with a nice surprise. Now that you have a drawn a nice hot bath, grab a nice glass of wine and turn on some music that helps you relax and enjoy your moment of relaxation.

Comfy, Cozy

After you have finished your time soaking, throw on your favorite robe or a pair of pajama pants, a comfy sweatshirt and some fuzzy aloe socks, like these from Pointe Studio. Find something that you are comfortable in – you’re at home, who cares if you match! At this point in your day you can continue your day in peace, alone, or you can call up a few girl friends to come over and join you! It’s your day. As long as you stay relaxed and keep yourself as your main focus then you will be set. Order some Chinese take-out or order a pizza and watch a movie.

Behind The Mask

So now that you are fresh and clean from your hot bath, with your comfy clothes, my final recommendation is to find yourself a good face mask! I prefer sheet masks over the cream/lotion kind you have to apply. One of my favorites is the Masque Bar brightening sheet mask which can be found at Target. If you’re not a fan of sheet masks and just want to focus on just a certain area of your face, like those tired, under eye bags that we all have this time of year then you can try the Grace and Stella under eye masks. I even go one step further and put these in the refrigerator for a few minutes before applying them.  The coldness not only feels good on your skin but helps reduce the puffiness that you may be experiencing.

Whether you have chosen to spend the day with your girl friends or alone, you have earned this day of pampering. Your body has earned it. Your mind has earned it. A new year is here. We have 365 days to start fresh, take advantage of them and start the year off on the right foot with a clear, relaxed mind. Then dive in to your responsibilities as they come to you. Just don’t forget that whenever life starts to feel a little overwhelming to refer back to these three home spa day essentials. Never forget to take time for yourself.