A weekend at the spa may seem like an impossible dream, but an evening – or just 15 minutes – of pampering can be a reality, any day of the week. These 10 tips will help to reduce stress, both emotionally and physically. Even if you only have five minutes to spare, you can find a way to make stress relief part of your busy routine.
After a long week at the office, you’ve earned the right to a little relaxation – even if you have a hard time putting your to-do list on hold for an evening. Relieving work stress can help you sleep better, reduce headaches and make it easier to focus and think clearly. These 10 tips cover everything from hair masks to foot massages, with easy how-to tips and ready-made product suggestions – so pampering doesn’t have to become a chore of its own.
1. Choose pampering products wisely. When it comes to finding products that’ll truly help you unwind, let your senses be the guide – not a beauty article or sales clerk. Close your eyes and take in each scent, allowing time in between for your senses to adjust before moving on to the next. Similarly, with moisturizers or scrubs, make sure the texture of the products feels right.
2. Wash off the day’s worries. Let your post-work shower renew you and take the edge off of a stressful day. The benefits of aromatherapy are many, and can include relieving headaches, soothing muscles and improving sleep. Choose scents like energizing mint, calming chamomile or uplifting citrus. First, lather up with a scent-stimulating body wash. Try Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Body Wash. Follow up with a body scrub, to reveal fresh, smooth skin. A body lotion like Kerstin Florian Krauter Chamomile Body Lotion will complete your 15-minute sensory experience.
3. Immerse yourself in moisture. Mix jojoba body cream with essential oils of your choice. Redbook suggests grapefruit and jasmine, but your possibilities are endless – lavender for sleep and relaxation, chamomile to calm your mind or eucalyptus to help with cold or flu, to start. After bathing, cover yourself with the cream, then use plastic wrap to seal in the moisture. Let yourself mellow out for 20 minutes under a blanket.
4. Stop dreading Sundays. Redbook suggests making mineral baths a Sunday night ritual, to help ease that transition from weekend to workweek. The water should be about the temperature of a heated pool, which will help stimulate circulation. You can find dead sea salts in drugstores or department stores – try SpaRitual Open Your Eyes 21 Mineral Bath Salts. Add one cup of the salts and relax for 15 minutes while the mineral salts soothe your muscles and improve your mood. Follow with 15 minutes of rest – the most important part!
5. Light up the night. Whether you’re spending your night cooking dinner or enjoying a novel, one of the simplest ways to transform your evening into a mini-vacation is by lighting a scented candle. The combination of the flickering flame and pleasant aromas will help you unwind and leave work behind. Best of all, this is a completely effortless form of relaxation! Fresh citrus scents like Votivo Travel Tin Candle Island Grapefruit create a joyous mood, while Greenleaf Signature Candle - Lavender provides a more soothing atmosphere.
6. Get that just-left-the-salon hair. If you’ve fought with your hair all week, using flat irons and curling irons in attempt to achieve a polished work look, it might be time to show your strands some love. You can purchase a ready-made repair treatment like Frederic Fekkai ADVANCED Salon Technician Rapid Results Moisture Mask, or you can make a hair treatment of your own at home. Real Beauty suggests a mixture of 2 tsp coconut oil, ½ mashed avocado and ¼ cup coconut oil. Just let sit in your hair for 15-20 minutes and rinse well.
7. Relax with face mask. There’s something about a facial mask that always feels luxurious, even if it’s just a 10-minute mask in the shower. And, there are masks for every skin type, whether you want to make it at home or purchase a treatment from the store. You can whip up an easy mask using just a ripe banana and a couple tablespoons of honey. Simply mash the banana, mix in the honey and apply to your face for 15-20 minutes. Bananas are full of fruit acids and will help to exfoliate and renew your complexion, while honey hydrates the skin and has natural antibacterial properties, making it ideal for soothing acne.
If you’re not the DIY type, try one of the following:
8. Try a mini-manicure. Most of us don’t have the time we might like to devote to our nails. Whether you like yours short and squared or long and delicate, take five minutes once a week to give your nails some TLC. Skip the fancy polish and cuticle care and make shiny, healthy nails your primary goal. Use a buffing/smoothing block like Trind Nail Magic to smooth out bumps and ridges and gently shape your nails. If you have time, soak nails in a softening solution like TALIKA Instant Manicure for a couple minutes. Follow with a scrub to remove dead skin cells, then dry your hands. Finish with a hydrating hand lotion like H2O Plus Hand and Nail Cream, then move on to the polish. If you don’t have time for regular upkeep, you’ll want to skip the color and use a shiny clear polish to leave your nails looking healthy and natural.
9. Focus on the feet. The feet have over 7,000 nerve endings – meaning that a simple massage and foot treatment make a world of difference for your senses. Plus, giving yourself a foot massage is an easy treatment you can do at home. You can either shower first, or just draw a shallow foot bath in your bathtub, using either softening bath salts or a foot soak like Sally Hansen Revitalizing Foot Soak, Lavender. Once your feet are softened, massage them with an invigorating foot lotion like June Jacobs Peppermint Hand and Foot Polish, which will leave your feet cool and tingly. Work out any kinks or tight spots that accumulate after a day on your feet. If you want sandal-ready feet, you can follow your massage with a pedicure.
10. Share your evening with a friend. Not only is it easier to follow through with a night of pampering, but spending time with a girlfriend – who probably could use some pampering too – is extremely beneficial for your mental health. Make it a special occasion by compiling music you both like and choosing a night when you’ll have the house to yourselves.
While pampering might seem unnecessary during your busy work week, don’t forget the importance of stress relief on your overall health and wellbeing. By allowing yourself some time to unwind, you’ll reap the benefits of a calmer mind, in addition to the obvious benefits for your skin and hair – good reasons to put pampering on your to-do list!
Learn everything you need to know about workplace beauty and skincare for a professional lifestyle in our Office Beauty Handbook.