Listen, there’s nobody out there who enjoys relaxing more than I do. I discovered my love for relaxing before I even reached the stage of life in which you actually need to relax. What can I say? I’m a natural!
And yet, despite my affinity for all things loungy (is loungy a word?), I have zero desire to book a spa treatment.
There’s just about getting rubbed down by a stranger that prevents my already overactive mind from being able to calm down. That coupled with the fact that so many massage parlors get busted by the feds for doing creepy sex shit (Google it if you don’t believe me, but consider yourself warned)— and I haven’t even gotten to the exorbitant prices yet. All this is to say that I’d rather pamper myself at home than visit a day spa and risk ending up wherever Johnny Gosch went (my deepest condolences/ sympathy to his family).
6 Cheap Things To Help You Create The Perfect Spa-Like Experience At Home
*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase an item through one of my links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. You can read my full disclosure policy here. If you would like to purchase any of the items I mentioned below, you can do so by clicking the corresponding photo or link!*
1. This Amazing, Heated Neck And Back Massager
I learned about this magical device sometime last year, thanks to a Brittany Vasseur video on YouTube, and I just knew I needed one in my house.
It’s heated, it gets deep, and you can use it on your neck, your back, or your legs— it’s FANTASTIC. As someone who spends a lot of time hunched over, I’m a huge fan of the men and women who’ve worked hard to create this product, and I think they all deserve a trophy.
Long story short, you’ll love this massager.
2. Essential Oils/ Diffuser/ Humidifier
Now, I have to admit, I was pretty skeptical of essential oils when they started to pop up all over the Internet. I’m still not convinced any of them are safe to ingest, but what I do know is that they create a lovely ambiance… and they smell fantastic, too!
But here’s the even cooler thing that I didn’t know until my mom gave me my first essential oil kit: the essential oil diffuser is actually just a humidifier! So, if you’re like me and you already have a humidifier because you get nosebleeds when the air’s too dry, then you don’t even need to buy a diffuser, and you can just pick up some snazzy oils.
The ones I like are from the brand Young Living, and they have a great starter kit available on Amazon (see below)
*Warning: if you have pets, especially cats, make sure you understand which essential oils are and are not safe to expose them to.
3. Herbal Tea
You are what you eat drink, so if you want to relax, you need something soothing. Sometimes, that means a large glass of red wine, but if that’s not your style, herbal tea is the way to go.
I personally can’t say enough good things about Celestial Seasonings. Yes, they’re expensive, but dammit, they’re tasty. And best of all, herbal tea is naturally caffeine free, which means you can literally one-up your own spa day and turn it into a nap.
Here are some of my favorite teas:
- Raspberry Zinger: https://amzn.to/2YXkJab
- Tangerine Orange Zinger: https://amzn.to/2KJ6WPh
- Berry Zinger: https://amzn.to/2YFk1TS
- Gingerbread Spice: https://amzn.to/31ugowX
4. Scented Candles
I know, I know, this is pretty expected. But let’s face it, candles are relaxing, and no self-respecting spa owner would even dream of not having candles.
Personally, I’m a sucker for the cheap-o scented candles from Dollar Tree, but the high-roller in me has also been wanting to try out some more natural options, too. These ones on Amazon sound pretty promising!
5. A Soothing Face Mask
If my skin would talk, it would probably curse like a sailor, because I kind of tend to neglect it.
But with that said, I do use the occasional face mask, and the three below are some of my all-time favorites (they’re especially helpful for clearing up breakouts):
6. Soft Music
And of course, the icing in the cake for any spa day: soft music.
If you ask me, you’ve got two different options: either soothing instrumental music, like you’ll find on the Spotify playlists below:
Or, if you’re looking for something a bit more Zen, you can never go wrong with binaural beats. I recently started using the Beatfulness app on my phone, and so far, I love it— great for creating a calming atmosphere and putting your mind at ease. (I’m so sorry to my Android-loving friends, but it seems like the app is only available on iPhone as of now.)
Happy relaxing! Don’t forget to share this post with your stressed out, spa-day-needing, overworked friends on social!
Thanks for reading 🙂
