Spa Day!

 *Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, however I did receive samples for my review. All opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.*


Good morning, beauties!


Today I'm giving you a peak at one of my favorite things...in-home spa days! I will also be sharing some of my favorite products with you along the way.

Working two jobs (aside from blogging) and having what seems to be a never-ending to do list can be exhausting at times. I've learned that it's super important to take time for yourself to de-stress and unwind a bit. One of my favorite ways to do this is having an in-home spa day. I try to set aside time every 2-3 weeks to pamper myself and recharge. I have been doing this for many, many years and it's definitely something that I look forward to.

Firstly, I LOVE to start out with a nice, warm bubble bath. I usually use the lavender and chamomile milk bath with shea butter from Bath Shoppe. I also love using bath salts! I will typically use a home made one or Village Naturals Therapy for muscle and tension relief. To relax even more, I like to put a dab of lavender oil either on my forehead or under my nose. I also like to wear a gel eye mask that I keep in the freezer. The coolness feels amazing with the warmth of the bath and it decreases puffiness under the eyes.

After my bath, I put on a mask. Sometimes, I use clay or peel off but lately I have been obsessed with the Purlisse sheet mask. It's the most amazing mask and makes my skin so soft and glowy! While the mask is setting, I will usually drink a cup of hot tea.

After my mask, I will do one of two things. If I know that I'll be staying at home, I will put on a thick moisturizer such as this Meriance hydra comfort cream. It's super moisturizing and leaves your skin feeling nourished and soft. (If you'd like to try it or anything else, you can get 25% off when you use "Elizabeth Hugen" at checkout)

If I know that I will be going out, I will opt for very light moisturizer such as this one from Bioderma. It's an excellent primer for make up as well. Depending on where I'm going, I'll do my make up. For a typical day, I will only put on BB cream, blush, mascara and lipstick. I am completely obsessed with this BB cream from Purlisse! I have tried so many different ones and this one is truly perfect for my sensitive skin and offers amazing coverage.

At night, I love to take off my make up with these products. I will use the Bioderma micellar water to gently remove make up and then follow up with the Purlisse cleansing milk to cleanse and tone my skin. Both of these are amazing and I have noticed a drastic difference in my skin. I always follow up with a thick moisturizer, all over body lotion and a lip treatment.

Another thing I love to do is give myself a mani and pedi. Since I teach guitar during the week, I definitely prefer giving myself a mani rather than getting it at a salon since I know that it won't last very long.

 I start off my clipping and filing my nails and following up with a cuticle oil. Once it's dry, I'll begin painting my nails (see my process below). I also love having soft feet so the Emjoi micro-pedi nano is the perfect tool for the job. It's easy to use and efficient at smoothing out dry spots. When I'm finished, I like to seal it with a cream. My favorite is the ultimate hand cream from Victoria's Secret Pink. I use it on both my hands and feet.

 

I'm really picky about my nail colors and almost exclusively use pinks, purples and nudes. These colors work really well with all of my outfits and they make me happy. I'm not really one for nail designs. I prefer to keep my nails trimmed and polished in a simple, understated way that doesn't take away from what I'm wearing. I normally wear a more neutral tone on my fingernails and choose a more "fun" color for my toe nails. I absolutely love the Kur colleciton nail care and Lakur polishes from Londontown! These colors are gorgeous (SO many colors!) and last for a long time. I start out with the base coat, then paint two coats of my desired colored and finish with the gel coat. I've playing guitar with it on all week and it hasn't chipped! Seriously amazing!

Yay! So that's my process for an in-home spa day. I always feel so much more relaxed and more confident in myself when I do these beauty treatments. It's definitely something I would recommend for all you busy ladies out there! Plus, a "spa kit" with these products would make such a cute Christmas gift.

What is your favorite beauty routine or product?

xo