How to have a spa day at home – all the kit you need for a massage, facial and even a sauna
This Morning's Sarah Jossel demonstrated how to have relaxing pamper day in the comfort of your living room
'Do you fancy a spa day? asked Ruth Langsford on Tuesday's This Morning. 'I know you can't go out or go to a spa because they are all closed. But Sarah Jossel has created one at home.'
Related: Missing your local salon? Set one up at home with this glorious Beauty Bar from Happy Beds
Of course, the Ideal Home team was instantly all ears. We're sure we are not the only ones struggling to relax in these extraordinary times. So we've rounded up the key takeaways and products from Sarah's round-up, so you can have a go at having a spa day at home, whenever you feel like it.
1. Make your home smell like a spa
'We know that when you set up an at-home spa you need mood, you need music,' says Sarah. 'But what is really important is what your room smells like.'
'Beat The Blues spray is wonderfully uplifting – fun fact, Demi Moore uses this when she is feeling anxious or stressed and wants to create a more spa-like experience.'
According to the Ila Apothecary website, the spray contains... 'Clary Sage, also known as one of Nature’s happiness inducing oils, combined with Rose Geranium restores peace and harmony, whilst Tuberose and Petitgrain are knwon to calm the mind and elevate our souls.'
Buy now: Ila Beat The Blues room spray, £29, Ila Apothecary
Another way to fragrance your home spa is with an electric diffuser. Sarah recommends the Tisserand diffuser. 'You can different oils depending on the time of day.
'In the morning, you want to get something like peppermint to wake you up and give you energy. In the afternoon, eucalyptus and rosemary will help with the afternoon slump, and in the evening use vetiver and sandalwood.'
Buy now: Aroma Spa diffuser, £36, Tisserand
2. Soak in a special bath
A relatively easy way to recreate a spa at home – in the absence of a pool – is to run yourself a bath and fill it with salts or oil that will condition your skin.
Sarah recommends Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Oil. 'Put a little bit in, put some music on and you are transported to your favourite spa. It's the most relaxing way to have a bath.'
Buy now: Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Bath & Shower Oil, £47.23, Amazon
3. Relax in an infra-red sauna
'I was really questioning how good this could be,' says Sarah, 'It is brilliant. If you've got achy muscles, if you are feeling a bit stressed, you just pop yourself in here. It heats up just like a sauna in a spa.
Are you just sitting in a normal chair and you just put it over you like a sleeping bag, asks Ruth.
Allow me to show you, replies Sarah, before stepping out to reveal that it comes with a chair. 'You could squeeze two people in,' she says. 'It lasts forever and you can use it every day. It really is the ultimate at-home spa treatment.'
'You just plug it in and you can use the control
Buy now: Portable infrared sauna, £229, Amazon
4. Have a massage
Who doesn't love a head massage? And for that, Sarah says you need the Boucleme scalp massager. 'Its grips do exactly what someone's hands would do,' she explains.
'You can use it when you are washing your hair to really get the shampoo in there. Or you can use it on dry hair while you're watching the TV and it feels wonderful.'
Buy now: Scalp massager, £12, Boucleme
Sarah suggests other massage tools for different needs, too. For a full-body massage, she recommends the Reviber Zen Physio. 'You can get down to your lower back which is the area people usually can't reach without a masseuse.'
'It will really wake you up and is great if you like that really hard massage.'
Buy now: Reviber Zen Physio handheld massager, £49.99, Amazon
But if you're more in what Sarah calls the 'tickle zone' and want something relaxing, she suggests a massager that heats up...
Buy now: EtekCity Neck Back heated massager, £33.99, Amazon
5. Give yourself a facial with a steamer
'Steam, as we know, is really good for declogging, for hydrating,' says Sarah. 'Lots of steamers that you can buy won't have fine mist, which is what I love about the Sarah Chapman steamer – it's not going to soak you.'
A steamer is exactly what you need to refresh your skin and open up those pores. You will want to put your moisturiser on straightaway after using it for the biggest benefits.
Buy now: Sarah Chapman Skinesis Pro Hydro-Mist steamer, £119, Amazon
More ways to chill at home: 11 garden projects to tackle this weekend – from planting to painting
For more tips for self care at home, follow Sarah on Twitter @SarahJossel.
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Amy Cutmore is an experienced interiors editor and writer, who has worked on titles including Ideal Home, Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, GardeningEtc, Top Ten Reviews and Country Life. And she's a winner of the PPA's Digital Content Leader of the Year. A homes journalist for two decades, she has a strong background in technology and appliances, and has a small portfolio of rental properties, so can offer advice to renters and rentees, alike.
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