13 At-Home Spa Day Ideas for Simple or Luxurious Relaxation

Self-care is essential for your well-being, but sometimes you can’t or don’t want to visit a spa. In this article, we'll share the best at-home spa ideas, including how to set the mood, various treatments, and science-backed ways to relieve stress and feel good.

Whether you need to take a few moments for a simple, calming activity or you want to pamper yourself with a luxurious DIY spa day, there’s something for everyone below. We’ll also share suggestions for improving your skin and hair.

1. Create a Plan

Creating a plan for your ideal DIY spa day allows you to ensure you have a relaxing experience. 

Consider the following when creating your plan:

• How long you want your spa day to be
• If you want an at-home spa date with friends, your partner, or solo
• Which at-home spa treatments you want to enjoy
• If you want to use what you already have on hand or treat yourself to a few new items
• What supplies you’ll need to gather

2. Set the Mood

When you think of a spa, it’s usually a peaceful environment. You can create this at home, too.

Set the mood with the following:

• A clutter-free space
• A relaxing candle that smells good and creates a cozy vibe
• Calming music - Spotify has many spa playlists
• A soft and comfortable robe and towel
• An essential oil diffuser with soothing oils, like lavender or chamomile
• A delicious drink - We love a nice cold drink in a stainless steel tumbler

3. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of being in the present moment. However, many people struggle with this, especially when they’re stressed or have priorities to tend to.

Mindfulness meditation is a quick way to relax and can allow you to appreciate the experience. You can do this by focusing on one thing (e.g., breathing in and out, how your bath feels, what your music sounds like, or how your drink tastes). 

If you’ve never practiced mindfulness before, it may not be easy. What’s most important is enjoying your experience, though. Instead of worrying about how present you are, give your thoughts permission to come and go.

4. Dry Brush Your Skin

Dry brushing is an easy and beneficial at-home spa treatment. It exfoliates and removes dead skin, which can leave your skin looking smooth and feeling soft. It also helps open your pores to eliminate toxins. Dry brushing can also increase your circulation by promoting better blood flow.

When dry brushing, it's best to start at your feet and move upward. Brush in wide, circular motions. Gently brush areas where your skin is soft and use more pressure where your skin is firmer. 

5. Apply Eye Masks

Eye masks can help reduce dark circles and puffiness around your eyes. They can also relieve tired eyes after a long day or week of work. 

The best part about eye masks is you can multi-task by wearing them while doing other at-home spa treatments.

You can DIY your eye masks with items you may already have at home or buy ready-made eye masks.

6. Relax in a Warm Bath

A warm bath is a go-to at-home spa day experience, and for great reason. It feels nice and requires little to no effort. 

A recent study also found that 80% of people who take warm baths experience relaxation, relief from fatigue, and rejuvenation. Baths are also said to improve skin, sleep, and stress.

To level up your bath experience, consider using relaxing products, like an Herbal Beer Bath Tea and Calming Bath Salts.

7. Use a Hair Mask

During your at-home spa day, nourish your hair with a hair mask. A conditioning hair mask can bring your hair back to life, rejuvenating it for a healthier look and better hair growth.

Shampoo your hair, then apply your hair mask. Let it sit for about 10 minutes before rinsing it out.

8. Take a Cleansing Shower

If you don’t have a bathtub or prefer showers, you can get similar benefits by taking a warm water shower. It’s also nice to take a slow shower with a cleansing shampoo, conditioner, and body wash or soap. You can also exfoliate your skin in the shower with a sponge and any body soap or an exfoliating scrub.

While longer showers may feel nice, dermatologists recommend 10 minutes maximum to avoid drying out your skin.

9. Moisturize

Baths and showers can dehydrate your skin, so be sure to moisturize afterward. This helps keep your skin hydrated so it looks and feels its best. 

Applying a moisturizing lotion to your skin is also a simple way to give yourself an at-home massage for relaxation by massaging the lotion into your skin in circular or upward and outward motions.

10. Give Yourself a Massage

Massages offer many benefits, including muscle tension relief, better circulation, pain alleviation, and recovery between workouts. Keep your massage simple by doing it while you moisturize or take it up a notch with oil. 

You can massage all areas of your body, including your feet, hands, face, and arms. If you're interested in having an at-home spa date, you might also do this with your partner.

11. Do a Manicure and Pedicure

If a fresh manicure and pedicure makes you feel good, this is one of the easiest ways to treat yourself to self-care. Keep it simple by filing your nails and moisturizing your cuticles, or take it up a notch with polish, too.

This is also perfect for an at-home spa day with friends. Have everyone bring polish and supplies and give each other manicures and pedicures.

12. Soak Up the Experience

It's easy to rush through self-care or not fully enjoy the experience, especially when you have a to-do list waiting or are at home with distractions. 

Here are some tips for soaking up your DIY spa day:

• Schedule it into your calendar - Ensure you have an allocated time to dedicate to relaxation without any other priorities
• Remove distractions - Turn your phone off or on "do not disturb" mode, let anyone at home know how long you're unavailable, and do whatever else to help ensure you don't have interruptions
• Set a timer - Instead of checking the time constantly, set a timer to let you know when your spa day is coming to an end
• Start small - Even if you feel like you don't have much time to spare for your spa day, start small with even one or two treatments

13. Enjoy a Nap or a Good Night’s Rest

One of the best spa day benefits is relaxation and better sleep. After you treat yourself to at-home spa treatments, you'll likely feel calm and ready to rest. 

You might carry your experience into the bedroom with a candle and a good book while you continue soaking up the soothing effects. Then, take a restful nap or get a good night’s sleep.

At-Home Spa Day: Conclusion

We hope you found this article helpful and are looking forward to a relaxing experience with hair and skincare in the mix, too. Self-care is necessary for your well-being, whether you take a quick moment to pamper yourself or plan the ultimate DIY spa day.