We don’t all have the time and money to spend pampering ourselves with lavish spa weekends, but that doesn’t mean we can’t indulge at home from time to time. Read on to see how you can temporarily transform your household bathroom into a luxury treatment centre, for all of your senses.
Sight
Before you even touch a tap, make sure your bathroom is relatively tidy. Mess seems to especially accumulate around bathroom basins and tubs, so take five minutes to tidy away any bits and pieces you don’t intend to use. There’s no need to spend a lot of time cleaning, but you definitely deserve better than the morning’s towels on the floor and a full bin.
Next, adjust the lighting. Glaring task lights are great for seeing what we’re doing in the morning, but don’t lend any atmosphere to a relaxing soak in the bath. Accent lights, low-wattage bulbs and candlelight are much easier on the eyes, and can help tune your mind to a more meditative state.
Scent
A soothing scent will transport you away from a hectic household, and straight into your zen space. There are many fragrances that are said to promote calmness and relieve anxiety, and ingredients such as lavender, jasmine and sandalwood are often used in health spa products. Take your time to pick a scent that your personally enjoy, as it will help you to de-stress that much quicker.
There are lots of ways to fragrance a room, with options to suit every bathroom. Static air fresheners, plug-ins or reed diffusers are great for gently emitting a constant scent, but these can get a little lost once our noses become accustomed to them. Lighting complementary scented candles or incense will enhance the aroma just in time for your soak, or for the full spa experience, try using aromatherapy oils.
Sound
If silence is golden, why do our minds fill with obscure clutter and last minute “to do” notes at the very end of the day? Avoid your brain going into overdrive after five minutes of quiet by preparing a soothing soundtrack to help you unwind.
Most streaming services will have some ready-made playlists to choose from, with something to offer for every genre. You can even find tracks of ambient soundscapes, like ocean waves gently breaking, crackling log fires or distant, calming thunderstorms.
For particularly busy households, you will need two extra things. Firstly, some quality headphones to block out the noise. Make sure you find ones with an extra-long wire, so you can keep your music device far away from the bath. Secondly, if you don’t already have one, purchase and install a lock on your bathroom door, so that the source of the racket can’t come in and disturb your peace.
Touch
While you might not be able to recreate the exact luxury of a spa treatment, simply indulging in different products from your daily routine will tell your brain that your session is extra-special. Elevate your bath time to an extravagant, replenishing soak with two cups of Epsom salts, or by adding a squeeze of beautifully scented bubble bath.
Make sure to properly pamper yourself with a home treatment or two. If you have been waiting to use a conditioning hair balm, face mask or body scrub, now is the perfect time to let it work its magic while you soak. Spoil yourself with premium products, just as you would in a spa – it’s not like you get a chance to every day.
When you’re ready to get out, have fresh, fluffy towels waiting for you, alongside a cosy dressing gown and slippers.
Taste
It may usually be the last sense we think about in a bathroom, but your taste buds deserve a treat as much as the rest of you.
Start your treatment session with a mug of herbal tea (or glass of wine) while your bath runs. Try to find a comfortable spot to enjoy it, without interruptions from your family or phone.
Prepare yourself an extra drink and snack for when your bath is ready. Icy water and chopped fruit, for example, feel particularly refreshing during a hot soak… although so do wine and chocolate – it’s entirely your choice!
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