Remember what it was like to check into a spa? Not the pretend one your kids set up months ago when quarantine was new. We’re talking a scheduled day of pampering with close friends. Maybe a few hours of solitude as a surprise treat from a loved one. Where you put on a plush, cozy white robe. Let your cares melt away in a room full of steam. A facial to open up your neglected pores. A professional manicure and pedicure that leave your hands and feet softer than you knew they could feel. Soft music, mindless reading. Food brought to you by someone else. A real massage.

The Retreat Day Spa owner Jill Copeland-Henderson knows how to put together all the right elements to create the perfect environment for rest, rejuvenation and relaxation. We asked her to share how to pamper ourselves at home until we can get back to the spa for the proper treatment from the pros.  

Light a candle.

Set Pandora to “New Age Ambient Light.”

Grab a robe or a towel large enough to wrap and tuck.

Throw your hair up in a towel or head wrap.

Double cleanse if you need to remove make-up.

Grab some facial oil (coconut oil will do if you don’t have facial oil) and rub a small amount on your face, décolleté, and shoulders. On the face, massage using small circular motions, spending extra time on any stubborn wrinkles. From under the eyes, gently sweep the lymph towards the ears and down the neck towards the clavicles.

If you have a masque, apply and let it penetrate for 10 minutes while you massage your neck and shoulders to release tension.

A gentle ear pull and scalp massage can further release any stress you have been holding in your jaw.

Draw yourself a hot bath. Dab a bit of lavender oil on your pulse points and melt your worries away.

And if you simply can’t find the space and time for spa at home, just take a moment in your day to intentionally allow your exhale to last longer than your inhale, thereby calming your nervous system. Calm is only a deep exhale away.

And when you’re ready to escape, you can schedule an appointment at The Retreat Day Spa, which is open with enhanced safety measures.