6 Essentials for a Serene Virtual Spa

The past year has been a real test on mental health, globally.
When England went into a third lockdown, a lot of people reached their limit.

I decided to try a virtual spa with my sister, as a way to de-stress and ensure we took some time out for self care.

I put together a little hamper of items and posted them as a treat, but you can always arrange this in such a way that your family/friends source their own stuff.

I chose to do this over Zoom, but of course you can choose whichever platform you prefer. Facetime, Whatsapp, Teams, Messenger, anything!

I even created a little invitation:

My Virtual Spa Essentials

Stay hydrated!
I recommend preparing your favourite drink for this short session; maybe a cup of calming herbal tea.

Ambiance

1. Candles

A scented candle and an abundance of tealights really help create a cosy atmosphere.
Yankee Candle is my go-to for scented candles.

If you have dimmable lights, I recommend dimming them too.
If you have a fireplace, all the better!
If it’s daytime, close the curtains.

If you don’t have or don’t want to buy scented candles, you can try:

• A room mist
• Diffusing oils

If you have an oil diffuser, you can mix your favourite oils to create a relaxing room scent.
My favourite is the Tisserand total de-stress blend.
They also sell this as a room mist.

Skin Treats

2. Cleanser

I gave my sister the Aurelia Miracle Cleanser, which I’ve never tried before.
It contains a load of calming ingredients, but the main thing is just to clean the face.

Cleanse your face with whatever works for you.
My current single cleanse is the Clarins Cleansing Milk. It does the job.

3. Sheet masks

I recommend sheet masks for a virtual spa, just because it saves the hassle of having to get back up to rinse your face.

If you don’t have a sheet mask, or generally prefer an alternative, go for what you enjoy most.

I always make sure I have a selection of face masks for my different needs, so I gave my sister a small selection too.

The Holika Holika Skin Rescuer & Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Masks were our choices.

Related Posts:

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4. Skincare Routine

After masking, I suggest doing your usual skincare routine.
If you have a multi-step routine, choose AM or PM depending on when you’re holding your virtual spa.
If you don’t have a multi-step routine, I recommend at least applying a moisturiser to protect the skin and retain the goodness of the mask.
If it’s daytime, don’t forget to apply SPF.

It was the middle of the day for me, so I just applied some Niacinamide, spritzed, and applied an SPF which doubles up as a moisturiser.

Extras

5. Facial Roller

This is a completely optional step, but facial rollers have grown on me.

There are a lot of claims that facial rollers can help improve blood circulation and therefore tone the skin and prevent ageing. I don’t believe in this, but I do find it helps relieve tension in certain places and help skincare products sink in better. I particularly enjoy this on the brow bone, temples and jaw.

There’s something oddly calming and satisfying about rolling something cold over your face.
Most facial rollers will naturally stay cold, but it can also be nice to put it in the fridge for a short time before use.

I got my sister an amethyst facial roller.
If you believe in the healing abilities of crystals, amethyst can help de-stress and relieve anxiety, anger, fear and feelings of sadness or grief.
Mine is rose quartz, which is generally a stone of love. It can boost self-esteem and attract calm and peace.

6. Meditate

Another optional step.
If you just want to have a short facial session, your virtual spa is done!
But if you want to fully embrace the relaxation, I highly recommend the Calm app.

I’m not affiliated with Calm, but I’ve been using the app for several years now and absolutely love it.
Short, long, guided or non-guided meditations, sleep stories, soundscapes, music, masterclasses – they have it all.

I think 30mins to an hour is long enough for a virtual spa, so I would wrap up here.

Have you tried a virtual spa or other self-care activities during Covid?
Let me know if you give this a try!

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