We only have a few weeks left in the fall quarter and that usually means a few things: stress, unhealthy habits, and more stress. It’s hard to feel calm when teachers are throwing projects at you left and right, expecting you to complete them in a week. But taking a break is something we all should be finding the time to do. Having some time dedicated to pampering yourself is not only fun, but it’ll help bring some much-needed calmness back into your life. So, if you want to have a relaxing fall themed spa day or night for yourself, then here are some tips!
Set the mood:
Put away your work. Like, away from eyesight away. If you see it, you might start to think about it and that’s the last thing you want to do when you’re trying to de-stress. Also, light a candle. My favorite ones to light for fall are my Pumpkin Spice candle and Snuggly Sweater candle. The Snuggly Sweater sort of smells like cologne, but not in an overpowering, headache-inducing way and reminds me of being snuggled in a bunch of blankets. Light your favorite candles to set the mood, or if you don’t have any fall scented candles, check your fridge. If you have some oranges, chop them up and throw them in a pot with water and cinnamon, set the heat to low and let it simmer. It’ll smell like fall throughout your place in no time.
Face care:
I always associate facial care with spas, so we have to include it in this pamper routine as well. You might not have an intense skin scare routine, but washing your face with a mild cleanser is something that most people, regardless of skin type, should be doing. After you wash your face, it’s mask time (my favorite)! Masks are where skin type come into play, so cater to what your face needs. I have acne prone oily skin, and during the fall months I love using my pumpkin enzyme mask from Banish. But a clay mask, like the one from FREEMAN, is really great for acne prone oily skin types too. If you have dry skin, stick to something that’ll be more hydrating. The FREEMAN cucumber and pink salt clay mask works for all skin types so anyone can use that and be happy with the results.
Photo: Sarah Modene Photography
Body care:
I’m the biggest fan of baths and they work so perfectly for spa nights. Using a bath bomb and reading a good book or watching a Netflix show (Stranger Things 2???) while you sit back and relax is a really nice feeling. But if baths just aren’t for you, no worries, a shower will be fine. My recommendation is to have the shower be a bit on the hotter side, so the hot water relaxes you. Don’t forget to scrub your body while in the shower to get all the dead skin off and have you feeling smooth! You can just use a loofah for this, but if you really want to step it up you can make your own pumpkin spice one. All you need is one cup of brown sugar, a quarter of a cup of coconut oil, and two teaspoons of pumpkin spice (or just use cinnamon and nutmeg) and two teaspoons of vanilla. And ta-da, you have a delicious smelling scrub to get you soft and smooth!
After care:
After you get out of the tub or shower, don’t forget to moisturize! Put some on your face (yes, even if you have oily skin) and body. Also, don’t forget to hydrate. After having a hot shower or bath, you might feel a little dehydrated so it’s important to drink water or even some tea. I have this cinnamon apple one and it’s so cinnamon-y and fall-like, I really love it.
Keep on relaxin’:
After I take baths, I usually like to paint my nails and watch a movie. But what you do after is up to you. Just make sure it isn’t something that leads its way into thinking about school work. Read a good book, flip through some magazines, watch TV, maybe even just take a nap. Do whatever you think will be the most beneficial for you during your relaxing time. And don’t forget to take time to do something for yourself every week. It doesn’t have to be to this extent, but having time you dedicate to watching your favorite movie without interruptions and stressing about schoolwork is really beneficial for your mental health.
Hope these tips help in the effort to de-stress from the last few weeks this fall quarter. Good luck to everyone and their final projects!