Our guest author today explains ways to indulge in luxury – without spending the mortgage money. Who doesn’t love to be pampered?
We would all love to be able to indulge and splurge on whatever luxurious items and services we’d like at the spa or salon. Unfortunately, times are tough, and that hundred-dollar massage doesn’t quite seem worth it when weighed against other bills and obligations. But there’s good news—there are tons of way that you can pamper yourself and feel luxurious without emptying your wallet. Check out ten of our favorites below.
1. Give Yourself a Pedicure
Summer’s right around the corner, which means that it’s sandal season. Don’t let your toesies feel left out—grab a bottle of nail polish and some exfoliating foot rub and treat yourself to a luxurious pedicure at home.
2. Break Out the Aromatherapy Oils
So you don’t have a sauna in your own home—but you can make do with a sink filled with steaming hot water. Simply add a couple of drops of your favorite aromatherapy oil, place a towel over your head, and let the steam do its magic.
3. Give Your Roots a Touch-Up
Maybe you’ve found that you have to go a little longer between colors at your salon. Don’t worry—instead, pick up a root touch-up kit at your local drugstore and get to work in your own bathroom. They’re easy to use and give subtle, natural results.
4. Pore Strips: The Cheap Pore-Cleanser
You love how your esthetician leaves your pores clear and beautiful. Recreate this feeling at home with pore strips. Various brands manufacture them for different areas of the face, so you can say goodbye to those blackheads—without emptying your wallet.
5. Have Some "You" Time in a Bath
Draw yourself a bath, add some salts or bubbles, dim the lights, and bring a good book. Take twenty or thirty minutes and soak—the relaxation will do wonders for your state of mind.
6. Music
Sometimes, the best way to feel pampered is just to listen to some of your favorite music. Make the event extra special by turning out the lights and lighting some scented candles.
7. Give Yourself a Massage
You’ve seen them—those wooden devices that can be used by a person to give herself a massage. Invest in one of these handy dandy things and give yourself a speedy massage when you’re feeling tense.
8. Go All Slumber-Party with Face Masques
There are tons of inexpensive face masques (as the fancy people spell it) for sale at your local drugstore. Pick one up, get in your jammies, and slap the stuff on. You’ll feel like a teenager at a slumber party again—and have refreshed skin to boot.
9. Get a Friend to Lend a Helping Hand
Instead of paying out the wazoo for an extravagant hairstyle for a special occasion, ask for one of your more hair-savvy friends to give you a hand. Even a simple French braid or chignon can make the simplest outfit look dressed up.
10. Treat Your Hands Like Royalty
Visit your local drugstore and pick up a pair of cotton gloves as well as a bottle of rich hand cream. Slather those bad boys up, pop them in the gloves, and allow them to soak up the nutrients for a good fifteen or twenty minutes. Your hands will feel like brand-new afterward!
There are ten ways to feel pampered without going broke. Which ones are you going to try?
Katrina Robinson is a freelance writer and editor based in Charleston, South Carolina. She writes about a wide variety of topics including fitness, health, and prescriptions. Check out edrugstore.md’s comprehensive Skin Care Experts Podcasts Feature.
Sally J. says
So many people believe the “fountain of youth” can be found in a facial cream or a bottle of beauty serum. In an effort to look youthful, people pile on makeup and lotions that “guarantee” a transformation that will turn back the clock.It should be no secret that the secret to looking young is so much more than skin deep. True “everlasting youth” begins on the inside and works its way out. Our favorite solution? Start with food. You’ve heard all about the benefits water has in keeping you looking and feeling young, but have you ever considered the fact that what you eat could affect how you show your signs of aging? Not only can you use this natural resource to look young, it can help you feel young as well.For instance, drizzles of olive oil on your salad can ease your aching joints with its anti-inflammatory properties and put that youthful skip back into your step.
darwin says
I read the article. Liked it a lot. Thanks.