Body & soul: gather your girlfriends and pamper yourselves with these 6 easy steps

Ever dreamed of pampering yourself from head to toe? Why not do it at a spa--especially when the spa is right in your own backyard? You can create an at-home spa experience that pleases both you and your pocketbook. All you need is time and a bevy of select, all-natural ingredients. You can easily complete a typical spa routine in 90 minutes. Or, if time is tight, try a mini-spa treatment consisting of a facial, which takes 20 to 40 minutes from start to finish.

Most natural food stores carry a selection of all-natural body-care products and ingredients, and there are many books with recipes for body scrubs, packs and creams. Dina Falconi, author of Earthly Bodies Heavenly Hair: Natural and Healthy Personal Care for Every Body (Ceres Press, 1997), suggests being creative and having fun with a home spa. "Don't feel limited," she says, "and feel free to use whatever you have on hand. For example, if you're out of clay for a body pack, then use flour."

FIVE EASY STEPS

To begin with, you'll need two soft towels, a facial sponge or washcloth, a pan for heating water and a small mixing bowl. You might also want to designate a quiet, private space where you can dim the lights and play your favorite relaxing music.

STEP 1

Cleansing (4 to 10 minutes)

Start your spa experience with clean skin. First, wash your skin with a mild glycerin soap or non-detergent cleanser. The scrubbing action of rolled oats helps release trapped dirt and oil from clogged pores. To make your own homemade cleansing oat scrub, grind together 1/2 cup oatmeal, two tablespoons cornmeal and two tablespoons herbs (such as chamomile or lavender) in a clean, electric coffee grinder. When ready to use, mix one teaspoon dry scrub with lust enough water to moisten it. Gently rub the scrub on your skin, then rinse off with warm water. For a full-body oat scrub, use in the shower. Make sure the room is warm enough to keep you comfortable.

STEP 2

Steam routine (5 to 10 minutes)

Steam is used to open pores, increase circulation, relax muscle tension and give skin a deeper skin cleanse. It also delivers the healing properties of essential oils to your skin. You can simply do a facial sauna or--if you're lucky enough to have a home sauna--a full body steam.

For your steam, add five drops of essential oil to a quart of simmering water (see sidebar), avoiding "hot" oils or herbs such as peppermint, cinnamon and ginger that can sting lungs and skin.

For a facial sauna, bring scented water to a simmer in a covered pan. Next, place the pan on a countertop or surface that allows you to comfortably hover over it. Place a towel over the back of your head, and lean your face toward the pan, about a foot away from the water, and secure the ends of the towel around the pan to capture the steam. Enjoy the relaxing warmth, keeping your eyes closed so the essential oils don't irritate them. After one minute, come out into the fresh air. Go back under the towel, and repeat several times. In a regular sauna, depending on the kind you have, place the pan of scented water on the heating element, or pour it over the hot rocks and steam your whole body.

STEP 3

Body Pack/Facial Mask (5 to 20 minutes)

Body packs and facial masks are great for removing the surface layer of dead, dull-looking skin. Most packs and masks are astringent, so they stimulate blood circulation in the skin. They also draw water from underlying skin levels to surface layers, which makes skin puff up slightly so lines and enlarged pores seem smaller. Take advantage of this illusion while it lasts, since it has a "Cinderella" effect, wearing off in several hours as water is reabsorbed and evaporates. To do a body pack, evenly apply it to your skin, beginning with your feet and working up so it remains on your face, where skin is thin and sensitive. If the pack begins to dry, pull or feel uncomfortable anywhere, it's time to remove it. Wash it off with warm water, and gently pat your skin dry.

If you prefer to make your own pack or mask, there are countless ingredients you can use, such as yogurt, ground oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, eggs and nutritional yeast. Honey and foods naturally high in fat, such as avocado, and whole milk products, such as yogurt, are very moisturizing and are especially suitable for dry or damaged skin.

STEP 4

Toning (1 to 3 minutes)

Toners, as their name implies, improve skin tone and temporarily diminish enlarged pores and wrinkles. A toner can be applied with a facial sponge, splashed onto skin or spritzed on with a spray bottle.

There are several natural ingredients that make for great toners. Aloe vera is an ideal toner because it is soothing and healing. Apple cider vinegar is another good choice because it softens skin, restores the natural, protective acidity of skin and relieves itchiness. (Don't let vinegar's smell deter you; it only lingers a short while.)

Aromatic hydrosols -- waters produced during essential oil distillation -- contain a micro drop of essential oils and watersoluble compounds, so they make excellent toners. Mildly astringent yet nondrying, they are ideal on psoriasis, highly sensitive skin or at any time essential oils might be too strong. Alcohol-based toners, such as certain drug-store varieties, are too drying for all but very oily or acne-troubled areas.

If you want to make your own toner, try combining two ounces of aloe vera gel juice, two ounces of rose (or distilled) water, one teaspoon apple cider vinegar and five drops lavender essential oil. (If you want to splurge, add a drop of rose oil.) Combine these ingredients, and shake before each use.

STEP 5

Moisturizing (1 to 4 minutes)

While your skin is still slightly damp from the toner, apply cream or lotion. This moisturizes your skin to help it retain the water that keeps it soft and supple and provides a thin, protective layer.

STEP 6

Massage (5 to 45 minutes)

A full body or facial massage is the perfect way to top off your home-spa experience. Even if no one is available to work out the kinks in your back, you can always give yourself a facial massage. Working against gravity, begin by placing your fingers along your jawbone and work up your face while applying the amount of pressure that is comfortable. Slowly dance your fingers over your cheeks, temples and across your forehead. Then, over your eyes, place a soft, scented washcloth that has been wrung out in warm lavender water (two cups water with five drops lavender essential oil). Leave the cloth on until it starts to cool. Meanwhile, breathe, relax and let the spa's benefits sink into the depths of your being.

NOW what if you don't feel like doing any spa "work," and you just feel like being a vegetable? No problem. Just zoning out in a bath from 20 minutes to an hour can be a wonderful home-spa experience all by itself, relaxing and private.

YOUR OWN PRIVATE IDAHO

Certainly you want to find your own, personal oasis, and an aromatic bath is a great way to get there. According to Valerie Gennari Cooksley, in her book, Aromatherapy--A Lifetime Guide to Healing With Essential Oils (Prentice Hall, 1996):

"If you can't get away to find rest and relaxation, you can create your own peaceful escape, indulging the senses and nurturing the soul, within the privacy and convenience of your own home ... you can experience that feeling of `getting away' without ever leaving the tub! ... And an hour of aromatherapy can make you feel like you've had the whole day off. Escape + relax + indulge = rejuvenation. This formula works every time. And essential oils are involved every single step of the way."

BATH TIME. In an aromatherapy bath or shower, the effects of the essential oils are "enhanced by the warm water and its vapor," says Judith Jackson in her book, The Magic of WelI Being (DK Publishing, 1997). "The fragrance is delivered to your olfactory system by steam and through the skin which, softened by the warm water, quickly absorbs the essences."

For a calming bath, says Jackson, diffuse "lavender into the air, draw a very warm bath and add a mixture of lavender and vetiver to the bathwater. Sink into the tub and let go. Soak for ten minutes and dry with a towel."

For a "luxurious bath," Jackson recommends that you light candles, release an exotic fragrance into the air and play soothing music. She invokes you to "scent your bathwater with a sensuous essence, such as patchouli. Lie in the tub, close your eyes, inhale the essences, and revel in the blissful warmth of the water."

Here are a few pointers Jackson tells us about so that you can make the bath

Essential Oils and Herbs for All Skin Types

FOR NORMAL SKIN

Essential oils: Chamomile, geranium, lavender flowers, neroli (orange blossoms), palmarosa, rose and sandalwood.

Herbs: Calendula, comfrey, ginseng, lavender and papaya. Echinacea, horsetail and gotu kola strengthen connective tissue & increase skin elasticity.

OILY SKIN

Essential oils: Geranium, juniper, lavender, lemon, lemon .grass, rose and ylang ylang.

Herbs: Calendula, chickweed, lavender, plantain, rose and strawberry leaves.

DRY SKIN

Essential oils: Geranium, German chamomile, lavender, rose and rosemary. Small amounts of peppermint or rosemary stimulate oil production and increase circulation. Frankincense, jasmine, myrrh, carrot seed, helichrysum and cistus rejuvenate injured or matured skin.

Herbs: Comfrey leaves, elder flowers, marshmallow root, red clover flowers, St. John's wort, violet flowers and leaves.

PROBLEM SKIN

Essential oils: Chamomile, eucalyptus (especially "dives" type), juniper, lavender (especially "spike" type), neroli (orange blossoms), sage and tea tree.

Herbs: Barberry, elder flowers, goldenseal, licorice, myrrh, and red clover flowers. experience as beneficial, and enjoyable, as possible:

1. In a safe place, prepare an aromatherapy burner with your favorite essential oil.

2. Place soft towels within easy reach, warmed if possible.

3. If it's safe to do so, light candles, play soothing music and, says Cooksley, "enjoy the height of luxury by sprinkling a few fragrant rose petals in the bath."

4. Run the water into the bath tub. When the tub is half full, add the aromatic essences to the tub water. If you put the oils into the hot water as it flows into the tub, some of the fragrance will evaporate before you can enjoy it.

5. Use a natural-bristle dry brush to remove dead cells and clean pores before bathing. Brush upward from feet to neck, but exclude any sensitive areas.

6. As you bathe, relax by closing you eyes and inhaling deeply.

7. After the bath, vigorously slap yourself dry. Work from the arms to the torso, then down the legs to the feet. Finish by rubbing briskly with a textured towel.

RELATED ARTICLE: Home-spa bath basics

Practice "safe bath" techniques by making sure the water is what you want it to be by using a thermometer, especially when taking hot or cold baths. Never allow yourself to get to the point of fatigue or chills.

A hot bath (99*-108* F) is good for insomnia, to increase circulation, for pain relief and to eliminate toxins. The heart rate can increase by as much as four times its normal rate during the first five minutes, but then it should normalize. Recommended time: 20 minutes or less. Follow with a cool water shower.

A warm bath (97*-101* F) is the most common temperature for the average bath. Soaking for 20 minutes up to one hour is great for relaxation, according to author Valerie Cooksley.

A tepid bath (92*-87* F) is good for recharging your energy or if you have inflammatory conditions, such as hives, itching or skin rashes. Recommended time: up to one hour.

A cold bath (59*-68* F) is for a short period of time and is used most often for the feet or hands, not the whole body. Recommended time: a few seconds.

Caution: Even something as simple as a bath requires forethought. Cooksley warns that "If you have Iow blood pressure, are elderly, obese, have heart problems or are caring for young children, do not use extreme temperatures, unless directed to do so by your physician."

RELATED ARTICLE: Just your type.

Determine your skin type with this simple test. Go to bed without applying any facial products. In the morning, before washing or putting anything on your face, pat a few strips cut from a clean brown paper bag on different areas of your face, especially in the "T zone" of chin, nose and forehead. Normal skin areas will show a small amount of oil, oily skin will leave a definite oil stain and dry skin won't leave any oil on the paper.

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