I am a huge believer in the benefits of self-care. Whether you take a night to yourself when you're all peopled out or treat yourself to a bath after a long stressful day, making sure you're feeling good ensures that you're able to take on everything you need to without feeling exhausted, stressed or resentful. After all, if you're not taking care of yourself, how can you be expected to take care of other people?

A weekly "spa night" is the most recent addition to my self-care routine, and let me tell you the benefits have been delightful. Here is a little guide to help you create the perfect at-home spa using a few natural products that will leave you feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to take on your week - enjoy!

Herbal Bath Tea

A few days before Christmas I whipped up a few of these for last minute Christmas gifts. I had more than enough left over so I made one for myself and I love it.  The ingredients in it (chamomile, rose petals, lavender, calendula, eucalyptus, orange peel, and epsom salts) make it the perfect soak at the end of a long day and help to heal and refresh your body after workouts, days in the garden, or just when you need a little pick me up. Find the full list of ingredients and instructions, here.

Charcoal Facemask

A spa day isn't complete without a facemask of some kind. There are tons of different recipes out there to make your own (I did a post a few years back on a couple of my favourites) but if you're looking for something simple and effective a bit of activated charcoal is all you need. Simply put a spoonful of the powder in the palm of your hand and add a few drops of water to create a paste. Spread it all over your face, wait for it to harden, then gently wipe off any excess, leaving the majority of it on your face to do its thing.

Do note that it can be a bit of a messy process. The charcoal powder can get a little dusty and cover your bathroom counter, but with a bit of water and a cloth it'll wipe up easily. It also requires a bit of scrubbing to get off and I recommend using a black or dark colored facecloth. But the bit of extra work is so worth it. The charcoal gets deep into your pores and draws out all the yucky bits, leaving your skin feeling smooth and clean.

Recovery Mist

After scrubbing my face clean I use my Imbue Soothe skin recovery mist. Because I find the charcoal to have a little bit of a drying effect on my skin, I've been loving the moisturizing and soothing spray that leaves my skin smelling and feeling amazing.  I've been using these sprays for a few months now and I'm still loving them. They smell incredible, they leave my skin soft and refreshed and I feel good knowing that all the ingredients in them are good for my body. Find more information on them, here.

Moisturize

Don't forget to moisturize! Once I'm out of the bath or shower I use the amazing Wild Hill Botanicals Four Flowers Body Oil on the majority of my body and use a bit of coconut oil on my face. The Four Flowers Body Oil smells and feels incredible while the coconut oil seals in moisture and protects my skin from this dry winter weather. For more information about Wild Hill Botanicals, here.

What are your favourite at-home spa essentials?