We’re all leading busy lifestyles and feeling the stresses and strains of everyday life, which is why we love National Spa Week. But sometimes taking time out to visit a spa – or even having the budget to do so – can prevent a lot of people from feeling the benefits.

That’s why we’re celebrating this National Spa Week by transforming our humble home bathroom into a luxury spa-like retreat with just a few accessories and some of our favourite health, beauty and skincare products. Curious to know how to take your home bathroom from drab to fab? Take a look at our tips below.

Light the candles

One of the quickest ways to transform a bathroom from a mundane, routine space into a tranquil haven is by dimming the lights and lighting the candles. Nobody wants a florescent spotlight shining in their face while they’re trying to relax in the bathtub, but there’s always room for the twinkling of candles. Not only do they add enough light for you to be able to grab your shampoo without blindly fumbling around and hoping for the best but they’re great for adding ambience to the room.

For additional mood-setting, you could even get some floating spa lights for your bathtub, which come in a range of different colours and help to promote inner-calm.

Bath rack

Whatever it is that relaxes you – from a glass of Forever Aloe Vera Gel to something perhaps a little stronger – make sure it’s within easy reach when you’re in the bathtub. A great idea is to get a bath shelf which sits across the bath and allows you to lay out your essentials. We’d recommend a great book, a candle, your most-used bathroom products and a clean face cloth.

Leave your phone outside

While many of us are practically surgically attached to our phones, it’s wise to leave them behind before heading into the bathroom. Not only does this decrease the spread of bacteria and the likelihood of accidents – slippy fingers and tubs full of water often don’t end well – but it’s also a good idea if you want to promote your bathroom as a relaxing place to be.

Leave behind stress from the outside world, be it emails from work or quick-fire group WhatsApp messages, and make your bathroom time exclusively you-time. Not only will your eyes get a rest from the harmful blue light your phone screen emits, but your brain will get a chance to recuperate, too.

Essential Oils

No matter what kind of vibe you want to get from your at-home spa session, there’s probably an essential oil for it. Use aromas like lavender, eucalyptus and peppermint for a more calming atmosphere, or get citrusy with lemon or orange aromas for something more uplifting and invigorating. If you have a diffuser, you can easily disperse the essential oil of your choice around the bathroom, leaving it smelling and feeling like a luxury haven.

Skincare

You may not have time to book yourself in for a facial, but you should definitely make time to take care of your skin. It’s important to have a regular, thorough skincare routine which includes cleaning your face to remove all traces of makeup and dirt from the day as well as moisturising. We have skincare ranges designed to suit every type of skin, from younger or oily/combination skin to dry or more mature skin, so once you’ve assessed the needs of your skin type, you can find the products best suited to it.

Face masks are particularly good for tackling skin concerns more thoroughly and because they usually need to be kept on the skin for 10-15 minutes, they offer the perfect opportunity to sit back and relax. Our Sonya Daily Skincare range has a Refining Gel Mask which helps to control oily skin and brighten its appearance, while our Aloe Bio-Cellulose Mask is an environmentally friendly sheet mask which offers deep hydration and rejuvenates dull-looking skin.