It's hard being the modern man nowadays. We all have our own sets of responsibilities, be it at work or your personal life. Along with responsibilities comes the stress factor. In some ways, stress is good in our lives because they provide stimulation and motivation in our everyday lives. However, when you are over-stressed out, all I can say is you are wired for self-destruction! In my personal opinion, stress is like the humble salt: too little of it in your chicken soup and your life will be bland and pointless; too much of sodium and it'll kill you before you can learn to spell the word “H-Y-P-E-R-T-E-N-S-I-O-N!” So you see, it's important for we guys to take control of our well-being and managing our personal stress level is a good start. After a long, stressful day at work, now what could be more soothing than a luxurious spa experience? You could blow your paycheck and book a treatment or two at a local resort or spa centre. Or you could listen to Petch by using my own budget-friendly ideas to create your own spa experience at home, right in your own bathroom to enjoy again and again and again.
Step 1: The Giant Soapdish
I don't know about your guys but for me, the ultimate home spa experience should include myself soaking in a big bathtub full of warm water. If you don't own your bathtub at home, simply check-in into a quiet budget hotel with one; in Singapore, there are quite a number of budget hotel chains that are clean, discreet and affordable. You'll also need to get a hotel room if you are currently staying with your family members because the last thing you want is to have your mother screaming from the kitchen to remind you to do the dishes in the middle of your spa escapade! Once the bathtub is in the picture, fill your tub with the hot water and dilute your favourite bubble bath or bath oil; you can never go wrong with lavender-scented or fruits-scented products. Get creative by mixing! You can also dilute sea salt or milk, yes, milk to your favourite bubble bath. The milk, I was informed, will promote a healthy ph balance for your skin apart from making your skin smooth and supple! Soak in there for as long as you want. And don't worry if you body gets all wrinkly for soaking too long, it'll go away as soon as you are done with the spa experience.
Petch's Tip: A cool tip I learnt from a high-end spa visit a long time ago. If you love chocolate, this one is for you: Create a deliciously scented chocolate milk bath by combining equal parts of cocoa powder, powdered milk, coarse sea salt and two spoonful of baking powder. Sugar is not recommended unless I presume you are planning to drink from the bathtub?, hahaha!
Step 2: The Atmosphere
Create your own unique spa look for your bathroom. This includes perhaps getting a nice vase and place your favourite flowers or plants. I personally love orchids, the more exotic, the more stimulating for me. Get the fresh ones, and get the variety you really like. Another thing you should remember is to clear and stash away all unnecessary items from your bathroom. That should include your old half-bottle shampoos, retired toothbrushes etc. The look we are trying to create here is that of a “minimalist home spa”. Remove all distractions from your bathroom, at least temporarily. There is a damn good reason for this suggestion of mine. Old things bring along “attachments” to our lives, most of times, “negative attachments”; by getting rid of them, you no longer have to feel “dragged down” or be reminded of the “past”, brought upon by these items . Yes, sweetie, I'm that smart that's why HX:MAN is so successful, haha!
Petch's Tip: Don't ever feel sad or remorseful about throwing away all your old stuffs, be it for this “spa” experience or other occasions in general. Remember this: When its “out” with the old, it simply means “in” with the new. By doing so, you are actually clearing your mental state and this will allow you to move forward with your life, in embracing the new wonderful things to come. Afterall, the one of the main reasons why human beings are so plagued with sufferings id because we are so flawed into attaching ourselves to worldly possessions. Yes, because the Buddha said so.
Step 3: The Preparation
Next, you'll have to create an environment that must be “foreign” from your normal bathroom experience. By doing so, this will “trick” your mind into believing that you are indeed in a “spa”, therefore stimulating your brain to send positive signals all over your body, and encouraging your body to relax and take it easy. The most effective is through aromatheraphy. Get scented candles or therapeutic-grade essential oils that you can burn in a pretty oil burner. My favourite scents are lavender <for relaxation>, bergamont <for revitalization> and the exotic ylang ylang <for excitement/ “euphoric” experience>. Of course, when buying essential oils, don't trust what the labels tell you: buy something that you can have a sniff “test” and if you really, really love it at first sniff, then you'd found the one. Don't forget to invest in a deep conditioning hair treatment, a face mud mask pack and a tube of relaxing peppermint scrub for your feet.
Petch's Tip: My secret home-made recipe for great hair: Mix 2 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a few drops of lavender essential oil <or any of your favourite scents, nothing overpowering please!>. Massage into damp hair, wrap your hair in a shower cap and leave on for 20-30 minutes. Wash off preparation with warm water, no shampooing required. This is the most effective home-made deep conditioning hair that helps me manage my sometimes stubborn, dry chlorine-ravaged hair due to my regular swimming training. Others swear by egg whites, coconut oil or mayonaise but seriously, just imagine how your hair will smell after all that!
Final Step: The Ultimate Experience
Turn down the lights. Light up scented candles throughout your bathroom. Play your favourite soft jazz or nature sounds CD. Step into the bathtub, sink in and prop your head on a rolled-up towel. immerse yourself into your new lovely “spa”. Once you are truly relaxed, sip into a cup of your favourite herbal tea <try green tea brewed with red dates or young ginger tea, Thai-style> or red wine, served in a fancy glass. My other indulgence is to enjoy a tub of my favourite ice-cream while soaking! There is no rules for your spa treatment: You are free to do whatever you desire, as long as it does not involve any level of physical and mental stress. Stop thinking about work or any existing problems that's been bugging you. Start enjoying the moment. Wet your hair and apply a deep conditioning treatment on your hair. Apply a light pressure massage on your head and temples. Next, apply a luxurious mud mask onto your face. While waiting for your mask to dry up, lift your feet to the edge of the bathtub and start pampering them with a long-overdue foot scrub. Once everything done, just stay in the bathtub and relax more. Just lay back and captivate your senses by enjoying the atmosphere, the music and most importantly, the very fruit of your labour and personal commitment to make this first home spa experience a rewarding one for your own self. By doing so, you will feel like a new man from head to toe after this special spa session, I promised.
Petch's Tip: Once you are done with your first home spa experience, mentally commit to pamper yourself again soon. Though it may seemed like a little too much work at first, it is nothing compare to the benefits and level of relaxation you will get to enjoy and indulge. And if you have someone special who loves you very much, dragged him into the bathtub with you. If you don't, you should have known my phone number by now, haha!
