Of course we’d all love to kick off the year with a renewing week at a relaxing resort. But if a trip isn’t in the cards, how can you make every day feel a little more luxurious? We asked the experts at Rancho La Puerta, an award-winning fitness resort and spa in Tecate, Mexico, for stress-busting, beauty-boosting tricks you can use right now.
Mix a mask
Creating your own beauty treatment engages so many senses. Make a mask at home to soothe, hydrate, or deep-clean your skin with DIY options from Yes To , which give you a clay base to combine with ingredients you have in your kitchen.
Yes to Cucumbers Calming Mask; Yes to Coconut Moisturizing Mask; Yes to Tomatoes Acne Fighting Mask; $3 each, at mass retailers.
Disconnect from your phone
Even when you’re winding down, your cell beckons. Turn off your ringer (and vibrations, too), and put it out of sight, out of mind. Rancho La Puerta’s little reminder to shut down? A complimentary “cell phone sleeping bag” on every guest’s bed.
Incorporate essential oils
Spas use them in their treatments to relieve muscle pain (eucalyptus), invigorate your mind (citrus), and help you sleep (lavender). Enjoy the essential oils that are already around you every day, like the peels from citrus fruits or herbs from your window garden. Rub them between your palms and inhale the fragrance.
Take it all off
A monthly body scrub gets your circulation going and eliminates dead skin cells that prevent treatment ingredients from penetrating. And, wow, does your skin feel soft afterward!
H20+ Sea Salt Body Scrub, $18, h2oplus.com. Tree Hut Shea Sugar Scrub, $8, ulta.com. Bliss Hot Salt Scrub with Rosemary & Eucalyptus, $38, blissworld.com. The Body Shop Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub, $20, thebodyshop.com.
Drink more water
Spas make sure there’s H2O everywhere— to rehydrate after exercise, help control calories, and keep your skin performing at its peak. Infuse yours with herbs and fruits to make drinking it a pleasure, not a chore.
Contigo Autospout Straw Ashland Water Bottle with Infuser, $15, gocontigo.com.
RELATED: Why You Should Drink a Glass of Water Right Now
Claim your place
Connecting with nature brings instant relaxation. Choose a little spot outside that’s “yours”—it could be your own backyard or just a small patch of grass in a big city. Wherever it is, try to visit your haven at least once a week.
Take your time
Ready to book a spa vacation and let someone else do the pampering? Visit rancholapuerta.com.
RELATED: Health Reasons to Head to the Spa