Although you might be a little more likely to think of a soak in a bath as self-care, you can certainly up-level your shower time to make it an experience of self-care, working to relax your mind and nourish your skin.
Prep with a Dry Brush
Although it's often used in ancient healing rituals, dry brushing is becoming more and more popular in spas as well as in homes. The stimulating dry brush not only helps to improve circulation, but can also help to remove dead and dry skin cells, unveiling soft, glowing skin underneath. It's perfect to do before your shower as you have an opportunity to cleanse your skin, plus it better prepares your skin for reaping all those benefits of your body wash and any lotions.
Create Ambient Lighting
Your shower can only be as great as the ambiance that you set! Rather than turning on the sometimes harsh overhead lights, dim them if possible or use a window for lighting. If you'd like, you can light candles or use battery operated candles to create soothing, soft flickers of light.
Listen to Music
Although you might find the sound of falling water might be relaxing enough you can also set the mood with a calming, relaxing playlist - or opt for something a little more upbeat if you're looking for an energy booster. Use a shower speaker to make it easy to hear.
Use a Scrub
If you skipped out on the dry brushing, or are looking to add a quick little extra something to make your shower a more enjoyable experience, a body scrub is a great way to exfoliate and renew your skin, prepping it for treatments. We love a good salt or sugar scrub, but you can also use a loofah with your favourite body wash. Don't forget your face, either: while you're in the shower, it's a great time to focus on doing a deep cleanse of your face, allowing the warm steam to penetrate your skin.
Shower Bomb
A shower bomb is an incredible way to turn your shower into a soothing aromatherapy steam. Unlike a bath bomb, you'll place the shower bomb away from the water, either in the driest corner of the shower or in a soap dish, and the moisture and steam in the air allows the essentials oils to release. We also love shower bombs because they last for multiple showers.
Hang Eucalyptus
Another way to add aromatherapy to your shower is simply by hanging eucalyptus from the shower head. The warm steam creates a beautiful aromatic shower, with the eucalyptus being awesome for helping to open up your sinuses and has an equally uplifting and balancing scent. Plus, it looks beautiful!
Try a Hair Mask and Face Mask
The warm steam of the shower helps all those amazing ingredients in your hair and face mask to better penetrate your skin and hair, plus it encourages you to stick in your shower a little longer and take a moment to yourself. To best reap the benefits of your favourite hair mask, apply it to dry hair and sweep in up into a shower cap while you cleanse your body.
Lock Moisture In
Once you emerge from the shower, now is the time to lock moisture into your skin and continue to bring some amazing aromatherapy with you throughout the rest of your day or into the evening. Pat your skin dry with a soft towel, and apply your lotion or a body oil, allowing it to absorb before you get dressed.