Pamper me: spa-free relaxation

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Want to know how the experts relax and rejuvenate? Nikki Goldstein spoke to Australia’s top spas and came away with tips that will take years off your face and body.

Who needs a trip to a spa? We all do! The healthy meals, face and body treatments and personalised exercise programs are indulgences we could all do with. But it can be hard to find the time and money to sneak away. We checked in with some of the country’s best spas and mined their expert advice to bring you tips for achieving spa bliss at home. It’s time to relax and revive your flagging energies with these simple health and beauty boosters.

If you could bottle the natural glow that comes from doing happy, healthy things, you’d be rich. It’s there when you get up from a cosy afternoon nap or when you take a long walk on a sunny day. Why not go sans make-up for a day? There’s nothing sexier than naked, dewy-fresh skin. Or dress down and leg it to the office in jeans and sneakers. At the very least, laugh out loud; laughing can lower your blood pressure and also brings a radiant flush to your skin. If you’re really in need of some extra pampering, you could try checking into a spa, or take a look at our expert tips.

Take a good breath

Fast, shallow breathing can be the culprit behind anxiety, depression, headaches, irritability and lack of concentration. Conversely, deep breathing can help to increase oxygen flow through your body, calm an overactive mind, improve circulation, lift your mood, strengthen your lungs, warm up your body and increase your mental abilities.

A regular person in good health will breathe an average of nine to 15 breaths per minute. Sit quietly and see how many breaths you take over 60 seconds. If you take more than 15 breaths per minute you may be over-breathing, which can be a sign of stress or ill health.

To balance the mind and body Tara Hanrahan, manager of the Spa of Peace and Plenty at Dunk Island Resort, recommends following this simple breathing exercise first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Sit comfortably with your eyes closed. Relax the jaw and tongue. Take a normal breath in. As you breathe out, suck in the abdomen as if you are trying to squeeze all the air out of your lungs and belly. Hold for a few seconds then breathe in, filling up your lungs as deeply as you can and pushing your belly up and out. As you continue to breathe in, your chest should open up so that the whole front of your torso is lifted. Continue for 5 minutes. Spa of Peace and Plenty: (07) 4068 8199

Quick stress-busters

Tara Lee Cox, spa manager of Queensland’s The Golden Door spa, suggests de-stressing your life by incorporating these simple steps into your regular routine:

• Create your own spa experience at home by changing into loose, comfortable clothes then lighting an aromatherapy candle, playing some soft music and sipping a cup of herbal tea.
• Wash away your cares with a warm bath. Add some Epsom salts to the water to reduce stress levels and fatigue – this is also a great way to detoxify the body.
• Store your eye cream in the fridge and apply it each morning for a quick and easy revitaliser. The cooling effect of the chilled cream will help to reduce puffiness around the eyes.
• Keep fit and healthy through regular physical activity – it’s a guaranteed way to make you look and feel sensational. 
• Boost your energy levels by being more conscious of the foods you eat. Make sure your diet encompasses a wide variety of fresh produce and you’ll be sure to feel the difference, both mentally and physically. 
• Take a moment to enjoy the beauty of nature and interact with your environment. Slow down, breathe deeply and take a moment to reflect on all the things in your life that you have to be grateful for. The Golden Door: 1800 816 906

Seasonal balancing acts

Our skin presents us with an ever-shifting mirror of our health and wellbeing. It’s also highly sensitive to the environment – skin is generally drier in winter and more oil-prone in summer.

Lyndall Mitchell, founder of Melbourne’s Aurora Spa Retreat, says while all skincare routines ideally include cleansing, toning, moisturising and sun protection, she also recommends paying attention to your body’s seasonally fluctuating energies. “Spring brings a surge of energy, summer is a period of luxuriant growth, autumn is a time to wind back our energies and in winter our bodies and minds surrender to a period of rest. Our skin care should mirror these changes,” she explains. Below is Lyndall’s prescription for year-round skin health. Aurora Spa Retreat: (03) 9536 1130

Notebookmagazine.com exclusive!
Read on for web exclusive aromatherapy tips by Leslie Bowen Beauty Therapist and PR Coordinator at True Solutions International. And health and naturopathy guru, Nick Smith will show you some simple ways to feel fabulous each day.

Leslie says:
If you come home from work or a long day at the playground and you’re feeling stressed, run a nice warm bath. Wait until it is full then pour 1 capful of a precious bath oil or five drops of an essential oil such as lavender (try Perfect Potion, 12ml $12.95) or lemon in to the water and immerse yourself in the heavenly aroma. Watch your stress and worries disappear. Light some candles whilst in the bath and turn the lights out. If you can hop straight into bed after your bath you will have the best nights’ sleep.

After showering in the morning, combat everyday stress by sprinkling three drops of a relaxing essential oil such as geranium or ylang ylang into your hands and inhale the aromas for a few seconds. Then apply a thin layer of a luxurious body moisturiser to tone and recharge your skin from top to toe. You will be floating on air all day and the aromas are guaranteed to make people ask what you are wearing.

At night apply a product such as Decleor’s Aromessence Spa Relax Balm $95 to the hands and inhale the aromas for a few seconds, follow this with an application of Decleor’s Brume Spa Relax Moisturising Spray, $85 to the body, paying particular attention to the neck and shoulders. Pull on your nightwear, go to bed and sleep tight.

If you get stressed during the day, carry a small bottle of essential oil such as lavender oil with you in your handbag, and apply a few drops to the temples and back of the neck as you need to. The aromas will help keep you calm and gentle massaging will stop muscles from becoming tight and sore.

Contact True Solutions at www.true-solutions.com.au.

Nick says:
A warm oil head rub relieves strain. Ayurvedic head massage relieves scalp tension. Warmed sesame oil is used to balance your dosha (constitution) combined with gentle pressure from the thumbs, fingers, and heel of the hand, as well as tugging at fistfuls of hair at the roots. This increases oxygen flow to the brain, relieves eyestrain and relaxes scalp and face muscles.

A dash of salt, a drop of oil and buckets of warm water is the way to untie muscular knots. Aromabaths are not for getting clean, they’re designed to relax and revive the body, mind and soul. They combine mineral salts, like sea salt or Epsom salt, essential oils of sandalwood, lavender, lemon verbena, and temperate water to soothe the senses. Submerge for twenty minutes to alter neuro-chemicals

A positive attitude diffuses stress. Optimists are positive self-thinkers who practice constructive self-talk and live firmly in the present. Find an inspiring role model, practice encouraging affirmations, police negative thought patterns and foster good working relationships. Remember that positivity breeds positivity.

Tune into the harmonic melodies of Mozart, Bach and Chopin. The sound of non-lyrical soothing music provides the key to reducing stress hormones, regulating brain waves and enhancing peak performance. Alpha brainwaves are produced when we are at ease; these are most conducive for clarity and creativity of thought.

For more on Nick Smith, visit www.nicholassmith.com.au.

Photography: Steven Chee. Hair & make-up: Chris King