The saying, “my body is my temple” reflects like water in our self-love routine.
We might not give our bodies that much love with our lifestyle choices, yet we should at least pamper it a little more often. The environment deserves the same. A little self-conscious action can impact our surroundings.
With only one Earth to live on, it’s important to preserve natural resources and help in reducing global waste and pollution. Going green isn’t merely a trend – it has a life of its own and continues to grow.
Reforestation, plastic waste reduction, air quality, and alternative energy are the most urgent issues concerning health for the planet and people. Having a pampering session can indeed contribute to environmental impacts. The increased need for organic ingredients requires a new approach to agriculture and soil health.
But ladies – and gents – we can pamper ourselves while saving the Earth! Not all heroes wear capes… Excessive amounts of water, harsh chemicals, and draining high levels of electricity can be avoided by having your DIY spa day at home.
Based on an Instagram poll over the weekend, Betari Hutapea said she focuses on her hands and feet every month, then every other week is for face time. Without excluding men, Candra Rosdianto has a spa day at home every once a month.
Here’s a guide to building your DIY spa day at home that won’t harm the environment.
Step One: Set the Mood
First, time to prepare your spa space. Sort out your room from distractions such as unfolded laundry, unwashed dishes, etc. Now, you need perfect lighting. Dim the lights and light a candle or two; soft light creates a tranquil atmosphere. Burn an incense stick while you’re at it. Walking into a spa always smells delicious and triggers a tranquil sensation. Sandalwood or cedarwood scents help to restore balance whenever you’re feeling emotional. Lavender is well-known to help one get to sleep faster and deeper.
One must feel comfortable so put on comfy clothes, i.e. pyjamas, robes, or loungewear. Play some spa-inspired tunes from Spotify or YouTube. Simply type in “spa music” and you’ll be greeted with Bali-inspired tunes. Background music is important, silence can invite the brain to fill itself with cluttered thoughts.
Step Two: Prepare Yourself for Tranquillity
Always be hydrated. Spas tend to offer spiced-flavored drinks upon arrival and/or after treatments. Fruits, vegetables, and herbs are added to those drinks, creating infused water or a special concoction. Aside from being delicious, these ingredients help reduce inflammation and irritation in the body. In Indonesia, some of the herbs commonly used are lemongrass, cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger to name a few. DIY it to control what you put into your body while also avoiding purchasing pre-packaged drinks in plastic bottles – the less the plastic waste, the bigger the effort to preserve the ocean.
Begin to release and relax. Sit for however long you feel you need, without your phone. Once you feel calmer, you may start your pamper session.
Step Three: Get on with Your DIY At-Home Spa
The original concept of a spa is “health through waters”, making water a fundamental resource. Soaking in a big tub of warm water feels luxurious, but the amount of water waste it causes simply isn’t worth it. According to Conserve Energy Future, “wastewater contributes toward the contamination and destruction of natural habitats and the wildlife that live in those habitats by exposing them to harmful chemicals, otherwise not be present over the natural course of things.”
Opt for a foot soak instead, like this one consisting of some warm water, natural ingredients, and a simple bucket at home. Fill your bucket with enough warm water to cover your feet, then add apple cider vinegar to detoxifies and softens feet, lemon juice to soften dead skin plus anti-fungal properties, or Epsom salts to relax tired muscles and help soften dead skin.
According to Gaurav Chawla’s Eco-spas: The Sustainability Agenda in the Spa Industry, “the physical environment can enhance a sense of isolation and peace. The social environment itself can be therapeutic. It can promote wellbeing through learning, de-stressing, and social exchange, thereby providing a greater sense of fulfilment. Therefore, it can be argued that personal wellness is dependent on the wellness of our planet and everything around us.”
Rather than being slathered in environmentally harmful ingredients, make your own healthy and eco-friendly masks and scrubs with ingredients from your kitchen. There are many variants of DIY face and hair mask recipes online. Nefertiti likes to use a mixture of turmeric, yoghurt, honey, and a splash of apple cider vinegar as a facial mask.
Here are several simple ones to try out:
Honey, Yoghurt, and Oil Hair Mask
On low heat, stir one tablespoon of honey and one tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan. Pour the mixture over two tablespoons of plain yoghurt into a small bowl and mix well. Apply the hair mask to your hair from root to tip and leave on for 30-45 minutes before rinsing gently in warm water.
Avocado Oatmeal Face Mask
Cook half a cup of oatmeal with water. Mash half an avocado with a fork and combine with the oatmeal. Apply to your skin and leave it for 10-15 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water.
Body Scrub
Add your choice of salt or sugar; coconut or almond oil, and a combination of essential oils into a container. Stir together – adding more oil to get it to your desired consistency. Scrub your body and rinse with lukewarm water.
Next, turn your attention to your nails. Start by softening your cuticles and nourishing your nails with natural jojoba oil – it’s nourishing and can strengthen your nails. Then, clip and file your nails. Before using your desired colored nail polish, exfoliate your hands and feet with a sugar scrub to remove dead skin cells. Combine one part sugar and one part olive oil, and rub your hands and feet thoroughly.
Use a toxin-free nail polish such as Nailberry, Bo-Po Adult – Pretty Pink, Snails Nail Polish, and many more. Environmentally, One Green Planet stated that most nail polish and removers are considered hazardous waste, putting it on par with insecticides, house paints, and car batteries when it comes to environmental degradation. Aside from being toxic, they are flammable, therefore, leach toxic components into the soil when discarded in a landfill. Not to mention, it’s unrecyclable because of the bottles’ materials and the contamination with the polish itself.
Even cotton wool balls to remove nail polish is a no-no for the environment. Swap it for organic, reusable materials such as reusable bamboo pads instead and reusable cloth pads. Cotton fields require pesticides and toxic dyes, which damage the environment, degrade soil, and destroy habitats.
Having a spa day at home takes more effort and energy, but this way, you know exactly what you’re using and can help reduce environmental damages. Savour the moment as best as you can!