All of us ladies need a little pampering once in a while, so why not have your own at-home spa experience? Treating yourself and your close friends to a wonderfully relaxing spa party can be just the right way to keep koselig, especially during those long chilly March days, but really any time of year! I recently planned just such an event for some of my favorite ladies, and by the end we were all feeling restored and rejuvenated. Here are some details on how to recreate this amazing night with hand soaps, gift bags, great food and lots of relaxing.
Welcome your friends into your home with a few charming touches. These first impressions are important to set the tone of the night. Put out chilled water (lemon water and sparkling are both great options) or an assortment of hot teas. I provided a basket of cozy socks for guests to put on and immediately feel right at home.
A treat for your feet!
As I held this particular spa night in our downstairs rec room, I pointed guests in the right direction by putting up signs to lead the way to pampering!
The ladies entered the basement on a yoga mat “pink carpet.”
So, how do you prepare your home to serve as a spa for a few hours? Set up various treatment “stations” in your home where guests can feel relaxed and comfortable. It can still be pretty cold this time of year, so I also lit the fireplace to create a warm atmosphere. Play some soft and serene music in the background to enhance the mood. I dimmed the lights, lit lots of candles (faux and real) and scattered reed diffusers as a nod to aromatherapy but without an open flame.
There were two services at the spa party, acupuncture and cryo-facial. But you can really get elaborate with services—manis, pedis, massages are all great additions, based on what you know appeals to your attendees. For this first event, I opted to keep things simple with just the two services. Less stress and chaos means a more relaxing time for me and my friends. I may be the host, but I was looking forward to some relaxing time with the girls, too!
Details, details, details! Sweet little touches make your closest pals feel loved and appreciated. I arranged motivational messages throughout the spa stations in the hopes of lifting everyone’s spirits even more.
Now for perhaps the most important element: FOOD! Rather than planning an elaborate menu for this gathering (relaxation was the goal, right??), I decided to entrust that task to a professional. I worked with a local caterer, chef Angie from Creative Cooks, who made the most heavenly food. We created a light and simple spa menu of healthy dishes and finger goods. Our hungry spa-goers savored delicious bites of crudités and a cheese platter with a variety of crackers, bread sticks, grapes, nuts and dates. A strawberry goat cheese salad with balsamic dressing was a tasty yet refreshing treat. And for the main course, everyone enjoyed Thai chicken lettuce wraps with mushrooms, scallions and rainbow peppers. Served with butter lettuce, it was perfection!
For dessert, there was more fresh choices with a beautiful fruit platter, chocolate-covered strawberries, mini pink cupcakes and cake pops. Because if you are truly pampering yourself, you have to have at least a little chocolate!
Drinks are also very high in importance for a ladies’ night! I wanted to have both alcohol and non-alcoholic options available to guests.
Flavor-infused waters are my favorite! I found this amazing double-decker drink dispenser at Crate and Barrel to hold two different infused waters. The top had lemon, cucumber and mint and the bottom was strawberry, kiwi and basil. (Side note: They were even more delicious the next day!)
Rosé all day or night is so refreshing! By adding some pink carnations into your wine chiller, you can amplify the luxe factor when displaying your beverages.
I prepped the champagne flutes with raspberries so they were ready for the ladies to add bubbles and sip.
Girl, Treat Yo’ Self
The final finishing touch was a few containers of low-calorie popcorn and pretzels scattered down the bar for easy snacking.
The decor for spa night was very PINK! My basement is more rustic and industrial in design, so adding these feminine touches really helped soften the feel. I picked up a bunch of pink faux florals from Michael’s and Hobby Lobby and also pulled from what I already had in my ever-growing stockpile. The colors were pink and rose gold with lots of sparkly glitter (which my husband was not a big fan of the following day!).
Inside my bathroom I really wanted a spa-like feel. I displayed a candle in the shower with some faux greens scattered around to create more calmness in the space.
The pampering continued with hand scrubs, oils, creams and butters all on display for the guests to play with after washing up. We all enjoyed exfoliating our hands—who doesn’t want their hands to feel nice and smooth, especially after winter’s dry temperatures?
I love the scents from the beauty line Rituals. My favorite is the beauty of the Sakura blossom. Their motto is, “As with life itself, its beauty is short- lived and precious and should be enjoyed to the fullest.” Yes, I couldn’t agree more!
The ladies could then conclude their hand pampering with a super-soft hand towel from this wooden vessel adorned with rose-gold ribbon.
It seemed like the perfect end to the evening to send my guests home with the means to make their own personal spa moment when they need it. So I curated a little assortment for each of my lovely ladies, featuring creams, face masks, and washes all wrapped up in a pretty pink gift bag.
Guests love to grab a mint for their exit so don’t forget to leave a bowl of them out near the door. Once again, small details make the impression that the host has thought of everything.
It is so important to stop, unwind and enjoy these “me” moments, even if it’s just for a night. You owe it to yourself to rejuvenate, relax, and renew!
Tusen takk, thousand thanks,
Torill
2 Comments
Awesome post! Keep up the great work! 🙂
Great content! Super high-quality! Keep it up! 🙂