While you're out enjoying all that Singapore has to offer, remember to observe good hygiene measures. Stay safe!
As we return to working in the office, so is our usual stress-induced fatigue. Going to the spa for a day of de-stressing sounds pretty great, but if you don’t have any remaining energy in the bank to leave the house anymore, why not bring the spa to your home?
To get started on creating your own spacation, here’s how you can unwind and feel like royalty without stepping a foot out the door.
Step 1. Relax the senses
The calming atmosphere and scent of aromatherapy candles all work together to create an oasis of peace.
When we say a spacation should relax all the senses, we really do mean all the senses, including the oft-forgotten sense of smell. To begin your spacation ritual, light up an aromatherapy candle of your choice and set it in a safe corner away from flammable objects and open windows.
Choosing the right scent for aromatherapy can be a bit tricky. Some are too strong, some tickle your nose, and some don’t carry much of a smell, which is why we’re recommending Eucalyptus Spearmint Candle for Stress Relief (S$45) from Bath & Body Works.
True to its name, this candle has a pleasant sharp scent of spearmint softened by the eucalyptus oil that feels like it gently wraps around you like a soft blanket. All your worries feel like they melt away, and it’s for this reason that this candle has remained one of the best-selling candles in the Bath & Body Works catalogue.
In addition to the candle, you could get the whole Eucalyptus Spearmint set of bath soap, body lotion and body spray for the full-body experience.
Available for purchase at any Bath & Body Works store, including Jewel Changi Airport.
Address: 78 Airport Boulevard, #02-202, Singapore 819666
Opening hours: 11:00am to 9:00pm
Step 2. Begin from the head with the ultimate hair treatment
Your scalp is the foundation for healthy hair, so it's important to give it the attention it deserves.
Spa treatments aren’t called head-to-toe for no reason! The next step of a home spacation begins with the head. More specifically, your hair!
Hair masks are the perfect way to give your hair that soft luxurious feel and healthy shine. All you have to do is apply the mask to the length of your hair (after washing and towel-drying, of course) and wrap it all up in a towel. Let it rest for a while before rinsing, leaving you with soft, silky hair and a wonderful scent.
For hair masks, we recommend Difeel’s Peppermint Scalp Care Hair Mask (S$45.50). Difeel is known for its luxurious head care products made from only the finest natural ingredients. Hair oils, masks, conditioning sprays — you name it, Difeel has it.
Among their products, this particular hair mask stands out as a crowd favourite and it’s easy to see why. Healthier hair growth is induced through a special secret mix of vitamins, minerals and oils. Along with the peppermint to help to cool the scalp for a more invigorating treatment, this winning recipe puts them leagues ahead of other heavily-perfumed hair masks. And that’s before taking into consideration its intensive regenerating properties on your hair fibres without weighing your hair down. Say goodbye to breakage and split ends!
Step 3. Purifying pores with facial cleansing and a massage
A healthy complexion begins with clean pores. Facial cleansing helps remove impurities from the skin’s surface, while a massage stimulates blood flow and encourages the shedding of dead skin cells. When combined, these two activities can leave your skin looking and feeling its best. Image credit: FOREO
If there’s one thing we really love about getting facials, it’s the feeling of having all that grime expelled from our pores. While you could always attempt your own extraction at home, we’d recommend leaving such a delicate task to the professionals.
Until your next facial session though, why not try Foreo’s smart exfoliation brush, the Luna 3 (S$270), for a satisfying pore cleanse after putting up your hair. This tiny device is made with soft, silicone bristles and comes with 16 different vibration-powered cleansing modes. Though it might look unassuming at first glance, the Luna 3 will leave your complexion clean, soft and glowing without feeling harsh on the skin.
As a smart device, you must pair it to the Foreo mobile app via Bluetooth to unlock it, but you won’t have to do so for subsequent uses. With your face covered in cleanser, all you have to do is glide the brush across your face according to the app’s timed face map! Skincare has never been easier.
No need for extra elbow grease when the vibrations do all the work. The face map alerts you when to move it to the next part of your face to ensure you’ve cleaned every region. If you flip the device around, it doubles up as a facial massager! Just hit the settings on the app and follow through.
Step 4. Soak away your troubles
Take a break from your stresses and soothe your muscles in a bath. Let the warm water wash away your troubles and leave you feeling refreshed and relaxed.
While waiting for your hair mask to work its magic on your hair, why not take the chance to have a nice long soak? Scented bath salts are the perfect thing to elevate your home-spa experience.
With just a handful or two of Mt. Sapola’s Lemongrass Bath Salts (S$24.90) into a bathtub full of warm water, the entire bathroom transforms into your personal onsen. For those without the luxury of a bathtub — a basin for a foot bath works just as well.
Not only do the salts help to relax both mind and body, but the invigorating blend of lemongrass and ginger will also help unclog your skin’s pores and detoxify it, resulting in a brightened skin tone and enhancing its smoothness. Your skin will feel as smooth as a baby’s bottom at the end of the bath!
Step 5. Don’t forget the hands
The hands are often forgotten when it comes to skincare. But the skin on your hands is just as delicate as your face and deserves just as much attention.
It’s easy to overlook the hands, but as one of the body parts we often put to hard work, our hands definitely deserve some pampering too. Whether you’re looking to treat your damaged nails or give those rough ol’ hands a finer appearance, hand masks are pretty much the all-in-one answer to your mitts’ woes.
Cettua’s Clean & Simple Hand Mask (S$4.90) promises exactly what it says on the tin — a clean and simple way to moisturise your hands while repairing and removing damaged skin. In addition to the shea butter and jojoba oil’s hydrating properties, the collagen in the mask’s anti-ageing properties helps to reduce wrinkles and fine lines, leaving your hands feeling soft and smooth.
The best part? All you have to do is slip the masks over your hands. That’s it!
Step 6. Loosening up those stubborn knots
When muscles are overworked or injured, they can form knots, which are tight, twisted spots in your muscle tissue. Image credit: Ogawa
After getting out of the bath, it’s time for the part of the spa experience we all look forward to: A full body massage. Unfortunately, not all of us can afford to hire our own personal in-house masseuse, so we’ll have to make do with the next best thing. We’re talking about a portable, handheld massager!
Ogawa is pretty much a household name when it comes to personal massagers — and the place to turn to if you want to step up your spa-cation experience at home. While it may be a slightly costly investment, it’s worth getting the Mobile Shiatsu Lite (at a promotional price of S$99 now) — a multipurpose massager that can knead the neck and shoulders, back, legs and arms.
Moderately intense, comfortable and effective, the massage heads dig deep into your muscles, relieving all the strains and aches from your weary ol’ body.
To get your home massage started, plug it in, place it behind the specific body part and let the massager do all the work. It’s that simple.
Relax and rejuvenate in the comfort of your home
This spa-cation is all about you, so consider turning off all your work-related notifications while you’re at it. You could even give one of these unconventional stress-relieving activities a go for an extra layer of de-stress. It’s been a tiring period — you deserve it!
For more updates on Changi Airport, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Telegram and YouTube. You can also sign up for a Changi Account and have the latest news and articles delivered right into your inbox.