Ideas for Home Spa Parties

Flowers help create an indulgent, relaxing spa atmosphere.

If money wasn't a factor, most all women would visit their local spa monthly---if not weekly. But for most women, $50 facials and foot massages take a back seat to new sneakers for the kids or a full tank of gas for the car. Luckily, all the ingredients for a relaxing and indulgent spa party are well within your reach right at home.

Invitations

Use washcloths or a bar of soap to make invitations.

Set the tone for the party right away by making your own spa invitations or party reminders. To set a tranquil tone, use soothing, multicolored, heavy stock paper in a pattern that might remind you of water or the sky. Fold it over, and glue some terry cloth on the outside with a thin ribbon at the border. For a more lively, but glamorous feel, cut a foot shape from paper, and use real nail polish for the toes and a thin sparkly chain made from glitter around the ankle. Or simply roll up a washcloth with the invitation inside and tie it with a piece of raffia, or tie the invitation to a bar of soap.

Hands and Feet

Provide different colors of nail polish, or ask guests to bring some to share.

Treat your guests to a mix of active and relaxing activities. For instance before having everyone relax by soaking their feet in a soothing Epsom salt foot bath (2 gallons of warm water and 1 cup Epsom or regular table salt), lead them in an exercise to pick up pencils with their bare toes---a workout that strengthens muscles in the balls of the feet. Do something similar for hands by providing squeeze balls for a three-minute workout prior to providing an array of different-colored nail polishes for everyone to try.

Facials

No spa party is complete without facials.

Provide the ingredients, and ask guest to choose their own mixtures for facials, with a choice of more- and less-abrasive products for those with more- or less-sensitive skin. Choices of pastes include honey, quick oatmeal with 1 tsp. baking soda, lemon juice and sugar or minced ginger, and brown sugar and almond oil. You can also provide small jars with ribboned lids to let guests take home their extra facial paste for another at-home treatment.

Food and Drink

Sushi provides a healthy and unique spa food.

Greet your guests at the door with glasses of chilled sparkling water or iced tea with crushed mint leaves and lemon slices or perhaps a refreshing gin and tonic or strawberry daiquiri. Serve light and healthy foods like fruit platters or skewers, sushi with pickled ginger and wasabi, thin-sliced turkey or cheese, shrimp or Thai lettuce wraps. Keep dessert healthy too; strawberries with a dark chocolate dipping sauce would do the trick.

Take Home Gift

Make extra bright pink bubble bombs to use for yourself.

A bath bomb makes an easy and inexpensive gift for your guests to take home. Make these early in the party so they have a chance to dry a little. For each bomb, mix 2 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. corn starch, 1 tsp. citric acid, 20 drops glycerin and as much food coloring and fragrance as you would like.

References

• "Baking Soda Banana Peels Baby Oil and Beyond"; Reader's Digest, 2008
• Food Network: Girls Night In