Sparkle at home

EVEN in the heady Celtic Tiger years, spa treatments were never really my bag. Not least because of the exorbitant prices.

And while a hot stone massage really is something to savour, there are tons of spa treatments that you can almost replicate in your own home for a fraction of the price.

I say almost because you’re never going to replicate the smells, or the warmth, or the fluffy robes, or the luxury treatment rooms of a spa, so keep your expectations low.

But still, if you pick your products wisely and you use your imagination a little, you can enjoy some pampering treatments that don’t cost the earth, and with summer just around the corner there’s no better time for getting your body in shape.

First up are exfoliating treatments. These are my favourite — if I had my way I get a professional exfoliating treatment every single week: it leaves your skin feeling silky soft, every time. But all is not lost if you can’t afford to fork out for a posh scrub down.

Aveda’s Caribbean Therapy Scrub, €27.85, is as effective as it is enjoyable. Packed with exotic aromas, it immediately transports you to balmier climes and you can almost hear the soft ripple of waves on a white-sand beach. Rub it into dry skin all over to enjoy the incredible smell and the skin-smoothing benefits, then step into the bath, let it all dis-solve and enjoy a good, relaxing soak. Sublime.

Bliss Hot Salt Scrub, €34.28, is another fab choice. It’s self-heating, and gives your senses a real zing, thanks to rosemary and eucalyptus, which smell fantastic. If you’re a gym bunny, bring it to the gym and slather it on in the steam room before your shower — the smell will really clear your sinuses.

It’s also really easy to make your own exfoliating scrubs with just olive oil and salt or sugar. You can throw in a bit of oatmeal, as well, or use vitamin E oil if you’re looking for some more skin-softening benefits.

Part of what’s so enjoyable about spa treat-ment is getting really, really messy. (Annoyingly, at home you have to do the clean-up bit yourself.) Uspa Mud Therapy, €34.70, is the perfect product to wreck havoc with. It’s not cheap, but you do get a few treatments out of it, and it does feel super silky soft. I like to combine it with an exfoliator (used beforehand) and a body butter (afterwards) for a once-a-month indulgence. The mud contains lots of detoxing goodies — fennel, hops, yarrow and essential oils of may chang, rosemary, lemon and bergamot. It’s fun slathering it on, and it washes off easily, without too much of an assault on your shower.

When it comes to the face, I love a good mask. It really can make a difference. More so, if you’re down in the dumps, skin-wise, then you can give your complexion a pep-up with a whole load of fancy home treatments.

Kiehls’s Overnight Biological Peel, €48, sounds like it might be painful to use, but isn’t. It’s quite a gentle formulation and can be used by all skin types — just pop it on before you go to bed and it’ll do all the hard work while you sleep, including exfoliating dead surface skin cells and reducing the appearance of pores. Nice.

Liz Earle’s Intensive Nourishing Mask, €16.75, is one I love to put on when my skin is feeling dry and stressed. If you have the time, apply an aromatic body oil, wrap yourself in a warm robe, heated by a radiator, pop on the mask and lie back for 15 minutes. The naturally active ingredients soothe your skin back to a state of health.

If you think that lavender is just for draw-ers, think again. Elemis has a cracking little mask in the form of their Herbal Lavender Repair Mask, €39.65, which fills the essential spa dual purpose of addressing both your senses and your skin. The calming scent of lavender is ideal for relaxation, and the mask also contains rosemary, thyme and lavender essential oils. You need to leave it for 15 minutes on the skin — the perfect amount of time to lie back, have a bath, and pretend your in a posh west of Ireland spa. Result.