How To: Have a Spa Night In *

With the days warming up, but the nights staying a little cool, it's still snuggle weather! I would know - on my days off, I've been schlepping around in sweatpants and a hoodie, just cuddling up to my cat while watching Netflix. Ahh... That's the life! 

However, when I have a luxurious couple of hours to burn, I'm always up for a good long pampering session, and that always includes a crazy long soak in the tub. If you're looking for inspiration on what to do your next evening off, or how you can vary things up a little bit, then read on through!

First off, you need to set the scene for a relaxing evening in. The Aromatherapy Co's Therapy Range Home Fragrance Set will have you covered for if you're in the mood for a candle for that extra bit of ambience, or if you're also looking to add a little something extra, in which case the diffusion set that comes as part of the kit would be a lovely addition to the evening. This particular set mixes a velvet plumeria and lily candle with a sweet lime and mandarin diffusion set, so that you can choose if you'd rather sink into a relaxing scent, or be uplifted. For more on The Aromatherapy Co check out their website.

The Aromatherapy Co can be found at Myer and David Jones, among other stores.

Once you've got the ambience that you desire, and the water is running for that bath you're about to step into, you have enough time to slap on a face mask!

The Aura Manuka Honey Mask by Antipodes contains manuka honey active 20+, pohutukawa bloom and vanilla pod. This as a bit of a rustic look to it, as it comes in a metal tube with a screw cap. This is meant to be appropriate for blemish prone skin that is in need of hydration. For someone with generally clear skin, I can tell you that it leaves the skin feeling springy and soft. Antipodes can be found in Priceline and David Jones.

Alternatively, you can try Philosophy's Renew Hope in a Jar mask if you're looking to revitalise and hydrate your skin, which as an almost whipped consistency to it. This comes in a minimalistic tube with a flip lid, which makes it super easy to use, and as with the other mask above, pop it on for 10 minutes, then wash it off. This also smells incredible! This is perfect for when your skin needs a bit of a pick me up. You can find out more about Philosophy on their website over here. If you're looking to pick one up in store, you can find it in David Jones.

No spa night is complete without a body scrub to help exfoliate all the dead skin cells so that your body can feel revitalised and refreshed. I'd heard a lot about how pretty the Sanctuary Spa White Lily and Damask Rose Body Scrub smelled, but nothing quite prepared me for how gorgeous I found it to be! This has gritty bits that are just the right size for me, and it smells amazing - a mix of ylang ylang, damask rose and white lily with vanilla and patchouli, it's impossible to be anything else but stunning! The range can be found in Priceline.

The Melon Daiquiri Shampoo, Shower Gel and Bubble Bath by Philosophy is a bit of an all rounder. You can wash your hair while steeping in the scent of Melon Daiquiri, which, oddly enough, reminds me of a fruit called jackfruit. It's a pleasant, almost smoothie-like scent that envelops you in a cloud of mild sweetness. This also generates a decent amount of bubbles in the bath, which is what I like about having a spa night in!

Speaking of steeping, if you're like me, you will need something to help your muscles relax from time to time. The bath is the perfect place for it, and as I'm always running out of time, I like to multitask by adding Natura Siberica's Revitalising Bath Salts to whatever bubble bath I have going at the same time. This comes in a handy screw top jar which looks cute to boot, so this lives right next to the tub for all the times I can actually have a soak. For more information on Natura Siberica, head to their website here.

While sitting around in the tub, make sure you're also making your products work hard for you. This is where the m a k e Better Treatment comes in! This is suitable for dry and damaged hair, and literally all you have to do is wet down your hair (a quick dunk into the tub should fix that!), then let your tresses soak it all up by leaving it in for 3 to 5 minutes. Rinse it out, and you've got yourself hair that's soft to touch. This brand can be found in Hairhouse Warehouse, both instore and online.

If you'd rather sit back and do nothing extra in the tub, then consider popping on some Al'chemy Lavender and Anthyllis Leave In Conditioner once you're back on dry land, before wrapping your damp hair up in a towel so that it can stew nicely. I would recommend picking one over the other, as it might be a bit too heavy for the hair otherwise. Alchemy is stocked both in Prceline and David Jones.

After that long soak, make sure you replace all the moisture lost, especially by the scrubbing. Jergens has a gorgeous range of body lotions (I've waxed lyrical about Jergens before, and I'll do it again), but one of my personal favourites has to be their Soothing Aloe, which always smells a little like green tea, a lot like aloe, and mostly just comforting! This has a green tinge to it initially, which doesn't stay, and it doesn't take long for this to be absorbed. An excellent post-soak treat for the skin, and an easy one to find at Priceline.

It's all about the finishing touches at the end, where I get to spend lots of extra time pampering myself! Revitanail's Nail Strengthener will set the prep for the next step, which is a decent home mani-pedi, because nothing ruins a good mani-pedi like weak nails would. While this is one that is something that has to be done over time, and not a quick fix, the best time to start tackling it is when you're relaxed and wanting to maintain things.

While body lotion will help bring moisture back to the body, a good hand cream will be better. The Aromatherapy Co Therapy Range Hand Cream in Velvet Plumeria and Lily is a divine treat for the hands. This has a screw cap and it's an easy tube to get the cream out of. This will appropriately treat your pruney fingers post soak, leaving them smooth and soft.

The Aromatherapy Co Therapy Range Cuticle Oil will help moisturise the cuticles and dry skin around the nails for those hard to reach places that the hand cream just won't be able to touch. This contains a blend of vitamin E, jojoba and evening primrose, and it's meant to help soften the skin while encouraging nail growth and repair.

The next night I have a few hours to spare, I'm sure you can tell what I'll be up to! What's your spa night in routine like? Are you an oil or cream girl when it comes to your paws?

* These products were provided for editorial consideration, but my opinions remain my own