Many of us were saddened by the need to spend the Easter and Passover holidays sheltering-in-place away from our loved ones to keep them and our greater communities safe during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Sunday, May 10th is Mother’s Day, and while many states may be gradually lifting their shelter-in-place orders for more essential functions like going to work, school, or doctor’s visits, Mother’s Day festivities, like a meal at your mom’s favorite restaurant or a trip to the spa, are still likely to be unavailable. But luckily, that doesn’t mean you can’t give mom a great day. In this blog, the U.S. Dermatology Partners team has put together three simple at-home spa day activities to help you celebrate mom whether you live around the corner or around the globe. Simply package up the products or mail them to mom from your favorite online retailer. Then, send mom the instructions for her at-home spa day. Don’t forget to send mom’s favorite treat to enjoy while she unwinds in her at-home spa.
Getting Started
Whether you are lucky enough to be sheltering at home with mom or staying in touch by phone or video chats, remind her that it’s her special day and she should take the time to make it special. Suggest that she put on her favorite music, light a candle, pour a soothing beverage, and get into her comfiest spa day outfit. For extra brownie points (we all want to be the favorite kid, right?), get mom a fluffy robe and slippers for her spa day kit to provide the ultimate in-home spa experience.
Easy At-Home Facial & Skincare
We all love the look and feel of our skin after a professional facial. To help mom feel youthful and radiant on Mother’s Day, we’ve put together some recommendations for an at-home facial using items you can easily find around the house or online that will rival mom’s favorite spa treatments.
What You’ll Need
- Towels
- Gentle facial cleanser
- Bowl of hot water
- Essential oils (optional)
- Facial roller or other massage tool (optional)
- Charcoal face mask
- Moisturizing face mask
- Moisturizer
How it Works
Once mom is comfy and has her ingredients at hand, she should follow the steps below:
- Cleansing – Gently clean the skin. Take care to completely remove all makeup, oils, and dirt from the face, and pat dry. This gives a nice, clean slate to start our facial.
- Steaming – Fill a bowl with hot water (take care not to make the water so hot it scalds). Mom can add essential oils if desired, like lavender for relaxation or tea tree oil for antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Place a towel over the head and around the bowl of warm water, allow the steam to gently open pores while mom simply relaxes and does some deep breathing for about five minutes.
- Double Mask Treatment – The only thing better than one face mask is two face masks! You can easily find these in the fun, prepackaged sets that are easy for mom to put on. Start with a charcoal mask to help draw out oil and open up clogged pores. Next, mom should apply a deep moisturizing mask to refresh and nourish the skin.
- Moisturizing Massage – No good spa day is complete without a facial massage! Have mom apply her favorite thick, cream-based moisturizer by gently massaging into the skin using her fingers or her favorite facial roller starting from the chin and moving upward. Massage all areas to get the blood circulating.
- Relaxing – Now that mom’s feeling radiant, it’s time to sit back, relax, and feel pampered. Or, mom can move on to our at-home mani/pedi or hair treatment outlined below.
At-Home Mani & Pedi’s
Taking mom to the nail salon for a mani/pedi is a favorite Mother’s Day treat, but most manicure shops are still closed. It may not be quite the same experience, but with a few simple steps, mom can get her hands and feet looking great before the shelter-in-place orders lift with an easy, at-home mani/pedi treatment.
What You’ll Need
- Non-acetone nail polish remover (if nails are already polished)
- Foot bath and hand bath (any small container will work for feet and a small bowl will work for hands)
- Hand/foot soak (optional)
- Cuticle pusher
- Nail clippers
- Nail file
- Nail polish
- Cuticle oil
- Moisturizer
How it Works
Once your mom has a quiet place to sit and relax with all of her mani/pedi tools of the trade, she can follow the simple steps below.
- Remove nail polish – We recommend using non-acetone nail polish remover, which is less drying to your nails and skin.
- Soak – Fill the foot and hand baths (or whatever plastic containers or bowls you have available) with warm water. Mom can add a foot soak, essential oil, or even a little bit of moisturizing body oil to the water for a more luxurious experience. Let soak for five to ten minutes – or longer if desired.
- Cuticles – Now that skin is softened, use the cuticle pusher to gently push the cuticles back from the nails.
- Trim nails – Carefully trim fingernails and toenails using clippers to get them all to the same length (or close).
- File nails – Mom should file her nails to make them smooth and get rid of all the jagged edges after they’re trimmed. File nails in one direction rather than in a back and forth motion.
- Polish nails – If mom wants an extra long-lasting result, start with a base coat or use nail polish with a built-in base coat. Base coats protect nails while helping polish to adhere more effectively. Next, apply one thin coat of nail polish and allow it to dry slightly before adding an additional coat. Finish off with a top coat for shine and to protect polish from chips and cracks.
- Cuticle oil – Once mom’s nails are totally dry, apply cuticle oil to hands and feet to keep the cuticles moisturized and avoid cracking and snagging cuticle skin.
- Moisturizer – Finally, use mom’s favorite hand cream and foot cream to pack in the moisture and keep the skin on the hands and feet soft and healthy.
A Great Hair Day for Mother’s Day
Just because we’re all staying home doesn’t mean we don’t want our hair to look great. Haircare recommendations can be a little trickier since everyone has such different needs, but we’ve included a great scalp and hair mask treatment that is relaxing, great for any hair type, and will leave hair shining.
What You’ll Need
- Honey
- Apple cider vinegar
- Coconut oil
How it Works
We know it sounds like a recipe for a snack – or disaster – but this hair mask is great for all hair types. It helps improve shine, locks in moisture, and may even prolong the life of artificial hair color – great news since most of us can’t make it to the salon right now.
- Combine ingredients – Measure an equal amount of each of these three ingredients and combine thoroughly. Start with a tablespoon or two and add more if mom thinks she’ll need it to coat her hair.
- Wet hair – This step is pretty straightforward, but make sure that the roots and tips of the hair are thoroughly soaked.
- Apply the mask – Carefully coat hair with the mask mixture.
- Massage – Gently massage the scalp to get ingredients spread evenly and maximize relaxation.
- Let it sit – Find a cozy spot to curl up with a glass of wine or mug of tea for 15 to 30 minutes to allow the mask to do its work.
- Rinse – Carefully shampoo the mask out of hair.
Want Some Skincare Tips? Call U.S. Dermatology Partners
At U.S. Dermatology Partners, we’re still here to help our current patients and new ones too. We’re offering teledermatology sessions using a secure, online video chat platform to allow you to visit us from the comfort and safety of home. If you want recommendations for mom’s Mother’s Day Pamper Package, some tips for your own skincare, or you have a new skin health concern, please get in touch with an office near you to discuss telehealth options. Our teledermatology sessions mimic in-office visits, and they are a great option to discuss ongoing care for chronic conditions or get help finding customized skincare products while you may have a little extra time to pamper yourself.
To get started with a teledermatology appointment, you can complete our simple online form. If you need help or want to talk to your local U.S. Dermatology Partners office directly, don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’re doing our utmost to maintain all safety and health standards throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but we are still here to help when you need us.
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