Take a bath.
For the ultimate, soothing pre-bed ritual, fill the tub with warm water and lavender, which induces feelings of calmness by relaxing the body and relieving muscle tension, and chamomile, an excellent skin soother and anti-inflammatory agent, also acknowledged to bring down swelling and pain in the skin and mucous membranes. For added benefits, smooth your skin with a scrub like Luxury Lavender Foaming Body Scrub by de-luxe.
Renew your hands.
You hands are the first to show signs of aging and are often the most neglected. Soothe them by slathering on Nivea Body Restorative Night Creme, to replenish lost moisture. Round it off with Nivea Body Renewal Night Creme for all-over soft, smooth skin.
Wake up with a tan.
For the most even tan, exfoliate your skin in the shower first, using a grainy scrub or loofah. Dry well and apply moisturizer to rough patches like knees and elbows. Once the moisturizer has fully absorbed, spread the self-tanning product evenly to one portion of the body at a time. Keep baby wipes handy as you apply the product to wipe tanner from your palms and between your fingers as you go. You should apply most self-tanners at least a half hour before bedtime, but L'Oréal has a great new one called Sublime Bronze which dries in only five minutes.
Honor your neck.
When you're lying in bed, your neck should be properly supported so the natural arch between the back of your neck and shoulders is not compromised. If, for example, the chin is falling forward too close to the neck, or conversely, arched too far backward, the muscles will crunch and neck stress will occur, and you won't feel rested in the morning. Invest in a high-quality pillow which keeps the stress out of the neck.
Get rid of ingrown hairs.
When individual hairs grow backward into the skin, they clog the pores and bacteria can form, resulting in redness and swelling. Cindy Barshop, owner of New York City's Completely Bare spa, recommends clients use her Bikini Bump Blaster pads at night containing glycolic and salicylic acid which work by exfoliating the dead layer of skin and removing the bacteria. Use the pads for five nights successively to reveal a smooth bikini line.
Remove feet calluses.
Slather your feet in moisturizer. If your feet are rough or cracked, look for a product that contains glycolic acid. Apply right before bedtime and sleep with your socks on. Burt's Bees has an excellent foot balm and Get Fresh makes a wonderful grapefruit-scented intensive foot repair cream called Rescue Me.
Light a soothing candle.
There's nothing more tranquil than the wavering glow of candlelight, and aromatic candles make the experience even more calming. Try Lavender Harvest by L'Occitane to create a truly relaxing and soothing atmosphere, -- but do remember to blow it out before you fall asleep.
Create a spa environment.
The key ingredient to a spa atmosphere has to be room fragrance. Aromatherapy clay rings fit around the base of light bulbs
Prevent dry skin.
Running a humidifier in your bedroom will keep the air moist, and skin loves moist air. If you add essential oil of eucalyptus to the water it will clear your breathing passages and enhance your sleep. Add five or six drops of eucalyptus to clear the sinuses.
Make scars go away.
Mederma is an over-the-counter gel formulated to help new and existing scars appear softer and smoother. It includes botanical extracts, the key one called cepalin, derived from onions. Over a few weeks time, the scar's appearance will be softer and smoother. In many cases, the flexibility of the skin will also improve.
Heat your heart center.
You may have heard of "hot stone massage"
- Boil a pot of water.
- Add rosemary, clove and peppermint.
- Place the rock in the water until it's heated.
- Turn off the heat and wait until the rock is nicely warmed
-- but not too hot. - In a softly lit or dark room, lay down and place the rock on your chest in the place between your breasts. Stay quiet and allow the warmth and aroma of the stone to soothe your very being. You're sure to drift off into a deeply restful sleep.
