How to turn your home into a spa
July 23, 2006 | 12:00am
Put your feet up, let your head sink into a soft pillow, play ambient music, and just relax. If only it was that easy to make our worries melt away, we wouldn’t have to leave the house to go to a spa. Alas, the world is intent on making such simple concepts elusive.
I’m writing this while nursing a bad cold, a runny nose, and a colossal headache, so pardon the less-than-perky attitude toward the concept of relaxation and how beautiful life is. And instead of relaxing sounds playing on my iPod (somebody recently gave me a 10-CD pack which includes titles like Secluded Beach and Cleansing Rain, both of which make me want to pee), I am blasting gangsta music and have the urge to put on my trainers and go running. Bad idea; it’s 3a.m and mean stray dogs are out.
So I concentrate on what I have at hand, starting with scents, which never fail to lift my spirits – or depress me, depending on what and whom I associate with a particular scent. However, no matter where you are or how messy your house is, scents have that power to turn emotions. Why do you think spas spend so much on aromatherapy oils and candles, or even places of worship have that singular scent to stir up a sense of sacredness and prayer? Or why home fragrances are a billion-dollar enterprise?
If you want to turn your home into a spa, the first order of the day is to choose scents that make you feel better. It is hard to achieve serenity when you’re inhaling bad smells, like a very wet dog that’s just come in from the rain.
I cannot sing enough praises for Diptyque, whose scents have inspired creatives ranging from fashion designers who like to scent their runways with it to musicians who light them in their recording studios. Royalty like the late Princess Diana to heads of state like the late French Prime Minister Francois Mitterrand (that they’re both dead doesn’t really mean anything, okay?) were both fans.
Diptyque makes ordinary homes smell extraordinary and special, sets the mood for whatever you want it to be or however you want to feel.
Diptyque has established an iconic status since it was founded in 1961 by three friends from the art and design school Beaux Arts in Paris – painter Desmond Knox-Leet, architect Christiane Gautrot and theater set designer Yves Coueslant – as a retailer of printed fabrics. In 1963, they began selling candles to match their fabrics, thus three scents were born – Canelle (cinnamon), The (tea) and Aubepine (hawthorne). Back then, scented candles weren’t popular; if anything, candles were utilitarian, but Diptyque established an instant following, thanks to the candles which were made in Grasse, the capital of the French perfume industry.
Knox-Leet was tasked to design the first simple black-and-white label of Diptyque (Coueslant has taken over this job since Knox-Leet died in 1993) and, with his familiarity with pre-war scents, he experimented with Diptyque’s blends.
After the candles, Diptyque came out with its own exclusive line of room sprays, soaps, perfumes, and hair and shower gels. Kristin Scott Thomas once said of a Diptyque scent, "Figs? Carnations? Church! If you spray this on Sunday mornings, you can skip going!"
Candles are still Diptyque’s bestseller – and with good reason, too. The brand has 53 different scents, the deepest for any candle manufacturer.
Now comes Pois de Senteur or Sweet Pea, a romantic, strong scent that comes from a flower that spreads out its airy petals like a butterfly spreading its wings. Sweet Pea is called the "Prince Paradox" of all flowers – still yet bustling with life, gently allowing its pods to burst, spreading its seeds around and perfuming the air where they drop. And when you want to relax, nothing beats a sweet-smelling room.
Diptyque Pois de Senteur, P2,450, and other scents are available at Rustan’s Makati, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Alabang Town Center, and Cebu.
Origins Sensory Therapy Peace of Mind is an on-the-spot relief lotion that you apply to the back of your neck, temples, and earlobes. The box says, "When your head feels a size too small, massage Origins mind clearing formula…within minutes, pressure, tension, the weight of the world melt-away."
Hmmm. I don’t know about the weight of the world melting away, but my headache is subsiding and my runny nose is feeling a bit of a relief. It must be essential oils such as peppermint, sweet almond and basil, and a host of other ingredients I don’t understand. There’s a tingling sensation on the back of my neck where I applied Origins, and my mood is improving. For some reason, I feel hungry, too.
Origins’ website gives these pieces of advice when you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed: Turn off your cell phone for one hour a day; create rituals for yourself, like going for a morning jog or an evening bath; call a friend and let off steam (at 3 a.m., who else is awake?); get your priorities straight; reconnect with nature; improve your lifestyle habits to boost energy levels and make it easier for you to handle stress; breathe deeply; smile, have a good belly laugh; do one thing at a time; and, of course, reach for Origins Peace of Mind.
As for some quality bath time, try Origins Incredible Spreadable Scrub. The scrub has an amazing smell of olive oil and ginger for that fresh feeling, like you’ve just stepped out of an herbal garden. Apart from these ingredients, it has white and brown sugars to buff the roughness away and brighten dull skin. If you suffer form dry skin, a scrub is in order – and you don’t even have to go an expensive spa for it.
Origins Peace of Mind, 15 ml, P650, and Incredible Spreadable Scrub, P1,580, are available at Rustan’s Essenses Makati.
The name of the brand conjures images of royalty and the Old World. That’s exactly what Woods of Windsor stands for. Founded in the 18th century by Woods Pharmacy, which was located in the shadows of Windsor Castle, the company has been providing the residents of Windsor and the world fine perfumery. Imagine that: 300 years of perfecting its traditional recipes with the scientific advances of the times, combining its heritage with today’s cutting-edge technology in therapies.
When Roger Knowles purchased the company in 1969, he discovered a treasure trove of records dating back to the 1800s: 70 handwritten books, mainly medical records, listing the ailments and treatment of patients including members of the royal family and the local gentry. There were also books containing formulas for fragrances dating back to the 19th century. (Alas, there is no royal gossip.)
In October 2000, when Roger retired, he sold the company and a new era in Woods of Windsor’s history began. Today, Woods of Windsor has a loyal following not just in the UK, but also across the world.
To turn your home into a spa, you have a choice of lighting either Woods of Windsor’s incense sticks or its candles, both of which come in a box set. The incense collection contains 80 incense sticks, 40 incense cones and a ceramic holder, available in True Rose, Lily of the Valley, Lavender and White Jasmine.
When unlit, True Rose smells like your mother’s perfume (just a hint of the old-fashioned), but once you light the incense stick, the smell becomes sweet and less heavy.
Its candle collection comes in a set of four votives in True Rose, Lily of the Valley, Lavender and White Jasmine. If, like me, you’re the type who packs room scents when traveling, this box set would be very handy. And while you’re on the go, take its travel kit containing Conditioning Hand and Nail Cream, Body Spray and Manicure Set, the last of which has nail scissors, an emery board, tweezers and a nail file.
Woods of Windsor Incense Collection, P745; Votive Candle set, P695; and Travel Bag, P1,250, are available at Rustan’s Essenses Makati, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, ATC, Gateway Mall, Cebu and Robinsons Place Manila.
I like Badger Balm products. I once tried its lip balm on a winter trip to Johannesburg (very dry and hot during the day, very cold at night) and my lips didn’t chap one bit. The only thing I don’t like about it is its mascot: a badger. This rodent-like mammal is not exactly the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to beauty products. And even if it’s pictured cooking up a beauty concoction in a cauldron or boating down a river or sleeping under the stars…well, it still looks like a ferret.
Anyway, there’s a reason for the mascot – and the company name. Back in 1993, founder Bill Badger was a carpenter with cracked fingers who happened to like using herbs and cooking up natural remedies (as a kid, he made tea using wild mint). On one instance, he made a batch of balm to cure his fingers and it worked splendidly. He called it Badger Healing Balm and a company was born.
"We make really good stuff," says Badger (the person, not the mascot). "The main ingredient in all of our balms, for instance, is Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We use it because we feel it is the most therapeutic of all skincare oils. When you imagine some ancient Mediterranean goddess lounging by her baths and anointing herself with precious oils, extra virgin olive oil was ‘the balm.’ Speaking of precious oils, all of our essential oils are naturally processed and most of them are either organically grown or otherwise ecologically produced. They come to us from the four corners of the Earth. They smell great and they have the ability to uplift body, mind and spirit. It’s strange, but you can be feeling down, breathe in the fragrance of bergamot or tangerine and find yourself transported to a totally different place."
Bill likes to say that Badger Balm is a "small company working hard to do good things in the world." Good things do come in small packages. Take Badger Balm’s Beauteous Box with its three tins of Sleep Balm, Healing Balm, and Sore Muscle Rub.
The Sleep Balm was accidentally discovered in Badger’s lab. Bill was trying to make a pick-me-upper but the test subjects said the balm made them sleep better instead! So, a sleep enhancer was born – with its calming fragrance of herbs – for you to rub on your lips, temples, back of neck and pulse points on the wrists. Herbs in it include ginger, bergamot, rosemary, balsam fir and lavender.
The Healing Balm is the company’s bestselling product. It heals cracked fingers, dry elbows, heels and feet, soothes windburn, scratches and scrapes. Some people also use it to relieve skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. It has other uses, too. Bill says he uses it to "heal" his baseball glove, and even to condition leathers and clean up tools! Ingredients include olive oil, castor oil, beeswax, aloe vera extract and sweet birch essential oil.
The Sore Muscle Rub is for pain relief. It has natural anti-inflammatory properties thanks to cayenne and ginger. Used prior to physical activity, it helps keep muscles and joints warm and loose. It’s also good for the skin.
Badger Balm Beauteous Box, P695, is available at Rustan’s Essenses Makati, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, ATC, Gateway Mall, Cebu and Robinsons Place Manila.
Finally, what’s a spa without body oil? Clarins has formulated one with 100-percent pure plant extracts and aromatic oils. Clarins Relax Body Treatment Oil helps combat fatigue, stress and tension after a physical activity, bringing a feeling of freshness and well being while smoothening the skin.
Its ingredients are basil, bitter orange, chamomile, geranium and hazelut. Just apply it to the entire body or concentrate on specific areas like the nape, back and chest – and voila! you’re good to go.
Clarins Relax Body Oil, 100 ml, P2,050, is available at Rustan’s Makati, Shangri-La Plaza, and ATC.
I’m writing this while nursing a bad cold, a runny nose, and a colossal headache, so pardon the less-than-perky attitude toward the concept of relaxation and how beautiful life is. And instead of relaxing sounds playing on my iPod (somebody recently gave me a 10-CD pack which includes titles like Secluded Beach and Cleansing Rain, both of which make me want to pee), I am blasting gangsta music and have the urge to put on my trainers and go running. Bad idea; it’s 3a.m and mean stray dogs are out.
So I concentrate on what I have at hand, starting with scents, which never fail to lift my spirits – or depress me, depending on what and whom I associate with a particular scent. However, no matter where you are or how messy your house is, scents have that power to turn emotions. Why do you think spas spend so much on aromatherapy oils and candles, or even places of worship have that singular scent to stir up a sense of sacredness and prayer? Or why home fragrances are a billion-dollar enterprise?
If you want to turn your home into a spa, the first order of the day is to choose scents that make you feel better. It is hard to achieve serenity when you’re inhaling bad smells, like a very wet dog that’s just come in from the rain.
Diptyque makes ordinary homes smell extraordinary and special, sets the mood for whatever you want it to be or however you want to feel.
Diptyque has established an iconic status since it was founded in 1961 by three friends from the art and design school Beaux Arts in Paris – painter Desmond Knox-Leet, architect Christiane Gautrot and theater set designer Yves Coueslant – as a retailer of printed fabrics. In 1963, they began selling candles to match their fabrics, thus three scents were born – Canelle (cinnamon), The (tea) and Aubepine (hawthorne). Back then, scented candles weren’t popular; if anything, candles were utilitarian, but Diptyque established an instant following, thanks to the candles which were made in Grasse, the capital of the French perfume industry.
Knox-Leet was tasked to design the first simple black-and-white label of Diptyque (Coueslant has taken over this job since Knox-Leet died in 1993) and, with his familiarity with pre-war scents, he experimented with Diptyque’s blends.
After the candles, Diptyque came out with its own exclusive line of room sprays, soaps, perfumes, and hair and shower gels. Kristin Scott Thomas once said of a Diptyque scent, "Figs? Carnations? Church! If you spray this on Sunday mornings, you can skip going!"
Candles are still Diptyque’s bestseller – and with good reason, too. The brand has 53 different scents, the deepest for any candle manufacturer.
Now comes Pois de Senteur or Sweet Pea, a romantic, strong scent that comes from a flower that spreads out its airy petals like a butterfly spreading its wings. Sweet Pea is called the "Prince Paradox" of all flowers – still yet bustling with life, gently allowing its pods to burst, spreading its seeds around and perfuming the air where they drop. And when you want to relax, nothing beats a sweet-smelling room.
Diptyque Pois de Senteur, P2,450, and other scents are available at Rustan’s Makati, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Alabang Town Center, and Cebu.
Hmmm. I don’t know about the weight of the world melting away, but my headache is subsiding and my runny nose is feeling a bit of a relief. It must be essential oils such as peppermint, sweet almond and basil, and a host of other ingredients I don’t understand. There’s a tingling sensation on the back of my neck where I applied Origins, and my mood is improving. For some reason, I feel hungry, too.
Origins’ website gives these pieces of advice when you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed: Turn off your cell phone for one hour a day; create rituals for yourself, like going for a morning jog or an evening bath; call a friend and let off steam (at 3 a.m., who else is awake?); get your priorities straight; reconnect with nature; improve your lifestyle habits to boost energy levels and make it easier for you to handle stress; breathe deeply; smile, have a good belly laugh; do one thing at a time; and, of course, reach for Origins Peace of Mind.
As for some quality bath time, try Origins Incredible Spreadable Scrub. The scrub has an amazing smell of olive oil and ginger for that fresh feeling, like you’ve just stepped out of an herbal garden. Apart from these ingredients, it has white and brown sugars to buff the roughness away and brighten dull skin. If you suffer form dry skin, a scrub is in order – and you don’t even have to go an expensive spa for it.
Origins Peace of Mind, 15 ml, P650, and Incredible Spreadable Scrub, P1,580, are available at Rustan’s Essenses Makati.
When Roger Knowles purchased the company in 1969, he discovered a treasure trove of records dating back to the 1800s: 70 handwritten books, mainly medical records, listing the ailments and treatment of patients including members of the royal family and the local gentry. There were also books containing formulas for fragrances dating back to the 19th century. (Alas, there is no royal gossip.)
In October 2000, when Roger retired, he sold the company and a new era in Woods of Windsor’s history began. Today, Woods of Windsor has a loyal following not just in the UK, but also across the world.
To turn your home into a spa, you have a choice of lighting either Woods of Windsor’s incense sticks or its candles, both of which come in a box set. The incense collection contains 80 incense sticks, 40 incense cones and a ceramic holder, available in True Rose, Lily of the Valley, Lavender and White Jasmine.
When unlit, True Rose smells like your mother’s perfume (just a hint of the old-fashioned), but once you light the incense stick, the smell becomes sweet and less heavy.
Its candle collection comes in a set of four votives in True Rose, Lily of the Valley, Lavender and White Jasmine. If, like me, you’re the type who packs room scents when traveling, this box set would be very handy. And while you’re on the go, take its travel kit containing Conditioning Hand and Nail Cream, Body Spray and Manicure Set, the last of which has nail scissors, an emery board, tweezers and a nail file.
Woods of Windsor Incense Collection, P745; Votive Candle set, P695; and Travel Bag, P1,250, are available at Rustan’s Essenses Makati, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, ATC, Gateway Mall, Cebu and Robinsons Place Manila.
Anyway, there’s a reason for the mascot – and the company name. Back in 1993, founder Bill Badger was a carpenter with cracked fingers who happened to like using herbs and cooking up natural remedies (as a kid, he made tea using wild mint). On one instance, he made a batch of balm to cure his fingers and it worked splendidly. He called it Badger Healing Balm and a company was born.
"We make really good stuff," says Badger (the person, not the mascot). "The main ingredient in all of our balms, for instance, is Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We use it because we feel it is the most therapeutic of all skincare oils. When you imagine some ancient Mediterranean goddess lounging by her baths and anointing herself with precious oils, extra virgin olive oil was ‘the balm.’ Speaking of precious oils, all of our essential oils are naturally processed and most of them are either organically grown or otherwise ecologically produced. They come to us from the four corners of the Earth. They smell great and they have the ability to uplift body, mind and spirit. It’s strange, but you can be feeling down, breathe in the fragrance of bergamot or tangerine and find yourself transported to a totally different place."
Bill likes to say that Badger Balm is a "small company working hard to do good things in the world." Good things do come in small packages. Take Badger Balm’s Beauteous Box with its three tins of Sleep Balm, Healing Balm, and Sore Muscle Rub.
The Sleep Balm was accidentally discovered in Badger’s lab. Bill was trying to make a pick-me-upper but the test subjects said the balm made them sleep better instead! So, a sleep enhancer was born – with its calming fragrance of herbs – for you to rub on your lips, temples, back of neck and pulse points on the wrists. Herbs in it include ginger, bergamot, rosemary, balsam fir and lavender.
The Healing Balm is the company’s bestselling product. It heals cracked fingers, dry elbows, heels and feet, soothes windburn, scratches and scrapes. Some people also use it to relieve skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. It has other uses, too. Bill says he uses it to "heal" his baseball glove, and even to condition leathers and clean up tools! Ingredients include olive oil, castor oil, beeswax, aloe vera extract and sweet birch essential oil.
The Sore Muscle Rub is for pain relief. It has natural anti-inflammatory properties thanks to cayenne and ginger. Used prior to physical activity, it helps keep muscles and joints warm and loose. It’s also good for the skin.
Badger Balm Beauteous Box, P695, is available at Rustan’s Essenses Makati, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, ATC, Gateway Mall, Cebu and Robinsons Place Manila.
Its ingredients are basil, bitter orange, chamomile, geranium and hazelut. Just apply it to the entire body or concentrate on specific areas like the nape, back and chest – and voila! you’re good to go.
Clarins Relax Body Oil, 100 ml, P2,050, is available at Rustan’s Makati, Shangri-La Plaza, and ATC.
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