Save Money By Creating a Spa Day at Home

by Vinny on October 2, 2011

Who doesn’t love the spa? A spa day can be a great stress reducer and everyone loves a little indulgence. But that indulgence also tends to come with a price. Spa services are not cheap and times are tough, so what is a girl to do? The solution is to create your own spa day at home. By doing it yourself, you can save money, while also enjoying some self indulgence without the stress of choosing a spa and driving there. Below are tips on how to create your own relaxing spa day without spending a lot of money.

Assure a Quite House

An at home spa day is not the time to have children running around, roommate partying, or a spouse working in the shop. Make arrangements for childcare, and pick a time when the roommates or spouse is gone. All you need are a few hours of quiet time.

Start With A Clean Room

A messy bathroom is hardly relaxing. Start with a freshly cleaned room with clean towels and supplies.

Organize Your Supplies

Get together all of the essentials for your spa day. Items to gather include a bathrobe and slippers, clean towels, candles placed around the tub, a facial mask, foot file or pumice stone, manicure and pedicure items, body lotion, bath oil or bath salts, a deep conditioning hair treatment, some healthy snacks, and soothing music. Visit the beauty sales aisle of your local drugstore to look for spa items on sale. You can also save money by getting great quality bargain items, such Queen Helene masks, which are always very affordable but equal in quality to many more expensive brands. You can also save on deep conditioner for you hair by using warm olive oil instead. It is a great conditioner that is usually already in your kitchen!

Your Spa Day In Action

With everything gathered and the house calm and quiet, you are now ready for your spa day! Here are some tips on carrying it through.

Before you start, do some easy exercise, stretching, or yoga. That will help you to relax. Turn off all phones and adjust the lighting to something calming. Light candles and place them around the tub. Put on some slow and soothing music.

Take a bath, wet, your hair and apply a deep conditioning hair treatment. Wrap your head in a warm towel and add some bath salts or oil to your bath. While in the bath, scrub your feet with a pumice stone or foot file. You might also wish to apply your facial mask while relaxing in the tub. In the alternative, apply the mask after the bath and lie down and relax in a warm robe while it goes to work. If you are hungry, eat some healthy snacks.

After your hair treatment and mask are completed and removed and you are fully dry after the bath, do your nails. You can do just a manicure or pedicure, or both. You can find fun and affordable nail kits at the local drugstore.

Finish your spa day with some relaxation exercises. Lie quietly and meditate, or do some light yoga or stretching. This will assure that you finish your spa day calm and relaxed.

Carleen Coulter is the author of two beauty blogs, Girl Gloss and Beauty and Fashion Tech, which includes a popular buyer’s guide with full home laser hair removal reviews.

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How to Find Designer Handbags Cheap

by Vinny on June 22, 2011

Handbags are stylish and practical accessories that any woman carries. The reasons for owning them are numerous; to store things, to accentuate outfits, and to enhance personality. They also make wonderful gifts to others and are sold in different styles, colors, sizes, and shapes.

Designs and Styles

The most popular kinds are leather handbags. They come with or without straps, and handles. Monogram and plain leather bags are favorites among women because they look great, feel smooth, require little care, and are durable.

Cotton handbags are practical and modern. These handbags come in printed or plain styles and make nice tote bags, satchel bags and carrying bags.

There are also designer bags that are usually produced in limited quantities and are priced higher. Made from real alligator or crocodile skin, the styles are unique with metal straps and accents of semi-precious stones to achieve a stunning effect.

And, if you cannot afford the real one, handbags are sold using faux leather. They look good and come in an array of designs (some even eclectic) and colors that are pleasing to the eye.

Shapes and Sizes

Handbags come in all sorts of shapes and sizes ranging from the typical square and rectangular bags to round, triangular, and boxed ones. Sizes vary from the smallest bag that can only fit a hand to the biggest handbag that can hold a laptop, among other things.

Handbag Colors

The colors of handbags change with each season. Light and brightly colored bags like orange, yellow, beige, purple and green are often available only in spring and summer. Muted and earth colors such as black, brown and gray bags are found throughout the seasons.

Uses

Handbags are used primarily to store and carry the personal items of a woman. They are very good in complementing attires for different occasions, formal or casual.

Prices

Prices vary across brands, materials, and styles. Top end brands that produce one-of-a-kind bags command the highest prices. However, good quality and stylish handbags can also be found at a fraction of the cost of designer bags.

Where to Find the Best Deals on Handbags

Finding the best bargains in handbags is a challenge to anyone. It requires lots of patience and a good eye to spot good deals. Coach signature bags are available for purchase on Amazon, Nordstrom, and Macy’s.

If you want to buy affordable designer bags, eBags is an online store that sells handbags made by Cole Haan, Michael Korbs, Just Cavalli, Francesco Biasia, and Kate Spade.

Hobo bags, shoulder bags, tote bags, shopper bags in leather, cotton canvas, and faux leather are available at Overstock. Kenneth Cole, Burberry, and Nina West are some designers that offer bags at this store.

If you are looking for high-end brands such as Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Prada, the best option is to purchase them at the designers’ stores. This is to avoid getting knockoffs and to guarantee that you are buying an original product.

Pre-owned and new Chanel bags are listed on Ebay but the choices are limited. Saks Fifth Avenue also carries an assortment of Gucci and Prada bags at different price points.

Monogram Speedy Handbags and Keepall shoulder bags made by Louis Vuitton are sold exclusively at their stores across the world. You can also customize bags to include your initials and your choice of color. This can take up to eight weeks.

Coco Chanel bags as well as unique pieces are sold in Chanel stores in the US, Europe, and other parts of the world. These handbags are limited in series and are made from alligator, crocodile or python skin. A few bags are bedecked with cabochon jewelry.

Zappos sells handbags from Kenneth Cole, Guess, Fossil, Bally, Salvatorre Ferragamo, and Carolina Herrera to name a few.

Finally, if you have little patience to shop and browse online, consider using Nextag. This is a price comparison shopping website where you can find a variety of handbags and purses made from different materials. You just have to enter a keyword for your search and the handbags will be displayed with the corresponding prices, reviews and links to the store where you can purchase them.

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