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In praise of the Mom spa

Categories: Just for moms

I get my hair highlighted and cut once every two months, and besides that, I do not have any kind of luxurious beauty routine. Bi-weekly eyebrow waxes and pedicures and sporadic facials went the way of the dodo bird when I had my son. I had to work full time, and when I wasn't working, I wanted to hang out with him much more than I ever wanted to get specially chosen hairs ripped out of my face.

But I am still a (relatively) young woman. I still yearn for smooth skin and orderly eyebrows. I can't go out to the salons and spas like I used to, but I've accumulated enough product to periodically conduct my own home-spa rituals, in the comfort of my 1970's bathroom, long after my son is asleep and the workday is done.

Below are a few excellent products for Moms looking for a little at-home pampering:

1. A stingy, tingly face mask -- Lush makes an incredible face mask that leaves skin feeling smooth, pink, and glowy. The Mask of Magnaminty is made with only fresh ingredients -- so it has a short shelf life (4 months) but it's worth every penny. The blue green mask draws out mud and impurities and dries tightly on the face, shrivelling up in that oddly satisfying way.
2. Blackhead removers -- Instead of a facial, you can splurge on pore removers that can be bought at a drug store. The original (and in my opinion, still best) strips are Biore. You stick them on your nose, forehead or chin and let them dry, and sit back and watch all your creepy imperfections come rocketing off your face. It's inexplicably awesome, and your clogged pores will be free again.
3. Bath bombs -- There is something about sitting back in a bath with a fizzy bath bomb. Again, Lush reigns supreme for me since they often create bombs with tiny rosebuds or minty sprigs that decorate the bath water with perfumed grace. My favorite is big blue: there is a secret ingredient in there that makes my legs feel like whipped silk.
4. Refrigerated spoons -- I used to use cucumbers to reduce the puffy bags under my eyes, then someone told me about tea bags. Neither did the trick for me, but chilly spoons feel awesome, and seem to have a mysterious power in reducing my undereye puffiness. Refrigerated spoons feel especially good over a face-tightening mask.
5. A big, thick new magazine -- A glossy, picture-filled magazine is a great stress reliever, especially when there are no articles about the stress and foibles of parenting. In Style is my favorite, but any glossy rag will do. Bonus points if you can read it on the tub, with a bath bomb swirling and a face mask working.

What are some of your favorite indulgent products? Dish.

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