Let’s face it, when it’s 15 degrees outside and you’re stuck inside, you can’t help but feel the winter blahs weaken your spirit. Even if for a few hours, a little pampering can refresh and invigorate you. These uplifting treatments and brand-new products will make the bitter temperatures a bit more tolerable.
Shirodhara Massage
Shirodhara is an ancient Ayurvedic soothing therapy used to alleviate a “blue mood” and is still used in India as a medicinal anti-depressant treatment. At Deerfield’s Renu Day Spa, Shirodhara massage is popular, particularly during the winter months. Anna Pamula, owner of Renu Day Spa and a certified aromatherapist, incorporates aromatherapy oils into her beauty treatments to address ailments from depression to low energy.
“Reflexology with sesame or coconut oil will balance all of your energy centers (also known as Dosha Balancing),” Pamula says. “Sesame oil is known as the ‘oil of happiness’ and according to Ayurveda and many of the eastern cultures, oils carry vital energy since they come from seeds.”
Accupressure Foot Massage
When the weather turns colder, Chicago TV personality and lifestyle expert Karen Firsel heads to King Spa and Sauna in Niles for their signature acupressure foot massage.
“King Spa is one of the most unbelievable and beautiful spa experiences in the area,” Firsel says. “It’s a Korean Bath House with numerous dry sauna experiences, massage and facial therapy, and even an in house café. It’s incredibly special and the best place to detox and get through these brutal winter months. Every time I go there, I leave completely rejuvenated and feeling 100 percent better.”
Heated Body Wrap
If one of your guilty pleasures is watching “Keeping Up With The Kardashians,” you may have caught the episode in which Khloe and Kourtney get wrapped like hot potatoes in warming blankets to help sweat out toxins and burn calories. At Chicago’s Leah Chavie Skincare Boutique, the intimate oasis lets you try just that, but they take it one step further. Lay in a heated body wrap while your face and neck are exposed to infrared lights, which work to repair damaged skin, even skin tone and improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. After an hour under the lights and blanket, my body felt lighter and my skin felt a bit tighter.
“The lights deliver a precise wavelength of visible red light that penetrates deep into the skin to stimulate fibroblast activity to naturally boost the production of collagen (the protein responsible for plump, healthy skin),” Chavie says. “The lights are also warm so you feel nice and cozy while enjoying the treatment.”
At-Home Pick Me Ups
If you can’t make it to a spa or would rather create some zen in the comfort of your own bathroom, there are many at-home beauty treatments that will uplift and brighten your mood.
When your skin craves hydration in these drying, cold months, try Tata Harper’s Moisturizing Mask ($110 for 1.7 fl. oz.). This rich mask treatment moisturizes like no other. After applying the mask and leaving it on overnight, I woke up with dewy and refreshed looking skin. I noticed such a difference that I handed the bottle to my mom when I saw her the next day and urged her to try it for herself.
Had a bad night’s sleep? Eye patches have become the latest way to reduce puffiness and eliminate under-eye circles quickly. Eyeko Hydrogel Eye Patch ($18 for 4 sets) and Klorane Smoothing and Relaxing Patches ($18 for 7 sets) are treatments that won’t break the bank, yet vitamins and botanicals in each patch work to brighten dark shadows and wake up tired skin. Since both brand’s patches work in just 20 minutes, you can stick on a pair as you blow-dry your hair or prep for an important event.
