Ahhh...Your At-Home Spa

Spa Menu

Life doesn't get much better than when you kick off your shoes, hit the "hold" button on your hectic schedule, and relax with your closest friends. (That's after husband and kids have been sent on an outing without you!) Want to make the most of this time? Treat yourself to an afternoon of at-home spa indulgences.

It's easier than you think. All it takes is a bit of preparation. Stock up on the elements that even the most luxurious spas rely on, and you'll quickly see that their secrets can be yours, too.

So, let the spa party begin. Here, we show you how.

What's on the (Spa) Menu? Every spa needs a menu -- an array of sigh-inducing treatments -- and your at-home version is no exception. While full-body treatments do require a pro's touch, you still have plenty of options, including:

Fabulous Facial Masks: Few things say spa quite like facial masks. Choose from one of our homemade recipes or treat yourself and your guests to a store-bought clay mask (to purify oily skin) or a cream mask (to moisturize dry complexions). Some to try: Origins You're Getting Warmer purifying clay mask ($18.50) and Phytomer Hydrating Facial Mask ($23.95).

Hand and Feet Treats: Take turns pampering each other's hands and feet with scrubs and soaks. Good to try: the all-you-need Lucky Chick Tingling Tootsies Beauty Bag ($30) with a eucalyptus foot soak and peppermint products, including foot mist, scrub, and foot-and-leg lotion.

Eye Candy: It sounds so simple, yet the act of just closing your eyes can help recharge your batteries. Have a friend massage your temples with a lavender essential oil, such as those listed on the next page, and enhance the effect with an eye mask. Try the tissue-thin Talika Eye Decompress ($25 for nine masks), which you first dip into a solution of cooling cornflower and rose petal extracts. Another option: gel pads, which can be warmed up in hot water or cooled in the fridge. Two to try: Oscar + Dehn Cooling Eye Mask ($12), and Origins Fun and Fruity Eye Lids ($6). Sigh.