The best spas in the world strive to create an intimate, soothing atmosphere, where you can relax and enjoy treatments that help nourish body, mind and spirit. What could be more intimate and comfortable than close friends in your own home? It's one of the reasons Home Spa parties have become so popular.
Good planning and preparation will make your spa party much easier and more fun for everyone, so we're sharing what we've learned from our own experiences.
There are two ways to organize a home spa party.
#1. Hire a spa professional to come and provide treatments to your guests in turn, such as a massage therapist.
#2. If hiring someone is not in your budget, the alternative is to have guests take turns giving each other treatments.
Be aware that not every guest will be comfortable with every treatment, but with a little gentle encouragement, trying something new can be a lot of fun for everyone.
The Schedule: Two to three weeks ahead
Send out invitations, asking guests to bring a comfy robe to wear. If you are lucky enough to be able to hire a spa professional, be sure to schedule him or her first. Your spa professional will be able to guide you as to the setup he or she requires. Many of these steps will be the same for either kind of party.
Determine which treatments you will be sharing. Most common are pedicures, manicures and facials. Short massages are also very popular. If you have a hand massager, with simple instructions for back and shoulder massages, that can be fun, too.
The Schedule: Day before
Arrange as big and open a space as possible, leaving only very comfortable chairs and a few tables. Create "stations" where guests will give each other manicures, pedicures and facials, or create portable stations on large trays, that you will rotate through the party.
Your bathroom will see heavy traffic, so be sure it's clean and stocked with plenty of towels, cotton balls, nail polish remover and makeup remover.
Make sure you have all the supplies you will need.
For each treatment station, make a note card with simple instructions for the treatment. You can also include a topic to meditate/share, such as a wellness goal you'd like to work towards.
The Schedule: Day of
Create a soothing atmosphere, with soft, appropriate music, soft lighting, fresh flowers and lots of candles twinkling here and there.
Set up a refreshment area with healthy beverages, such as hot tea, iced water in a beautiful jug with fresh cut fruit in it, or whatever matches the theme of your party.
If you'll be serving lunch or dinner, be sure to have everything prepared ahead of time, so you won't be busy in the kitchen away from guests. Food should be fairly simple and healthy - with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. If you can afford it, many caterers offer fresh, healthy choices.
Assemble your Supplies: Remember, dollar stores have much of what you'll need.
- Footbaths and plastic bowls for soaking hands
- Inexpensive headbands (if doing facials)
- Flip flops (dollar stores often have these)
- Lots of hand towels, and washcloths. If you don't have enough washcloths, buy really good quality paper towels, tear them off the roll, fold and stack them neatly in baskets.
- River stones for massage
- Cotton balls
- New nail files, orange sticks, and inexpensive pumice stones (one per guest)
- Nail polish in a variety of colors
- Thermoses or a couple of pitchers for warm water
- Somewhere to empty out footbaths, and a basket for soiled towels.
It's best to ask each guest to bring her own clippers for sanitary reasons
For massage, the massage therapist will bring a table or massage chair and massage oil. Be sure to ask them about linens.
When guests arrive:
When guests arrive, show them to a room to change in, and offer them a beverage. Once all guests are changed and ready, you'll need to explain how the stations work. If you have enough supplies, either you can have everyone take turns at the same treatment, or if not, they can rotate through the stations. If you have a spa professional, be sure to talk about the length of time you can allow for each treatment.
Plan to allow at least 15-20 minutes for each treatment, with each guest taking a turn giving and receiving. Probably 3-4 treatments will be all you can handle, and 2-3 makes for a more relaxed evening.
Your job:
Your job is to make sure that there are plenty of warm towels, with used towels and washcloths removed. Keep an eye on the stations to make sure they stay neat and clean, with plenty of warm water. Refresh guests' beverages from time to time as well. Healthy snacks can be offered throughout.
You may want to enjoy a treatment, but resist the temptation to do more than one or two - taking care of your guests will just keep you too busy!
When guests leave:
It's always fun to send guests home with a little goodie bag, which can include some of the tools they used.
A final thought:
Don’t worry too much the first time you host a party, if not everyone gets to try a treatment, or if people get through early. Even professional spas have a hard time scheduling everything smoothly, and the main reason to have your party is to enjoy being together! Everyone will have a great time just doing something different, so relax, let it happen and enjoy!
