Front Porch Spa Parties: Gilden Tree's New Twist on Summer Fun

Can't quite manage a "girls night out" at your favorite spa? Treat a few dear friends to the next best thing - a home spa party on your own front porch! Just keep it simple, casual and fun. Use what you have, let guests bring a few things of their own, and stick to the dollar store for the rest.

Ann Thariani shares her tips for a great front porch party she recently had with help from her daughter Maya:

Our party was relaxing and fun, but be sure to keep your guest list small - unless you have a giant porch! Our limit was four women and two little girls. Let guests know it's super casual - and ask them to bring their own pumice, nail brush and flip flops.

Getting ready...

Look around and see what you already have. I already had big pitchers for filling foot baths, lots of hand towels, cotton balls and nail polishes and remover. I also had leftover summer cups, plates and napkins. Choose which treatments to do - I decided just to do pedicures, but if you have time, manicures are fun, too.

Serve lemonade, iced tea, or fruity cocktails, and simple snacks. Make sure to have lots of small side tables out for drinks, plates and supplies. Use bright plastic trays and picnicware to hold pedicure supplies. Use big pitchers to fill foot baths, and refill as needed.

Make your own soaks and scrubs - they're super easy and much cheaper! I used Gilden Tree's Revitalizing Foot Soaks, with fresh slices of lemon and mint, but you could just as easily use Epsom Salts and a few drops of olive oil instead. For scrub, I used Gilden Tree Soothing Lotion, and kosher salt blended together. (Gilden Tree Lotion blended at the last moment with sugar also works.)

For moisturizing, I used Nourishing Foot Cream and Shea Butter Skin Repair Cream, because these are really wonderful and you only need a little bit for each person.

Party time! 

When each guest arrives, give them a foot bath, two towels, a small plastic plate and a bucket of supplies (emery board and orange stick). While you're waiting for everyone to arrive, offer beverages and snacks.

Once everyone's arrived, explain that you'll be doing a pedicure that follows four steps: soak, scrub moisturize and protect.

Have everyone remove shoes, and stash them under their chairs. Pass around nail polish remover and cotton balls for anyone who needs to remove polish.

Soak:

Add warm water, 1 Tbsp of foot soaks, a slice of fresh lemon and a few leaves of fresh mint. Let feet soak for at least five minutes.

Scrub:

Put a tablespoon of scrub on each small plastic plate. One foot at a time, have each person massage scrub in up to the ankle. Use a Foot Scrubber or pumice stone to work on calluses and dry skin. Also use a nail brush to clean under nails, and an orange stick to gently push back cuticles. (We avoided using soap and cleansing gel so we wouldn't have to rinse soap off.)

Put feet back in, rinse scrub off, and let soak a bit longer. (You can replace the water at this point, which I did. I kept a large bin handy to collect the used water.)

Moisturize & Protect:

Put 1 1/2 tsp of foot cream and 1/4 tsp Shea Butter Skin Repair Cream on each plastic plate. One foot at a time, lightly dry foot and have them massage in foot cream up to the ankle. Then use Shea Cream on heels and nails, or anywhere that's really dry. Wrap foot in a towel, and repeat for other foot. (Offer fresh towels as needed.)

Remove foot baths, refill glasses and relax for ten minutes or so. 

Pass around a tray of nail polishes, and a bowl of cotton balls soaked in nail polish remover to help dry the nails before polishing. Shape and polish nails. Provide toothpicks and white polish to make fun polka dots.

Refill glasses, admire your gorgeous feet and enjoy watching the sun go down with your friends. It doesn't get any better than that!

Special thanks to Kelly, Jane, Nancy, Jen, Audrey and Ashley for letting us share their party - and also to Maya, for all her wonderful help!

Visit our Home Spa Party section for more information, home spa party supplies, recipes and party themes.