Everything You Need for a Self-Care Day

Written by: Cora Gold

The perfect self-care day doesn’t require a trip to a pricey spa. An at-home relaxation day can be the ultimate form of self-love, but your prep work determines how indulgent the experience feels. Here’s everything you need to custom-make a self-care day for you and perhaps someone you love.

Why You Need a Self-Care Day (and Why It Isn’t Selfish)

Think back to the last time you felt under the weather. How did poor health impact your ability to relate to those around you or be productive? It probably made you a bit snippy and shorter with others than usual. Maybe you pushed through your daily routine at half-mast but didn’t produce your best work.

The same things occur when you go too long without a break, but the effects are often longer-lasting and more severe. Stress affects your mental state, making you more likely to develop burnout, anxiety, depression or substance abuse disorder. When it remains unaddressed, it can spur or worsen physical health conditions, including high blood pressure, headaches, heart problems, diabetes and arthritis.

These mental and physical health conditions destroy your ability to give your best self to others. Taking a self-care day isn’t selfish — it’s necessary preventative maintenance for caring for the human machine.

Planning Your Self-Care Day — the Day Before

Gathering everything you need for a self-care day begins with planning the activities. Do so the day before to give yourself adequate time to gather the supplies for the relaxing indulgences of your choice.

Suggested Activities for a Self-Care Day 

The following activities are perfect for your solo self-care day, although you can certainly share them with a friend or partner:

• Cleansing teas

• Gentle exercise

• Hot baths

• Facials

• Manicures and pedicures

• Hair care 

• Nutrition 

• Yoga

• Meditation 

• Journaling

• Reading and reflection

Sharing a Self-Care Day With a Friend or Partner 

Are you sharing your self-care day with a friend or a partner? If so, you can expand your repertoire with the following activities:

• Massage

• Acupressure 

Plan your self-care day by writing a schedule of events similar to what you’d find when booking a retreat. For example, you might begin the day with sunrise meditation and yoga, followed by sipping herb tea in your garden. From there, you might indulge in a light workout, followed by a couples massage or facial session. Your day might end with a nourishing meal, and quiet reading and reflection before bed.

Supply List for the Ultimate Self-Care Day 

Once you have your schedule planned for your self-care day, it’s time to gather the supplies. However, feel free to add to your stash of self-care supplies at any time. Giving yourself a break is easier when you have what you need at your fingertips.

1. A Spa Menu 

French fries might be your favorite comfort food, but your self-care day requires a menu that nurtures and nourishes your body. A fresh, organic, plant-based menu delivers a wallop of vitamins and minerals in readily absorbable forms.

For example, leafy greens and broccoli are chock-full of B vitamins, and including some tomatoes and bell peppers in that salad provides vitamin C. Add a bit of salmon for protein and omega-3s — a type of fat your brain and heart crave.

2. Teas and an Infuser

You can purchase ready-to-brew versions of your favorite teas. However, an infuser lets you craft custom blends like cayenne and turmeric, and loose-leaf tea is more sustainable than disposable tea bags. You’ll also need the accessories you love for the perfect cuppa, such as:

• Milk, almond milk or coconut milk

• Honey, organic monk fruit or stevia for sweetener 

• Whole spices for garnish, like cinnamon sticks or cardamom pods 

• A whisk if you’re a matcha fan

3. Comfortable Clothes

Your self-care day clothes should make you say, “Aah.” Pick versions that are appropriate for the activities planned, but the number one quality to seek is that they feel great on your body.

4. Candles and Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy works by activating scent receptors that set off a cascade of electrical and chemical signals in your body. There’s a good reason many spas smell like lavender or eucalyptus. Choose equally soothing scents for your diffuser.

Candles provide gentle illumination and provide a focal point for meditation, but the type you choose matters. Soy candles release fewer volatile organic compounds — harmful air pollutants — than paraffin. They also create less landfill waste, which contributes to air pollution by producing methane during anaerobic decay.

5. A Yoga Mat

A yoga mat is essential for your practice, whether you gravitate toward energetic power flows or relaxing Yin. Start your day with an invigorating version and ease into sleep with a gentle restorative class.

6. DIY Face and Hair Potions 

Sure, you can buy OTC potions, which can cut your prep load if they work well for you. However, mixing them yourself lets you customize the ingredient list for your unique hair and skin. Whether you buy or DIY, you’ll need one or more of the following:

• Facial cleanser

• Toner

• Exfoliant

• Facial mask

• Moisturizer

• Shampoo

• Conditioner

• Hair mask

7. Nail Care and DIY Foot Scrubs

You’ll also need products for taking care of your hands and feet, including:

• Clippers and emery boards

• Cuticle sticks

• Cuticle oil

• Thick exfoliants like an oatmeal scrub for heels and rough, cracked hands

• Moisturizer

• Polish, if desired

8. Massage Oils and Lotions

If you’re working with a partner, the right oils or lotions make trading massages much more pleasant. The aromatherapy aspect of a pleasing cream also benefits you if using a wand or similar device to work out knots. Experiment with warming versions — some people love the additional heat — but also keep a neutral oil like argan on hand.

9. Bath Accessories 

Sinking into a hot bath is a self-care day treat. It’s even better when you make it one a celebrity would envy. If you don’t have a jetted tub, consider investing in a portable device — many find the motion of moving water soothing.

Then, adorn your bath. You might add: 

• Epsom salts

• Flower petals

• Bubble bath

• Tea bags

10. Books and Journals 

Uplifting books you might want to dive into on a self-care day include:

• “Just One Thing” by Dr. Michael Mosley

• “Speak Your Truth” by Fearne Cotton

• “Good Vibes, Good Life: How Self-Love Is the Key to Unlocking Your Greatness” by Vex King

You’ll also want a pretty journal and pen to write down your thoughts about what you read. You can also simply pour out anything troubling you, taking it from your head and putting it on the page, where you can examine it and let it go.

11. Oodles of Comfy Blankets and Pillows 

A self-care day is all about comfort. A weighted blanket and tons of pillows come in handy for a restful nap, and serve as props for restorative or Yin yoga classes.

12. Soft Music 

Opt for solfeggio tones intended to spur healing or increase self-enlightenment, or you can experiment with binaural beats. The latter works best with headphones, letting you fall into a peaceful soundscape even if your self-care day takes place in a noisy apartment.

Everything You Need for a Self-Care Day

A self-care day is like a routine oil change for your body and mind. These healing practices aren’t the sole province of spas — you can recreate the experience in the privacy of your home with the right supplies.

Indulging in a self-care day from time to time is a necessary reset and doing so in a familiar environment lets you truly relax. Whether you fly solo or invite a partner or friend, the tips above will have you luxuriating in bliss.