Can’t make it to the Maldives this year? No problem. Then bring the Maldivian spa home to you with an island-themed DIY spa day.
The Maldives tops the list of the world’s most luxurious travel destinations. The archipelago nation sits in the heart of the Indian Ocean, with over 1,100 islands washed in porcelain sand and Tiffany blue water.
Each year, tourists flock to the Maldives to sample the islands’ overwater bungalow resorts and underwater restaurants and spas. One of the most renowned spas is the Huvafen Fushi, a bonafide dreamland nestled in the idyllic North Malé Atoll. The spa offers an 11-page menu of customizable services and houses an underwater spa room and yoga studio.
But if a Maldivian spa trip isn’t in your future, why not do the next best thing and bring the spa home to you?
Below you’ll find three Huvafen Fushi spa treatments and DIY tips to recreate the experience at home. All DIY tips come from Beauty and Travel Reviews, based on personal experience and research.
DIY Spa Tip 1: Coconut Hair Repair
First, Huvafen Spa guests pamper their hair with a deep-conditioning treatment using coconuts plucked from the island trees. The 30-minute service combines scalp massage with deep conditioning to nourish and hydrate hair.
But you can make your own conditioner with a few easy steps.
Items
- a microwavable bowl
- 1-2 tbsp of extra virgin coconut oil
- a squeeze bottle (optional)
- 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tbsp camellia oil (optional)
Instructions
- In a dish, combine the oils and stir. Use 1 tablespoon of each oil if you have short hair and 2 tablespoons if you have long hair.
- Next, stir the oils and microwave for 10 seconds.
- Then, pour the mixture into a squeeze bottle, or use your hands to apply the oil to dry hair.
- Gently massage the oil into your scalp, and comb from roots to ends until all your hair is coated.
You can even use coconut oil alone. But whichever oil you use, leave it on for at least three hours or keep it on overnight for extra shine. Then, shampoo twice to remove all the oil, and condition your hair as usual.
Products to Try
Coconut oil: Sunee’s Special Maldivian Coconut Oil is one product to try. The extra virgin coconut oil is made and sold by Maldivian entertainer Suneetha Ali. According to Ali’s Twitter page, the coconut oil is 100% natural and made from Maldivian coconuts, and it’s even safe for babies’ skin. Plus, fans say it smells like a tropical island.
Another option? Try Kuri’s coconut oil, another Maldivian brand. Or try these DIY hair oil masks to boost shine.
Olive oil: Although Pompeian Robust Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Olive Oil isn’t made in the Maldives, it still smooths and softens your hair. Product sizes range from 16 oz. to 101 oz., with prices starting at $5.19 via Amazon.
Camellia oil: Cocojojo’s camellia oil is a Beauty and Travel Reviews favorite. Although native to Japan, camellia oil’s light floral scent makes it a perfect addition to your at-home spa day.
Plus, the oil tames frizz and flyaways and softens hair, lending it a glassy shine. Product sizes range from 8 oz. to a gallon, and prices vary by size. (Learn more about camellia oil’s skin and hair benefits and see these DIY hair growth masks from around the world.)
DIY Spa Tip 2: Dead Sea Salt Body Scrub
Next, revitalize your skin with a dead sea salt scrub. Maldivian spa guests use coffee or tea scrubs, and you can enjoy a similar treat at home.
According to WebMD, dead sea salt is packed with magnesium, which calms inflammation, improves skin tone, balances moisture levels, and nourishes skin.
So make your own at-home scrub to enjoy the same full-body bliss.
Items
- 1 cup of dead sea salt
- 1/2 cup of extra virgin coconut (or olive) oil
- a mixing bowl
- a loofah (optional)
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine dead sea salt with extra virgin coconut or olive oil, and mix well.
- Then, step into a warm shower and rinse for one minute.
- Return to your mixing bowl, and apply the scrub using your hands or a loofah.
- Gently massage the scrub into your skin from your décolleté to your toes. Scrub no longer than 30 seconds, and use a light touch to prevent irritation.
Products to Try
Sea salts: Aromasong’s dead sea salts contain dead sea minerals and mud to revive and nourish your skin. You can buy a 2.43-lb. or a 5-lb. bag on Amazon with your choice of lavender or unscented formulations.
Body oil: Then, after scrubbing, slather on Tom Ford’s Soleil Blanc, a shimmering body oil that smells like amber, bergamot, and summertime. You can also buy a $34 travel-size bottle.
DIY Spa Tip 3: Cryotherapy With Facial Massage
Next, Huvafen Spa guests enjoy a combination of facial massage and cryotherapy to tone their skin, fight aging, and relieve tension in their facial muscles.
According to CryoBar, a spa specializing in these services, cryotherapy uses cooling agents to boost circulation, slow aging, calm inflammation, and reduce the appearance of pores.
Your skin will also love the facial massage, which detoxes skin, boosts blood flow, and lends skin a healthy glow. Better yet, facial massage may even fight acne, says Healthline.
So follow the steps below to create your own at-home version of these Maldivian spa treatments.
Step 1: Ice Pack / Ice Water
Ice therapy de-puffs tired eyes and gives dull skin an insta-glow. Plus, ice is the simplest (and cheapest) way to do cryotherapy at home.
To begin, wrap the ice pack or ice cubes in a thin cloth or a Ziploc bag before applying it to your skin. Then, press the ice pack against your cheeks, pressing then releasing for a few seconds each time as you make your way around your face. Repeat this process for three to five minutes.
Step 2: Cold Cucumber Face Mask and Eye Gels
Next, treat yourself to some cold cucumber, one of the best ways to revive tired eyes and skin. The cold reduces swelling and de-puffs haggard eyes, making you look refreshed. Plus, cucumber detoxes, nourishes, and hydrates skin.
To begin, refrigerate the cucumber eye gels and face mask for 20 minutes (or overnight). Then apply both for 10 minutes. You can use the eye gels before or after your cucumber mask; either way works well.
Products to Try
Try Peter Thomas Roth’s Cucumber Eye Hydra-Gels or Beauty Lux’s Anti-Fatigue Cucumber Eye Gels to fade dark circles, brighten, and de-puff your eyes.
Then, apply Peter Thomas Roth’s cucumber gel mask or Raya’s Cucumber Ice Sorbet mask to detox, hydrate, and brighten your skin.
Step 3: Facial Massage
Finally, end your spa day with a facial massage to boost blood flow and circulation. See this YouTube video by Abigail James, who guides you through this process.
More DIY Spa Ideas
However, your at-home spa day wouldn’t be complete without the right spa tunes, candles, and slippers. Feel free to use any items you like, but here are some ideas to help you recreate the island spa experience at home.
Spa music: Play Body Mind Zone’s YouTube video for six hours of musical bliss. It sets the perfect tone for your at-home spa day, whisking you off to the Maldives even if only in your mind.
Spa candles: Next, stock up on some spa candles. Try DW Home’s Vanilla Coconut Candle to stay in sync with the island theme. Or try Monique Lhuillier’s Homescent Lidded Candle Pot in Rose Quartz or La Lueur’s Bergamot Rudaceae candle.
Another option? Add your own homemade essential oil blend to an oil diffuser. For instance, try Dr. Axe’s Essential Oil Diffuser with P & J’s tropical-scented essential oils, a variety pack of mango, coconut, ocean breeze, and other island scents.
Spa mani pedi: Then treat yourself to a mani pedi with these fun Smith and Cult nail polishes, pictured below. It’s hard to go wrong with any color from this brand.
Spa slippers: Next, grab some fuzzy spa slippers to keep your feet cozy while your skin soaks up those healing sea minerals.
Spa smoothie: And your at-home spa day wouldn’t be the same without a refreshing spa smoothie. So, try these mango, kiwi, and passion fruit smoothies for some delicious, skin-friendly treats.
Final Thoughts
So just because you can’t visit the Maldives doesn’t mean you can’t feel like you went. You can recreate the Maldivian spa experience at home with a few easy steps. Grab a spa candle, some spa tunes, some fuzzy slippers, and then pamper your skin and hair with these DIY spa treatments.
Afterward, you’ll look and feel brand new, and who knows? Your friends just might think you visited that Maldivian spa. Now, enjoy your at-home spa day—and your new hair and skin—and check back for more beauty reviews and skincare tips.
This article first appeared on Beauty and Travel Reviews./ Featured photo credit: swisshippo / Getty Images via Canva
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