Recreate A Spa Experience at Home

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As summer days become a distant memory and the winter months approach, staying in for a pamper session is a great way to indulge on a cool autumn night.

With such great products available to use in the comfort of your own home, it's easier than ever to create a salon experience without leaving the house.

Here's Heart's handy guide to the perfect evening of effortless relaxation.

Choose your time wisely

First of all, select a time when you will be able to unwind without interruptions from your partner, family, flatmates or friends. Switch off from the internet, place your phone on silent and choose some soothing music that will eradicate any tension that you might be holding in your body.

Run a hot bath

A long soak in the tub will help you unwind and warm up your body on a chilly evening. Take the time to slow your breathing, empty your mind and focus all your energy on enjoying the moment.

Exfoliate and moisturise

Exfoliating your skin will leave your whole body refreshed. Use Benefit's Refined Finish facial polish (£17.50) on your face. It brightens the complexion and gently exfoliates. Follow with Total Moisture facial cream (£26.50) to hydrate the skin. For the body try Clinique Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliating Cream (£20.00) and follow with Deep Comfort Body Butter (£23.00).

Don't forget to polish the tough skin from your feet with a good scrub or wand. The Body Shop's File A Foot will buff away any dead cells (£5). They also have a great selection of complementary products, all using peppermint oil. The range includes: Cooling Foot Lotion (£8, 250ml); Cooling Foot Spray (£6, 100ml); Reviving Foot Soak (£7, 200g); Purifying Foot Mask (£11, 100ml), Intensive Foot Rescue (£9, 100ml); Soothing Foot Scrub (£7, 100ml); and a Reviving Leg Gel (£7, 250ml).

Open up your pores

Get the salon experience at home by using Dr. Hauschka Facial Steam Bath (£26.75, 100ml). Steam your face by dropping some of the formula into a bowl of hot water, lean over and cover your head with a towel to relax pores and loosen impurities.

Facial

Now that your skin is ready, try a facial kit from Sanctuary. It has everything that you need to revive skin and takes just 30 minutes. Their Winter Facial Kit contains Firming Youth Serum, Life And Brighten Eye Complex, Radiance Exfoliator, Polishing Hot Cloth Cleanser, Stop The Clock Moisturiser with SPF 15 and a 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask. (£20).

If you need a more wallet-friendly option, try the range from Montagne Jeunesse. The Exotic Fruits collection includes Paw Paw Peel Off, Prickly Pear Peel Off and Dragon Fruit Sauna - a self-heating mask. At just £1.29 they are a cost effective alternative to a salon treatment.

Self-tan

After exfoliating the body, the skin will be smooth and be ready to apply self-tan. However, don't moisturise if you are planning to go a shade darker so that the product can soak in properly. There are lots of great self-tan kits on the market. A budget-busting option is the range from St. Moriz - which is priced at under £10 per product. It uses a salon-quality formulation, it's available in medium and dark and in a mousse, lotion and mist formula.

For a temporary glow try Skinsheen by MAC. This leg spray applies like a soft mousse to provide a quick, highly blendable application of colour to legs, arms, shoulders and décolletage. (£21.50).

Manicure/pedicure

The Pedicure Collection by Butter LONDON was inspired by Fashion Week where there is no easy access to water backstage. The range has been designed so there is no need for H2O. Eradicate hard skin with the Rock Off Glycolic Callus Peel (£25). Their Kitten Heels Powder Finish Foot Creme (£25) hydrates yet dissolves to a powder finish to keep feet dry and silky.

Red Carpet Manicure has an at-home kit for professional results without going to the salon. It comes with a prep, base coat gel, seal & shine top coat gel, cuticle oil, LED Gel Polish, pre & post application cleanser, and remover. The system has three easy steps, preparation, care & colour and finish. Each stage is set in just 45 seconds using an LED light. It's not cheap, but is a great investment. (£89.95).