Do your kids love being pampered? Fill an afternoon with spa activities! Your kids will love being included in an afternoon spa day; just mix up some homemade facials and masks, soak your feet, and paint your toes. We love having spa days! My girls could spend all day doing spa activities, choosing nail polish colors, and rubbing on a homemade chocolate mask. I’m excited to share our favorite tips for planning a pampering spa day at home!
Spa day should leave you feeling pampered and your skin feeling silky. We like to start by soaking our feet. Summer time often causes feet to quickly get dirty and calloused. I like to soak my feet in a foot bath of hot water and Epsom salts, which can help relieve sore muscles and help tired feet feel relaxed.
Natural Body Scrub
I enjoy using a natural body scrub on rough areas such as my heels and balls of my feet. Both my girls and I like Active Essentials sugar body scrub because it smells amazing and it is gentle on the skin. Often body scrubs can be harsh or too fragrant for sensitive skin. Active Essentials sugar body scrub is formulated with lavender and sweet orange oils and WITHOUT preservatives, synthetic fragrances, parabens, or GMOs. This luxurious scrub is 100% natural and even hypoallergenic! The sugar is a gentle abrasive to remove dead skin cells and soften callouses without irritating my feet (which are also prone to ‘breakouts of eczema and athlete’s foot). It can be hard to find a body scrub that is gentle while also effective, and Active Essentials is a great choice!
Non-Toxic Mani’s and Pedi’s
As a mom I feel it’s important to at least be aware of what I’m putting on my skin and nails. Many nail polishes contain chemicals and hardeners that weren’t originally intended for cosmetic use. While I haven’t researched many of the common nail polish ingredients, I find it best to use 3-free nail polishes (formulas that contain no formaldehyde, toluene, or dibutyl phthalate). You can even find nail polishes that are even more natural (5-free and 7-free) but 3-free nail polishes are the most common to find.
Tosylamide/Formaldehyde Resin is a very unique resin that modifies nitrocellulose type polymers to form tough and shiny films, which have excellent wear and durability while maintaining high gloss of nail enamel throughout the wear period.
DBP is the main ingredient in creating a “chip-free” lacquer and Toluene creates the smooth texture to the paint.
Other Common Nail Polish Ingredients
Epoxy Resin – alternative to Formaldehyde Resin
Ethyl Acetate
Butyl Acetate
Tosylamide
Isopropyl Alcohol
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3-Free Nail Polish Brands
These brands of nail polish are labeled as Formaledyde-free, Toluene-free, and Dibutyl phthalate-free (DBP). When you buy a polish, read the labels! It never hurts to choose nail polish alternatives with less chemicals.
A Beautiful Life
Adoree
a-england
American Apparel
Anise Cosmetics
Aura-Soma
Bari Cosmetics
BB Couture
Beauty Without Cruelty
butter London
China Glaze
Color Club
Del Sol
Dr’s Remedy
e.l.f.
Finger Paints
Hard Candy
Jamberry
Jessica Cosmetics
Jordana
Julep
Karma Organic Spa
L.A. Girl
Lucy B’s
M2M Jon Natural Nail
Manglaze
Milani
Misa Cosmetics
My Earth
Niyot
Priti
Pure Ice
RJMineral Cosmetics
Savina
SolarActive
Soulstice Spa
SpaGlo
Undercover
Wet N Wild
I let my girls stock up on some new colors from Pure Ice, the nail polish brand most readily available at the store. These colors are so shimmery and it’s nice knowing that Pure Ice is making an effort to offer cosmetics that are free of the harshest chemicals.
Piggy Paint also makes nail polish alternatives for kids that is “natural as mud”. Piggy Paint also offers SOPHi nail polish in more sophisticated colors for women. See our Piggy Paint scented nail polish review »
Softer Skin with Exfoliation
Sloughing off dead surface skin cells to reveal new skin is a great way to prepare your summer skin for winter weather. Regular exfoliation is also a beneficial addition to any skincare regime all times of the year. It’s important to choose a gentle exfoliating product; too harsh and your skin gets irritated, too soft and you won’t get the needed results. DDF Advanced Micro-Exfoliation Cleanser is an ultra hydrating, creamy, glycerin-based cleanser that gently exfoliates with natural rice bran particles to reveal fresh new skin.
I love finding a gentle exfoliating product because I have semi-sensitive combination skin that can easily break out. DDF Advanced Micro-Exfoliation Cleanser made my skin feel softer after the first use and I’ve noticed a smoother completion overall after using this product occasionally. Although I normally wear makeup, this product gives my skin a naturally smooth completion as a great foundation for make-up or even allowing me to enjoy the fresh-faced look. This cleanser is definitely worth trying out for your own skincare routine!
Homemade Chocolate Mask
Last but not least, once you’ve painted your toes and smoothed out your skin with an exfoliating cleanser, it’s time to apply a homemade chocolate mask! This mask is as easy as can be. Simply melt the ingredients together, allow it to cool, and paint the chocolate mask onto your face with a paint brush. Rinse off with warm water and pat dry.
- 2 tbsp. chocolate chips
- 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp honey
DIY chocolate masks are so fun and luxurious!
Which spa day activities are your favorite? We hope you have a blast pampering yourself and your kids with these easy spa day ideas! Just soak your feet, paint your toes, and paint on a chocolate mask. Easy as can be! Then it’s snack time!
Hi, I’m Katie! I live with my husband and 3 kids in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. I love Jesus, coffee, creative projects, taking photos and traveling. I’ve previously worked as a web designer, journalist and barista. I hope you enjoy our creative projects and family adventures!
Very comprehensive and helpful. My nails aren’t so healthy and I think I will try nail polishes that are not toxic.
These are great ideas for regularly using nail polish. I’ll have to look for these brands.
You two are so adorable. I always recommend Piggy Paint to my friends especially to the moms, when it comes to letting their princess/ princesses wear nail polish.
My girl is only 1 so this might have to wait til shes a bit older, however, I have definitely seen her give herself a chocolate facial….
I’ve never heard of a chocolate mask. It looks so easy. I think it is in my near future! 🙂
The list of 3-free nail polish companies was great. I will be pinning that to look at while I am at the store. Thanks!
Aww so sweet and adorable you do a spa day like this 🙂 oh and that chocolate mask sounds totally amazing! I have to try it!!