NEW! Create a Spa in your Bathroom with Elemis!

Last week, this arrived at my door...

This is what was in it...

A cardboard spa-house on an otherwise arduous Thursday is my idea of a good time, especially when it's filled with Elemis goodies. The new sp@home range is designed to recreate the ambience and post-treatment results of the day spa, all in the comfort of your own home. There are 5 colour-coded sub-ranges within the collection - body performance, body exotics, body awaken, body soothing, body anti-ageing - containing a selection of the brand's hero buys, as well as 14 new products. I was sent 4 of them to try so I decided to light a few candles, soak in an oil-based bath and embrace the spa lifestyle in my little bathroom.

Quiet Mind Temple Balm, £14
As a major anxiety-headache sufferer, I'm a fan of these stress-busting balms. Applied to the temples, the balm uses a blend of essential oils to calm and harmonise the mind. I put this on before my spa sesh to get me in the right frame of mind. I found the balm a little runny but as soon as I started to massage in I felt a soothing, cooling sensation. I have to say that for me, nothing can compete with Origins Peace of Mind On the Spot Relief, £11 (Boots), but this did give a similar feeling of refreshment.

Tranquil Touch Body Polish, £20

Once in the bath, I massaged this polish into my legs, arms and decolletage. It's perhaps not as abrasive as I would like, but then again the scrubs I favour are perhaps a little harsh for twice-weekly use. This buffer contains a natural rice exfoliator to slough dead skin, while Cupuacu butter nourishes and moisturises. My skin really did feel softer and hydrated. The scent, as you'd expect from an Elemis spa product, is simply lovely, with essential oils of patchouli, mandarin and ginger.

Cellutox Active Body Oil, £30.70.
I love body oils, so one that also tackles cellulite was always going to be popular with me. The lemon really comes through scent-wise so you're left with a sense of lightness and freshness. The oil melts into the skin and gets to work on detoxifying the body with a cocktail of sea buckthorn, sea fennel, juniper and of course lemon essential oils. I haven't noticed any improvement in my lumps and bumps yet - I have only been using it for a few days - but my skin certainly feels smoother.





Treat Your Feet Foot Cream, £16

This is pretty much what you'd expect from a premium foot cream. Don't get me wrong, it smells gorgeous - that will be the blend of patchouli, eucalyptus and lemon oils then - and the texture is satisfyingly thick and creamy. The shea butter jojoba oil formula leaves skin soft for a couple of hours but I think my feet will need a bit more work.



As for DIY vs at the spa relaxation, well I probably did feel just as tranquil as I would've done in the spa. Yes I had to apply the products myself (what a chore!) and I was missing the panpipe music and fluffy robe but being in the comfort of my own home gave me an extra sense of calm and comfort that I wouldn't have felt stripping off to a pair of paper pants in the spa. All the products are available now at timetospa.co.uk Sx