The Mum’s Guide to Fitting a Spa Day Into 60 Minutes

May 8 | 3 minute read

Words by Julia Lubitz

Is an entire day at a spa unrealistic? Introducing MECCA’s best ‘spa hour’ gifts.

Parenting is a full-time job – without the annual leave, LinkedIn title and, crucially, compensation. Add in paid work and, BOOM, you have two full-time roles for the price of one!

If that mythical ‘spa day’ you so deserve for Mother’s Day is simply unrealistic, follow my lead with a low commitment ‘spa hour’. My 60-minute spa experience will take place at home, uninterrupted (by both children and husband), sound-proofed (by a playlist or podcast) and under candle-lit conditions (more on that below).

If you too find yourself bound by the upper limit of one hour alone, behold my list of spa-hour-at-home essentials that will also make the perfect gift for a mum in the same boat (or should I say, bath?).

Fill your tub

They say that to give of yourself to others, you need to fill your own cup first. I say, draw a hot bath and soak for 30 minutes. Add a handful of Officine Universelle Buly Fragrant Bath Salts and let them magically detox your body of stress and tension. Your eyes need a break, too, so turn off the harsh downlights and light a Paul Smith Rose Candle for a flicker. If you are so inclined, burn Vyrao’s Verdant Incense for a low-smoke aromatic touch.

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Hold space for your face

I’m partial to doing my face routine immersed in water in a near-supine position. A balm cleanser is one of life’s greatest discoveries – it has enough slip to massage super gently, while lifting all remnants of the hectic half of your day. The ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Green Fig Cleansing Balm has the scent of a Mediterranean summer evening for a transportative moment within your double cleanse. Then, it’s time for a sheet mask – again, best done away from young company who may be utterly terrified by your ghost-like appearance. The ultimate indulgence goes to 111SKIN’s Celestial Black Diamond Lifting and Firming Face Mask – a celebrity secret for instantly plump skin that’ll make anyone’s spa hour look like a spa day. Diamonds really are a girl’s best friend.

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Turn over a new leaf, or skin cell, with Clinique’s Moisture Surge™ Active Glow Serum, which exfoliates, hydrates and brightens in one triple-threat application. And since the thermal baths of Budapest are completely out of reach, the next best thing to finish off ‘spa hour’ is a few drops of Omorovicza Miracle Facial Oil, a nutrient-rich retinol-like formulation that penetrates deeply into parenthood-lined skin.

Head to tip

Bathtime is over, mums! But the beauty doesn’t stop there. Counteract moisture loss from a long bath with Uni’s Golden Microalgae Beauty Oil – a fast-absorbing seaweed-powered body oil that improves elasticity with use. Top it all off with a treat for your fingertips. The manucurist Green System, an express-drying manicure set, has everything you need for neat, strong, long-lasting nails. Because who has time to visit the salon? Certainly not this mum.