Summer is just around the corner and that means vacation season has officially arrived! Although vacations should be full of rest and relaxation, sometimes they can get stressful...which sort of defeats the purpose. Don't believe me? There's a host of articles online describing the phenomenon known as vacation stress, including this article from The Huffington Post.

Whether your vacation is an extended family getaway or a small group of friends getting an Airbnb for a few days, there are plenty of opportunities for conflict and tension when all members of a trip are out of their regular routines and spending much more time together than usual. You may feel rushed from an overbooked itinerary or uneasy with too much time on your hands. Perhaps you feel out of sync as you depart from your usual habits. However, vacation doesn't need to be stress-inducing! With a few intentional changes, you can easily bring self-care into even the craziest of vacations. 

Why You Should Incorporate Self-Care Into Your Vacation

First of all, why should you have self-care in your vacation? After all, isn't vacation all about self-care and relaxing anyway? And won't intentionally adding self-care just take the fun out of your time away from home? Not so fast. 

While vacations are meant to relax and rejuvenate you, sometimes they have the opposite effect by stressing you out with extended time with family members, rushed itineraries, or complex travel plans. Coordinating many moving pieces to create a vacation that works for everyone may unintentionally result in your own needs being sidelined. And while compromise is good, by adding self-care into your vacation, you are consciously making time for yourself and prioritizing your needs which will in turn lead to a more relaxing vacation for everyone around you!

Set Aside Time to Rejuvenate Yourself

So what exactly does bringing self-care into your vacation look like? Well, for every person, it looks different.

First, you'll need to consider what your normal self-care routine looks like. If you don't have one, now is the perfect time to think about your needs and how you relax best. It could be anything from a relaxing shower to utilizing a gratitude journal to committing to regular stretching and moving of your body (or some combination!) 

If you're someone who enjoys writing out your feelings and exploring more of your self-care journey, check out the Self-Care Digital Workbook, a 30 day plan to help you take a deep-dive into your own self-care using journal prompts, various exercises, and inspirational readings to jumpstart your journey. Vacation could be the perfect time to set aside some time each day to work through your self-care workbook and establish new healthy patterns for yourself moving forward. 

However, there are plenty of other ways to practice self-care on your vacation. You may consider setting aside some alone time to read a book you've been anticipating reading for a while now or doing some yoga on the beach. Whatever your rejuvenating activity is, prioritize it!

Create Your Own DIY Spa Experience

Whether you're tanning by the sea or relaxing in the mountains, a little DIY spa action is applicable everywhere. Provided that where you are staying has a bath or shower of some sort (let's hope it does!), you just need a few supplies and you'll be well on your way to a spa oasis of your own creation. 

To get started, consider what products you normally use at home to elevate your bathing experience. Or, if you don't normally treat yourself like this at home, allow yourself to dream and brainstorm a little! 

What Products Will Help Me Create an Away-from-Home Spa Experience?

While everyone has slightly different tastes for their spa experience, here are some basics to help you get started on creating your self-care moment!

1. Pick a scent. 

This might be eucalyptus, lavender, rosemary, or something else entirely, but starting with a scent to build off of will help you to narrow your search for your vacation spa products. 

2. Choose a bundle or other greenery.

You already know that greenery elevates any space, including a vacation spot. So try out a bundle to display in your bathroom. You may want to go with the classic eucalyptus bundle or try something new like the rosemary and eucalyptus combination bundle.  

3. Choose a different method of relaxation. 

Perhaps the place where you're staying already has plenty of greenery or you're concerned you won't be able to safely transport a bundle to your destination. Or maybe you want to go beyond a simple bundle to add to your vacation spa experience. Not to worry! There are plenty of other options. 

Shower steamers are a great way to add a spa experience on a summer vacation in a small way. Easily transportable and non-living, eucalyptus mint shower steamers begin to release their aroma once you set them on the floor of the shower and turn on the water. You'll love their simplicity and fragrance!

For another travel-friendly products, consider a bath essential oil pouch. This small sachet can hang over a bathtub drain or wherever it fits best. When the shower or bath turns on, the steam will release the eucalyptus essential oils, transporting you to a heavenly and relaxing experience. Better yet, it comes in a 3 pack which means you have enough to share with family and friends! 

You may also want to consider the cold-pressed lavender soap. This is probably the easiest to transport of them all. After all, it's a bar of soap! But what a bar of soap. You'll be enchanted with the calming lavender scent that emanates from it and you'll love how you smell after using it! 

Finally, if you're ready to splurge, treat yourself with the spa experience bundle. This all-inclusive package sports an aromatic sampler bundle including eucalyptus, lavender, and rosemary, shower affirmation cards, and shower steamers! Not only will your body be refreshed with the long, relaxing shower complete with the best scents around, but your mind will be encouraged and affirmed by the shower affirmation cards which you can display around the bathroom and shower. And, not to worry, they are easily removable, so you won't have to worry about messing up the wall of a hotel or Airbnb. 

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It's time to head into summer vacation with plans to treat yourself to some much-needed self-care during the vacation! And what better way to do it than to take some time with your self-care workbook or in the shower? 

Remember, the fun doesn't have to end with vacation either. You can treat yourself to self-care products all year round to build a happier, more grounded you! At Self-Care Shower, we offer a variety of options for your self-care summer. Sustainably grown and picked in the U.S., we invite you to check out our website to explore the entirety of our options. 

Image Sources: 

Photo by Link Hoang on Unsplash

Self-Care Shower Stock Photos