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Life with a toddler has a way of getting away from you.

My husband and I run a jewelry store in our town and I work 2-3 days a week. Our son (who is almost 21 months – how time flies!) doesn’t go to daycare; he is always with one of us, even if that means a toddler running around a jewelry store all day.

Sometimes it means the laundry doesn’t get done for 4 days (thankfully we’re potty training so we don’t have cloth diapers to wash!). Sometimes the kitchen looks like we have a lot more than 3 people in the house. We do a lot of batch cooking.

It is so easy to let personal care fall to the bottom of the “keep everyone alive” list. It takes a conscious effort on the parts of both myself and my husband to make sure I get my exercises in for my diastasis recti. I also signed up for my first 5k since college, and my husband is critical in getting me out the door to train.

But getting time to relax? That’s even harder.

The 5 Minute “Spa”

So let’s be honest. There is no relaxing when you’re both a working mom and a stay-at-home mom of a toddler, living in 600 square feet with no doors. Yep, no doors. Not even the door to the bathroom works properly. My home has no concept of privacy.

So I work with what I have, and I developed what I call the “5 Minute Spa.” It works for me and my family. Is it the perfect solution? No. I still escape to my weekly adoration hour very, very gladly. But it gives me a little pampering while sticking to a budget, and I don’t even have to listen to an anguished toddler crying for me.

Hair and Face, Done

My little at-home spa has two main components. First, I mix up a hair mask. There are countless hair mask recipes on the internet, using things you probably keep in your kitchen. I like to change it up, focusing on recipes for dry and damaged hair. Most recently I’ve tried warm milk with honey. A little too messy for my taste, but my hair loved it! I apply the mask, put on a shower cap (a plastic bag will do in a pinch), and continue my evening. Which usually involves food everywhere.

Once my hair mask has sat long enough, we move into the shower. See, we don’t have a bathtub. And our lack of privacy means that my son has been able to get into the shower on his own for a long time. So I roll with it! He’s messy after dinner and loves showers, and he’s perfectly content to sit on the shower floor playing with his cups while I complete my “spa.”

Which brings us to the second component. Recently I was given the chance to try Simply Scrub, and they have become a crucial part of my pampering! I have been amazed at how good my skin feels after using these exfoliating and moisturizing scrubs. I have significantly fewer blackheads, too! My favorites for my acne-prone skin are the soursop and the chocolate scrubs. The chocolate scrub smells like you’re rubbing a brownie on your face! Decadent.

When I first get into the shower, I rub one of the gentle scrubs onto my face and arms (my arms are really bumpy and this is the first scrub I’ve found that helps!). Then I let it soak into my skin as I clean myself and my son. Sometimes I even shave (I’m able to comfortably do this with my son in the shower; your mileage may vary).

And when I’m ready to get out, I simply rinse everything off (and wash my hair with a gentle, natural shampoo if needed)! With natural and organic ingredients, I don’t have to worry that my toddler is in the shower with me. I have peace of mind that my pampering is safe for both of us.

What do you do to pamper yourself as a mom?

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