The concept of the oh-so-trendy now staycation always seemed kind of dreamy to me, since how often do you get to spend an entire vacation enjoying the comforts of home? Yes, I love to travel, and have been many amazing places, but after countless delays, strained muscles and crazy scary flight attendants, the staycation appeals.

Recently, I noticed that I really, really needed a manicure and pedicure, and then thought, hey, why not book a facial as well, and do a whole spa day kinda show? Then I looked up the price list at a new place I've been wanting to try. Gadzooks! The three services together would cost as much as an actual plane ticket to the Bahamas (off season, but still)...I then made up my mind to create my very own spa staycation.

I rummaged around my bathroom for my bag-o-nail tools and polish, then went about setting up the various potions and lotions and masks I'd need to give myself a smokin' facial. (The fabulous thing about being home is that I could literally smoke while doing so! (Kidding...ish!)) The facial part wasn't so hard. I steamed my face while hunched over a pot of boiling water I planned to also use for some relaxing lavender tea. How multi-tasky, right? I cleansed with my overpriced but amazing Omorovicza face wash, then chilled with my Epoch mud mask on (it's my fave!), while I tended to my fingernails and toes. I had some ambitions to get in the tub and give the old bod a full-on exfoliating treatment and coat it in my In Fiore body balm after, but the tea was making me kinda drowsy, and because I'm such a Sloppy Sue, the sheer tedium of nail painting was wearing me out. After I rinsed the mask off, my skin did look good, but since I could never re-create the kind of extractions someone like say, Lulu from Scientifica spa could, I still had some pesky blackheads. Then I realized that my hands and feet looked like they had been painted by a five-year-old. There is a reason why I write about beauty, but I am not an aesthetician. Sigh.

The thing is, it's just not very relaxing to perform all of these services for yourself, and in my case, it is a total waste of time, because now I feel like I want a maximum strength facial and mani/pedi more than ever.

Next time I'm on a staycation, I'll just stick to books and good wine, and leave the spa work to the professionals.