As dancers, the most important thing is to take care of and nurture our bodies.  This can be especially important after a long day or night of rehearsals.  Here are a few ways you can treat your beautiful self after dance!

Epsom Salt Bath

It feels so good to relax our muscles and joints after a day of dance.  A hot bath with Epsom Salt is the perfect way to release tension and wind down after class.  Epsom salt has magnesium, which is often considered the "master mineral."  It helps circulation, decreases pain, aids in joint mobility and also can help you to sleep.

Epsom salt is also fairly inexpensive and easy to find.  There are different varieties that also include essential oils like lavender or eucalyptus (just make sure the added scent ingredients are natural.)

Our recommendation: Dr. Teal's

Essential Oils

Speaking of essential oils, these little bottles of glory can do wonders for multiple ailments. Lavender is best for winding down at night. After your bath, rub a couple drops on your feet to help induce a comfortable sleep.

Scents such as peppermint or Breathe by DoTerra are also amazing for relieving headaches or tension.  Just be sure to use sparingly, as essential oils are often highly concentrated.  A little goes a long way. And you don't want to get peppermint in your eye, so be sure to keep away from your eyes and wash your hands after use.

Body Exfoliant

It's a good idea to exfoliate your body once a week, as it helps to remove dead skin cells, encourages new cell production, can improve circulation and allows your lotions and moisturizers to better absorb into your skin.  Plus, it just feels good!  Try: Majestic Pure Himalayan Essential Moisturize Scrub

You can also make your own scrub at home! Combine coconut oil and sugar or salt to create your own exfoliant.

Face Mask

Ah, the glorious face mask. Face masks can provide targeted treatment available for your skin type. Most masks are meant to hydrate and tone or help with acne and damage.  You'll definitely want to do some research on what's right for your type of skin. Our recommendation is: Kiehls Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Mask

A few beauty and self care reminders to keep in mind throughout the day:

Get some sun

We know a lot of sun can be detrimental to your skin and well-being, but a little bit of sun is actually really good for you! The sun gives us Vitamin D, which helps to promote mental focus, a positive outlook and supports our immune system.  If you can step outside after school, or in between dance classes for 10-15 minutes of sunlight, your body and your mind will thank you for it!

Drink H2o

This is a given, when in doubt, drink more water! Water helps all of our bodily functions run smoothly. It's also essential when we're working hard in the studio, burning calories and sweating it out.  Try and keep water on you at all times, and drink it up!

What do you do to take care of yourself after dance? Leave us a comment below!