“We take care of everyone else -- our parents, our friends, our kids -- before we remember to take care of ourselves,” says Cheryl Olson, senior beauty consultant for ShopNBC, the upscale online and TV retailer. Olson recommends that women set aside just a few minutes of every day for some pampering. “Take 24 minutes out of 24 hours,” she adds.

So the next time you feel the need for some pampering, here are a few suggestions for the best way to use that 24 minutes:

* Bring the spa home. Home spa packages allow you to take advantage of spa-type treatments at your convenience. With some good products, something as simple as a hot bath can be turned into a relaxing aromatherapy session.

“If you were to ask most working women the last time they filled a bath with hot water and took 20 minutes to relax, most of them wouldn’t remember,” says Olson, who recommends the Borghese Spa Body Set as a good way to create a home spa experience. Included is a bath soak with rich mineral salts that soothes tense muscles and hydrates the skin, and aromatic botanicals that provide a calming scent. There’s also a revitalizing foaming bath and shower gel and a moisturizing cream salt scrub blended with botanical extracts and minerals that exfoliates and moisturizes skin. An extra rich, luxurious body crème is provided for an after-bath treatment.

* Rejuvenate your skin. “If you look good, you tend to feel better,” says Olson, who says most women just don’t take the time to maintain their skin on a daily basis. “I took better care of my skin in my 20s than I do now in my 40s,” she says. “Our skin tends to need more attention as we age; it’s never too late!”

The best way to treat your skin well is to develop a daily, step-by-step regime. A product line called Isomers is dedicated to educating consumers about the right way to take care of their skin. The collection includes products for daily skin care such as sunscreen, moisturizer and toner as well as a number of topical treatments that are an alternative to cosmetic procedures such as the anti-aging rejuvenation serum.

* Splurge on yourself. When it comes to jewelry, you’re the only one who really knows exactly what you want. Why not get yourself that sterling silver cultured pearl ring you’ve been eyeing or those diamond drop earrings you noticed? “Women buying jewelry for themselves get what the hottest thing is,” says Liz Fehr, gem buyer for ShopNBC. This season look for lots of colored gemstones, especially pink; and large, elegant earrings and pendants.

What do most women get who want to splurge? “Diamonds,” says Fehr, “usually in a special cut.”

For other pampering ideas, check the ShopNBC beauty and jewelry categories. Also available at www.shopnbc.com is a whole range of housewares, clothing, computers, software and health and fitness products.

Courtesy of ARA Content