RELAX: PAMPERING YOURSELF BECOMES OUTLET FOR DAILY PRESSURES

A few of the pampering products that are available at Judith Ann's include bath items, teas, gourmet foods and candles.

Damon Dillard demonstrated the soothing effect of relaxing with recorded music at Stereo One.

Without an outlet, daily pressures can build to the boiling point.

Extraneous hurdles, like, say, disagreeable weather, can aggravate an already prickly outlook.

That's when a little pampering can go a long way, say the owners of several specialty stores in Cape Girardeau.

Allotting time to pamper oneself is healthy for mental and physical reasons, said Cecelia Gerecke, owner of Victorian Memories in West Park Mall. "It's thinking that you're important enough to take that 30 minutes just for yourself," she said.

Pampering means different things to different people, and pampering is not relegated to a specific gender.

Pampering, said Laura Younghouse, owner of Ye Ole House on Broadway, is anything that is related to relaxing. With the daily demands encountered within most households, she said with a chuckle, "you've got to do things for yourself -- not in a selfish way -- but to keep your sanity."

While pampering evokes varying descriptions, it often brings to mind a satisfying of the senses. After all, said Gerecke, "how we perceive anything is with our senses."

That's a lesson learned at an early age. "How do we pamper our babies?" asked Judith Anne Ventrella, owner of Judith Anne's on North Main Street. "We bathe them, powder them, put lotion on them, we soothe them. We still want that pampering."

In an age where tools like microwaves and showers lend aid in rushed waking hours, "a bath relates back to having time" to take care of oneself, Ventrella said. "That's why the whole Victorian concept is popular, it takes us back to when we had more time."

When it comes to products that pamper, scent is often a top priority. "Scent is a real gratification, it pampers your senses, it makes you feel good," Ventrella said, adding that scents really do linger. "It's the scent that you remember."

Besides relaxation, products associated with aromatherapy may also contain certain properties aimed at bringing about a sense of rejuvenation, Gerecke said.

Memorable scents are available in many forms, including those which will enhance surroundings, such as with potpourri or candles, said Mike Thies, owner of Holiday Happenings on Henderson Street.

Plus, a pampering experience doesn't have to be a major event. Something as small as applying a soothing hand cream to work worn hands can be a pampering experience.

With products like lotions, gels and oils, consumers typically first decide if they like the scent, and then inquire if the product is good for their skin, Gerecke said.

And that's a healthy inquiry, agreed Gerecke and Teresa Pullum, owner of Sunshine Corner on Themis Street. "Taking care of yourself is part of pampering yourself," Pullum said. "Everything kind of ties together; the healthier you are, the better you feel."

Sometimes appealing aromas are combined with equally delicious tastes. Herbal teas are choices many people are making in their desire to care for themselves, Pullum said. Much of her business is in the area of medicinal herbs.

Certain herbs, like camomile, are known for their calming qualities, Pullum explained.

More and more, people are becoming interested in learning about herbs and their many uses, she said, adding: "People want to get back to more natural health care, what our grandpas and grandmas did."

Other taste-tempting goodies that fit the pampering bill hearken back to another period. English teas, and even curd, along with homemade scones are a sure way to set a pampering tone, Ventrella noted. "If you've not tasted curd, you've not lived," she said.

Taste treats like gourmet coffees and cocoas also enjoy broad appeal, Younghouse noted.

Yet another important way that people can pamper themselves, even in the middle of a busy workday, is with music. "Music can really relax and set your attitude," Gerecke said. Instrumentals are often linked with setting the stage for sheer relaxation.