It is said that people show their love for one another in many different ways. Gift-giving is one of the primary love expressions. Many people are always looking for the perfect gift to surprise someone special in their life.
Some simple spa gifts and baskets make a great way to show your love by making a gesture of affection. You can even treat yourself a little. Everyone deserves some love and kindness.
A gift for yourself
DIY spa gifts are great because almost all the ingredients that you need can be found in your local grocery or drugstore. That way, you can guarantee yourself one nice home spa day. Most likely, you already have the majority of the ingredients that you need.
Aromatherapy oils are essential and are crucial for the task. It is worth spending a little more on high-quality essential oils. These recipes require only a few drops of essential oil. A small bottle can make tons of DIY spa gifts.
A single oil of aromatherapy, such as lemon, lavender, rosemary, or peppermint, makes a wonderful spa gift. You can also combine oils to make a special blend if you’re feeling fancy.
Mix Lavender with Rosemary to create a relaxing, warm scent. Peppermint and orange make a stimulating blend that awakens your senses. Grapefruit and lemon are great for creating a sweet citrusy aroma. Or, you can mix Orange and Cinnamon for holiday gift-giving.
You can also experiment on your own by mixing several oils together to make your unique blend. It’s very difficult to go wrong if you use high-quality essential oils.
Let’s get started!
Sugar Scrub
This DIY body scrub smells wonderful and leaves your skin soft and smooth. One jar of sugar scrubs manufactured commercially can run up to $20.
You will only need granulated sugar and some base oil to make your essential oils. While you can use coconut, olive, or almond oil as your base, vegetable oil is more affordable and will work just fine. To make my scrub look pretty, I add a few drops of food coloring.
The best thing about this sugar scrub? It’s so easy to make!
Mix the ingredients together in a glass bowl or metal bowl. Stir it with a spoon. Plastic or wood can absorb the oils’ scent so use caution. Finally, spoon the mixture into a container or jar and add some ribbon. That’s it!
This is the recipe.
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable, olive, almond, coconut, or base oil
Use 5-7 drops of essential oil. (Use less quantity for stronger scents such as peppermint or eucalyptus and more for weaker scents such as lemon or orange).
4-6 drops of food coloring (optional)
Bath Salts
A long soak in salt baths can leave your skin feeling soft and aromatic. It also helps to ease sore muscles. Salt baths have been a big part of my training for the upcoming triathlon. Salt baths can help ease sore muscles.
You don’t need to have all the ingredients at hand.
These luxurious bath salts, similar to the sugar scrub, are very easy to make. Put the dry ingredients into a glass bowl or metal bowl. Set aside. Mix oil and food coloring in a small bowl. Mix the oil mixture with the dry mixture, a few drops at a time. Stir vigorously with a wire whip to disperse the color and scents evenly.
Pour the salts into a glass jar or another container, and decorate it for gift giving.
3 cups Epsom salts
Two cups of sea salt (be sure you use sea salt and not iodized salt).
1 cup baking soda
1/2 oz essential oil
8-10 drops of food coloring (optional)
Of course, if you want to go the easy way, you can always get yourself one of the bath salts gift sets, which are available on the market.
Bath Bombs
These bath bombs will make your skin feel pretty smooth. These bath bombs are a little more difficult than other DIY spa gifts, but they are well worth it.
Although most of the ingredients could easily be found in any grocery store, you may need to order the citric acids online. A mold is also quite necessary.
Make your bath bombs by whisking dry ingredients together in a glass bowl or metal bowl. Set aside. Mix together oil, water, and food coloring in a separate bowl. Mix the wet ingredients with a few drops of water. Too fast may cause the bomb to fizzle. Mix well with a whisk until oil and color are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
For some bath bombs, I used a silicone flower mold. To make a bouquet, I divided the recipe into three colors and scents. (See the note in the recipe). The silicone mold should be left to dry for at least a few hours before you remove them.
Use a regular bathtub bomb mold. Make sure you fill the mold tightly. Then, tap on all sides to open the mold.
Once your bath bombs have dried, put them in a jar or gift bag.
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup citric acid
1/2 cup Epsom salt
1/2 cup corn starch
1 T. water (add 1 T. water if you use silicone molds)
2 t. essential oil
3 T. base oil olive oil, almond oil, or vegetable (use 1 T. oil to silicone mold).
6-10 drops of food coloring
Spa Baskets
These DIY spa gift ideas are fun to give and receive. However, they can be packaged in a beautiful basket or box with a few extra goodies to make it even more special.
You could be able to find a variety of beautiful but affordable additions at one of your local stores. These included candles, scented soaps, and exfoliating gloves, as well. They also have aromatherapy facial masques and journals.
Final words
You can make homemade spa gifts and baskets for your loved ones. It’s easy and fun to show your love by making them.