Bath and Body Gift Ideas and Recipes

It’s that time of year again, when we all start brainstorming for ideas for gifts. I know I rarely have enough to buy gifts for everyone, so I have to make a lot of gifts. Besides, a homemade gift is always a nice touch, even if it is in addition to a store-bought gift. And there are plenty of nice, easy gifts you can make to spread the joy of caring for your body naturally to those you care about. I will share here a few of my favorites for gift-giving times, many of which I will be giving myself this year. And of course, don’t forget the ‘simple’ things like lotions and massage/body oils scented specifically for the person with essential oils they like, making a nice big batch of your favorite tea blend (mine is mint/chamomile) to put in a pretty jar, and so on. All of these recipes are wonderful to make just for yourself, as well!

And remember, presentation is almost as important as the gift itself... if it’s in a jar, add some nice lace or piece of cloth under the ‘o’ ring, over the lid itself. Use nice ribbons. If it’s in a bag, get those nice little inexpensive ‘wedding happy’ bags from the Wal-Mart craft section. Colored cellophane adds a lovely touch without being any more expensive than plain clear, usually. Be creative!


Cherry-Almond Hair Shine Mist

2 cups warm water
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon cherry extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix well and put into a spray bottle. Smells lovely, and works especially well on light hair (lemon is a natural hair lightener). May want to keep refrigerated when not in use.


Apple-Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse

This rinse smells heavenly and is wonderful for your hair, especially weak, dry and/or damaged hair.

16 oz container (I used an old witchazel plastic bottle)
4 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
5 drops Lavender essential oil
5 drops Rose essential oil
5 drops Sandalwood essential oil
3 drops Rosemary essential oil

Combine all ingredients in container and top off with water. Cap bottle and shake thoroughly to mix.

You may wish to include a tag with the following information:

Apply liberally after normal washing routine, let sit for about 3-5 minutes, then rinse.

The key to not getting a 'slimy' or 'sticky' feeling to your hair (it looks perfectly clean, but feels odd to the touch) is to use water as cool as you can take to rinse with, and rinse it WELL.


Bath Bombs

1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup citric or ascorbic acid
1/8 cup Epson salt
1/2 cup olive oil
10 to 20 drops essential oil

Add up to 1/2 cup olive oil, mixing well, until the mixture is the consistency of pastry dough. Add a 10 to 20 drops essential oil of choice. Form into balls approximately the size of golf balls, and store in cellophane wrapper. Store in a separate container for each scent you make.

Bath Cookies

2 cups finely ground sea salt
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoon light oil
1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
2 eggs
25 drops of fragrance oil of your choice

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients well. Roll dough into balls of about 1 teaspoon and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake the cookies for about 7 minutes until they are lightly golden (do not over bake).

Allow cookies to cool completely before wrapping in cellophane.

To use: Drop 1 or 2 cookies into a warm bath and allow to dissolve. DO NOT crumble or smash, as this will just make crumbs in your bath. Let them dissolve slowly on their own.



Candycane Bath Salts Jar

These make lovely Christmas gifts! (You can, of course, reduce the amounts here to make less.)

16 cups Epsom Salts, divided in half
6 cups sea salt or Kosher salt, divided in half
1/2 teaspoon glycerin, divided in half
12 to 15 drops peppermint essential oil
12 to 15 drops red food color

Put 8 cups Epsom Salts into large bowl. Add and combine 3 cups sea salt. Mix in 1/4 teaspoon glycerin and 6 to 8 drops essential oil.

In second large bowl, put remaining Epsom Salts, and sea salt. Stir well. Add remaining glycerin, 6 to 8 drops essential oil, and food color. Stir until color is approximately even.

It is best to use clear jars for this, such as canning jars. Hold the containers at an angle, and alternate layering in white and colored salts.

This recipe makes 12 12-ounce gift jars, plus a bit extra.


Easy Bath Bags

Muslin
Ribbon
(in place of muslin and ribbons, you can also use the chiffon wedding gift bags from Wal-Mart, or home-fill teabags)
Dried herbs
Finely ground oatmeal

Cut a 6" diameter circle from muslin, place the herbs in the center and add
the oatmeal as a skin softener. Gather the muslin into a bundle and tie with
ribbon. Add the bag to the running water as you draw your bath.


Fizzing Bath Salts

These are wonderful to add a little fizz to your own bath, or to give away as gifts in pretty containers!

1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup citric acid or ascorbic acid
1/4 cup cornstarch
Essential oil in desired fragrance
Food coloring

Add together and mix well all dry ingredients. Add the oil and mix until smooth. Color with a single drop at a time until you get the color you want.
Sprinkle the bath salts over hot bathwater just before you enter the tub.


Layered Bath Salts Jar

1-cup of baking soda
1-cup sea salts
1 cup Epsom salts
About 10 drops essential oils
And a few drops of food coloring

To get the food coloring evenly distributed, put the baking soda, sea salts, essential oils, and food coloring into a blender.

Then layer this mixture with the Epsom salts-- this looks just lovely because the Epsom salts are crystal-like and the other salts are colored and powdery.


Milkbath

1 cup full-fat powdered milk
2 tablespoons almond meal
2 tablespoons barley or oat flour
A few drops of rose (or other) essential oil

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, then store the bath mix in a glass jar at room temperature.

To use: add two tablespoons to a tub of water.


Sugar Scrub

4 parts brown sugar
4 parts white sugar
1 part some sea salt if you want it extra scrubby
2 parts honey
olive oil to desired consistency
essential oils as desired

Mix ingredients well to desired consistency. Keep in fridge to prevent spoiling.


Rose Cologne

(this can be used for any other herb or flower; simply substitute desired ‘plant matter’ (lavender flowers, sandalwood chips/shavings, etc.) for the rose petals)

2 C. distilled water
1/2 C. vodka
10 drops rose essential oil
1 C. fresh rose petals

Measure water and vodka into a clean mason jar. Add rose petals, making sure they get completely wet. Add the rose oil and mix well.
Cover and leave in a cool, dark place for at least one week for the oils to evenly distribute. Strain mixture and pour into a decorative container, such as a perfume bottle.





You can find many of the herbs and essential oils mentioned in this article here:

Mountain Rose Herbs
A leading organic supplier since 1987
of bulk organic herbs and spices, essential oils and herbal teas.
Wonderful herbs at fabulous prices... well worth a look!




A few books with wonderful gift ideas, for body care and more!