Happy New Year to you all!
Over the Christmas holidays, I was busy making homemade gifts for my friends and family as a way to incorporate more of the zero waste methods I’ve been learning (and also I was a little low on funds this year 😜).
So, I went about researching all the essentials I thought would be needed to make the ultimate pamper pack! Once I had made all the individual gifts, I labelled them, wrote up instructions on what each one was for and how to use them, placed them in a box (as a zero waste packaging idea), then it was ready to send.
So if you’re someone who wants to make a personalised gift for someone you love, or you just might want to pamper yourself, this gift idea is perfect for you. It’s all natural and contains no nasty additives.
I hope you love it as much as I do!
Pamper Gift Pack
Bath Bomb
Ingredients:
- 4 oz baking soda
- 2 oz corn starch
- 2 oz citric acid
- 2 oz Epsom salts
- 1.5 tsp water
- 1.5 tsp oil (coconut or olive oil)
- 1 tsp essential oil (I used lavender)
Instructions:
- In a bowl combine all the dry ingredients and whisk to remove clumps.
- In another bowl stir the wet ingredients then slowly pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture. If the mixture is fizzing, you may be adding the wet mixture in a little too fast, so just slow it down and only add in tiny amounts at a time. Once done, check to see if it’s a good consistency, it should stick together fairly easily.
- Now add to your molds. I used a regular cupcake tin that I had in my kitchen, but if you want to use a bath bomb mould, Amazon has some great selections. It’s best to over-fill the mixtures a bit to make sure the mold is filled out. Press down on the mixture gently once it’s filled to make sure it’s packed down.
- I left my bath bombs in the tin overnight (well past 8 hours) and in the morning they fell right out. Be sure to keep your bath bombs in a dry, safe place! (You don’t want them to get wet).
Herbal Bath Salts
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Epsom salts
- ½ cup natural sea salt
- 20-30 drops essential oils (I used lavender)
- 2-3 tablespoons dried herbs or botanicals. I used dried rosemary leaves (optional)
Instructions:
- Combine all ingredients in a jar, put the lid on and shake well.
- To use: Add approximately ½ cup of bath salts to warm running bath water.
Activated Charcoal Exfoliating Facial Scrub
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup organic cane sugar or white sugar
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil not an oil “blend”
- 1/2 tsp of activated charcoal powder
- 3 drops lavender oil
Instructions:
- Add the cane sugar and activated charcoal to a bowl or storage jar.
- Shake the jar or whisk the ingredients together to combine the sugar and charcoal powder.
- Add the olive oil to the mixture, and stir to combine. The sugar and charcoal should look like wet, black sand. Seal the jar until use.
- To Use: Apply a small amount of the scrub to the palm of your hand, then massage it over a clean face for about 30 seconds.
- Rinse the scrub off with a warm washcloth (preferably one that isn’t white, as the charcoal may stain it). I personally use this scrub on my face twice a week. I’ve found that over-exfoliating my skin leads to dry skin and break-outs.
- After exfoliating, I use a face oil as a moisturiser (usually jojoba oil).
- One thing to keep in mind, when you introduce water into a product without a preservative you can run the risk of introducing bacteria, so I recommend using a spoon to scoop this scrub from the jar (water on hands = water in the jar). Do not use metal utensils when working with charcoal. Plastic and glass is good.
Acne-Fighting Tea Tree Clay Mask
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp bentonite clay
- 1-2 tbsp water (clean tap water is fine for short-term use. Use distilled or boiled and cooled water for long-term use.)
- 1 tbsp ground oats
- 4 drops tea tree essential oil
Instructions:
- Combine the bentonite clay and oats in a small bowl. (Please do not use metal utensils or bowl when working with bentonite clay.) To grind oats, place desired amount of oats in a blender or food processor. Pulse oats until they reach the consistency of that similar to flour.
- Add in enough water to make a spreadable paste. Add 4 drops of tea tree oil and stir.
- Apply to the face for 10-15 minutes. To remove the mask, wash your face with warm water and a washcloth. Be gentle when removing the clay mask as the skin on your face is quite delicate.
Coffee Body Scrub
Instructions:
- 1 cup ground organic coffee
- 1 cup organic sugar or salt
- 1/2 cup organic coconut oil
- 1/2 tbsp cinnamon (optional)
- 1 tbsp vanilla (optional)
Instructions:
- Melt coconut oil and allow it to cool but not solidify.
- Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container or mason jar.
- Use 1-2 times a week (or every day if you like).
Coffee scrubs can be helpful in reducing cellulite as the massage and exfoliation process can benefit the skin by stimulating lymph/blood flow, and the caffeine found in the coffee may have a tightening effect on the skin.
Our skin is the largest organ in our body, absorbing 60% – 80% of what it comes into contact with. That’s why it’s so important to ensure you take care of your skin using natural ingredients that are non-toxic and beneficial.
As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor before trying or using any new products.
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Have you ever made homemade gifts before? What were some of the things you made?
Vanessa xx
Sources:
Dang, Aja. (July 1, 2016). DIY | Easy Bath Bomb Recipe | 100% Natural Ingredients. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/a-p2d2hcH2g
Jabs, Betsy. Learn How to Make Herbal Bath Salts at Home. DIY Natural. Retrieved from https://www.diynatural.com/how-to-make-bath-salts/
Marr, Kristin. Activated Charcoal Exfoliating Facial Scrub. Live Simply. Retrieved from https://livesimply.me/2016/06/23/activated-charcoal-exfoliating-facial-scrub/
Marr, Kristin. 3 Simple & Quick Homemade Clay Mask Recipes. Live Simply. Retrieved from https://livesimply.me/2014/07/10/3-simple-quick-homemade-clay-mask-recipes/
Coffee Body Scrub with Coconut Oil. Coconut Mama. Retrieved from https://thecoconutmama.com/coffee-body-scrub/
Wells, Katie. (December 8, 2018). Vanilla Latte Sugar Scrub Recipe. Wellness Mama. Retrieved from https://wellnessmama.com/13144/vanilla-latte-sugar-scrub/