A jar of homemade bath salts or sugar scrub is a little bit of pampering anyone can use. Most of these take five minutes, a bowl and things you may already have, like Epsom salt, sugar, oil and baking soda.
They are perfect for teachers, neighbors, new moms and anyone who needs a slow evening. Here is how I make and package them, and ten spa gifts worth giving.
What you need
- Small glass jars with tight lids, or tins for bath bombs and lip balm.
- A mixing bowl and spoon kept for body products, not food.
- Ribbon, twine or fabric for the lid.
- A tag with what it is, how to use it, and the date you made it.
How to make and package spa gifts
- Measure the dry ingredients into a clean bowl and stir well.
- Add any oil a little at a time, so scrubs stay crumbly, not soupy.
- Spoon into clean, completely dry jars. Water in the jar makes salts clump and scrubs spoil.
- Seal, tie on a ribbon, and add a tag with how to use it.
Good to know
Essential oils are strong. Use only a few drops, as the recipe says, and skip them for gifts to children or anyone pregnant. Put the full ingredient list on the tag so people with allergies or sensitive skin can check it.
How long do they keep?
Dry mixes like bath salts, milk baths and bath teas keep several months in a tight jar. Sugar scrubs with oil are best within a few weeks to a couple of months. Keep everything away from shower water, and use a clean, dry spoon to scoop.
10 favorite spa gifts in a jar
1. Lavender Bath Salts
Epsom salt, baking soda and a little oil, scented with lavender. A quarter cup makes one relaxing bath.
2. Vanilla Sugar Scrub
Sugar, oil and real vanilla bean seeds, with a pinch of dried flowers for color. Keep it in the refrigerator and use it within two weeks.
3. Bath Bombs
Baking soda and citric acid fizz in the tub, with dried flowers pressed into each one. They keep about six months away from moisture.
4. Milk Bath
Just three ingredients: milk powder, baking soda and cornstarch. Pour a scoop under the running water for a soft, silky bath.
5. Rose Petal Bath Tea
Dried rose petals, Epsom salt and milk powder, spooned into muslin bags so the petals stay out of the drain.
6. Honey Oatmeal Scrub
Ground oats, lavender buds and sea salt. Mix a spoonful with honey or water at the sink for a gentle face scrub.
7. Eucalyptus Shower Steamers
For people who prefer showers. Set one in a corner of the shower and the eucalyptus and peppermint fill the steam.
8. Epsom Salt Foot Scrub
Epsom salt, oil, a little castile soap and peppermint in a pint jar, for tired feet after a long day.
9. Lip Balm
Beeswax, shea butter and coconut oil, poured into little tubes or tins. A nice stocking stuffer to tuck in with a bigger jar.
10. Sugar Scrub Cubes
Sugar scrub and soap in one: sugar and oil are stirred into melted soap, set in an ice cube tray, and popped out as little cubes. In the shower, crumble one in your hand, scrub, and rinse. Pretty stacked in a jar.
Want more? Find more homemade gift ideas in Gifts in a Jar.
See all the bath and body mixes in the Homemade Mixes library →
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest spa gift to make? Bath salts or a milk bath. You only stir dry ingredients together and spoon them into a jar, with no melting or molds.
Are homemade bath products safe for sensitive skin? Simple ones usually are, but anyone can react to an ingredient. List everything on the tag and suggest a small patch test first.
How do I keep sugar scrub from spoiling? Keep water out of the jar and scoop with a clean, dry spoon. Scrubs made with fresh ingredients belong in the refrigerator.
What goes well in a spa gift basket? A jar of bath salts, a sugar scrub, a lip balm and a bath tea bag, tucked in with a washcloth or a candle.