Spa-inspired presents, including these handmade lip balms, can be created from basic kitchen ingredients and craft materials.
Getting Started: Essential Oils
To scent homemade bath and beauty items, you'll need essential oils, available at health-food shops and online.
There are dozens of scents on the market, but we've listed some of our favorites. You might also come across fragrance oils.
Unlike essential oils, which are extracts of plants and fruits, fragrance oils may be made with synthetic compounds. That said, either type of oil is suitable for these projects. Use scents alone or in combinations: If mixing scents, add the oil with the less-intense scent first, followed by the stronger kind, one drop at a time.
Eucalyptus
Strong intensity. A powerful, clear aroma that pairs nicely with lemon. Use sparingly.
Geranium
Strong intensity. A sweet floral scent that mixes well with peppermint or lemon.
Grapefruit, Lemon, or Tangerine
Medium intensity. Citrus oils can be used individually, but because they're so lively and adaptable, they lend themselves naturally to combinations.
Peppermint
Strong intensity. Refreshing on its own but also a fine partner for many other oils. A little goes a long way.
Rosemary
Medium to strong intensity. Herbal, woodsy aroma. Especially good with lemon.
Star Anise
Medium intensity. Warm, almost wintry fragrance. Excellent with tangerine.
Carrier Oils
Two projects, the lip balm and the body scrub, call for a carrier oil. Chances are, you already have one of these oils in your kitchen. Their job is not to add scent but to create a smooth texture and also help distribute the essential oil.
Grapeseed Oil
Lightweight, easily absorbed, and virtually odorless.
Olive Oil
A natural moisturizer. Use the lightest grades so that the scent wont mask that of the essential oil.
Sunflower Oil
Odorless and inexpensive.
Vitamin E Oil
Has a soft, light body. It can be expensive, so use it in small quantities in combination with another carrier oil.
Body Scrub
Web-Exclusive Clip-Art Labels
Blank Body Scrub Labels 1
Blank Body Scrub Labels 2
Salt Scrub Labels 1
Salt Scrub Labels 2
Sugar Scrub Labels 1
Sugar Scrub Labels 2
Lip Balms
Web-Exclusive Clip-Art Labels
Small Rectangular Lip Balms 1
Small Rectangular Lip Balms 2
Small Round Lip Balms 1
Small Round Lip Balms 2
Large Rectangular Lip Balms 1
Large Rectangular Lip Balms 2
Large Rectangular Lip Balms Blank 1
Large Rectangular Lip Balms Blank 2
Large Round Lip Balms 1
Large Round Lip Balms 2
Lip Balm Tubes
You can add text by printing the original labels and then putting them through a second time to print your text. Set up the text and print it out first on a blank page to make sure it lines up properly. You can use other colours this way and even personalize with a logo or kid's drawing.
I made the bath fizzies and could only find expensive sillicone trays when I looked for them. However, I did find soap tray molds at hobby lobby for $2.47 each and they worked great! The morning after my bath fizzies slid right out of them. I didn't even have to try to work them out or anything!
I tried the bath snowballs, but they fell apart in my hands after letting dry overnight in half of the mold...any thoughts? I was trying to remove the entire mold so they could continue to dry out.
You can get all the containers at sks-bottle.com. Cheap and good quality, plus no minimum order. They did take a while to ship (I chose ground), so best bet now is to have them ship it express if you need it quick.
To purchase the lip balm jars, try the travel sections of drug stores and Wal-Mart, K-mart etc.
You can't add text to the Scrub Labels 1 2 or the blank ones. You just download in Adobe Reader and write your mix on the blank one yourself.
Has anyone tried to download the labels for the scrubs, and change some of the text? I have both Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader, and can't do it from either program.
This is a great project, but I would recommend a few changes to the recipe. If you use sunflower or olive oil, I would recommend using more essential oil, enough to mask the oil smell. I also reommend using more than just 1 drop of food coloring for the 2 cups of salt. Makes a fun gift!
Prettythingsstudio.com is a great place to get the fragrance oils. They have a huge selection of scents that are hard to find, and they are really affordable. You can also order carriers there, too.
My daughter, granddaughters and I , had sooo much fun making the bath snowballs, body scrubs, and bath fizzies. The Majestic Mountain Sage site is a wonderful place to get all the "goodies." These homemade gifts turned out beautiful . We will be making them annually. Thank you Martha!
What is the font used for the printing on these labels. It is fabulous.
Noelani