Spa from Scratch Basket

by Elizabeth Grace Smith

Are bath baskets beginning to bore you? Next time you’re about to settle on a $25 spa set, stop shopping and create your own instead. Your recipient will appreciate your originality and she’ll get even more relaxation out of the contents because you haven’t just given her new beauty products, you’ve given her the fun of making them too! (Plus, she’ll feel great knowing the products are all natural and environmentally friendly.)

First, surf the net for make-it-at-home relaxation recipes. You can start right here at www.pioneerthinking.com. Print out a few formulas you think she’d enjoy for baths, masks, perfume, and her hair. If you feel like going all out, throw in a book such as Recipes for Natural Beauty: 100 Homemade Treatments for Natural Beauty by Katie and Kathy Spiers, ($6-14 on Amazon.com) or Make Your Own Cosmetics by Susan Curtis ($10.47 on Amazon).

Your friend (and you too!) will learn how to make facials, masks, bath beads, lotions, even perfume; all using ingredients you found in the pantry. There are infinite items to choose from. This year, start her off with the basics. The next year you can fill in the blanks!

Basic Ingredients:

1 basket
1 lemon (skin, hair, bath)
1 cucumber (skin)
oatmeal (skin, bath)
olive oil (hair, feet, perfume, oils)
honey (skin, hair, bath)
essential oil (bath, perfume, oils)
avocado (skin)
powdered milk (skin, bath)
chamomile tea bags (undereyes, bath)

Optional additions:

peach, apricot, or mango
strawberries
Epsom salts
yogurt
cornstarch
almond meal
flour
baking soda
sea salts
powdered egg whites
fresh flower petals
Vitamin E capsules