DIY Essential Oil Gifts & Ideas (Plus How to Make Orange Spice Soap)

Discover DIY essential oil gifts and ideas you can craft for friends and family for the holidays, along with additional homemade gift ideas for year round gift giving. Learn how to make my orange spice soap with essential oils, plus over 40 more homemade gift ideas made using essential oils.

How to Make Essential Oil Gifts with Simply Earth

The Simply Earth essential oil box this month contains a slew of wonderful essential oil gifts and ideas you can craft for friends and family. From a winter skin protection balm to homemade soap recipes and essential oil blends, this box is the perfect compliment to creating homemade winter gifts. Keep reading to discover how to make my own orange spice soap with essential oils in addition to the other essential oil gifts found in this month’s box. Plus explore other essential oil gift ideas you can make for friends and family.

What’s Inside the Simple Earth Essential Oil Recipe Box

The December Simply Earth recipe box includes six recipes as well as three single essential oils and one essential oil blend. These essential oils are well suited for making homemade gifts and can be used in a number of projects throughout the year.

The following essential oils are included in this month’s essential oil recipe box:

• Winter Spice Essential Oil Blend
• Bergamot Essential Oil
• Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil
• Himalayan Cedarwood Essential Oil

In addition to the essential oils, you also receive six essential oil recipe cards (you can also find these recipes below,) a guest silicone soap mold, and goat milk melt and pour soap. New this month, you’ll also find that you won’t need to cut out the stickers provide for the recipes!

While each of the essential oils from the recipe box can be purchased separately from Simply Earth, you save money by purchasing the box. Not only are the essential oils and other ingredients discounted, as a new subscriber you’ll also receive a free bonus box (over $40 value) as well as a coupon for $40 off your next order. Simply use coupon code: SOAPDELIFREE at checkout. Subscribe and save now.

Essential Oil Gifts to Make for Homemade Gifts

Following you’ll find five of the DIY essential oil gifts you can make with the new box from Simply Earth. I’ve also included my own Orange Spice soap recipe made using essential oils from Simply Earth, plus more homemade gift ideas for essential oil lovers.

Orange Spice Soap Recipe with Essential Oils

This easy melt and pour soap recipe for beginners is made using both the Winter Spice essential oil blend and the Cinnamon Leaf essential oil from the December Simply Earth essential oil recipe box. I also added Blood Orange essential oil from a previous box I received from Simply Earth.

Rather than provide a homemade soap recipe for a single soap, I created a larger soap recipe for four 4 oz. soap bars as a spin off the cocoa marble soap recipe included in the box. My orange spice soap recipe can easily be doubled, as desired, to make extra essential oil gifts and can made from start to finish in under a half hour.

Ingredients:

1 lb. white detergent free melt and pour soap base
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
60 drops Blood Orange essential oil
15 drops Winter Spice Essential Oil Blend
10 drops Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil
Dried orange slices, optional

Directions:

To make this orange spice soap recipe, either but a 2 lb. container of soap base in half or weigh out 1 lb. of soap using a digital kitchen scale. 

Cut the soap base into chunks. Place inside a heat safe container. Then heat the soap in the microwave in 30-second increments until melted. Be sure to check the soap and stir after each heating. You don’t want to the soap to overheat. Heat just until melted.

Once the soap has melted, add the drops of essential oils. Stir to combine.

Now pour the soap into four cavities of a round silicone soap mold so that each cavity is halfway to 2/3 full. (For molds holding less than 4 oz. of soap per cavity, adjust accordingly by increasing or reducing the number of cavities used on the mold.)

While the soap cools in the mold, measure out the cocoa powder with a measure spoon. Mix the cocoa powder into the remaining melted soap in the container.

Once the soap in the mold starts to develop a thin film on top, pour the melted soap with cocoa on top of the soap in the mold. Fill the cavities the rest of the way. Then use a butter knife to gently mix the soap in each cavity, pulling up a small amount of soap from the bottom to marble.

Spritz the tops of the soap with rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle, if desired, to remove any air bubbles.

Once the soap starts to form a thin skin on the top, gently add the dried orange slices for decoration. To do this, gently slide one end of the orange slice into the soap and allow the rest of the orange to rest on the top.

Allow the soaps to harden completely, the unmold.

Wrap the orange spice soaps tightly in foodservice film, then package as desired. If you’re looking for soap packaging ideas for your essential oil gifts, you can find creative ways to package soap here. Alternately, you can also find more tips on how to make melt and pour soap for beginners here.

I recommend removing the orange slice from the soap before use as will absorb water in the shower.

Orange Spice Soap Recipe Variations:

You can easily make changes to my orange spice soap recipe to change the final look of this essential oil gift. Here are some easy DIY ideas:

• Divide the soap recipe in half and use a clear melt and pour soap base for one half and white melt and pour soap base for the other half.
• Reserve only a small amount of soap after filling the soap molds almost completely. Use slightly less cocoa powder and drizzle the soap onto the unmolded soap bars like icing.
• Try using a clear melt and pour soap base for the entire orange spice soap recipe. This will result in more vibrant colors.

Yield: Four 4 oz. Orange Spice Soap Bars

Orange Spice Soap Recipe with Essential Oils

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Make this orange spice soap recipe for homemade holiday gifts with essential oils. This easy soap recipe contains no lye and is a wonderful winter crafts project for adults. Scented with a blend of natural essential oils, this easy melt and pour soap recipe is perfect for beginners and makes lovely DIY essential oil gifts.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 5 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Materials

• 1 lb. white detergent free melt and pour soap base
• 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
• 60 drops Blood Orange essential oil
• 15 drops Winter Spice Essential Oil Blend
• 10 drops Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil
• Dried orange slices, optional

Tools

• digital scale, optional
• heat safe measuring cup or bowl
• utensils for stirring
• round silicone soap mold
• foodservice film, optional
• measuring spoon
• spray bottle with rubbing alcohol, optional

Instructions

1. Cut a 2 lb. container of soap base in half or weigh out 1 lb. of soap.
2. Cut the soap base into chunks. Place inside a heat safe container.
3. Heat the soap in the microwave in 30-second increments until melted.
4. Add the drops of essential oils. Stir to combine.
5. Pour the soap into four cavities of a round silicone soap mold so that each cavity is halfway to 2/3 full.
6. Measure out the cocoa powder with a measure spoon. Mix the cocoa powder into the remaining melted soap in the container.
7. Once the soap in the mold starts to develop a thin film on top, pour the melted soap with cocoa on top of the soap in the mold. Fill the cavities the rest of the way.
8. Use a butter knife to gently mix the soap in each cavity, pulling up a small amount of soap from the bottom to marble.
9. Spritz the tops of the soap with rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle to remove any air bubbles.
10. Once the soap starts to form a thin skin on the top, gently add the dried orange slices for decoration.
11. Allow the soaps to harden completely, the unmold.
12. Wrap the orange spice soaps tightly in foodservice film, then package as desired for storage or DIY essential oil gifts.

Winter Hard Lotion Bar as a DIY Essential Oil Gift Idea

This hard lotion bar recipe with essential oils makes about 1.5 oz. of product. You can either use a mold to make a solid lotion bar or pour it into a tin to use as a salve. Ready in about 10 minutes, this winter body balm recipe has a shelf life of a year or more.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sweet almond oil
1 Tablespoon cosmetic beeswax
10 drops Bergamot essential oil
10 drops Himalayan Cedarwood essential oil
10 drops Winter Spice essential oil blend

Directions:

Combine the beeswax and sweet almond oil in a double boiler. Heat the ingredients until the beeswax is just melted.

Remove the mixture from heat, then stir in the essential oils.

Pour the skin protection balm into a guest size, silicone soap mold or a tin. Allow to cool completely.

If using a tin for your winter skin protection balm, simply label the tin to give as DIY essential oil gifts. Otherwise, unmold the solid body balm and wrap in foodservice film before labeling.

DIY Soap Jellies with Essential Oils

These DIY soap jellies take about ten minutes to make and will last approximately six weeks. This recipe yields about 8 oz. of soap.

Ingredients:

1/2 Tablespoon gelatin
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup liquid Castile soap
10 drops Bergamot essential oil
1-2 drops soap colorant, optional

Directions:

To make this DIY jelly soap, add the gelatin to a heat safe bowl and mix with warm water. Stir until the gelatin dissolves, then allow the mixture to rest 3 to 5 minutes.

In the meantime, mix the essential oils and Castile soap together in a separate bowl.

Once the gelatin and water mixture has thickened, combine with the soap mixture. If desired, add 1 or 2 drops of liquid soap colorant, then mix well.

Pour the soap jelly into a mold of your choice, then refrigerate 2 to 3 hours to set.

Remove from mold then wrap and label as desired to give as DIY essential oils gifts. 

Unused soap should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

For a more shelf stable version of these DIY soap jellies, check out my own jelly soap recipe.

Winter Sunshine Essential Oil Blend

This essential oil diffuser blend recipe is quick and easy to make. Ready in about two minutes, this blend fills a 5mL bottle and has a shelf life of a year or more.

Ingredients:

32 drops Winter Spice essential oil
50 drops Bergamot essential oil
16 drops Cinnamon Leaf essential oil

Directions:

Combine the essential oils in a 5mL amber glass bottle. Shake well to mix.

Once combined, label the essential oil blend.

To give this winter essential oil blend as an essential oil gift, pair it with an essential oil diffuser.

Calming Orange Grove Rollerball for Essential Oil Gifts

This essential oil rollerball blend recipe provides uplifting and calming aromatherapy when applied to pulse points. It yields one 10mL rollerball bottle perfect as an addition to an essential oil gift basket or self care gifts. Ready in two minutes or less, this essential oil blend has a shelf life of a year or more.

Ingredients:

10 mL fractionated coconut oil
2 drops Himalayan Cedarwood essential oil
3 drops bergamot essential oil

Directions:

Add the essential oils to a 10mL amber roller bottle. Then fill the remainder of the bottle with the fractionated coconut oil.

Add the roller ball to the top of the bottle to seal, then swirl to mix. Label as desired.

Cocoa Marble Soap Recipe

This easy melt and pour soap recipe yields about 1.5 oz. soap. Due to its size, its ready in about ten minutes and has a shelf life of a year or more.

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. goat milk soap base
1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder
1/2 Tablespoon rubbing alcohol
1 drop Cinnamon Leaf essential oil
5 drops Winter Spice essential oil blend

Directions:

Cut the soap base into chunks, then melt in a double boiler or in a heat safe container in the microwave. (To melt in the microwave, heat in 20-second increments until melted.)

In a second container, mix the cocoa powder with the rubbing alcohol.

Once the soap melts, remove from heat. Stir the soap as it cools.

When the soap starts to thicken and reaches about 125°F, stir in the essential oils.

Gently pour the cocoa powder mixture into the melted soap. Then use a whisk to stir once. This should just marble the cocoa into the soap.

Pour the melted soap into the sold mold and allow to cool. Once the soap has completely hardened, remove the soap from the mold.

Tightly wrap the cocoa marble soap in foodservice film to give as an essential oil gift.

Your homemade soap should last about one year.

More DIY Essential Oil Gift Ideas

Whether you’re looking for homemade holiday gifts for stocking stuffers, or simply essential oils gifts to give to friends and family throughout the year, these DIY essential oil gift ideas are sure to delight any recipient on your list.

• Winter Hand Salve Recipe with Essential Oils

This easy winter hand salve recipe with essential oils protects, hydrate and soothe dry hands. It’s made beeswax, coconut oil and natural peppermint and pine essential oils to create a natural product that’s perfect for your winter skin care routine. 

• Clean Beauty Balm Recipe with Essential Oils
• DIY Reed Diffuser with Essential Oils
• Essential Oil Perfume Recipes
• Chocolate Mint Lip Scrub Recipe
• Lavender Coconut Milk Soap Recipe

• Healing Salve Recipe with Essential Oils

This healing hand salve hydrates and protects skin with all natural ingredients, including a simple blend of warming essential oils to help improve circulation and reduce inflammation. And who can’t use an extra hand moisturizer as a homemade gift this winter?

• Manuka Essential Oil Salve Recipe
• Easy Essential Oil Skin Care Recipes
• Fizzy Bath Salts Recipe with Essential Oils
• Pumpkin Spice Room Spray Recipe
• Calendula Soap Recipe with Essential Oils

• DIY Coffee Body Scrub with Mandarin Essential Oil

Learn how to make a simple 5-ingredient DIY coffee body scrub as a DIY essential oil gift in just 5-minutes. This easy, natural skin care recipe with mandarin essential oil will help you achieve the look of naturally glowing skin. It exfoliates away dead skin cells, hydrates skin and helps to tone for firmer looking skin.

• Essential Oil Coffee Scrub Recipe
• Bath Soak Recipe with Amyris Essential Oil
• Lavender Peppermint Foot Cream Recipe
• Orange Eucalyptus Bath Salts Recipe
• DIY Playdough Soap with Essential Oils for Kids

• Cocoa Mint Herbal Salve Recipe

This simple plantain salve recipe is naturally scented with a lovely cocoa mint fragrance derived from roasted cocoa butter and peppermint essential oil. Lovingly crafted with natural ingredients, this herbal salve is a must for your herbal apothecary and makes a lovely DIY essential oil gift for friends and family. Use this multi-functional, natural skin care product on eczema prone or dry skin, minor cuts and scratches or as a natural lip balm for seasonal winter skin care.

• Essential Oil Roll On Perfume Recipes
• Rose Essential Oil Bath Bomb Recipe
• Relaxing Mineral Bath Soak Recipes
• DIY Pumpkin Spice Body Spray
• DIY Soap Sponges with Essential Oils

• Orange Peppermint Body Butter Recipe

Learn how to make an orange peppermint body butter recipe with essential oils for soothing, natural dry skin relief. This non greasy body butter is made with shea butter and kokum butter to moisturize dry skin. While the addition of lanolin helps to lock in moisture and act as a natural skin protectant against the elements. Blood orange and peppermint essential are also included in this body moisturizer recipe for their aromatherapeutic properties and natural skin care benefits, making it the perfect essential oil gift idea.

• Snickerdoodle Soap Cupcakes with Essential Oils
• Eucalyptus Essential Oil Shower Steamers Recipe
• Magnesium Body Butter Recipe with Essential Oils
• Essential Oil Lip Balm Recipes
• Solid Dish Soap Recipe with Essential Oils

• Essential Oil Bath Salt Ornaments

Discover how to make DIY essential oil bath salt ornaments for easy DIY essential oil gifts for friends and family. This homemade gift is not only meaningful, but it’s also natural and functional! An easy essential oil gift, these lavender bath salts ornaments are ready in just 15 minutes for last minute DIY gifts.

• DIY Essential Oil Diffuser Ornaments
• DIY Essential Oil Plaster Aroma Stones
• Exfoliating Body Polish Recipe with Essential Oils
• Whipped Cucumber Hand Cream Recipe
• Dandelion Soap Recipe with Essential Oils

If you like these DIY essential oil gifts and ideas, you can discover more homemade gift ideas here. 

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