Homemade Gift Ideas Archives

Coffee Scrub Recipe for Natural Summer Skin Care & Homemade Gifts

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June 6, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 6 Comments

Made with a blend of aromatherapeutic essential oils, this homemade coffee scrub recipe resembles potted succulents and is the perfect treat for your natural summer skin care routine. Learn how to make this DIY beauty recipe today to naturally pamper your skin and reduce the visible appearance of cellulite. Or make this natural body scrub to create unique homemade gifts for friends and family.

Getting Around to Summer Skin Care

I am one of those people who lacks a green thumb. While I’m not a serial plant murderer, my thumb varies from shades of putrid yellow to brown. I never kill my plants right off the bat. Instead, I tend to slowly torture them to death through a series of overwatering and underwatering then back again. My succulents always suffer the most. I’ll typically keep them alive for a year or so before sending them into a downward spiral that leads to rotting roots and leaves.

Granted, I do consider myself an intelligent person. I honestly do grasp the concept of plant care. The problem, however, isn’t that I don’t know HOW to care for succulents. It’s that my anxiety gets the better of me.

Normally, I’m a mostly sane person. (I’m not sure anyone is completely sane all of the time, so I prefer not overvalue my own sanity.) Unfortunately, I’ve never been great at handling the emotional overload that comes with that monthly visit from Aunt Flo. She’s quite challenging, especially now that perimenopause has set in. So I find myself, at least once a month, trying to compartmentalize the emotional whirlwind and anxiety that accompanies the hormone changes she packs for every visit.

To cope, this sometimes means, the OCD gets the better of me. And so I water my succulents thinking they aren’t getting enough to drink. Then I do it again the next day. And the day after that. And when they start to suffer, it must be they need more water! Or I go entirely the other direction and forget about them for months on end. At which point, there’s nothing left to salvage.

Luckily our skin can be salvaged. (Visibly anyway.) And whether or not you have a green thumb, this potted succulent coffee scrub recipe is the perfect way to pamper skin you’ve neglected prior to shorts season.

Skin Care Benefits of Coffee Scrubs

Coffee scrubs are exactly what you think they’d be. A body scrub comprised of coffee as the primary exfoliant. Typically, additional ingredients are also added to meet your skin’s personalized needs. Seeing as I’m turning 44 this month, I like to customize my body scrubs in a way that targets aging. By choosing carrier oils and essential oils that address aging, in addition to coffee’s caffeine content, I’m able to attain a variety of skin care benefits from my coffee scrub recipe.

Like most body scrubs, coffee scrubs are a wonderful way to naturally exfoliate skin. Exfoliation, which helps to promote cellular turnover, leads to brighter, smoother looking skin. This helps to reduce the appearance of aging. (Bye bye, fine lines.) By adding carrier oils, such as coconut oil, to a coffee scrub recipe, it also moisturizes skin which generally leads to a more youthful appearance.

Additionally, you may have heard, that coffee scrubs can help you can annihilate your body’s cellulite like I did last year’s succulents. But does it really?

Does a coffee scrub really help cellulite?

The one thing my homemade coffee scrub recipe cannot do is completely tackle cellulite. There is no magic remedy for reducing the amount of cellulite your body has. Much of cellulite is based on hereditary factors such as age, genetics, gender and ethnicity. However, both diet and activity level also play a role.

Nonetheless, by using a body scrub, such as a coffee scrub, you can diminish the appearance of cellulite. The massaging motion used when slathering on a scrub works much like dry brushing. It can help increase lymphatic drainage and it also increases body circulation. While the caffeine found in coffee assists in the dilation of blood vessels to tighten skin and aid in an overall firmer appearance.

Additional ingredients in my coffee scrub recipe.

I’ve seen coffee scrub recipes online that advice using cinnamon essential oil to further increase body circulation for cellulite reduction. However, as cinnamon oil is a known skin irritant, I strongly advise against its use. Instead, I’ve formulated my coffee scrub recipe using an aromatherapeutic blend of essential oils. These oils include both peppermint and eucalyptus, which can also aid in improving circulation without irritating sensitive skin.

In addition, I’ve also included Epsom salt in my potted succulent coffee scrub recipe. This salt, which is rich in magnesium, can help ease daily aches and pains that become commonplace as we age.

And, while I crafted this coffee scrub recipe with coconut oil, you can honestly use any carrier oil of your choosing. Hazelnut oil, for example, is great for massage. Alternately, I have another wonderful coffee scrub recipe without coconut oil – similar to Frank’s Original Coffee Body Scrub – that you can try here.

How to Make a Coffee Scrub Recipe

Ready to make a succulent themed summer coffee scrub recipe? Then let’s get started!

My potted succulent coffee scrub recipe is comprised of two parts. The actual coffee scrub recipe and a recipe for a simple succulent shaped soap that rests on top of the scrub. The coffee scrub is meant to be used after washing with the soap. When paired, the combination of these two natural summer skin care products make a beautiful presentation for homemade gifts.

The following recipes will yield four potted succulent coffee scrubs for seasonal gift giving. Should you not wish to make that many products at once, simply halve each of the recipes. It’s also important to note, that while I did use a small amount of cosmetic mica to add richer color and shimmer to my succulent soaps, you may omit the mica for all natural products.

Coffee Scrub Recipe with Coconut Oil

Ingredients:

8.5 oz. ground coffee
5 oz. Epsom salt
6 oz. fractionated coconut oil
4 oz. French green clay, suitable for all skin types
.25 oz. essential oil blend, found below

Essential Oil Blend:

.15 oz. eucalyptus essential oil
.1 oz. peppermint essential oil
.1 oz. wild orange essential oil
.05 oz. rosemary essential oil
.05 oz. tea tree essential oil

Instructions:

Begin by making the essential oil blend. Simply weigh out each essential oil into a glass container. Mix to combine, then pour into an amber jar for use later.

Next, use a digital scale to weigh out the fractionated coconut oil (which is always liquid at room temperature) and .25 oz. of the essential oil blend. Combine in a glass bowl or a glass Pyrex measuring cup. Stir to combine, then set aside.

In a separate container, weigh out and combine the ground coffee, Epsom salt and French green clay. Mix well to fully incorporate all the ingredients evenly throughout the mixture.

Pour the dry ingredients into the container with the coconut oil and essential oil blend. Mix with a fork to combine. Then spoon evenly into four 8 oz. thick walled PET amber jars. Set aside.

Succulent Soap Recipe

Ingredients:

11 oz. clear melt and pour soap base
1/2 teaspoon French green clay
1 teaspoon 99% isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol
.1 oz. essential oil blend, found above
1/4 teaspoon apple moss green mica
additional mica for dusting, to suit

Instructions:

Weigh out the clear glycerin soap base using a digital scale. Using a sharp knife, cut the soap into chunks and combine in a glass Pyrex measuring cup or other heat safe container.

Heat the soap in a microwave in 30 second increments until all the soap has melted. Set aside.

In a separate container, measure out the French green clay and isopropyl alcohol. Combine in a small glass bowl or measuring cup. Stir well to combine. Then stir into the melted soap base.

If desired, measure out the apple green mica, then add to the soap base as well.

Now weigh out a portion of the essential oil blend you made previously and stir into the melted soap. Stir to incorporate all the ingredients evenly throughout the melted soap base.

Next, place your succulent mold onto a cutting board.

If desired, dust the the inside cavities of the mold with skin safe, cosmetic mica powder. I like to sprinkle a small amount of mica powder into the mold then blow the excess out over the sink. For my succulent soaps, I used the same apple moss green mica I tinted the soap with along with a pink mica powder.

Remix the melted soap base, then pour the melted base evenly into each of the four cavities of your succulent mold. If needed, spritz the tops of the soap with isopropyl alcohol (in a spray bottle) to remove any air bubbles.

Use the cutting board to transport the soap to the refrigerator.

Allow the soap to set in the fridge until the soap has fully cooled and solidified.

Then remove the succulent soaps from the mold.

All that’s left now is to pair the containers of coffee scrubs you made previously with a bar of soap each.

To do this, simply wrap the succulent soaps tightly in foodservice film. Screw the lids onto the containers of coffee scrub. Then rest the succulent soap bars onto the lids of the coffee scrubs.

Tie the two natural skin care products together using pretty pink ribbon from the craft store. Your coffee scrub and succulent soap duo are now ready to give as homemade beauty gifts!

It’s been a while since I’ve mentioned it, but if you’d like to sell the products you make using my homemade coffee scrub recipe and succulent soap tutorial there are some guidelines you’ll need to follow. In addition to your state and country’s laws, you’ll also need to follow good manufacturing practices (GMP) when making your natural skin care products. I therefore recommend the book, Good Manufacturing Practices for Soap and Cosmetic Handcrafters by Marie Gale. This industry praised book is a valuable resource if you’re just getting started making your own homemade soaps, skin care products and cosmetics.

In addition to GMP, you’ll also need to follow FDA guidelines (in the United States) for labeling your products. If you’re unsure about the rules and regulations regarding labeling cosmetics, the book, Soap and Cosmetic Labeling: How to Follow the Rules and Regs Explained in Plain English by Marie Gale, spells out everything you need to know to legally label your products. (And avoid a visit and inspection from the FDA.)

I hope you love my coffee scrub recipe with coconut oil as much as I do. If so, then make sure to pin my coffee scrub recipe for cellulite on Pinterest for homemade gift ideas down the road.

Also be sure to check out my other summer skin care recipes and homemade gift ideas below!

More Summer Skin Care Recipes

If you enjoyed my potted succulent coffee scrub recipe and succulent soap tutorial, then you should try these other homemade summer skin care recipes! Formulated for fun and function, these skin care products are made using a combination of natural ingredients including essential oils, body butters and carrier oils to nourish skin. Discover new ways to craft homemade beauty products for your natural skin care and beauty regimen now!

For more DIY beauty and summer skin care recipes, be sure to follow me across your favorite social media platforms. You can find and follow me on Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up to receive my semi-weekly newsletter to stay in the loop.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Homemade Gift Ideas Tagged With: anti-aging, bath and beauty, beauty products, beauty recipes, body scrub recipe, coffee body scrub, coffee scrub, epsom salt, essential oil blend, essential oil recipes, essential oils, gift idea, natural beauty, natural skin care, salt scrub recipe, succulent, summer, summer skin care

Father’s Day Gifts from Kids (That Anyone Can DIY)

I may receive compensation from links on this site. See my disclosure policy.

June 3, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 1 Comment

There’s nothing better than giving the gift of handmade. Something you made with your own two hands for someone special in your life. However, it can be challenging to come up with gift ideas for men. Especially when you’re hunting for Father’s Day gifts from kids that they can either make themselves, or with a little help. Since dads, in particular, can be a challenge to craft for, I’ve put together a roundup of my favorite DIY Father’s Day gifts that just about anyone can DIY.

I still remember the delight I felt when I first discovered fabric crayons. We were asked to bring in a white t-shirt to class so we could make Father’s Day gifts. We drew designs representing our families in crayons onto white paper. Then they were ironed onto the t-shirts we’d brought to class. Houses, rainbows, stick figures and dogs were common themes. And of course beautiful fluffy blue clouds and birds in the sky chasing through them. Far superior to the clay ashtrays of the previous year, these t-shirts allowed us to express our love for family through pictures. And besides, my parents didn’t smoke anyway.

Coming up with fresh new ideas for Father’s Day gifts from kids year after year however can be a challenge. So this year, I’ve put together a collection of Father’s Day gifts that anyone can DIY as a special gift for Dad. Grown ups included. So whether you’re five or forty five, or somewhere in between, you can create the perfect DIY Father’s Day gift. (Although younger kids may need a little extra help from Mom.)

Father’s Day Gifts from Kids (to DIY)

One of my most popular Father’s Day gifts from kids comes from a project my son completed six years ago. He upcycled a soda carton and its empty bottles to make a custom six pack of his Dad’s favorite snacks. The bottles are filled with things like pistachio nuts, Skittles and M&M’s. While the carrier is painted with chalkboard board paint so a personalized message can be added to this Father’s Day gift from kids. Learn to make it here.

My suncatcher DIY has also been trending on Pinterest this month. It’s another great gift idea for Dad. Simply upcycled old CD’s and trace on images with marker that you can then fill in with paint. A motorcycle suncatcher – or another image of something representing Dad’s loves or hobbies – is perfect for his office or the patio door of his man cave.

Tweens and teens will have a blast crafting these handmade candles for Dad. Scented with a leather fragrance oil, this candle making project makes another easy DIY Father’s Day gift from the kids. And one they aren’t embarrassed about being shown off to his friends and coworkers. (Plus, hello. Moms will love this gift idea too! Not only will his man cave no longer be tinged with the scent of man sweat and stout beer, he won’t yell about you coming through during the game with the freshness of Febreeze.)

These DIY pasta planters from Handmade Charlotte are another great Father’s Day gift idea. The perfect gift from kids of all ages, these planters are not only easy to make, they’re the perfect gift when paired with Dad’s favorite herbs for his famous chili or pizza recipes. I also like this “Me and My Peeps” flower pot craft from Me and My Inklings.

Older kids will delight in making these DIY Star Wars inspired soaps for Dad. Plus they’ll learn a few soap making tricks. Like how to make their Millennium Falcon soaps look like painted metal. These fun Father’s Day gifts from the kids can be customized with Dad’s favorite cologne by simply using a fragrance oil dupe. Or use essential oils like pine or patchouli for a natural scent.

They can also further explore their creativity by making galaxy soaps if you’ve already taken them under your ~~mother hen~~ soap making wing. It’s just a matter of melting soap base and swirling in different colors.

Or combine a variety of soap shapes to make this Cool Water dupe scented soap DIY that resembles pebbles in a stream.

Other easy soap gift ideas for Dad this Father’s Day include this simple moisturizing body wash recipe and this DIY hand milled coffee & bourbon soap.

Beard oil is another equally awesome handmade gift idea for Father’s Day. Plus it’s super easy. This natural beard oil recipe from Beauty Crafter uses volume measuring so you won’t need a skill. Simply measure out the carrier oils with measuring spoons and add in drops of essential oil as called for in the recipe. If this isn’t quite what you were looking for, Mountain Rose Herbs has three additional beard oil recipes you can try.

I also love this Father’s Day gift idea for making faux wood burned signs. Because this project doesn’t require a wood burning tool, this tutorial for a faux wood burned sign and wood slice coasters from Printable Crush is safe for all ages.

There are also a number of free printables that are perfect for last minute Father’s Day gifts. The kids can help shop for the ingredients and assemble these gifts at any age. Tried and True blog has a free popcorn printable for an easy popcorn Father’s Day gift from kids. She also has an easy idea for a DIY Father’s Day gift can with a printable label. Or consider the printable Father’s Day bottle tags from Skip to My Lou for Dad’s favorite soda, beer or hard cider.

If your kids love Legos, have them put their block building skills to good use with this DIY Father’s Day gift from Laly Mom. Kids will love making this rad DIY pen holder for Dad’s desk. Not only is it the perfect place for him to stash his pens, they can also add their favorite photo of a special memory together.

More Great Kid Made Father’s Day Gift Ideas

Need even more ideas for DIY Father’s Day gifts from kids? Keep reading to discover just a few of the Father’s Day gift ideas that I’ve compiled on my Father’s Day Gift Ideas Pinterest board.

This shaving cream recipe from The Nourished Life contains witch hazel so it’s perfect for Dad’s sensitive skin.

Print a hugs and fishes gift tag to pair with a fishing lure box and colorful Swedish candy fish at Eighteen 25.

This marimo moss ball aquarium is super easy to make and the perfect accessory for Dad’s desk.

A mechanic’s hand scrub is a great gift for the car hobbyist. This DIY from Everything Pretty is the perfect gift!

Crafty Staci has a tutorial for a Dad inspired BBQ towel to keep by the grill this summer.

Learn how to create a DIY shaving kit for Dad over at one of my favorite blogs, Hello Glow.

If Dad’s a gardener, then he’ll love this DIY garden tool bag from So Sew Easy filled with gardening tools.

Toddlers can get their craft on with this Father’s Day gift idea for a handprint baseball with printable poem from Sunny Day Family.

Young children can also make this cute Father’s Day handprint craft from The Best Ideas for Kids.

What’s your favorite kid-made Father’s Day gift idea? Be sure to share your ideas for Father’s Day gifts from kids in the comments. Then don’t forget to follow me across your favorite social media platforms. You can find me on Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up to receive my semi-weekly newsletter to stay in the loop.

Filed Under: Gift Guides, Holiday DIY, Homemade Gift Ideas Tagged With: crafts, diy, easy, Father's Day gift, gift idea, gifts for dad, holiday gift, kids project

Summer Beauty Recipes: An Easy Seashell Soap Tutorial & More Ways to Care for Skin This Summer!

I may receive compensation from links on this site. See my disclosure policy.

May 23, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 9 Comments

Celebrate summer with nine summer beauty recipes from top bloggers. Easy recipes for DIY seashell soaps, mermaid fizzing bath salts, an aloe vera face mask and more!

Summer Beauty Recipes

Summer means more time outdoors, vacations and fun! So to celebrate the excitement and opportunities of summer, I wanted to share an amazing collection of summer beauty recipes. Not only will you enjoy making these summer skin care products (on a rainy day perhaps?) you’ll also love using them! Keep reading to discover how to make a super easy seashell embed soap. Plus find eight more summer beauty recipes you can make from some of my favorite fellow bloggers.

Summer Beauty Recipe Inspiration

I grew up on trips to Myrtle beach every summer until I was sixteen. Most of those years, we saved money by camping out in a campground. Not only did it give me a greater appreciation for the outdoors, I also learned that you should ALWAYS wear flip flops when using a campground shower. (Thanks, Mom!)

One of my favorite things about staying on a beach campground was the lack of hotels. Sure, there were lots of people, but there were no hotels to mar the skyline. Just beach and plants and trees. It was easy to make daily discoveries of beautiful shells, sand dollars, tiny crabs and clams in the sand.

Much like my early adventures in a hometown creek that fed into our river, I always tried to take at least one of my live discoveries home with me. While at home, I tried to create a habitat for crawdads I caught. At the beach, I took baby clams and other small (yet to be identified) creatures home in a bucket of sand and water.

Being that Myrtle Beach is a good 8-9 hour drive from my home in Virginia, these tiny sea creatures never managed to survive the trip. However that didn’t stop me from trying. Being the stubborn girl that I was (and still am apparently) I tried again year after year, until the camping trips ended. My parents, probably in their wisdom to never argue with a strong willed little girl over something so simple, never protested. Although I’m not sure how they DIDN’T looking back. An eight hour drive in an old school Dodge van with zero air conditioning and sea water left quite the lingering aroma.

Making Beach Themed Seashell Soaps

My DIY seashell soaps are a nod to those carefree summer beach trips of days past. They are reminiscent of time spent outdoors in the sun and sand. Long days hunting for seashells and mysterious creatures hidden just under the sand as the waves roll in and onto the beach.

What makes this summer beauty soap project so easy?

Made using a melt and pour soap base, this soap making tutorial incorporates pre-made soap embeds into the recipe. This eliminates some of the challenges that come with working with embeds as a beginning soapmaker. It also saves you money, as you’ll only need one soap making mold for this soap tutorial. This helps reduce the otherwise more expensive costs of investing in multiple soap making molds. There’s also no need to work with lye. So if you’re still not ready to make cold process soap, then this soap making project is perfect for you!

Save on materials & time by purchasing pre-made elements for your summer beauty recipes.

While you can make your own melt and pour soap embeds for my beach soaps, this can be challenging and time consuming. Therefore I chose to use pre-made seashell soap embeds that I purchased from a fellow soapmaker. I used seashell soap embeds that I purchased from Spruce Mountain Soap to make this soap making project both simpler and faster.

My seashell soap is the perfect summer beauty recipe for cleansing your skin on hot summer days. Made with a blend of fresh litsea cubeba and peppermint essentials oils, these fun beach inspired soaps help to brighten and energize dull skin. Discover my summer soap making tutorial and recipe below. And don’t forget to check out the other summer beauty recipes for everything from an aloe vera face mask to mermaid fizzing bath salts after the recipe!

Summer Beauty Seashell Soap Recipe

Soap Ingredients:

21 oz. clear melt and pour soap base
3 mL litsea cubeba essential oil
1 mL peppermint essential oil
12 drops amyris essential oil
1-2 oz. white melt and pour soap base
skin safe blue mica powder, of choice

Soap Exfoliate Ingredients:

1 teaspoon calendula flower powder
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon cornsilk powder

Additional Materials & Supplies:

seashell, beach rocks or sea glass soap embeds
rectangle silicone soap mold
digital scale
graduated transfer pipettes
glass measuring cups or bowls
spray bottle with 99% isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol
utensils (for mixing) and a large Chef’s knife
cutting board
measuring spoons
microwave
your imagination

Instructions:

Being by weighing out the clear melt and pour soap base. Cut the base into chunks and combine in a large Pyrex glass measuring cup. Heat the cubed soap the microwave in 30-second increments until melted.

Once melted, use the graduated transfer pipettes to measure out and add the litsea cubeba and peppermint essential oils to soap. Follow with the amyris essential oil. Then stir the soap to mix in the fragrance.

Now pour a few ounces of the clear melted soap base into a separate measuring cup. Stir in a pinch of the blue mica and set aside.

Position your soap mold at an angle on a stable surface on a cutting board. (I used a cardboard box I cut at an angle for this step. I place the cutting board on the box, then put the mold on top of the cutting board for easy transport.)

Next, measure out the exfoliants into a small bowl. (You can make substitutions as desired for this step. The purpose of the exfoliants is to mimic the look of beach sand.) Mix to combine.

Then add a small amount of the mixture to each of the cavities of your soap mold.

Now slowly pour the clear melt and pour soap base onto the exfoliants and into the soap mold. Be sure to leave room for the seashell embeds by only filling each cavity about 1/3 of the way.

Use a utensil to reposition the exfoliants along the bottom of the mold as desired. Then spritz the top of they poured soap with alcohol to remove any air bubbles. Allow the soap to cool and harden before proceeding to the next step.

Once the first layer of soap has hardened, place the mold flat onto your work surface.

Now weigh out the white melt and pour soap base. Cut into chunks then heat in a microwave safe container in 20-30 second increments until melted. Set aside.

Spritz the tops of the soap in the mold with rubbing alcohol. Then place your seashell soap embeds onto the hardened soap, arranging as desired.

If necessary, gently reheat the remaining clear melt and pour soap base as well as the blue soap base. Then pour the clear soap base into each of the mold cavities leaving a small amount of space at the top.

Add a drizzle of both the blue and the white soap base into the melted clear soap base in each of the cavities. Use a utensil to gently swirl the white and blue bases as desired.

Spritz with rubbing alcohol to remove any air bubbles. Then allow the soaps to cool completely.

Once the seashell soaps have fully solidified, gently remove the soaps from the mold. You can clean up the tops or edges of your soap bars with a small knife or a potato peeler.

All that’s left is to tightly wrap your seashell soaps in foodservice film. They’re now ready for use or gifting!

Like my easy seashell soap tutorial? Then be sure to pin it (along with the other summer beauty recipes you’ll find below) for later.

Alternative Ways to Make Seashell Soaps

Of course, you don’t have to make your seashell soaps the same way I did. The great thing about artisan soap making is that is unique to the creator. So don’t be afraid that you’ll mess up or get it wrong. There really is not right or wrong way to craft your own artisan soaps for summer.

If you have a loaf mold, you can go into more detail creating water designs. Pictured above is a slice from the ocean portion of my mermaid soaps I made two years ago. You can find the tutorial for my melt and pour mermaid soaps here.

Alternately, Spruce Mountain Soap sells a beautiful Island Dreams Soap (pictured) that you can draw further inspiration from.

More Summer Beauty Recipes to Try

Ready to try your hand at even more summer beauty recipes. Following you’ll discover eight more gorgeous skin care recipes that are perfect for your summer skin care routine!

After Sun Aloe Face Mask Recipe

This easy DIY aloe vera face mask recipe from A Life Adjacent is a wonderful addition to your summer beauty routine. It’s not only moisturizing — it can also soothe sunburn, irritation, and redness, as well as aid in calming the inflammation caused by acne breakouts. (Also be sure to check out my own aloe after sun lotion bar recipe for natural after sun skin care!)

Beach Body Coffee Scrub Recipe

Coffee scrubs are by far one of my favorite summer beauty recipes for summer skin care. This beach body coffee scrub recipe from Botaneri is great for exfoliation and gives a teeny hint of color to the skin.

DIY Mermaid Fizzing Bath Salts

These DIY fizzing mermaid-inspired bath salts by Creative Green Living are easier to make than a bath bomb but just as fun to use! Your kids will love using this fun bath fizz as they splash and play in the tub.

Mermaid Whipped Soap Summer Beauty Recipe

This mermaid whipped soap recipe from Everything Pretty is so light and fluffy! Learn how to use a melt and pour soap based to make a creamy whipped soap that’s perfect for the shower or as a shaving soap before you head to the beach.

All-Natural Sunscreen Lip Balm Recipe

While you get chapped lips in winter, you can get burned lips in summer. Making this project from Garden Therapy a must for your to-do list of summer beauty recipes! Protect your lips with a homemade sunscreen lip balm. It will keep your lips safe from sunburn, make them kissably soft, and it’s made of all-natural ingredients!

Natural Solid Perfume Recipe

Learn how to make this solid perfume recipe at Life-n-Reflection. This natural perfume DIY is a luxurious multi-layered scent of the heady, rich florals jasmine and geranium with a top note of sweet, citrusy grapefruit. Blended with natural beeswax and oil and poured over delicate dried jasmine flowers into zero waste tins, this makes a lovely natural beauty gift.

DIY Melt & Pour Cactus Soap

Make these adorable shea butter melt and pour cactus soaps from Lydi Out Loud in just minutes for last minute gifts or party favors. Boasting a refreshing natural lime scent, these easy DIY soaps are perfect for an invigorating summer shower! (Discover more succulent soap inspiration and recipes at Soap Deli News here.)

DIY Strawberry Lip Scrub

This strawberry DIY lip scrub with coconut oil is another of my favorite summer beauty recipes. Perfect for exfoliating, this recipe from Country Hill Cottage makes dry, chapped lips feel and look smooth, soft, and supple. The scrub removes dead skin and moisturizes your lips at the same time. (You may also enjoy my own pink lemonade lip scrub recipe.)

Summer Beauty Recipes & Inspiration on Pinterest

I’m always amazed by the creativity of others. Pinterest is a great way to expand on that creativity and find inspiration. If you’re looking for more summer beauty recipes for your next DIY adventure, then be sure to follow my boards on Pinterest. You’ll discover great DIY ideas for making 42 homemade sugar scrubs, 12 summer skin care recipes for dry skin, 17 whipped sugar scrubs you can buy or DIY, 10 magical summer skin care recipes for your inner child, a foaming strawberry salt scrub recipe and a unicorn glitter butter recipe (pictured.)

For more DIY soap making ideas and summer beauty recipes, make sure to follow me across your favorite social media platforms. You can find and follow me on Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up to receive my semi-weekly newsletter to stay in the loop.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Homemade Gift Ideas, Soapmaking Tagged With: after sun, bath and beauty, bath salt recipe, beauty recipes, body scrub recipe, face mask, lip balm recipe, lip scrub, melt and pour soap recipe, melt and pour soapmaking, natural beauty, perfume recipe, soap tutorial, solid perfume, summer, summer skin care, sunscreen, whipped sugar scrub

Creative Cactus Soaps (To Buy or For DIY Soap Making Inspiration)

I may receive compensation from links on this site. See my disclosure policy.

May 13, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 2 Comments

Cactus soaps are all the rage these days. Now that unicorns and mermaids seem to be trending down, cacti and succulents are trending up. While it may seem strange to bathe with a soap that mimics a plant with sharp needles, that doesn’t seem to be off putting where artisan soaps are concerned.

Buy them to add a touch of summer to your guest bathroom or to give as simple housewarming or hostess gifts. Or simply gather inspiration for crafting your own unique DIY cactus soaps at home. Plus discover 7 soap making tutorial for making homemade succulent soaps as your next weekend soap making project.

Creative Cactus Soaps for Succulent Lovers

If you love cacti and other succulents, then be sure to shop these amazing artisan soap finds from Etsy. Beautiful cacti and succulent soaps for handmade gifts or DIY inspiration. Here are just a few of my favorite handcrafted cactus soaps. For more soapy inspiration, be sure to visit my collection of artisan soaps on Etsy here.

Clockwise: Desert Blooms Cactus Soap by Grouchy Owl Soaps / Cactus Flower Soap by Skyline Soapworks / Blooming Cactus Soaps by Joan’s Garden / Succulent Garden Soap by Sinfully Scented Shop

Clockwise: Succulent Soap Gifts by BeeUtifully Organic / We’re Rooting for You Succulent Soap Gift Box by Sunbasil Soap / Southwest Succulent Soaps by Soap Etiquette Inc. / Cactus Succulent Soap Favor by Seaside Soap Kitchen

Clockwise: Green Cactus Calendula Infused Soaps by Calendula Skin Soaps / Cactus Succulent Soap Favors by So Cute Soap / Artisan Succulent Soaps by Wild Poppy Soap Co. / Cactus Flower Soaps by Honey Butter Bath Co.

Clockwise: Desert Rose Cacti Soap by Moon Shine Suds / Potted Succulent Soap by Seapoint Trade / Fresh Succulent Soap Garden by Joan’s Garden / Sedona in Bloom By Trinity Soaps

Clockwise: Cactus Succulent Desert Bloom Soap by Land of Soap / Tequila Sunrise Eagles Inspired Soap by A Sea of Soaps / Margarita Cactus Gardeners Soap by Grounded Sage Skincare / Unscented Mini Cactus Goat Milk Soap by Soap Nerd Shop

Clockwise: Rustic Cactus & Sea Salt Soap by The Little Soap Store / 3D Crafted Cactus Soap by Nerdy Soap / Cactus Soap Favors by Sunbasil Soap / Cactus Flower Soap Bar by Wild Elephant Soap

Make Your Own DIY Cactus Soaps

Cactus Soap Making Molds

Ready to make your own DIY cacti or succulent soaps? You can find a plethora of unique and interesting soap molds for making cacti or succulent soaps and embeds here. (Including the cactus soap molds pictured above from Gold Miss Craft Supplies.)

Cacti & Succulent Soap Tutorials

Also be sure to check out this collection of cacti & succulent soap tutorials for even more DIY ideas for your next soap making project.

You can also learn how to make your own custom cacti and succulent soap molds with this soap mold tutorial from Soap Queen. Then use your homemade soap molds to make unique one-of-a-kind melt and pour soaps.

Love these handmade artisan soaps and DIY soap making ideas? Be sure to pin this post for later!

Discover more DIY soap making ideas you can craft for handmade gifts by following me across your favorite social media platforms. You can find and follow me on Pinterest, Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter to stay in the loop.

Filed Under: Decorating, Homemade Gift Ideas, Shopping, Soapmaking Tagged With: artisan, cactus, cold process soap recipe, cold process soapmaking, crafts, diy, gift guide, gift idea, handmade gifts, handmade soap, melt and pour soap recipe, melt and pour soapmaking, shopping, soap tutorial, soapmaking, succulent

Rose Essential Oil Bath Bomb Recipe for DIY Gifts

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May 2, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon Leave a Comment

Made using a fragrant rose essential oil blend, this essential oil bath bomb recipe makes a lovely DIY gift. Whether you’re looking for handmade spring inspired gifts for Mother’s day or a treat for a summer birthday, this easy essential oil bath bomb recipe will delight your recipient. And give her an excuse to take time out for self care.

Let’s Make Essential Oil Bath Bombs!

Now that it’s May, hopefully we can move on from the “April showers” part of bringing those May flowers. The humidity and rain has been a constant here in Southwestern Virginia. So much, in fact, we often get more rain in a calendar year than Seattle. (I somehow think Seattle got a bad rap on that rain thing.) Anyhow, fingers crossed for sunny days ahead, because this rose essential oil bath bomb recipe makes an excellent DIY gift for Mother’s Day.

I chose to scent my essential oil bath bombs with a rose essential oil blend. Paired with the natural chocolate fragrance of roasted cocoa butter, these essential oils bath bombs offer the perfect combination for Mother’s Day – chocolate and roses. Made with natural rose essential oil, this essential oil bath bomb is the perfect bath time treat to help Mom unwind and relieve stress.

Related: Learn how to make natural essential oil perfumes.

Benefits of Rose Essential Oil

Rose essential oil lends more than just a wonderful fragrance to bath bombs however. According to Very Well Health, rose essential oil, when used in skin care applications, is purported to hydrate dry skin, clear acne, reduce signs of aging, minimize the appearance of scars and help with conditions such as eczema and rosacea.

In addition, rose essential oil has a number of aromatherapeutic uses. It’s believed that rose oil can help relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression as well as help with headaches and migraines. Users may also find it lessens the severity PMS symptoms and menstrual cramps. These benefits make rose essential oil especially suited for a relaxing essential oil bath bomb recipe.

I’d love to be able to scent my essential oil bath bomb recipe with nothing but pure rose essential oil. Unfortunately, for me – and likely many of you as well – the cost of rose essential oil makes this prohibitive. As it takes around 10,000 pounds of rose petals to make just 1 pound of oil, rose oil is one of the most expensive essential oils on the market.

Rose absolute offers a less expensive alternative to pure rose essential oil. Alternately, you can also scent your bath bombs with a rose fragrance oil if desired or if rose essential oil is cost prohibitive.

Related: Shop for handmade Mother’s day gifts.

Rose Essential Oil Bath Bomb Recipe

Ingredients:

16 oz. baking soda
8 oz. citric acid
1 oz. Epsom salt
.25 oz. cream of tartar
2.5 oz. coconut oil
1.25 oz. roasted cocoa butter
.5 oz. polysorbate 80
1/2 Tablespoon (lip/eye safe) pink cosmetic mica powder
24 drops rose absolute
16 drops juniper berry essential oil
8 drops frankincense essential oil
8 drops amyris essential oil
dried cornflowers, to suit

Supplies & Materials:

digital scale
round bath bomb molds
two medium glass bowls
fork or whisk for mixing
microwave or double boiler
respirator face mask
disposable gloves

Making Substitutions:

If you want to tint the bathwater with your essential oil bath bombs, then use a pink lake dye (at the manufacturer’s recommended percentage rate.)

Essential oils out of your price range for this project? You can use a fragrance oil over an essential oil blend. Simply replace the essential oils in my essential oil bath bomb recipe with .5 oz. to 1 oz. of rose fragrance oil. Use less for a lighter scent or more for a heavier fragrance.

If you are allergic to coconut oil, you can use another carrier oil of your choice. (I personally love both argan oil and rosehip seed oil for maturing skin!)

Essential Oil Bath Bomb Instructions:

Begin by weighing out roasted cocoa butter and coconut oil. Then combine in a heat safe container. Heat at 30% power in the microwave, or using the double boiler method, until melted. Remove from heat. Then weigh out the polysorbate 80 and stir into the melted butter and oil. Add the essential oils, using a dropper, then mix again to combine. Set aside.

Next, weigh out the baking soda, citric acid, Epsom salt and cream of tartar into a separate container. Then measure out and add the pink mica powder to the other dry ingredients. Then add your desired amount of dried cornflowers in with the mica and other dry ingredients. Mix well to ensure all the ingredients for your essential oil bath bombs are evenly distributed throughout.

Now add the liquid bath bomb ingredients to the dry ingredients, slowly, mixing as you go. Mix until the entire concoction is the consistency of wet sand.

To make your essential oil bath bombs, pile the mixture into one half of a round bath bomb mold. Do not pack the mixture into the mold. Leave it loose but piled high. Repeat with the other half of the round mold. Then firmly mash the two sides of the bath bomb mold together. Unmold.

Repeat this process with the remaining essential oil bath bomb mixture. Then set your bath bombs aside in a cool, dry location to dry.

All that’s left is to wrap your finished bath bombs as desired for personal use or to give as DIY gifts.

More Rose Essential Oil Recipes

If you like my rose essential oil bath bomb recipe, then you may also like my other rose scented skin care recipes.

You can also make an anti-aging essential oil rollerball bottle to gift with the essential oil bath bombs if desired. Simply combine 5 drops rose essential oil, 5 drops frankincense essential oil, 3 drops helichrysum essential oil, 2 drops myrrh essential oil and 2 drops lavender essential in a rollerball bottle. Then top with rosehip seed oil. Shake to mix. To use, simply roll on under eyes and gently massage in. This blend also works great on scars!

Looking for an affordable to start and grow your essential oil collection? Sign up for the monthly Simply Earth Recipe Box! Use coupon code: SOAPDELIFREE to receive a free bonus box with your first order plus a $40 discount on your next order. Get yours now! Or click here to learn more about this company.

Discover more of my favorite essential oil bath bomb recipes by following me across your favorite social media platforms. You can find and follow me on Pinterest, Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter to stay updated on new recipes.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Homemade Gift Ideas Tagged With: bath and body, bath bomb recipe, bath bombs, bath tutorial, crafts, diy, essential oil blend, essential oils, gift idea, Mother's Day, Mother's Day gifts, natural skin care, rose, self care, stress relief