One of my favourite things about being a formulator/one woman DIY skincare factory is sharing the things I make with friends and family. I’m always giving away my creations, but I really ramp it up for the holidays! It’s a great way to save money at an expensive time of year, especially when most people are used to spending $5–25 on something you can make at home for a fraction of the cost.
In this post I’m sharing formulations for some of favourite, tried-and-tested, highly gift-able DIYs along with my top tips and tricks for sharing your handmade creations with your friends & family.
Want to watch this project instead of read it?
No more dusty DIYs
I’ve given away hundreds of my handmade skincare creations to friends and family over the years. I’ve gotten lots of wonderful feedback, but I’ve also caught glimpses of years-old handcrafted gifts languishing, dust-covered and unused, on a high shelf in a bathroom (I wasn’t snooping, I promise!).
So, these days, I really try to make sure the things I gift are the sorts of things that’ll actually get used.
If I’m making a big batch of something to have on hand as gifts for all sorts of occasions & people, I gravitate towards products most people already buy and use and probably don’t have super strong opinions about.
If you’ve ever been to someone’s home, think back to the sorts of things you saw out in their bathroom and kitchen, and see if you can give them high quality, handcrafted versions of those things! If there’s a big bottle of St. Ives Vanilla Hand Lotion in their bathroom, try gifting them a lightweight vanilla-scented hand lotion. If every bathroom in their home has a bottle of Bath & Body Works foaming hand wash, whip up some handmade foaming hand wash for them. You get the idea
Hand wash, body lotion, lip balm, and shampoo/body wash bars are pretty safe options for most people. I save more complex/specialty creations like hair masks, peptide face creams, and lactic acid serums for specific people I know will use and appreciate them.
Write it down!
Make sure you label everything you gift so your recipients aren’t left with a mystery jar of… something… when the holiday dust clears.
Include:
- What it is (hand lotion, foot cream, etc.)
- Instructions for use, if the “what” doesn’t make it really obvious
- Any special care instructions (e.g. “don’t leave anywhere hot”, “keep dry”, etc.)
- All the ingredients (e-mailing or texting these afterwards might be the best option if you aren’t set up to design & print labels—especially tiny ones)
Other ‘rules of thumb’
I usually stick to lighter/non-greasy/fast-absorbing formulations. I know some people love heavier, richer products, but my friends and family aren’t those people.
Since the scent of a product can make (or break) it, I usually choose classic, relatively non-polarizing scents (e.g. citrus, mint, and vanilla), and use them at low levels. Leaving things unscented (or just letting the natural scent of ingredients like cocoa butter and coconut oil shine through) is also a good option.
Also: pay attention to maximum usage levels for fragrances & essential oils! Some very Christmassy essential oils—like cinnamon bark and clove—have very low safe usage rates.
Remember restrictions/preferences like allergies, vegan/vegetarianism (especially with the popularity of tallow skincare these days!), and religious considerations when selecting formulations to gift.
Make it home from the holidays
If your gift will have to do some travelling, be it in the mail or in a suitcase, make sure it’ll get there in one piece.
- Avoid formulations that will be ruined if they freeze or melt in a non-temperature-controlled delivery truck.
- Leave room for expansion so freezing won’t cause the bottle/tube/etc. to burst.
- Choose packaging that is unlikely to break (and/or bubble wrap it well).
- Test your bottles & closures for leaks, and do everything you can to prevent them (wrap threads in plumber’s tape, package bottles in plastic bags, etc.)
I really like solid formulations for things that’ll have to travel—shampoo/body wash bars, lip balm, and powder-to-foam products are all great options!
Want to watch this project instead of read it?
Some of my favourite gift-able formulations
Hand creams & lotions
Body creams & lotions
Anhydrous body butters
Emulsified body butters
Hand wash
Body wash
- Gentle Oatmeal Almond Body Wash Bar
- Calendula & Chamomile Powdered Body Wash
- Christmas Tree Body Wash
Thank you marie…
I cannot help feeling bad at the realization that my gifts were unused.
Even when I try not to internalize the feeling…
So your tips will come through for me.
I can make it better.