🌞 Sunscreen Lip Balm

Before heading out into the sun, most people remember to apply sunscreen to their skin—but what about their lips? Regular sunscreen tastes unpleasant and can dry out your lips. This simple homemade lip balm offers natural sun protection, keeps your lips soft, and avoids harsh chemicals.

Many natural ingredients offer some SPF on their own. For example:

• Raspberry seed oil (SPF 28–50)

• Carrot seed essential oil (SPF up to 40)

• Oils such as wheat germ, jojoba, and shea butter also contribute mild natural SPF.

⚠️ Avoid phototoxic essential oils (lemon, lime, bitter orange, mandarin leaf, grapefruit) in sunlight.

💡 Sweet orange essential oil, however, is considered safe and not phototoxic.

Although homemade sunscreens cannot be assigned a precise SPF value, this recipe has been used safely for years and provides gentle protection. Always remember: avoid strong midday sun and use multiple layers of sun protection whenever possible.

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🧴 Ingredients (Makes 6 Tubes)

• 2 tbsp olive oil infused with calendula

• 1 tbsp jojoba oil

• 1 tbsp wheat germ oil

• 0.5 tsp raspberry seed oil

• 2 tbsp grated beeswax

• 1.5 tsp carnauba wax

• 1 tsp shea butter

• 10 drops vanilla essential oil

• 8 drops sweet orange essential oil

• 5 drops carrot seed essential oil

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🛠️ Materials Needed

• 6 empty lip balm tubes

• Turkish coffee pot or small double boiler

• Small spatula

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🧪 Instructions

1. Prepare Calendula-Infused Olive Oil

Infuse your olive oil with calendula (as described on page 11, or by gently warming olive oil with dried calendula petals and letting it steep).

2. Melt the Base

• Add all oils, waxes, and shea butter into a Turkish coffee pot or double boiler.

• Heat gently until everything is completely melted.

• Remove from heat.

3. Add Essential Oils

• After turning off the heat, add vanilla, sweet orange, and carrot seed essential oils.

• Stir thoroughly with your spatula.

4. Fill the Tubes

• Use the spout of the Turkish coffee pot to pour the mixture into each lip balm tube.

• Fill slightly above the inner screw mechanism.

• Let them cool and solidify.

5. Top Off (Optional but Recommended)

• Reheat the remaining mixture gently.

• Top off each tube to create a smooth, professional finish.

• If a depression still forms, melt the surface lightly with a lighter to level it.

6. Quick Method (if appearance doesn’t matter)

If the lip balm is for personal use only, you may fill each tube once without topping off. The appearance may vary, but the function remains the same.

Lavender & Cocoa Butter Bath Melts

Add a touch of pure luxury to your bath with these rich, moisturizing cocoa butter melts. Made from simple, natural ingredients, they look and smell like decadent truffles—though they’re meant for pampering your skin, not eating! As they dissolve in warm water, the silky oils infuse your bath and leave your skin soft, nourished, and lightly scented with lavender and cocoa.

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Ingredients & Materials

Makes 12 bath melts

• 55 g cocoa butter

• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• 20 drops lavender essential oil

• 1 tbsp dried lavender flowers

• Small pot (a Turkish coffee pot works perfectly)

• Spatula

• Silicone ice cube tray or candy mold

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Make it!

1. Melt the oils.
   Gently warm the cocoa butter and coconut oil in a small pot over medium-low heat. Stir constantly and avoid overheating—heat only until everything is just melted.

2. Add the scent.
   Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the lavender essential oil.

3. Pour into molds.
   Immediately pour the mixture into silicone molds. A pot with a spout (like a Turkish coffee pot) makes pouring much easier and safer.

4. Add lavender.
   Sprinkle dried lavender evenly over the melts while the mixture is still hot.

5. Chill to set.
   Place the mold in the refrigerator for about 2 hours until fully solid.

6. Store properly.
   Keep bath melts in the fridge or in a cool place so they don’t soften or melt before use—especially in warm weather.

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To Use

Drop one or two bath melts into a tub filled with hot water. Let them dissolve and soak for at least 20 minutes for maximum skin-softening benefits.

Tub Tea

Herbs in the bath are soothing and luxurious, but they can leave behind quite a mess. Tub teas offer all the benefits of herbs, salts, moisturizers, and skin-softeners—without any cleanup. Packed into oversized tea bags, they steep gently in the bath like a comforting, aromatic blend.

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Choose Your Ingredients

Fill extra-large paper tea bags with any combination of the following:

• Dried lavender

• Rose petals

• Pink Himalayan bath salts

• Epsom salts

• Ground oatmeal

• Dried monarda (bee balm)

• Dried mint leaves

• Fennel seeds

• Comfrey root powder

• Powdered milk or goat’s milk

Mix and match ingredients to create relaxing, energizing, or skin-soothing blends.

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Make it!

1. Fill each extra-large paper tea bag with the herbs, salts, or powders of your choice.

2. Fold the top of the tea bag down 4–5 times.

3. Secure with a single staple to seal.

4. Pack the prepared tub teas into a Mason jar or decorative container for gifting.

Bath Bombs

Love those fizzy, fragrant bath bombs but don’t want to spend a fortune? Making your own is simple, fun, and entirely natural. Many commercial recipes rely on synthetic fragrances and dyes, but you can create vibrant, beautifully scented bath bombs using only pure essential oils and natural colorants. They make fantastic gifts—and they’re gentle and safe for the body.

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Ingredients & Materials

• 2 cups baking soda

• 1 cup citric acid

• 100% pure witch hazel (in a spray bottle)

• 10–20 drops pure essential oils (no synthetic fragrance oils)

• Natural colorants:

  • Green → spirulina

  • Yellow → turmeric

  • Purple → ratanjot

• Plastic molds (soap molds, chocolate molds, ice cube trays, or two-piece ornament molds)

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Make it!

1. Combine dry ingredients. In a large bowl, mix the baking soda and citric acid thoroughly.

2. Add natural color.

   • Start with ½ teaspoon of your chosen colorant.

   • Mix well. Add more if needed, but avoid over-coloring to prevent bathtub staining.

   • The color will brighten once witch hazel is added.

3. Add essential oils. Mix in 20–30 drops of pure essential oils.

4. Moisten the mixture.

   • Lightly mist the mixture with witch hazel while mixing with your hands.

   • Continue spraying and mixing quickly until the mixture just holds together when squeezed (like making a snowball).

   • Avoid over-wetting—too much liquid will cause the mixture to fizz prematurely.

5. Pack into molds.

   • Press the mixture firmly into your plastic molds.

   • For round bath bombs, tightly pack two halves and press them together before removing.

6. Remove and dry.

   • Tap the molds gently to release the bath bombs.

   • Place them on a towel or tray to dry for 30 minutes or until firm.

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Tip

Use any leftover powder on your counter or in the bowl as a natural carpet deodorizer—sprinkle it on carpets, let sit briefly, then vacuum.

Gardener’s Herbal Foot Soak

This beautiful herbal soak may look decorative in the jar, but it delivers a powerful blend of soothing botanicals. Eucalyptus, rosemary, and comfrey root powder help ease aches, lavender encourages relaxation, and mint brings a refreshing lift. And why should feet have all the fun? This blend is just as lovely in a full bath.

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Ingredients

• 2 cups Epsom salts

• 8 drops pure lavender essential oil

• 6 drops mint essential oil

• 2 drops eucalyptus essential oil

• 2 drops rosemary essential oil

• 1 tsp dried comfrey root powder

• 1 tsp dried lavender

• 1 tsp dried mint leaves

• ¼ tsp dried monarda (bee balm) petals

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Make it!

1. Fill a jar halfway with Epsom salts.

2. Add the essential oils and all dried herbs. Replace the lid and shake well.

3. Fill the jar to the top with more Epsom salts.

4. Replace the lid and shake one final time to blend everything evenly.

Easy Lavender Bath Salts

Fragrant, soothing bath salts are one of the simplest and most beautiful handmade gifts you can create. Packaged in vintage canning jars, they look lovely on display and bring calming relaxation to any bath.

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Ingredients & Materials

• Epsom salts

• 100% pure lavender essential oil (not fragrance oil)

• Dried lavender flowers

• Vintage canning jars

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Make it!

1. Fill each canning jar halfway with Epsom salts.

2. Add 10–15 drops of lavender essential oil. Replace the lid and shake well.

3. Remove the lid and add 1 heaping tablespoon of dried lavender flowers. Replace the lid and shake again.

4. Top up the jar with more Epsom salts.

5. Seal the jar and give it one final thorough shake—shake, shake, shake!

Mango Citrus Whipped Body Butter

This light, silky body butter feels almost like whipped cream on the skin. The bright citrus aroma paired with the nourishing properties of mango, cocoa, and shea butters creates a luxurious moisturizer perfect for soothing dry skin after a shower. Its smooth, airy texture also makes it wonderful for massage—an ideal handmade gift for someone who deserves a bit of pampering.

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Ingredients

• 20 g mango butter

• 20 g cocoa butter

• 30 g shea butter

• 30 g coconut oil

• 20 g apricot kernel oil

• 1 tbsp cornstarch

• 20 drops citrus essential oil (5 lime, 5 sweet orange, 5 lemon, 5 pink grapefruit)

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Equipment

• Double boiler

• Metal spoon

• 2 small glass jars (100 ml each)

• Digital kitchen scale

• Whisk

• Bowl for ice-water bath

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Make it!

1. Measure accurately. Weigh all oils and butters using a digital scale.

2. Melt the base oils. Add the mango butter, cocoa butter, shea butter, coconut oil, and apricot kernel oil to a double boiler. Warm gently until fully melted, taking care not to overheat.

3. Prepare an ice bath. Fill a large bowl with ice and water. This will help the butter whip properly.

4. Cool and combine. Once melted, transfer the top pot of the double boiler into the ice bath. Stir in the essential oils and cornstarch.

5. Whip to perfection. As the mixture cools and thickens, whisk until stiff, whipped peaks form. This happens quickly once chilled enough.

6. Package. Spoon the fluffy butter into clean glass jars and seal tightly.

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Storage Tips

• Use within a few months, as the recipe contains no preservatives.

• For a slightly longer shelf life, add the contents of 1–2 vitamin E capsules before whipping.