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I grew up in the 90s, when every girl got either a shower gel gift set from Bath and Body Works or a collection of Lip Smackers lip balms as a gift for basically any occasion.
As nostalgic as these things make me, the ingredients make me shudder.
I have a (general) rule that if I can’t pronounce it, I don’t use it.
I’ve been on the hunt for some frugal homemade beauty products to make as gifts for the ladies in my life, especially as Mother’s Day draws near.
One of the biggest struggles of my mom life has been doing those simple things to feel pretty again. In between the constant spit-up, dirty diapers, and the need for showers to last under 3 minutes, it has been difficult to give myself some pampering.
And also, can we please take a minute and talk about how expensive buying natural products can be? I’m all for organic, vegan, locally-sourced skin care, but I’m not about to fork over a bunch of money for it, especially when I can make my own.
So when I found these recipes, I was overjoyed! And bonus: You probably already have most (if not all, depending on your current level of commitment to the natural lifestyle) ingredients in your cabinets.
9 Frugal Homemade Beauty Products (That Make Perfect Gifts!)
Coconut Oatmeal Sugar Scrub
photo credit and recipe from Meg O. on the Go
Sugar scrubs are a super easy DIY project, and completely customizable. Choose between white and brown sugar, customize the oil (for body scrubs I prefer avocado, coconut, or jojoba), and even add in some essential oils if you want (but please avoid citrus oils as they can make the skin photo-sensitive).
I really like this recipe because of the addition of the oatmeal. Oatmeal is gently cleansing, as well as soothing to dry or itchy skin.
This scrub is perfect for sensitive or dry skin.
Plus, it smells like oatmeal cookies. Totally a plus.
Homemade Rose Water
photo credit and recipe from Frugal Family Home
Did your grandma ever talk to you about rose water?
Mine didn’t, but I learned about it on my own. And apparently it’s a classic addition to the skin care routine.
Rose water balances the oils on the skin, gently correcting oily skin. It’s also soothing, and aids the skin in healing in case of sunburn.
Word on the street is it plays a big part in smoothing out the skin and shrinking the appearance of pores.
15-Minute Lip Balm
photo credit and recipe from A Better Way to Thrive
My husband and I are addicted to lip balms. But ever since we realized that the alcohols in most lip balms and chap sticks actually dry out the lips (great marketing, I guess, since it means you need more?), we became much more careful of what we actually purchase.
I prefer to make them at home to keep the costs down, plus I like to play with different essential oils and create my own.
Also, one time I melted some chocolate in my lip balm concoction and it was one of the best life decisions I’d ever made. So keep that in mind. Maybe create a Thin Mint-style by melting some chocolate chips and adding a drop or two of peppermint essential oil.
DIY Dry Shampoo
photo credit and recipe from Living Well Spending Less
As I stated above, showers for me in this stage of life are about 3 minutes long before Mr I’m-ONLY-Happy-When-Mommy-Holds-Me is totally over me not holding him.
It’s for this reason that I love this recipe for homemade dry shampoo.
I’ve used this recipe for a while and it blends well. I don’t have anything to compare it to as far as store-bought, because I’ve never been a fan of aerosol-powered products, but I really like this recipe. And I smell like a cookie, so that’s perfect for me!
Homemade Bath Bombs
photo credit and recipe from A Beautiful Mess
Are there really moms who have time to take a bath? If you happen to know one, add a few of these beauties into her gift. They are gorgeous, easy to make, and perfectly customizable.
Plus, since they are dry and won’t “go bad”, your supply will last a long time.
Which is good, because I don’t know many moms who have time for regular baths.
Aloe and Green Tea Facial Scrub
photo credit and recipe from Sweet Simple Living
Every good skin care routine includes an exfoliating step to scrub off the dead skin cells and bring the fresh new cells to the surface. So of course this step should do double-duty!
Aloe and green tea are both so beneficial to the skin. Aloe is hydrating, and the caffeine in the green tea stimulates blood flow to the cells. Combined, these are an anti-aging powerhouse.
Maybe don’t mention that it’s anti-aging when you gift it, but consider your audience.
My tired-as-a-mother eyes would be allllll about anti-aging right now. 29 is too early for wrinkles, thank you very much.
Lavender Milk Bath
photo credit and recipe from My Frugal Adventures
Another bath recipe? I know, I know, but this one is so soothing and relaxing, I had to include it! If there is one thing I know from navigating motherhood alongside my friends, it’s that just because we are sleeping, that does not mean we feel relaxed.
Sometimes Mama needs to chill.
Milk in the bath is an age-old tradition, meant to aid the skin in restoring fatty acids and soothe irritated skin.
Along with milk, this recipe also calls for magnesium-containing epsom salts, which help the muscles relax, as well as aids with a gentle systemic detox.
So basically, if you know a stressed-out and over-exerted mama, this is your go-to gift for her. And also, maybe offer to watch the kids for an hour while she soaks.
Peppermint Foot Soak
photo credit and recipe from A Cultivated Nest
Another pampering classic, the foot soak is amazing after a long day of chasing little people, or working outside the home, or when you’re just in need of a reset.
Since the feet have the largest pores on the body, they are a great choice to utilize when you need to detox (or give your body good things, like magnesium).
Foot soaks can be scented or non-scented. The peppermint in this recipe is both soothing and energizing, restoring your feet to their best function.
Cinnamon Vanilla Whipped Body Butter
photo credit and recipe from A Cultivated Nest
And finally, I couldn’t have a homemade beauty products roundup without including the number one beauty gift classic, the body butter.
Whipped body butter is lightweight, nourishing, and moisturizes the skin without leaving it feeling heavy or slick.
Because a little goes a long way, it’s an inexpensive gift as well. There is no need to give someone more than 4-8 ounces of body butter. It will probably take them a long time to use it all up.
Wrap It Up
So there you have it – my top 9 frugal homemade beauty product gift ideas. Gift them to your mom, mother-in-law, college bestie, or yourself (I won’t tell).
I may or may not be making some of these again for myself this week during my GYST day. All the recipes are so simple, they will be easy to add to my day, and the benefits will last for months!
If you found this article helpful, would you please share it? I would be so thankful!
Great ideas! I’m also a 90’s girl, and some of those products have some scary things in them! I know that my mom would love any of these things. I really want to try the rosewater for myself though…shhhhh! 🙂
Mmm, I love the idea of having chocolate in the lip balm, excellent. Saving this one to Pinterest for when I get the ingredients!
Have fun!