A nice, warm bath is almost synonymous with self-care, and is the perfect momentary escape during the busy holiday season.  Take things up a notch by using special, holiday-themed goodies in your bath.  These DIY recipes are easy (and making them is self-care on its own!), inexpensive and, if you have any leftover, also make great last-minute holiday gifts.

DIY Holiday Drink Bath Bombs // Ctrl + Curate

These creative, luxe bath bombs are inspired by your favourite holiday drinks: apple cider, peppermint hot chocolate, and eggnog. Ctrl + Curate's instructions make it easy to make one of each to enjoy throughout the holiday season.

Cranberry Coconut Salt Scrub // Kale & Caramel

A good body scrub is great for combating dry, winter skin and this cranberry coconut scrub smells amazing!  You can easily use leftover cranberries in this scrub for a festive holiday touch, while the coconut lets you take a little trip to the tropics.

DIY Festive Holiday Bath Salts // A Simpler Grace

Whether you're dealing with stress or chronic illness, bath salts are a must!  The Epson salts used in these is great for relieving muscle tension and reducing inflammation. These holiday themed bath salts use amazing and cozy scents like cinnamon, clove, and orange.

DIY Peppermint Bath Bombs // Making Lemonade Blog

Seasonal peppermint is great for cooling and invigorating, making popping one of these bath bombs into your tub a great way to feel refreshed.  

Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh Bath Bombs // Humblebee and Me

Made with frankincense and myrrh, these bath bombs have gold mica in them for a luxe bath experience.

DIY Fizzing Vanilla Peppermint Bath Salts // Busy Being Jennifer

These fizzing bath salts combine the best of bath bombs and bath salts into one.  And, with peppermint and vanilla essential oils, they smell just like a candy cane.

DIY Shimmer Body Butter // Ms Quinn Face

After you're out of the bath, keep the experience going with this homemade shimmering body butter made with skin-nourishing coconut oil and your favourite lotion.  There's even tips for how to customize the shimmer for your skin tone to give you the perfect healthy glow. 

 

 

Not feeling creative?  We've got plenty of seasonal bath and body goodies in our Winter Indulgence Bonus Box!

Whether you're picking up gifts for loved ones or a little something for yourself this upcoming holiday season, gifts that emphasize self-care are always a great go-to.  Here are some of our top picks:

                                                       Self-Care Solitaire

Establishing a good self-care routine can be difficult and sometimes overwhelming - which is the exact opposite thing that self-care is supposed to be!  This great deck of cards has self-care reminders on them to use as inspiration, plus you can also use the deck as a traditional set of cards.

                                                        Winter Indulgence Gift Box

For the ultimate in self-care this winter season, our gift box is the perfect pick!  It's filled with amazing self-care goodies from great brands like Florahue, Native Nectar Botanicals, Potting Shed Creations, and more, so everything you need for self-care is at your fingertips.

                                                                                                                        Happy Spritz Box Set

Aromatherapy products are perfect to create a great atmosphere. This set from Happy Spritz includes five of their best selling facial mists, made with 100% natural ingredients and free of alcohols, parabens, and synthetic preservatives.

                                        Sister Good Mermaid Mud Mask

The 10-15 minutes it takes for a face mask is absolutely perfect for a moment of self-care. This natural, vegan, and cruelty-free mask is made with delicious smelling cacao and activated charcoal and bentonite clay to pull toxins from your skin.

                                                   B Kind Lavender Himalayan Bath Salt

We're all about a good bath soak!  This version is made with mineral-rich Himalayan Pink Salt and calming lavender and makes a perfect gift.

                                                   Mindful Mandala Cards

Colouring is a great activity for relaxation and mindfulness, and this bundle from Mindful Mandala Cards is packaged in a pouch for perfect gifting.  The kit comes with 24 mandalas with a thoughtful saying on the other side, alongside with a tube of 12 mini coloured pencils. Plus, a portion of sales goes to supporting mental health and wellness programs.

                                                Link of Hearts Cuff Me with Love

This gorgeous brass bracelet is hand stamped with an inspirational message.  For every purchase, Link of Hearts with give a string of hope bracelet to someone suffering from depression or in need of inspiration.

                                         David's Tea Warm & Cozy Teas

There's something so soothing about a warm drink, and David's tea always has great gift options for the holidays.  This set in particular has really unique and delicious teas like Chocolate Covered Almond, Coffee Cake, and Apple Cider.

                                                                            Saje Aromagem Diffuser

Diffusing essential oils is great for creating ambiance no matter what your mood or helping to manage symptoms like headaches.  This diffuser from Saje Wellness is beautiful enough that it's also a decor piece. 

                                                  Theo Holiday Collection

Who doesn't love some good quality organic chocolate? This holiday pack from Theo chocolate features their 4 holiday bars: Peppermint Stick Dark chocolate, Nutcracker Dark Chocolate, Cranberry Orange Dark Chocolate, and Gingerbread Milk Chocolate. 

                                                         Sacred Arrow Rose Gold Diffuser Necklace

For aromatherapy on-the-go, diffuser jewelry is a great option.  We love this beautiful piece from Sacred Arrow because it just looks like a gorgeous piece of jewelry.  There's actually a piece on the nape of the neck where you apply the essential oils.

                                                    Tom's Vegan Slippers

Slippers are always a great go-to gift. These cozy ones from Tom's are vegan and can be worn both inside and outside, plus for every pair purchased, a child in need receives a pair of shoes.

With Thanksgiving, it made perfect sense to have a theme of Gratitude for October!  The practice of gratitude has so many benefits, from increasing happiness, to improving health, to establishing deeper relationships and better self-esteem.  However, when you're dealing with mental health issues, chronic illness, or are just really busy, I know that practicing gratitude can seem like just another thing you "have" to do.  With the Gratitude box, I wanted to create a box to help subscribers ease into a gratitude practice.  Here's what was inside!

Studio Pennylane Gratitude Apothecary Jar

I knew I wanted to include a way to practice gratitude but I didn't really want to include a gratitude journal because I had just included a Happiness Planner in The Reset Box.  When I came across these beautiful gratitude jars from Studio Pennylane, I knew they were perfect!  You're encouraged to write down something your grateful for and stick it in the jar.  Not only is this a great way to practice gratitude, but I also love that it's a decor piece, and that you can quickly see everything you're grateful for add up!

All Good Provisions Oven Stocked Organic Roasting Kit

I've had my eye on these unique roasting kits from All Good Provisions for awhile!  The Gratitude box was a perfect box to include them in because they're a quick yet impressive snack to prepare that you can share with others or keep for yourself. This particular kit has organic pecans, which are roasted with delicious flavorings like cocoa, coconut, and ginger.

Canvas Candle Co. Pumpkin Chai

There's something so soothing about burning a candle while practicing gratitude, meditating, or just relaxing!  I know that candles can be irritating or cause headaches for a lot of people, so it was essential that I included a natural candle.  These candles are handmade with soy wax and essential oils and have a delicious and warm pumpkin chai scent.

 

Skipping Stone Soap

Washing your body or your face is a perfect time to slow down and start fresh.  These handcrafted soaps from Skipping Stone have nourishing ingredients and natural scents and, I think, round out the box perfectly.

Because September is synonymous with back-to-school and often feels like a fresh start, I wanted to capitalize on this feeling and offer a box filled with products to help uplift, energize, and motivate.

 

The 100-Day Happiness Planner ($29.99)

A good planner is essential, and this Happiness Planner takes things up a notch.  Rather than just focusing on productivity, the Happiness Planner focuses on happiness, gratitude, mindfulness, positive thinking, and overall self-development.

FloraHue Uplift Aromatherapy Roll-On ($12.50)

If you experience any sort of brain fog or chronic fatigue, you know how hard it can be to break through that drowsy feeling.  I chose this roll-on from Ontario maker FloraHue because it's perfect for increasing energy and confidence.  It's made with lemongrass, clary sage, patchouli, and lavender, and has a wonderfully uplifting citrus and floral scent.

Inner Echo Wish Bracelet ($7)

Another item to keep you inspired and uplifted during the day! Made with gemstones with different meanings, this bracelet is designed to be worn everyday.  When the string begins to fray, then you know your wish is on its way.

Chocolate Tofino High Seas Organic 70% Dark Chocolate Bar ($3.95)

I knew I needed some good quality dark chocolate in this box - the cacoa is a great brain booster!  The bar that I chose is made in Tofino, British Columbia, and has a sprinkle of Pacific sea salt along the bottom.  It's utterly delicious and satisfying, plus a dollar from each bar goes towards conserving our oceans. 

Sleep is such a tricky topic!  Whether you're dealing with chronic pain, restlessness, or your mind just won't stop running, getting your Zzz's on isn't always the easiest thing.  For this reason, our box send out at the end of August was filled with products to help you relax and drift off into restorative sleep.

 

Aren't You Fancy Lavender and Flax Eye Pillow ($22)

With a sleep box in mind, we knew that we had to include a soothing aromatherapy product.  This lavender and flax eye pillow from Toronto designer Andrea fit perfectly.  Filled with a blend of flax seed and dried lavender from a pesticide-free farm in Ontario, this lightly scented eye pillow provides a nice, relaxing pressure across your eyes combined with the smell of lavender.  Hand sewn with (super cute!) cotton fabric, this eye pillow can also be used hot or cold and is especially helpful for headaches.

 

Good Common Sense Shower Steam Tab  ($3.55)

There's nothing like a warm bath or shower before bed.  Since we've included bath products in past months, I wanted to give shower lovers a treat this month!  Place this steam tab on the floor of your shower, and your shower instantly becomes a spa, filled with the essential oils of orange, frankincense, and rosemary.

 

Hazel & Ruby Crafternoon Dreamcatcher Kit ($19.99)

When insomnia strikes, it's often better to get up and do a repetitive activity instead of just laying there.  This Dreamcatcher Kit is perfect for this!  It's easy to make and, when you're done, you have a beautiful boho-inspired dreamcatcher you can hand near your bed.

The Deep Sleep Deck ($13.95)

Because sleep can be so complex, I wanted to include an item that had some helpful sleep suggestions.  The Deep Sleep Deck is awesome because it's not overwhelming like a book might be.  You can just keep the deck on your nightstand and pull out a card to follow when you're having trouble sleeping.  There are 50 natural sleep tips included.