Do you love DIY gifts? If so, I've got you covered! Today, I am sharing my favorite 32 recipes for easy gifts using essential oils. You can gift these DIY recipes for the upcoming holidays, you can make teacher gifts for your children's teachers, or have a girl’s night and whip up some of these recipes, either way have fun DIY-ing. Don't miss out on the winter holiday fun with the 12 Days of Holiday DIY ideas at the end of this article.
There is something about creating with essential oils that is ultra-relaxing to me when the tension of the holiday season sets in. I recently shared with Redfin, my number one tip for easing stress is whipping up a batch of miracle salve which is my most requested recipe of all time! You can read more about tips for,
"How to Deal with Stress at Home During the Holidays" from other experts on
Redfin's Blog.
Recipes In this Post:
This soap is so simple to make and would be a great gift to someone this year, or even for a girl’s night, you and your girlfriends can whip these soaps up in an evening over wine and gossip.
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Cut 1-pound melt & pour soap base into cubes and melt in bowl in microwave stirring every 30 seconds until melted.
- Once melted, stir in blended oatmeal, 1 tbs dried lavender, and 40 drops lavender essential oil.
- Pour into molds. Allow to harden and remove from molds.
- Optional, thinly slice off 1/4 inch from the bottom of the finished soap for a more polished look.
- Makes 10 soaps using molds above.
I love my homemade sugar scrubs. They’re easy to make (takes just 5 minutes) and are so much more affordable and less toxic than buying conventional ones. It also feels great to know what you’re putting on your own body while indulging in a little self care.
Ingredients:
Directions:
In a bowl, combine all ingredients and stir.
To Use:
- Apply a small amount to body and scrub for 30 seconds.
- Rinse with warm water.
- Pat dry for silky smooth skin.
Give the gift of peace, serenity, balance, and elevation this holiday season. Customize a relaxing Epson salt soak with your favorite doTERRA essential oils and present it as a festive Christmas ornament. Give the ornament alone or pair it with the following gift suggestions for the writer, entrepreneur, yogi, or mother in your life. This recipe has specific pairings that go with it, so I am not including the recipe here, but you can click the link above and find everything you need there.
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Add Epson salt to a bowl.
- Stir in desired essential oils. Mix well.
- Add the bath salt to plastic ornaments.
- Once full, put the top of ornament back on.
- Attach a ribbon and label if desired to ornament hanger. Do not lift ornament from ribbon or hanger.
- When ready to use, add contents of ornament to a warm bath and soak your worries away.
- Makes 1 ornament. Adjust recipe as needed.
- Present spa ornament as a single gift, a set of ornaments or pair with the below suggestions for the writer, entrepreneur, yogi, or mother in your life.
Short on time but love the idea of homemade gifts? This simple soap recipe uses only 3 simple ingredients and can be created in 5 minutes. It smells divine and the doTERRA essential oils add additional health benefits. Makes a thoughtful gift for the holidays, wedding favors, or just because.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
- Cut soap base into cubes and place in a microwave safe bowl.
- Melt the soap into liquid form in increments of 30 seconds.
- Add a handful of dried herbs to the bottom of the molds.
- Stir in spearmint & rosemary essential oils into melted soap base (or other oils of your choosing).
- Let molds sit for an hour. Remove soap from mold.
- Wrap in cellophane and tie with ribbon if gifting.
- Makes 12 small soaps.
Are you ready for your skin to glow and to feel like a goddess? If so, you are going to LOVE this sugar scrub recipe made with green tea and 2 of my all-time favorite essential oils, rose and sandalwood. Sugar scrubs are economical to make at home and will gently exfoliate and moisturize your skin
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Mix all the ingredients together in the jar and keep covered until ready to use. To use, rub a spoonful over wet skin in the shower or bathtub.
- Avoid using on your face since the sugar may be too coarse for delicate facial skin.
- Using coconut oil can make surfaces slippery so be mindful when using in the tub or shower.
There is something magical about a warm neck wrap paired with essential oils. The aroma relaxes my mind while the heat from the wrap increases circulation and deepens the tension relieving benefits of essential oils. While not as good as a massage, it's the next best thing I've found to melt tension away after a long day.
Materials:
Directions:
- Lay one piece of fabric on a flat work surface and apply liquid stitch glue generously to outer 1/2 inch border of 3 sides (don’t apply glue to one of the short sides) Apply glue to the side of the fabric you want facing OUT.
- Lay second piece of fabric on top of the first piece. Have the sides of the fabric you want facing out touching each other (you will turn this inside out later). Place heavy items like books onto the fabric and let dry completely for 24 hours.
- After 24 hours, reach your hand inside the unglued opening and turn the fabric wrap inside out.
- Fill wrap with rice (better to under fill than overfill).
- Tuck fabric on the open into the wrap and apply liquid stitch inside to create a seam.
- Apply pressure and allow final seam to dry 24 hours before using.
To use, gently warm wrap in the microwave at 30 second increments until desired temperature is achieved (if rice is overheated the wrap will always smell burned). Apply desired essential oils to neck, place warming wrap on neck and relax!
Are you looking for some simple and creative holiday gift ideas that people will WANT to receive? If so, this post is for you! I’m a big fan of practical and useful gifts. Here are three of my favorite DIY gift recipes for the holiday season plus 2 lightning-fast treat recipes to serve at parties.
To make your gifting life easier, I’ve included labels that you can download & print to put on your gifts, so it makes it look like you really have it together.
Go read the blog post to get all five recipes and make sure to grab the free labels I have available for you to print at home.
Sugar scrubs are one of my favorite DIY gifts to whip up around the holidays. Not only does this recipe smells AMAZING the sugar gently exfoliates your skin, while the warming spices and essential oils increase circulation to the skin's surface.
You will only need a few simple ingredients to get started including sugar, fractionated coconut oil, essential oils (I use these oils for everything), and pumpkin spice seasoning.
Ginger Spice Sugar Scrub
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl until combined.
- Store in an airtight container.
- To use, massage small amount over damp skin for 30 seconds or until sugar dissolves, then rinse with warm water.
- Great to use in the shower or bath. Makes one, 4 oz jar.
Candy Cane Sugar Scrub
Dryer balls help freshen and fluff clothing without using dryer sheets that cover clothing with toxic chemicals and synthetic fragrances. Over time, dryer balls save time, energy, and money.
Not only do dryer balls promote toxin-free living, but they are also incredibly easy to make! The key material here is 100% wool yarn. A wool yarn blend will not be felt properly to form a finished dryer ball.
Once you have your 100% wool yarn, you will also need an old nylon stocking, string, scissors, and your favorite essential oils (I use these oils for everything). Now that you have all of your supplies, let's get started!
Materials:
Directions:
- Wrap yarn 20-30 times around two fingers.
- Slide fingers out from yarn loop and wrap 20-30 times again around the newly formed yarn loop.
- Continue tightly wrapping the yarn in different directions until a solid yarn ball forms about the size of a tennis ball (this will take about 1/2 skein of yarn).
- Once desired size is achieved, cut yarn and securely tuck yarn tail under several pieces of wrapped yarn.
- Tuck final piece of yarn tail deep inside the yarn ball using a pencil, crochet hook, or chop stick.
- Complete the same process above until you have 4 balls.
Place balls inside nylon stocking and separate each ball by tightly tying a string between each ball. Don’t use wool yarn for this because it will “felt” in the dryer. Dryer balls are now ready for the felting process. Place dryer balls inside the nylon in a deep bowl and cover with boiling water. Let set for 20 minutes. Carefully remove balls from water and place on a large towel. Soak up as much water as possible using the towel. Place the wet towel and the yarn balls (still in the nylon stocking) into the dryer. Dry on the hottest setting for 1-3 cycles until the balls are completely dry to complete the felting process.
Once completely dry, cut the nylon stocking and remove the dryer balls. Individual yarn strands should now be felted together and not be able to be unraveled. If so, they are ready to be used!
To use dryer balls, add a couple drops of your favorite essential oils like doTERRA Purify or Wild Orange essential oils to your dryer balls and add all 4 balls (or more) to your dryer every time you dry a load of laundry. Enjoy!
Bath bombs are an easy way to transform a regular bath into an aromatic adventure for your senses. Not only do these bath bombs smell AMAZING, but the addition of coconut oil also makes them extra moisturizing.
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Briefly pulse citric acid in a blender to create a finer powder (optional but creates a less crumbly, sturdy bath bomb).
- Mix baking soda, cornstarch (or arrowroot), and blended citric acid in a bowl.
- In a smaller bowl, mix melted coconut oil and essential oil. Mix oil mixture into powdered mixture until well combined.
- Add optional dried lavender leaves (looks beautiful but needs to be strained from bathwater).
- Firmly pack mixture into molds.
- Remove immediately from molds and set on plate to dry for 24 hours before storing.
- Store in airtight container or wrap in plastic wrap followed by tissue paper for gifting.
- Drop one bath bomb into bathwater for a relaxing experience. Makes 4-5 bath bombs using these molds.
These simple lotion bars can easily be made at home with only 6 ingredients. Not only do they smell delicious, they are also ultra-nourishing to my skin during long Colorado winters.
Lotion bars are solid at room temperature and transform into a luxurious moisturizer when they come into contact with warm skin.
I keep my lotion bar next to my bed and apply it to hands, feet and elbows so it can work its' moisturizing magic while I sleep.
I am using doTERRA Listea essential oil in this recipe because of its' skin soothing properties and uplifting aroma, but you can substitute any of your favorite doTERRA oils. A combination of doTERRA lavender and frankincense essential oils would smell lovely and be ultra-soothing as well.
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Slowly melt beeswax, coconut oil, and cocoa butter in a large jar using a double boiler.
- Remove jar from heat and stir in vitamin e and essential oils.
- Pour melted mixture into molds. Let lotion bars harden for 2-3 hours before removing from molds.
- Apply to skin as needed.
- Store in glass jar, metal tin, or sealable bag.
Yield will vary depending on type of mold used but the molds used here will produce approximately 4 lotion bars using the recipe above.
The holiday season is filled with giving, and these adorable handmade essential oil diffuser ornaments are the perfect DIY gift for any of your loved ones! Not only are they cute as ornaments, but they can also be used as gift tags on any gift!
Ingredients:
- Air Dry Clay
- Any Essential Oil of Your Choice (Personally, I love to use my doTERRA Holiday Joy blend essential oil because it has such a warm and homey smell that's perfect for Christmas time! Another lovely combination is Cassia and Siberian Fir.)
Directions:
- Start by taking out your clay (this is the air dry clay I used) and roll a small ball of the clay between your hands.
- If you want to add glitter you can roll a small amount of glitter on the clay now. This extra fine glitter looks gorgeous and goes a long way.
- Next, use a printed stamp to press down on the clay to give it its round shape and the design of your choice.
- As you can see in the picture, I used a snowflake design, which I think is perfect for Christmas!
- Next, make a hole in the top with a straw or toothpick so that you can pull string through it to hang it as an ornament or tie it as a gift tag.
- Then set the clay ornament aside to dry for 1-2 days so that it hardens.
- After the drying period, you can loop the string or ribbon that you've chosen through the hole and then take your favorite essential oil and add a few drops to the back of the ornament.
Lip sugar scrubs help gently exfoliate your lips and leaves them silky smooth for your favorite lipstick or smooch session. The peppermint creates a pleasant tingling sensation on your lips, increases circulation, and may even have a temporary plumping effect on your lips.
If you haven't tried a lip scrub yet you are in for a treat! Not only does it feel amazing it tastes delicious. I can't resist licking this scrub off of my lips. Keep reading for the recipe below.
Ingredients:
Directions:
- After getting these ingredients in order, all you have to do is mix them together and its ready!
- To use, gently massage onto your lips and wipe clean.
- You can keep it on your vanity or bathroom counter and use it morning, evening, or whenever your lips are feeling particularly dry.
This salve is my all time favorite DIY gift to make! When holiday tension has filled my muscles, I unwind by whipping up a batch of this miracle salve. The aromas of peppermint, lavender, copaiba, and rosemary fill my home and melts tension away instantly when applied to tense muscles.
The salve itself is just a base that you can add any essential oils you want to it. The recipe included in this article is for soothing irritated skin and sore muscles. At the end I will give you some ideas of other oils you can add to this salve to help with other problems.
This salve is perfect for anyone in your life who has skin! This salve includes a blend of skin and tension soothing essential oils in a base of coconut and olive oils. I use this salve for all things skin related, head tension relief, hangnail soother, bug bites, lip balm, dry foot soother, and even to smooth my hair! I don’t have a beard but if I did, I would be using the salve on my beard, too!
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Slowly melt coconut oil, olive oil, & beeswax in a double boiler stirring frequently.
- Add Vitamin E (if using) and 5 drops of EACH essential oil to EACH 2oz container.
- Pour melted beeswax mixture into containers and let set for 24 hours to harden.
- Apply directly to skin as needed.
This recipe will make 8, 2 oz containers or 4, 4oz containers. 4oz mason jars work great if you want a larger option.
I also created
Zodiac Journals; these would make a great addition to go along with your roller blend.
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Melt beeswax, cocoa butter, and coconut oil in double boiler.
- Once melted, remove from heat and stir in vitamin e and essential oils.
- Pour into lip balm containers and let cool completely before putting on lids.
- Apply to lips as needed.
Recipe makes 4 small round lip balm containers.
How to Make Your Own Beeswax Candles at Home
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Coconut oil is optional but helps the beeswax candle burn more evenly. A good ratio is about 75% beeswax and 25% coconut oil. This doesn’t have to be an exact measurement. Just eyeball it.
- Use desired jar for your candle to measure your beeswax. Fill your candle jar to to the top with beeswax and then pour into a larger glass “melt jar” for melting your wax. Add coconut oil to the melt jar. Add melt jar to double boiler, pot of boiling water, or Instant Pot on sauté mode filled with a few inches of water like I use in the video.
- While the wax is melting, place wick in candle jar and secure with a dot of hot glue to the bottom of the jar if desired. Pro tip, lay 2 pens on the top of the jar opening to keep the wick from sliding around while pouring in the melted wax.
- Once the wax is melted, pour into your candle jar. Once the wax hardens again, trim the wick to 1/4 inch, light it and enjoy.
- These make beautiful, thoughtful gifts. Just tie a ribbon around the jar or add a bow to the top of the jar for presentation.
Ingredients:
- 1 Cup of Sugar
- ½ Cup of Fractionated Coconut Oil or Sweet Almond Oil
- Ginger – 2 drops
- Cinnamon – 2 drops
- Clove – 2 drops
- Cardamom – 2 drops
Directions:
Mix sugar and essential oils, stir in carrier oil, and store in airtight container.
Note: It is best to store recipes like this that contain essential oils in an airtight container. I prefer to use sugar scrubs in the shower, but make sure you do not reach into your jar with wet hands, this can create bacteria in the sugar scrub and the water will melt the sugar. If you are just getting started with essential oils and don’t have some of the oils listed above, you can still make a sugar scrub and use the oils you have on hand.
Ingredients:
- 1 Cup Epsom Salt
- ¼ Cup of Baking Soda
- Eucalyptus – 2 drops
- Clary Sage – 3 drops
- Juniper Berry – 2 drops
Directions:
Mix dry ingredients together, add in essential oils, stir, and store in an airtight container.
Note: All you really need for this recipe is a cup of Epsom salt and essential oils, but I add a few extras, these are completely optional. The baking soda has some detox properties and helps to soften the skin which is why I like to add it. You can also add some Pink Himalayan Salt to give your bath salts some color.
In this recipe you will notice that the oils used are not your typical autumn aromas, but they work well together, and this combo is very supportive for the lungs. The new Eucalyptus blend uses 5 different species that help to open the airways and support the lungs, you read more about the new blend of Eucalyptus here. Clary Sage is good for supporting female hormones. Juniper Berry adds a fresh and crisp aroma, it also helps to support the kidneys.
Ingredients:
- 4 oz spray bottle
- 1 tbsp of Vodka, Witch Hazel, or Rubbing Alcohol
- Harvest Spice – 25 drops
- Lemon – 15 drops
- Wild Orange – 15 drops
- Top With Water
Directions:
Add essential oils to an empty 4 oz spray bottle, then add tbsp of vodka or alternative, and top with water. This is better if you let it sit for about 24 hours before using.
What You Will Need to Get Started
- 3 – 8oz/250ml Glass Spray Bottles (Purchase Here)
- Witch Hazel
- Distilled Water
- Purify – 10 drops
- Lavender – 10 drops
- Eucalyptus – 15 drops
- Witch Hazel – 2 Tablespoons
- Top with water
- Citrus Bliss – 20 drops
- YlangYlang – 10 drops
- Passion – 10 drops
- Witch Hazel – 2 Tablespoons
- Top with Water
- Grapefruit – 10 drops
- Tangerine – 20 drops
- Spearmint – 10 drops
- Witch Hazel – 2 Tablespoons
- Top With Water
Note: Vodka can be used in place of Witch Hazel if you don’t have it on hand. Rubbing Alcohol can also be used in a pinch if you don’t have Witch Hazel or Vodka, but personally I think Rubbing Alcohol has a harsh smell and prefer to use Witch Hazel or Vodka.
Give your essential oils some time to marry before using so that you can get the full aroma. This spray can be used on your linens, blankets, sheets, pillows, laundry, and yoga/gym clothes.
What You Will Need to Get Started
Note: If you are unsure about the aroma of mixing certain essential oils a good way to pre-trial the aroma is by holding the essential oils you plan to use up to your nose at the same time and deeply inhaling. Whenever I mess up a roller bottle blend and do not like the smell, instead of throwing it out I just dump the entire thing into my bath water the next time I take a bath.
- Citrus Bloom – 12 drops
- Balance – 8 drops
- Lime – 4 drops
- Top with fractionated coconut oil
- Peace – 4 drops
- Roman Chamomile – 6 drops
- Cedarwood – 6 drops
- Top with fractionated coconut oil
- Lemon – 10 drops
- Lavender – 10 drops
- Peppermint – 10 drops
- Top with fractionated coconut oil
What You Will Need:
- ¾ cup of sugar
- 1/3 cup of carrier oil – I use fractionated coconut oil, but you can use almond oil, jojoba seed oil, or whatever you like.
- 8-12 drops of essential oils of your choice
- ¾ cup leftover coffee grounds
- ¾ cup coconut oil or olive oil
- Cypress – 5 drops
- Grapefruit – 5 drops
- 1 cup salt of choice
- ¼ cup carrier oil of choice
- Grapefruit – 10 drops
- Balance – 10 drops
- 1 cup sugar of choice
- Add 1 tablespoon of carrier oil at a time until desired consistency is achieved (you want to make sure it’s not too soupy, otherwise the sugars will melt)
- Peppermint – 5-10 drops
Mix ingredients until well combined. Store in glass jar.
To use: rub mixture over body (avoid contact with the eyes), leave on for several minutes, and rinse thoroughly. Consider adding a ribbon to the jar if this is a gift.
Sugar scrubs are great for exfoliating the skin, I use mine in the shower on damp skin and rub it in using small, gentle circles before rinsing it off.
Ingredients:
2 cups water
1/2 cup raw honey
Directions:
- Bring dried elderberries and water to a boil in a saucepan. Simmer, uncovered until liquid is reduced by half (about 20 minutes).
- Remove pan from heat and allow to cool to room temp (below 95deg F so you don't disturb the enzymes in your raw honey).
- Strain liquid from the elderberry mixture into a container and discard boiled elderberries.
- Mix in raw honey and essential oils into strained liquid. Store sealed in a glass jar or bottle in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
The only difference between the two recipes is that the Recipe 1 has a spicier flavor and more traditional taste, and Recipe 2 is sweeter tasting even though it uses the same amount of honey as the original recipe.
Elderberry Syrup Infused with Wild Orange and Cardamom Recipe
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Bring dried elderberries and water to a boil in a saucepan. Add in Cinnamon Stick, a sprinkle of Nutmeg, 1 clove of ginger, and 1 tsp of Vanilla.
- Simmer, uncovered until liquid is reduced by half (about 10-20 minutes).
- Remove pan from heat and allow to cool to room temp (below 95 deg F so you don't disturb the enzymes in your raw honey).
- Strain liquid from the elderberry mixture into a container and discard boiled elderberries.
- Mix in raw honey and essential oils into strained liquid.
- Store sealed in a glass jar or bottle in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
You can purchase elderberries at your local health food store, I buy mine from a local apothecary or from Amazon if the apothecary is out of them. Frontier Co-op Organic Dried Elderberries are good brand that you can purchase from Amazon. You can get these dried elderberries from anywhere, just make sure they are organic and good quality.
This gift is perfect for the foodie in your life. Not only is it extremely easy and inexpensive, it is also delicious.This combo tastes similar to the seasoning salts I have purchased from local spice shops. Seasoning salt is best added as a finishing salt at the end of cooking or at the table to add a whole new dimension of flavor.
This seasoning salt infused with rosemary, lemon, and black pepper essential oils tastes lovely on roasted veggies, poultry, pasta, many soups, and even popcorn.
For this recipe, I use coarse pink Himalayan sea salt although you can use whatever sea salt you prefer. If you are using course salt you will likely need to grind before adding to your food unless it is a soup. If you prefer, you can use fine sea salt instead.
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Mix ingredients together and store in airtight glass container.
- Grind and add to marinades, poultry, vegetables, soups, pasta or even popcorn.
12 Days of Holiday DIY Ideas
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Day 11
Day 12
These DIY gifts are sure to wow your loved ones and will be gifts the request year after year.
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