Spa Gifts – The Goods

Gift Guides

Gift Lab: Going Glam at Home with Mix-It-Yourself Masks and Bath Bombs

April 5, 2018

Content Creator Hadley poses with her spa-ready wares.

Product

Create Your Own Bath Bombs and At Home Tranquility Mask Set

Research

I’m a sucker for anything you can slather on your face that promises baby soft skin or smaller pores or… well, I won’t lie, I’m mostly in it for the baby soft skin. I’m also a sucker for any excuse to light a candle, put on a podcast, and take a warm bath, but that’s a newer obsession of mine. I’d been looking for something new to Gift Lab ever since I gave our Homemade Tortilla Kit a (very successful) trial run, and when I noticed our At Home Tranquility Mask Set and Create Your Own Bath Bombs kit, I was supremely intrigued. One can never have too many masks—just ask my medicine cabinet—and hey, who can resist a fun, fizzy bathtime accoutrement? Not me. And so a new Gift Lab was born.

Hypothesis

Armed with our At Home Tranquility Mask Set and Create Your Own Bath Bombs kit, I’ll be able to host a successful girls’ night that ends in soft, supple skin for all and the promise of a relaxing soak once you retreat to your tub. Plus, the Create Your Own Bath Bombs kit is kid-friendly, so it’ll be super easy to use… and will maybe even help me reconnect with my inner child (or something like it).

Gift Guides

Spa and Relaxation Gifts for the Stressed-Out Mom

April 21, 2017

Holy macaroni (and cheese), it can be exhausting being a mom! With others to care for — even if they’ve flown the nest — and the demands of life, mama birds often sacrifice their own sanity for the health of their flock. Sound like the lady in your life? You probably can’t talk her out of any of her commitments or extracurriculars, but you can encourage her to slow down and enjoy the moment. Each of these thoughtful gifts was chosen with one goal in mind: to help her relax.

The Uncommon Life

Gift Lab: Creating the Spa Experience at Home and On the Road

July 10, 2015

Product: Spa Experience Tin

Research:

Remember that bit from My Big Fat Greek Wedding where the patriarch of the family insists that Windex is the cure-all for everything, from pimples to mysterious rashes? All you ever have to do, he says, is “put some Windex on it!” I’m kind of like that with tea tree oil. I never travel without it.

I am fascinated by natural beauty regimes. I love experimenting with DIY body scrubs and lotions, and learning about alternative beauty trends like the “no-poo method.” Unfortunately, I don’t always have the time to make my own products, and truly natural beauty products can be outrageously expensive. So when I first noticed the well-priced Spa Experience Tin in our assortment, I knew I had to check it out. I jumped at the chance to relay my spa experience for the blog.

Before trying out any new products, I’ve become much more conscious about looking up the ingredients first. (Especially because I’ll probably always be worried about the effects of my Lip Smackers chapstick addiction during my youth.) I’ve definitely fallen victim to “greenwashing” in the past, purchasing “all-natural” products only to discover that their ingredients looks like a chemistry experiment, with one or two organic ingredients mixed in for good measure. I was pleased to see that this handmade collection is assembled by 1818 Farms, an idyllic farm in Mooresville, Alabama. But I still wasn’t convinced that these handmade products would meet my standards until I saw this short list of recognizable ingredients for each product: