Here’s a homemade Christmas gift that you can make for more than a dozen people in less then two hours, including the time it takes to go to the store and get the ingredients. It’s also a low-budget present that you can personalize with a card, letter, cookies, a framed photo, gift basket, or spa kit. There are lots of options!

Que Bella Body Scrub

The sugar and salt scrub away dead skin while the oil leaves your skin silky smooth.

2 c sugar

2 c epsom salts

1-1.5 c vegetable oil (olive oil and canola oil are kind of smelly)

1 T vitamin E oil

3-10 drops lavender or other essential oil

1-2 T finely chopped fresh rosemary (optional)

Cover a large table with newspaper and spread out all your ingredients and jars. Mix the sugar, salt, and oils for 1-2 minutes, until thoroughly combined. Test a small scoop on the back of your hand by gently rubbing for about 30 seconds, then rinse. If you’d like a more oily texture, add in a half cup more oil. Make as many batches as you have jars to fill. Punch a hole in a holiday card, write a sweet note and tie with a ribbon. Viola! Christmas cheer.

Making 18 presents cost about $42, including $3 for a 5lb bag of sugar, $5 for the epsom salts, $7 for vegetable oil, and $15 for the essential oil. We got the rosemary from the garden and already had the vitamin E oil, which you can buy at Trader Joe’s. A four pack of small glass jars from Ikea was $3 but you can also use mason jars or others found at thrift stores.

You can further reduce the price by using ingredients you already have, getting the items on sale, and finding cheaper jars. We had a lot of supplies left over so you could make even more if you want.

Tagged: Christmas, Gifts on Thursday, December 17, 2009 · 7 Comments »