The SPALIBRATIONS Spaliday Gift Guide

For the last few months I've been working diligently "behind the blog" to launch Spalibrations. This company born of The Spa Party Blog, exists to offer readers resources that enable them to "Celebrate Life With A Spa Party". Whether you are a party of one, or sharing a spa party with friends you deserve to reap the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of setting aside the time to pamper and celebrate yourself.

The first element of Spalibrations that I'll be sharing with the public is the online store. I've tried to make it easy for you to find high quality, natural bath and body products perfect for your celebrations. Each of the hand picked brands that are carried in the Spalibrations Shop is crafted, in small batches by Indie artisans who take pride in their work and look for the finest and most beneficial ingredients.

So without further or do I present to you the :

Spalibrations Spaliday Gift Guide 

1. For the Fitness Buff

The Muscle Rescue Home Spa Trio ($46), will help the most active people combat muscle pain and fatigue all while softening and moisturizing seasonally dry skin. The set contains a massage bar soap, a luxury bath salt, and salt scrub.

2. For the One With Child

The Eternal Maternal 2nd Trimester Gift Set ($42), is a trio of belly soothing products perfect for your pregnant friends. The all natural belly facial, belly oil and belly balm all help moisturize and restore the skin's elasticity. If you really want to treat the Mom-To-Be, order The Whole Nine Months Gift Set which includes all of these products plus a belly powder (milk bath), belly salts (bath salt), belly scrub (sugar scrub), the belly caster kit and an Eternity Stone pendant ($117)

3. For A Group

This Joyful Bath Co. Variety Pack can serve as a gift for more than one person with six different individual bath salts, it is perfect for that family that has plenty of daughters, or give one of each to folks in the office. It also makes a great hostess gift if you'll be staying at someone's home this season.

4. For The Product Junkie

Is there a product junkie on your gift list? Someone who loves to try out new products, and is addicted to ordering sample sizes of anything they can get their hands on? Well treat those hands to a new product find that is hitting the market just in time for the holiday season. The Envie Manicure Suite Mini Set ($35) is a collection of four must have products with enough for 3-4 manicures. The set includes a nourishing hand Soak,  mineral rich scrub, restorative cuticle oil, and Envie's body butter crème, the Envie Manicure Manual and a few special treats.

5. For The Non-Product Junkie

While some of us love lotions, potions and scrubs, some people would prefer a soft, cozy robe to bundle up in. This 100% cotton-terry robe with a hood is great for anytime of the year ($79.95)

6. For The Chocoholic

Feed someone's chocolate addiction without the calories.  This Body Polish, by Vintage Body Spa ($25), is crafted from Fair Trade Cocoa butter that retains it's chocolatey scent and Fair Trade Demerra Sugar. Whether you choose Chocolate Bliss, Chocolate Orange Truffle, Mint Chocolate or Morning Mocha it is sure to cause a sugar high.

7. The Adventurer

Do you have a friend who is a world traveler, and who loves to experience other cultures? Introduce them to centuries old beauty treatments from far-away places. Vintage Body Spa's Liquid African Black Soap is made from Fair Trade Black Soap crafted in Togo, West Africa; while their Rhassoul Clay harvested from Morocco's Atlas Mountains comes with beauty recipes that will detoxify and tone skin head to toe.

8. For The Tweeny-Bopper

Margarita Bloom's Fabulous Little Box of Goodies is perfect for the young and young at heart. With the colorful packaging and fun, sweet smelling scents this take out box is sure to take the cake. Filled with ten sample sized Margarita Bloom products and a bath acessory.

9. For Stocking Stuffing

These little candies are not made for eating. Hand Candies™ are mini solid salt scrubs that come in 40 different scents. At only $2 a piece they are the perfect little present to share with friends.
For YOU: Use the coupon code [spalidaygifts] before December 21st to receive 5% off your order

HAPPY SPALIDAYS!


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Handmade Spalidays, Pt. II

So apparently on the same day I posted my first set of Handmade Spaliday picks, the wonderful Sew, Mama, Sew! blog posted their own list of handmade pampering gifts.

Visit the blog to find the links to the tutorials for (l-r) a manicure kit cover, a spa set, powder puff, and a crochet owl eye mask. While visiting check out last year's Gifts for Homebodies post which includes links to tutorials for a homemade shower cap, bath mat and fizzy tub salts.



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Handmade Spalidays!

It is once again "that time of the year" whether you'll be celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Eid or Festivus, you may be looking for "the perfect gift" for family and friends. Here at The Spa Party Blog, I believe that pampering doesn't have to be expensive. Though you may allow yourself to splurge every once in a while on yourself or others, there are plenty of ways to pamper without breaking the bank. To that end, I'm offering my abbreviated list of Handmade Spaliday items:

1. Wellness Bag from Sew, Mama, Sew

When you really want to show someone you care, you can make them a wellness bag chock full of home spa essentials, any combination of which would make wonderful gifts.

Contains:

• Rice heat therapy bag
• Buckwheat cold therapy pack
• Flax cold therapy eye pillow
• Anti-stress shower gel
• Nice lotion and nice soap
• Loofah mitt
• Callous brush
• Relaxation candle
• 73% dark chocolate

2. Shower Spa Bags by Tip Nut

Bath bombs, salts and soaks are really popular and beneficial but aren't really suited for those people who generally take showers. These little hand held treats offer some of the benefits of a bath soak for the shower set.

3. Body Scrub by Martha Stewart

Of course there are thousands of great scrub recipes on the web, some of my favorites of which are at the Natural Beauty Workshop, however I choose this Martha Stewart recipe because of it's simplicity for those who may not have all the accouterments necessary to make fancier scrubs. An added Martha bonus is that she provides labels that you can print out to make your job that much easier.

4. Hot/Cold Rice Pack by Make It and Love It

Though there are instructions for making a rice pack with the Wellness bag, I thought it was worth adding another tutorial (possibly because I'm just enamored with the fabric choice). These bags are pretty easy to make even if your sewing skills are virtually non-existent (like my own). While I was pregnant with my son I made a few using socks (clean of course) that I couldn't find a match for and my husband would always steal them from me for his sore muscles. To get "fancy" I added some lavender essential oil and ripped open a bag or two of chamomile tea to add into my rice. I even made a nice sewn version, out of a super comfy old Mickey Mouse t-shirt, that I used during labor. If you use your pack often the rice can tend to scorch, however if you add a mug of water in the microwave alongside your bag when re-heating it, it will add moisture and keep it from burning. Bonus for you, you can make a cup of tea or hot chocolate to sip while you relax with your rice pack.

5. Bath Sundae

These bath sundaes, which I wrote about in a previous post, are cute, whimsical and easy as pie to make.

What are some of your favorite recipes or tutorials for Handmade Spaliday gifts?

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