There are no affiliate links in my 2019 self-care gift guide. I have partnered with the brands Plant Apothecary, Vitruvi, and The Bouqs Co. but all opinions are still my own!
Photo by Natalie Folchi
Welcome to the first of my 2019 holiday gift guides! I’m so excited to be sharing some of my favorite products with you all, as well as partnering with some amazing brands. I am so, so grateful. We’ll be starting off the season with my self-care gift guide, which includes items that anyone who takes time (or should take time) for themselves will love.
2019 has truly been one wild year. It’s been crazy and slightly exhausting in almost every way, including weather, politics, and personal stuff. On top of that, the holiday season can be one of the most stressful times- physically and also financially. So I’ve curated a capsule guide of gifts that will fit any budget, and that will help you or your friends and family relax and get some well deserved me-time! So here is my list, and I hope you enjoy my self-care picks!
1. Plant Apothecary
Plant Apothecary is a certified USDA organic and eco-friendly line of self-care products. Not only is the design of Plant Apothecary’s packaging pleasing, but so is their list of ingredients! Their products contain no petroleum, sulfates, silicons, and any other synthetics. All of their products follow the principles of a aroma therapy, and many of their products come in a variety of scents that are intended to evoke different moods.
Organic Body Wash
My favorite product from Plant Apothecary’s line is their Organic Body Wash. I love it so much that I have it in two scents! I have Wakey-Wakey, which smells of rosemary and lemongrass. And I also own Be Well, which is eucalyptus and bergamot scented. It’s in my shower right now; I am obsessed with the smell of eucalyptus! As you can probably tell with the names, each body wash scent helps to make you feel a certain way.
The body washes all have a texture that is like honey. They are also very concentrated, which makes them lather incredibly well! They always leave me feeling literally squeaky clean but moisturized with no irritation. And the ingredient list for each body wash is short with no names that I can’t pronounce. The full-size body washes are $18 and travel sizes are $8. Plant Apothecary also has a set of 5 of body washes for $35, which makes a great, adorable gift!
Organic Body Oil
If you’re looking for something a little more luxurious, then the Ground Control Certified Organic Body Oil is for you! It is delicately scented with rosemary and bergamot to help both sharpen and calm your mind. The oil is deeply moisturizing but does not leave you greasy at all. I put it on after I shave my legs and also on my feet at night, and I haven’t noticed any oily transfer on my sheets. A little goes a long way! The base of this body oil is sunflower and apricot seed oils. Again, there are no weird synthetics in this product or any of Plant Apothecary’s other products, which is why they are one of my favorite beauty brands. The body oil is 3.4 ounces and $38.
You can buy these products and more on Plant Apothecary’s website. You can also find these products at Ulta!
2. Vitruvi
Going with the theme of aromatherapy that we got goin’ here, Vitruvi is a brand that creates essential oil products designed to elevate everyday life and help you savor the simple moments. Vitruvi prides themselves on using only pure, high quality ingredients in their oils. Essential oils, like anything you are using in your home or putting into and on your body, are important to research before buying. Many brands that claim to be “clean” use synthetic or toxic ingredients, and some even lack an ingredient list completely. Each oil on Vitruvi’s website has details on how it is extracted, its place of origin, and a certificate of analysis. You can be totally assured that Vitruvi’s oils are of the highest quality!
What first drew me (and almost everyone else) towards Vitruvi’s brand was their signature Stone Diffuser. The design is just beautiful in my opinion. Many diffusers can be bulky and ugly, but Vitruvi’s design is clean and minimalist. It comes in five different colors- white, black, charcoal, blush, and the newest color- terracotta. I own the blush diffuser and I am smitten! It suits my space so perfectly! It looks so cute next to a candle on my marble side table in my living room. There’s a color that fits almost anyone’s space. It’s such a perfect gift. The Stone Diffuser retails for $119 and their oils start at $12. Vitruvi also offers roll-ons, mists, and facial oils- all make great, eye-pleasing, soothing gifts!
3. Candles
Looks like we have a smelly theme in this gift guide! Candles are a MUST for the holiday season. I used to religiously use Bath & Body Works candles, but I have started to move away from them. While their scents are incredible, I recently learned that paraffin wax (which is what most “mainstream” candles are comprised of) is a by-product of petroleum- which is incredibly harmful to the environment. I’m going to share three of my favorite candle companies, and all of them make their candles with vegetable-based wax.
1820 House Candle Co
1820 House is based in East Palestine, Ohio. This is a small town right on the Pennsylvania border. 1820 House hand pours their candles in small batches. They also donate a portion of their proceeds to benefit local charities. The packaging they use is minimal but very intentional with design in mind. 1820 House makes some of my favorite candle scents ever. They’re all very unique, artisanal feeling fragrances. I’m currently burning their Campfire scent but I’m also in love with Cashmere Sweater and Oats + Pumpkin Chai.
Wolf Bone Candles
Wolf Bone creates dreamy candles with 100% natural soy wax that are hand-poured in Chicago. The packaging of these candles is so good. Each candle comes in a cotton drawstring bag and includes a box of matches, which makes them perfect for gifting. The scents of Wolf Bone are very inspired by nature and the seasons. I have the Sunbather candle in my apartment right now, and it smells like nothing I’ve ever smelled before! The website says the candle smells like laying in the grass on a summer day, and I’d have to say that sounds about right.
P.F. Candle Co
Honestly, who doesn’t own a P.F. candle these days?? Based in Los Angeles, P.F. is an independent fragrance company owned and operated by a husband and wife team. Their goal is to make fragrance an everyday luxury. All of P.F.’s products are vegan and cruelty free. They are also made of 100% soy wax, made of soy that is grown in the US.
My favorite scent thus-far from P.F. Candle Co (besides Mojave, which is shown above), is Golden Coast. Kind of like the Sunbather candle by Wolf Bone, this is a very nostalgic scent. It makes me feel like I’m on the California coast all over again, even though I haven’t been to California in years! The notes of this scent are eucalyptus, sea salt, redwood, and palo santo. The candle comes in a gorgeous amber jar with a brass lid. The jar is perfect for reusing once the candle is finished! P.F. also has a gift guide section of their website with many different sets that are perfect for the candle lovers in your life.
4. The Bouqs Co
Bouqs is a sustainable flower delivery company that works with eco-friendly farmers- shipping the plants fresh from the farm to your door. I have been ordering from Bouqs for years. I always order bouquets for my mom- for Valentine’s Day, her birthday, Mother’s Day, Christmas- you name it. And we’ve always been satisfied with the quality when they arrive. We were suspicious at first of how flowers would turn out after being shipped in a small box, but they always perk back up once they’re placed in water, looking gorgeous.
Bouqs offers a ton of different gift options. You can order a bouquet or a flower subscription if you want the flowers to just keep on coming! One of the most perfect forms of self-care tbh, ordering yourself flowers.
Bouqs also offers a selection of plants and holiday wreaths. I was so happy to partner with them this holiday season and received one of their gorgeous wreaths! This is the “Warmth” wreath, which is composed of pine, pinecones, and juniper berries on thick, braided grapevine. It was the perfect addition to my mantel to get me in the holiday mood early. And it smelled incredible!!
I hope you enjoyed my self-care gifting picks! What are some of your favorites that made this list- or didn’t? Let me know in the comments! Thank you so much for reading, xo.
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