How to Make Scented Lotion Kits

Give a hard-to-shop for friend a scented lotion kit in attractive, unique containers.

Scented lotion is an inexpensive craft that results in a useful product, but deciding on the perfect scent can be tricky if you are trying to make scented lotion as a gift for other people. Instead of choosing a particular scent for your friends, give them scented lotion kits instead. Include a variety of scents and ingredients in your scented lotion kits so the recipients can use their creatively to make custom scented lotions.

Things You'll Need

• Decorative, shallow, open containers, such as lidless cookie tins or colorful toiletry caddies
• Jug of unscented lotion
• Empty pump lotion containers, normal sizes
• Empty pump lotion containers, small sizes
• Miniature lidded containers, such as pill boxes
• Miniature funnels
• Dry lavender
• Chamomile
• Lemon verbena
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Roses
• Scented geraniums
• Sweet basil
• Small bottles of olive oil
• Cheesecloth squares
• Rubber bands
• Paper
• Pen or computer and printer

Instructions

1. Fill your larger containers with plain, unscented lotion. Set each container inside one of your decorative open containers. Arrange two or three empty miniature bottles around the lotion filled containers. These bottles are for the recipient to fill with experimental mixtures or alternative scents; you'll include plenty of scents in the kit for multiple lotions.

2. Fill your small lidded containers each with a scent element, such as dry, crushed lavender, roses or geraniums or sweet basil, thyme or chamomile. Lemon verbena also works well in lotion. Distribute these containers among your lotion kits, and give each kit several scents.

3. Add a small bottle of olive oil, a skin softener, to your kits. Also add to each kit a funnel, cheesecloth squares and rubber bands.

4. Write out or type instructions for making the scented lotion. Make sure the recipient understands how to use any dry ingredients especially: they should add the ingredients and lotion into a lotion container using a funnel, and then close the container and shake. The recipient should allow the lotion to sit for days, and then strain the dry particles out of the lotion with cheesecloth wrapped around the opened container's mouth with a rubber band.

5. Decorate the instructions by hand or with computer images. Place a set of instructions inside each kit to complete the kit.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also include perfume samples if you have a collection from department store visits.

References

• "Country Living Gardener: The Successful Herb Gardener: Growing and Using Herbs"; Sally Roth and the Editors of Country Living Gardener; 2005
• "Babushka's Beauty Secrets: Old World Tips for a Glamorous New You"; Raisa Ruder and Susan Campos; 2010
• "Growing and Using Herbs and Spice"; Milo Miloradovich; 1986