Our Favorite Self Care Gifts For Every Budget

Our Favorite Self-Care Gifts – Thoughtful gifts for taking care of yourself. There’s a self-care gift for every budget! 

Self-care is sort of a buzzword over the last few years, but after THIS year? I think we all need and deserve some self-care! Since it’s gift-buying season, I thought today would be the perfect day for a self-care gift guide!

These self-care gifts are perfect for friends, teachers, daughters, neighbors, sisters, moms, mothers-in-law, and YOU! I’ve got gift ideas for feeling a bit pampered, ideas for streamlining parts of your daily routine, ways to add some comfort and peace to your life, and more!

Here are our self-care gift ideas for every budget…

SELF CARE GIFT IDEAS UNDER $25

1. A GO-TO RED NAIL POLISH. An at-home manicure is a weekly gift I give myself, and I really love it. I rotate between a few classic red nail polish colors, and they’re all budget-friendly! First up is this long-lasting Rock the Runway. Another fave is Olive & June’s CV red. Then, I finish it off with my favorite 7-free topcoat. It’s glossy, dries fairly quickly, and really helps protect your polish!

(Get $10 off an order of $50 with this link at Olive & June!) 

2. A CREAMY CLEAN FACE WASH. I use a mix of “clean” and traditional beauty products, but I always LOVE when I find a clean product that really does the job. This creamy face wash has been LOVELY for my combination/T-zone skin. It’s moisturizing and cleansing (see: lots of sweaty 100+ degree days and exercise.)

3. WELLY FACE SAVER PATCHES. Yep, I’m going there. These little Welly Face Saver hydrocolloid patches cover your blemishes discreetly (meaning you won’t pick at them!) and they seem to pull everything out so they heal faster. Apply to clean skin, and let them do their work!

4. THE MOST AMAZING MASCARA + PRIMER. I’ll probably keep telling everyone I know about this amazing mascara and this lash primer for the rest of my life. Lash primer kind of preps your lashes and gives them more height and volume before you even apply the mascara. Then this mascara adds even more length and volume. They make me feel like I’ve got extensions!

5. SNOOZIES SLIPPERS. These Snoozies slippers are another repeat from years past, but I still wear mine ALL the time and get asked about them whenever people see them. They’re happy, they’re cozy, and they’re fun! And for this price, you can probably get a couple of pairs to rotate!

6. BARRE SOCKS. I actually don’t do a ton of Barre, but I HATE wearing shoes inside, and these little grippy barre socks keep my feet covered without feeling like I’m sock-skating on all my tile floors. I love them for cold nights!

7. HAIR CONDITIONING TREATMENT. If heat treatment, cold, dry winter air, or summer days in the sun/at the pool have your hair feeling a bit dry, this Kristin Ess conditioning treatment is a GREAT option. I use it once a week and LOVE what it does to my ends and the texture of my hair. (It also comes in a fragrance-free version I love if that’s your jam!)

8. HIMALAYAN SALT NIGHTLIGHTS. These Himalayan salt nightlights are the CUTEST nightlights you’ll ever find, and they have the loveliest soft pink glow. I use them in the early mornings and evenings to add a soft glow to a room, or when I meditate, but they’re also great in hall bathrooms or to light dark hallways for guest or soothing a little sleeper who’s afraid of the dark.

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9. THE BEST REUSABLE BAGS. Give yourself the gift of convenience + do good for the planet while you’re at it! I’ve put these cute reusable bags on a BUNCH of gift guides and favorite things lists, but it’s because I LOVE THEM. They fold down into a tiny pouch that easily fits in a purse, glove compartment, suitcase, etc. We’ve used them for groceries, carrying supplies to school, at the pool, holding snacks on car trips, or carrying extra items on vacation, and more. SO versatile, so many cute prints to choose from, and SO easy to maintain (they’re machine washable!)

10. AN INSULATED TUMBLER. It’s easier to drink plenty of water when it stays cold, so these insulated tumblers were one of the BEST holiday gifts I got last year. Michael and I have both used ours daily since. They keep your water cold for HOURS and hours, and they come with a straw lid + flip lid so you can choose whichever works best for you.

(PS – Tuck a few of their reusable straws in a stocking to go with them!)

11. AN ESSENTIAL OIL DIFFUSER. Turn your home into a spa by diffusing some essential oils. This essential oil diffuser gets regular use at our house. I rarely use the light feature, but my kids think it’s THE BEST. Try using it with a happy Citrus Blend, a punchy Eucalyptus, something seasonal, or this Capri Blue Volcano oil blend (yes, like the famous Anthropologie candle!)

12. THE HOME EDIT BOOK. If you watched their Netflix series or follow them on Instagram, you probably already love Clea and Joanna from The Home Edit. Their books make it easy to mimic their look and style even if you’re not one of their high-profile clients.

13. A PLANNER. Get yourself organized with a new planner! Pick something undated that lets you plan the days you need and skip the days you don’t, get fancy week-at-a-glance planner, or pick a simple planning notepad you can keep on your desk to outline your week’s biggest to-dos.

14. A JOURNAL OR JOURNAL PROMPTS. A great way to de-stress + find peace is writing in a journal. If the idea of “dear diary”-ing sounds outside your comfort zone, you might like something like these 52 Lists for Happiness journals or a drawing/doodling prompt journal, can be a great way to go!

SELF-CARE GIFT IDEAS FOR $25+

1. A CUTE HEADBAND. I got really into the headband trend this year, and this leopard wrap-style headband is my go-to. It’s really comfortable (no rubbing behind your ears), goes with almost everything (leopard is a neutral!), and keeps my hair out of my face when it’s hot or I’m doing a photoshoot. They rescue my hair on days I don’t feel like curling and generally make my outfits feel a bit more polished, which is sometimes a struggle for me since I don’t really wear jewelry. This one‘s actually on sale for under $12, but usually is just under $30!

2. MAKEUP SETTING SPRAY. I *swear* by this makeup setting spray. It keeps my makeup in place even when we have a record-breaking number of days over 100 degrees. Love it. It’s light, fresh, and lasts a LONG time! (You can always get a mini if you want to try it first.)

3. TINTED SUNSCREEN. Along with drinking enough water, sunscreen is probably the best thing you can do for your skin. During the long months at home this year, I finally decided to ditch my tinted moisturizer and replace it with this rave-reviewed tinted sunscreen. It’s dermatologist-recommended (by my actual dermatologist + others!), and my skin has never been clearer since I made the switch 6 months ago. It’s got SPF 40, light coverage, and actively helps clear skin while you wear it. HIGHLY recommend. (And if tinted isn’t your jam, it also comes in a clear version)

4. A DUTCH OVEN. At *juuuust* under $50, this pretty Dutch Oven is one of the more affordable options on the market, but in this case, you’re not sacrificing quality. We’ve been putting this Dutch oven through its paces with comforting and nourishing foods like stews, soups, chilis, broth, braises, roasts, side dishes and more for over 2 years, and it still looks brand new. Hand wash it and use a little baking soda to get off any smudges, and it’ll keep for YEARS.

5. HYDRATING SHEET MASKS. If the change in the weather or some excess stress has your skin freaking out, these hydrating sheet masks are just the trick. I LOVE how glowy they make me feel!

GIFT IDEAS FOR $50+

1. AN INSTANT POT. I got an Instant Pot for Christmas a few years ago and initially felt a bit intimidated by it. Turns out, it’s WAY EASIER than I thought to use. I’ve been using it and more, and this year, it’s been out at least a few times a month for easy dinners, cozy stews, beans, soups, pasta, oatmeal, mashed potatoes (you’ll NEVER go back!), and so much more. (See all my Instant Pot recipes here!)

2. A STEAM MOP FOR HARD FLOORS. If cleaning (or having a clean space) helps you find your zen, this is the mop for you! We have a LOT of tile in our house, and a good steam mop makes it SO MUCH easier to clean them. You can sanitizer 99.9% of germs on those floors (WHO COULDN’T USE THIS FEATURE RIGHT NOW!?). The one I linked is rated for sealed hardwood, ceramic tile, linoleum, granite, and marble. If you’re into scents, they also offer scented distilled water you can use.

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GIFT IDEAS $100+

AN APPLE WATCH. If paying more attention to physical fitness + movement is part of your self-care goals, a health + fitness tracker can be a great way to go. I’ve been a Fitbit user for 6-7 years, but this year I made the switch to an Apple watch. I still really like and recommend Fitbits, but if you’ve been looking at Apple watches, I think you’ll be pretty happy. I got one that syncs with Wi-fi. I like the variety of ways to track exercise and feel like it more accurately counts my distance. (I’m short, so sometimes I find that fitness trackers don’t quite match up with my pace). I’ve been surprised at how much I appreciate the push to stand regularly to break up my day (since I work at home, I sometimes don’t have regular breaks built in!).

A TREADMILL. This treadmill is definitely the most expensive thing I’ve bought this year, and it was worth EVERY PENNY. We had a record-breaking number of days over 100 degrees this year, and when juggling working from home with crazy heatwaves and kids distance learning, I needed an option to move my body at home. I’ve LOVED being able to exercise any time of day without needing to make sure one of us can keep an eye on the kids. If you’ve been looking for a treadmill, we’ve loved ours.

AN AIR PURIFIER. We got a couple of air purifiers this spring to help with Michael & Sophie’s seasonal allergies and ALL of us have noticed we’re breathing better. It can be a great thing to have on hand for allergens, dust, germs, smoke, air pollution, etc. (Be sure to buy one that’s appropriate for the size room you plan to put it in!)

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SELF-CARE GIFTS TO GIVE OR RECEIVE? 

PS – LOOKING FOR MORE GIFT IDEAS? YOU MIGHT LIKE:

• THE SMALL BUSINESS GIFT GUIDE
• OUR FAVORITE FAMILY GAMES
• THE UNDER $20 GIFT GUIDE
• STOCKING STUFFERS FOR HIM & HER
• FUN STOCKING STUFFERS FOR KIDS