This year my budget is small, and because I don’t want to be the lame gift giver, I plan on making some quality presents for my loved ones.  Beauty never goes out of style so I have found several do-it-yourself recipes for beauty treats that will benefit the body.  Not only will they help to save some money, the ingredients are all natural!

Bath Jelly: I had never heard of bath jelly before but this looks fun and it’s easy to make.

Ingredients:
•    ¾ cup water
•    1 envelope unflavored gelatin
•    ½ cup liquid soap (unscented)
•    A few drops of your favorite essential oil

Directions: Bring water to a boil and add gelatin.  Slowly add in essential oil and liquid soap.  Pour into a glass container (jelly jars are cute!) and place in refrigerator for 24 hours.  When ready to use, put a spoonful or two under running bath water for a bubble bath treat.

Milk Bath: This recipe is very easy to make, and the finished product can be very beneficial for the skin.  To give as a gift, leave out the water.

Ingredients:
•    1 cup powdered milk
•    ½ cup cornstarch
•    2 cups hot water
•    ½ teaspoon peppermint oil (or your favorite essential oil)

Directions: Layer the ingredients in a glass jar and include instructions to add water.

Moisturizing Hair Oil: Adding a few drops of this oil to hair can help keep it moisturized despite the dry winter climate, and smelling yummy!

Ingredients:
•    1 oz. rosemary oil
•    1/8 oz. lavender oil

Directions: Combine the two oils and store in a dark container.  To use, apply just a couple of drops of oil to your hand or hairbrush and run through your hair.  Enjoy!

These days, there are so many different styles that I’ll be able to find one for everyone – whether they’re conservative soccer moms, trendy hipsters or free-spirited bohemian types.

There are some super-cute bags around – and they aren’t that expensive. Even Anya Hindmarch’s highly-coveted “I’m Not a Plastic Bag” bag is only around $15. Most of the bags at www.ecobags.com are well under $10.

You can even get sets that add up to less than $2 a bag. So, instead of the bag being the main present, I could stuff it with it with a bunch of green goodies – like Bare Escentual’s all-natural Buxom Babes Diamond Lips lip gloss set that’s on sale at Sephora for $22, or one of those lovely organic-source brushes we talked about recently.

So, fun! So, trendy! So many possibilities! Plus, it’s a gift I can feel really good about giving.

I also just found out that San Francisco recently banned the use of plastic bags entirely. This YouTube video talks a little bit about how it has affected grocery store owners, consumers and how it has cut down on garbage. Check it out! It might make you want to switch out stockings for reusable shopping bags, too!