Gifts in a jar are perfect for giving homemade Christmas gifts. This Peppermint Pampering Jar is filled with items like body butter, foot, and sugar scrub.
Giving homemade Christmas gifts is so affordable! This Christmas, I am giving gifts in a jar with a Peppermint Pampering theme. It is filled with homemade peppermint spa products and peppermint treats. If you want to make your own spa products, the recipes are below. If not, you can buy small-sized bottles of similar spa products to put in the jars. Or buy large bottles and divide them into small containers.
In This Post: Everything You Need To Make Peppermint Pampering Gifts In A Jar
I started with lots of these small containers from Family Dollar and spray-painted the lids red. Be sure to use spray paint that is specially formulated for plastics. I used Krylon Fusion For Plastic in Pepper Red Gloss to paint these lids. Don’t worry if you can’t find these exact containers. Try looking for small plastic containers in the bead aisle at a craft store or in the food storage aisle of a large retailer like Walmart or Target.
To make the peppermint body butter, I used one Net Wt 7.5 oz jar of Vaseline Cocoa Butter petroleum jelly, three 8 fl. oz bottles of Bath and Body Works Twisted Peppermint body lotion (bought them on sale) and two Net Wt. 4 oz jars of Studio 35 Vitamin E cream.
Put all of the ingredients into the mixer bowl and add drops of red food coloring, 5 teaspoons peppermint extract and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Whip everything together.
Fill up as many small containers as you need and put the rest into large containers. This recipe makes 48 oz of lotion. If you don’t need that much, cut the recipe in half.
Peppermint Body Butter
- (1) 7.5 oz (Net Wt) jar of Vaseline Cocoa Butter petroleum jelly
- (3) 8 fl. oz bottles of Twisted Peppermint body lotion
- (2) 4 oz (Net Wt) jars of Studio 35 Vitamin E cream
- 2 drops red food coloring
- 5 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Put all of the ingredients into a mixer and whip them together.
- Fill containers with the body butter. This recipe makes 48 oz of lotion.
- Attach a label to the front.
- Add a strip of washi tape across the top.
To make the peppermint sugar scrub, put 1/2 cup of fractionated coconut oil in a large bowl.
Add 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar, 2-3 teaspoons peppermint extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 drops of red food coloring (if desired).
Mix everything until the color is evenly distributed.
Fill containers with the sugar scrub.
Peppermint Sugar Scrub
- ½ cup of fractionated coconut oil
- 1½ cups of granulated sugar
- 2-3 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 drops of red food coloring (if desired)
- Put the fractionated coconut oil into a large bowl.
- Mix in sugar, peppermint extract, vanilla extract and red food coloring.
- Fill containers with the sugar scrub. Recipe makes 16 oz of sugar scrub.
- Attach a label to the front.
- Add a strip of washi tape across the top.
- Be careful when using because products containing oil can make the shower/tub slippery!
Next, I made some peppermint foot soak by mixing together 1 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup Epsom salt, 2 teaspoons peppermint extract and 2 drops of red food coloring. Use a whisk to mix well. The extract made the mix a little wet so I poured it onto a piece of parchment paper and let it dry for 1/2 an hour.
Put 2 tablespoons of peppermint foot soak into each container. When ready to use the foot soak, pour the entire contents of the small foot soak container into a basin of warm water.
Peppermint Foot Soak
- 1 cup baking soda
- ½ cup Epsom salt
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 2 drops red food coloring
- Mix together baking soda, Epsom salt, peppermint extract and red food coloring with a whisk.
- Allow the mixture to dry out before adding to the containers. I poured it onto a piece of parchment paper and let it dry for ½ an hour.
- Put 2 tablespoons of peppermint foot soak into each container. Recipe makes enough that you can put 2 tablespoons into 10 containers.
- Add a strip of washi tape across the top.
- When ready to the foot soak, pour the entire contents of the small foot soak container into a basin of warm water.
Print, cut out and glue the labels onto the containers. You can print the FREE labels below.
Put a piece of candy cane washi tape across the top of the containers.
Here is everything I put into my peppermint pampering mason jar: Ghiradelli Mint Chocolate, a peppermint hot cocoa packet, a red manicure set, candy cane Chapstick, and peppermint candy. I used a Kerr one quart (32 oz) wide-mouth mason jar.
Carefully add everything to the jar so that it all fits.
Put a piece of candy cane-striped Washi tape around the lid and add a snowflake to the top. I bought a pack of these snowflakes in the dollar section at Target.
I am making a ton of these gifts in a jar to give away this Christmas! I’ve got a head start and now I just need to be sure to finish them!
Want more gifts in a jar? Try these next:
A Pedicure In A Jar includes all of the things you need to give yourself a pedicure at home.
The Spa In A Jar mason jar gift includes everything you need for an at-home spa day.
Looking for other Mason Jar Gifts? We have a full tutorial on how to put everything in a jar.
Peppermint Pampering Printable Labels
To make the peppermint pampering labels, open the files you want and download the pdf to your computer. Each pdf is a full sheet of one kind of labels. Print the labels onto paper using your printer and cut out each label. Glue the labels to the containers. Or you can print the labels onto full sheet label sticker paper and cut each label out. Then, peel off the backing and attach the labels to the containers.
Deborah says
I don’t use petroleum jelly, but I do make am un-petroleum jelly. I don’t know the measurements off hand but your u use olive oil and bees wax. I also make my own lotions. I’m trying to go all natural. I think I will try these recipes using homemade items listed.
Emilia says
Well, here’s my experience. First, never use a rubber spatula unless you will keep it for this use only: the petroleum jelly plus all the oil and the perfume will stick to the rubber, a nightmare! My mixture did not come out like the one in your pictures. There were lumps from the petroleum jelly, some of them quite big and I only saw them later, because they did not show while whipping. I wonder if the petroleum jelly has to be a bit warmed up… I used it in my hands and body and, despite only liking lotion, this was fine. I am going to try to use your recipe with unscented lotion and regular petroleum jelly; or maybe even almond oil. I personally don’t like scented lotions–or soaps for that matter. There’s enough perfume in shampoo! Thanks for sharing.
Emilia says
Is the extract in the recipes cooking extract? I was wondering… This is all so lovely. How creative you are. And it was so nice of you to share your ideas!
Kathie says
Could raw shea butter that is whipped be substituted for the lotion?
I made these for Christmas gifts and my friend is in love with the body butter and scrub (she’s not a foot soak kind of person, so she didn’t get any of that).
Thanks for posting!
Tonia says
Sorry Katie! I’ve never tried using raw shea butter. Let me know how it turns out if you do decide to try it! ~Tonia
Kim says
I made these this year and everybody is loving them! Thank you so much! I am telling everyone to pop out the scrub and use it like a bar. Thanks for the inspiration.
Cassie says
Hi Tonia –
These recipes are great! I have made a peppermint foot soak with peppermint tea before which I saw in another one of your posts. Do you like the peppermint tea or the peppermint extract better? And also, could I swap out peppermint essential oil for the extract? Or does it not really make a difference?
Thanks again for sharing, I was looking for something original to gift this year 🙂
Tonia says
Hi Cassie! I think I like the peppermint extract better. Yes, you can use essential oil but the amounts needed will vary. The oil is typically more concentrated so you will need less. I’m planning to make these again this year because everyone loved receiving them! ~Tonia
Imsa says
Is there a substitute for Epsom salt?
Tonia says
You can use sea salt instead of Epsom salt. Enjoy! ~Tonia
Imsa says
Thank you:)
Shelly says
Where did you f ind the Studio 35 Vit E Cream? and is that the only one you can use? It seems to be kind of pricey on amazon. Thank you
Tonia says
I bought it at Walgreens when it was on sale buy-one-get-one-free. http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/studio-35-vitamin-e-cream/ID=prod6120591-product You can use any brand though. Walmart has a two pack for about 4 dollars: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Fruit-of-the-Earth-Vitamin-E-Skin-Care-Cream-4-oz/10314800
Tia says
Hello! I was just wondering if it would work if I used the same ingredients except a different scented lotion and extract? Also would scented oils work if I didn’t have any extract? Thanks in advance!
Tonia says
Yes! You can definitely use other lotions and extracts. Yes, scented oils work as well. Just be sure to adjust the amounts depending on the strengths of the oils. Best of luck! ~Tonia
Jody says
Thanks for posting this. The containers I found at dollar store were a little taller & I found a long foot brush, pumice stone as well as a peppermint soy candle so I used red bins insead of jars.
Wish I could post a photo!
Christina Thacker says
Making these for Christmas – just finished making the sugar scrub, body butter and foot soak and – WOW!! SO IMPRESSED! My husband has already put an order in for more sugar scrub and is making plans to use it everywhere. The body butter feels so silky smooth and I cannot wait to use the foot soak – it’s so fluffy and cool! I increased the epsom salt to 1 full cup and doubled the sugar scrub recipe to make enough but other than that, followed the recipes and it’s wonderful. I can’t wait to give these away. Oh and I found the pedi kits at the dollar store for a buck each and the Twisted Peppermint lotion was half price – it usually is. Thanks sooo much!! Love your site, spreading the word…AFTER Christmas! 😉 -Chrissy
Carol says
I was wondering where you found the red pedicure set. I have looked several places and have not found them,
Tonia says
I bought them from the Dollar Spot at Target last year. I’m not sure if they are selling them this Christmas season.
Jordan says
I was wondering if you had any other options for the peppermint lotion? The twisted peppermint lotion is too expensive.
Tonia says
I really love the smell of the twisted peppermint lotion so that is why I used it but if know of another brand you can definitely use it as a substitute! Most of the peppermint lotion I’ve seen in stores is actually a foot lotion. You could also try making a different scent.
crosswind says
Very Clever. I love the Homemade feel of your Candy Cane Spa In A Jar, yet still looks Classy!! I would love to be the recipient of that. I want to make a candy cane foot balm. Thx for the tips. I bookmarked your website to follow. 🙂 Happy Holidays
crosswind says
Very Clever. I love the Homemade feel of your Cadndy Cane Spa In A Jar, yet still looks Classy!! I would love to be the recipient of that. I want to make a candy cane foot balm. Thx for the tips. I bookmarked your website to follow. 🙂 Happy Holidays
Shelby says
Hello there, I was wanting to make the peppermint sugar scrub for my mom for Christmas but I do not have any coconut oil. Is there anything I could substitute for it? Thanks
Tonia says
Hi Shelby,
You can use olive oil instead of coconut oil but the amounts will probably vary. Start by adding slowly adding the olive oil to the sugar and add more as necessary until it is the consistency you want it to be. Enjoy!
~Tonia
Neema says
hi i just wanted to know if you used peppermint essential oil or extract
Tonia says
Hi Neema,
I used peppermint extract because that is what I had on hand. You can you peppermint essential oil, but you will need less of it because it is more concentrated. Enjoy!
~Tonia
Julie says
I’m doing this project with my sister and daughter. What kind of glue do you use to adhere the paper to the glass? Thx!
Tonia says
Hi Julie,
A craft glue like Mod Podge works the best. Have fun!
~Tonia
Jennifer says
Hi Tonia! This is super great gift idea for Christmas! Just wanted to know if you have an editable version of the labels because I am making homemade peppermint hot cocoa and wanted the labels to match? Thanks, Jennifer 🙂
Tonia says
Hi Jennifer,
Yes, I will email it to you.
~Tonia
Jennifer says
Thank You So Much!
Mecca says
Hi Tonia,
Can I also have an editable verison of the labels? I would like to make a few bigger labels for larger jars.
Tonia says
Sure thing! Here is a link to the blank label: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bzzc0kU7BM6FZkdjb3Y0ck5XaUU/view?usp=sharing
Jennifer says
Petroleum jelly and just the lotion together to make the lotion or no?
Tonia says
You need one jar of petroleum jelly, three bottles of body lotion and two jars of vitamin E cream. Enjoy!
Natalie says
Would normal petroleum jelly work rather than the cocoa butter one? I haven’t seen that in our stores in NZ. Also for the Sugar Scrub, could you use other oil rather than coconut?
Tonia says
Hi Natalie,
Yes you can use the normal petroleum jelly instead of the cocoa butter petroleum jelly. For the sugar scrub you can use olive oil instead of coconut oil but the amounts will probably vary. Start by adding slowly adding the olive oil to the sugar and add more as necessary until it is the consistency you want it to be. Enjoy!
~Tonia
Jessie Cleveland says
I have found everything mostly all at the dollar tree :).
However do you mind telling me where you found the red manicure set?? Thank you!
Tonia says
Hi Jessie,
They were in the dollar section of Target during the holiday season last year. I’m not sure if they will have them again this year. Best of luck!
~Tonia
Lydia says
Just made the foot soak and it smells GORGEOUS! Though I doubled the recipe and used peppermint essential oils instead and it only just made enough for 2 table spoons of soak in each of ten little pots. So I’m not sure whether your measurements are quite right or whether I just did something atrociously wrong!
Becky Miller says
Very cute idea! Especially for teachers or a woman in your life that has everything.
Just a quick note, use essential oils instead of extract as essential oils have medicinal properties. If you have any left over, Google uses for that specific essential oil :o)
Terri says
My son helped me make up the peppermint foot soak, body butter and the sugar scrub. The sugar scrub tastes good as my son says! Thank you so much. I recommend anyone to try this cause you will be pleased!
Erica j says
Are you using extract from the grocery store or essential oils?
Donna Mulford says
Love these! Just wondering if you painted both sides of the small containers?
Tonia says
Of the lids? No, I just painted the tops. I wasn’t sure how the paint would react to the spa products on the inside. Best of luck! ~Tonia
Holly says
Where did you get the containers for the pedicure in a jar? I love love this idea!
Tonia says
They are Spare Parts brand plastic storage tubes from Hobby Lobby.
Alyssa Finch says
Can you tell me approximately how many of those little containers your recipe for the lotion and the scrub made? Trying to determine if I’d need to get double of everything. Thanks!
Tonia says
Hi Alyssa,
Do you have the same size containers as the ones I used? The number of containers will depend on the size of your containers. The lotion makes 48 ounces. My containers are 2.4 oz so that would be 20 containers. The scrub recipe makes 16 oz of scrub so that would be 6 1/2 containers. Best of luck!
~Tonia
Aleta says
i go to Dollar General for e cream, Vaseline & their brand baby lotion. Works great . Takes lg. Vaseline, 2 each of others.
sara says
I was wondering if the food coloring in the lotion stains when using?
Tonia says
It didn’t stain us, but you can leave it out if you are concerned and it will still be fabulous!
Ashleigh says
Hi there. How far in advance can I make these? Like now long are tbey good for?
Tonia says
I would suggest that you use them within a month. Enjoy! ~Tonia