The best self-care and wellness gifts should remind your loved ones that Christmas is the time to sit back, relax and pamper themselves. The gift of self-care will always be appreciated, so we’ve found the best of the best, no matter your budget.
Presents that will help your friends to be centred and look after themselves are the gifts that keep on giving, but wellness and self-care gifts can often be quite expensive. Not to worry, though - our list is broken down into different prices, so you can be sure to find something truly special for someone who deserves it this year. Whether you’re looking for one of the best Christmas gifts for mum or a hard-working friend, we’ve got you covered.
We’ve also enlisted the help of our health editor, Grace Walsh, to recommend some of her own picks.
Grace Walsh is the health editor at woman&home, covering all areas of wellbeing, including nutrition, fitness, sleep, sex, and relationships. From revealing the surprising benefits of everyday activities to debunking the latest health fads, she loves uncovering new ways to improve our physical and mental wellbeing.
Self-care and wellness gifts under £50
RRP: £17 at Rituals
Our health editor Grace says that “anyone who is feeling stressed out in the lead up to Christmas will appreciate an extra dose of magnesium in their wellness routine. The mineral is proven to reduce stress by helping to control neurotransmitters in the brain, making dissolving bath salts the perfect gift to diffuse tension in both mind and body.”
RRP: from £44.99
“Your wellness-lover may have heard about all the types of mushroom coffee over the last year, but this hot chocolate-style blend is the best of them all, in my opinion”, Grace tells us. “Perfect when warmed up with milk, the tremella, turkey tail, reishi, MCT powder and moringa blend offers a moreish, almost chocolate-like taste, soothes the nervous system before sleep, and protects the brain with an infusion of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.”
RRP: £22.10 at Papier
Journalling is a great way to reflect on and plan for your goals and intentions. It can help you learn how to boost your mood and help with making time to appreciate the things you’re grateful for everyday. This journal has space to practise daily gratitude, as well as pages for weekly check-ins on your ‘wellness pillars’, and monthly check-ins to reflect on the highlights of the month.
RRP: from £39 at Sculpd
We all know the benefits of a scented candle for burning as part of your self-care routine, but this crafty gift offers an even more fun experience of making their own candle. Choose from Ginger & Orange or Basil & Citrus scents, and they can decorate their air-dry clay candles with pastel paints or terracotta pens if they wish.
You may have seen this pillow spray everywhere recently, and that’s because it’s a genuinely impressive tool for relaxation and one of the best sleep aids. With a soothing scent of lavender and chamomile, the spray instantly relaxes and calms when sprayed on a pillow or in the air around the bed as part of a calming night-time routine.
Nothing says self-care like The White Company, and its Calm scent does what it says on the tin. With notes of juniper berry, ylang-ylang and clary sage along with sandalwood and tonka bean for some warmth and depth, the calming fragrance will be subtly infused around the room with this diffuser.
Self-care and wellness gifts under £100
RRP: £50 at Neom
Of this luxurious candle, Grace says “Happiness by Neom combines 10 different essential oils, with white neroli, white blossom, and woody mimosa the strongest of the lot, to truly encapsulate that warm, fuzzy feeling of happiness in a way no other candle does. This is my favourite Neom candle scent. This 3-wick candle doesn’t only smell amazing though. As it’s made from hand-poured and 100% naturally derived wax, it offers an even burn for many hours.”
RRP: £55 at Not Another Bunch of Flowers
For a self-care gift box that they’ll appreciate for years to come, this unique option is truly special. It includes popular wellness brand Cowshed’s body lotion and shower gel - with Moroccan rose and Madagascan ylang-ylang essential oils - a hand-iced cookie, a note pad and pen for journaling or planning out your day, and a gorgeous hand-painted stoneware mug.
RRP: £70 at Ariat
Slippers are a pretty universal self-care gift that recipients of all ages will enjoy, whether you’re Christmas shopping for mum or looking for 18th birthday gift ideas. These cosy boots are available in bold leopard print or a festive creamy-white, and have a warm fleece lining and enough height that they won’t slip off the feet.
RRP: £42 at Raise and Replenish
This plant-based cacao caffeine blend has ashwagandha root, magnesium, nutmeg and more gut-loving ingredients which will allow your stressed-out friend to take a break, relax and sip away. Ashwagandha especially is known to calm anxiety and stress levels, so your friend will thank you when this blend becomes part of their daily routine.
RRP: from £89 at Aeyla
One of the best weighted blankets is the perfect self-care gift for anyone who struggles to nod off. This cosy, velvety blanket is available in various weights - from 4kg to 9kg - and will work to calm anxiety and increase sleep quality. Mimicking the feeling of a tight hug, this blanket is a comforting and thoughtful gift.
Another sleep aid that adds a bit of luxury, this mulberry silk eye mask wraps around the whole head to provide a fully ‘blackout’ feel, meaning light can’t disrupt the wearer’s REM sleep. With a padded, thick design, it’ll help them get to sleep in no time.
Luxury self-care and wellness gifts
RRP: £155 at Therabody
Grace says: “The Theragun mini is a smaller version of the traditional Theragun, designed to soothe aching and tired muscles through percussive massage. This one’s particularly great for the shoulders and lower back I find, although you can use it anywhere. I prefer the mini over the larger guns as it’s lightweight, you can hold it with one hand, and it comes in multiple cooling colours.”
“The Fitbit Charge 6 is the newest Fitbit”, Grace tells us. “With 60% better heart rate monitoring than the previous model, it makes for the perfect gift for anyone looking to upgrade their wellness routine in 2024. The activity tracker includes over 40 new workout modes, premium sleep and stress tracking sensors, and Bluetooth connectivity to the likes of Peloton and NordicTrack machines.”
RRP: £219.95 at Smeg
Also one of the best gifts for coffee lovers, this luxurious gift is something that the recipient might not think to buy for themselves, but it’ll not only look great on their counter, it’s something they can use every single day. There are a huge 30 different grinding levels, so no matter how they like their coffee, they’ll be set.
RRP: £149 at Lumie
Even if they don’t suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), many of us still find it hard to get up in the morning when it’s still pitch black outside. The Bodyclock Shine 300 mimics a natural sunrise in the morning, gradually filling the room with more soft light. At night, there’s also a mode set to look like a fading sunset, which promotes melatonin and assists with falling asleep relaxed and rested.
Facetheory offers a range of simple, natural skincare which is especially suited to sensitive skin types. This set includes a clarifying cleanser, pore-reducing toner, SPF30 face cream, green tea rescue mask, relaxing night cream, lip balm, rice ferment hand cream, calming serum, N10 serum and an organic cotton face towel.
RRP: £179 at LELO
For a self-care gift, Grace recommends this sex toy, saying: “Our pick of the best wand vibrators, the LELO Smart Wand 2 comes in two different sizes and various colours. It's a tried and tested favourite at woman&home thanks to the premium feel of the super smooth silicone material, flexible head, and range of settings that are easily navigated through the two simple buttons on the device. For a luxury sex toy that'll do all the work, it's got to be this one."
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