To make a shower steamer gift set, mix one base of baking soda, citric acid and cornstarch, split it three ways, and give each third its own pale colour and essential oil. Mist, pack four of each into a mold, dry for a day, and pack each scent into its own tin.
A shower steamer gift set is a good thing to give someone who says they never have time for a bath. Three scents, four of each, in a plain tin they will keep afterwards. It takes one evening to make and a day to dry, and it costs a fraction of a boxed set from a shop.
The trick is making all three scents from one batch, so the steamers match in size, texture and fizz, and only the colour and scent change. If you have never made a shower steamer, the shower steamer recipe explains each stage in more detail.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (about 220g) baking soda
- 1/2 cup (about 110g) citric acid
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- About 20 drops each of eucalyptus-spearmint, lavender and lemon-ginger essential oil
- Small pinches of green, lilac and yellow mica
- Witch hazel in a spray bottle
- Three round tins about 9cm across, parchment and twine
Tools
- Four mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Silicone mold with 12 round cavities, about 4cm across
- Gloves
How do you make a shower steamer gift set?
1Set out the base and three scents
For a set, choose three scents that do three different jobs. A good trio is eucalyptus and spearmint for mornings, lavender for evenings, and lemon with a little ginger for a bright lift. Each gets a pale matching colour, green, lilac and yellow, so the three are easy to tell apart in the tin.
Round tins about 9cm across hold four 4cm steamers in a single layer, which is exactly the right amount for one scent.
2Mix one base batch
Whisk the baking soda, citric acid and cornstarch together for a full minute, pressing out any lumps. Do not add any scent, colour or liquid yet.
Everything that makes the set look professional comes from this step. One base means twelve steamers of identical texture, so when all three tins are opened side by side they look like a set rather than three experiments.
3Split, colour and scent each third
Divide the base into three bowls. Into each, rub a small pinch of its mica, then add about twenty drops of its essential oil a few at a time, mixing between each.
Keep the colour pale. A shower steamer only needs a hint, and strong colour can leave a tint on white grout. Cover the bowls you are not working on with a plate so they do not dry out.
4Mist each bowl until it holds
Mist one bowl at a time with witch hazel, two or three sprays, and mix straight away. Stop when a squeezed handful holds its shape and breaks cleanly. Then move to the next bowl.
Working one bowl at a time matters here. By the time you have misted all three, the first would be drying out if you had done them together.
5Pack four of each into the mold
Pack four cavities with each colour, one row each, overfilling and pressing down hard. Keeping each scent in its own row makes it easy to unmold them without mixing them up.
Leave the mold somewhere dry for at least 24 hours. Then flex the silicone and push each steamer out from underneath.
6Pack them into tins
Line each tin with a circle of parchment and fit in four steamers of one scent. Close the lids straight away; shower steamers lose their scent quickly in open air.
Stack the three tins, tie them together with twine, and add a blank tag. On a small card, write which colour is which scent and a line on how to use them: on a shelf or a corner of the shower floor, out of the direct spray.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| One colour crumbles and the others do not | That bowl dried out while the others were being misted | Cover bowls with a plate while you work, and mist and pack one colour at a time. |
| The scents smell alike in the tin | The three scents were too similar, or the tins were left open | Pick three clearly different scents and close each tin as soon as it is packed. |
| The colours stain the grout | Too much mica | Use only a small pinch of mica per third. A pale hint is enough to tell the scents apart. |
| The steamers rattle and chip in the tin | The tin is too big for four steamers | Use tins about 9cm across, or pad the gaps with extra parchment. |
Which scents make a good shower steamer gift set?
Three that do different things. Eucalyptus with spearmint or peppermint is the one people reach for on cold mornings. Lavender is the one for the evening. A bright citrus, lemon, grapefruit or orange, rounds it out. For more combinations, see rosemary shower steamers and the rest of scents and blends.
Avoid putting three similar scents in one set. Three mints or three florals smell alike in the steam.
When should you make shower steamers for a gift?
As close to giving them as you can, with a day to spare for drying. Sealed in a tin, the fizz keeps for months, but the scent is always at its best in the first few weeks, and scent is the whole point of a steamer. For Christmas, the first week of December is a good time to make them. For a birthday, two or three days ahead is ideal. If you need to make them further ahead, keep the tins in a cool cupboard rather than a warm room, and add a few extra drops of oil to each third to allow for fading.
What goes well with a shower steamer gift set?
On its own it is a complete gift. To make it bigger, add a small jar of bath salts for the occasional bath, or build it into a DIY spa gift basket. For someone who prefers baths, the bath bomb gift set is the equivalent. More seasonal ideas are in gifts and seasonal.
Frequently asked questions
How do you package homemade shower steamers as a gift?
In a small airtight tin or jar lined with parchment, with each scent kept separate. Close the lid straight away, because shower steamers lose scent in open air, and add a card saying which is which and how to use them.
How long do shower steamers last as a gift?
Sealed in a tin, the fizz lasts a few months and the scent is best in the first month or two. Give them soon after making them, and suggest keeping the tin out of the steamy bathroom.
Can you make three scents from one batch of shower steamers?
Yes, and it is the best way to make a set. Mix one unscented base, divide it into three bowls, and add the colour and essential oil to each separately. The steamers match in texture and fizz.
What is a good shower steamer scent for a gift?
Eucalyptus with spearmint is the most popular and suits almost anyone. Lavender suits someone who showers in the evening, and a bright citrus suits a morning person. A set of all three covers every taste.
