20 Self-care Gifts to Soothe Yourself (or Someone Else)

The Soothing, Centering, Self-care Wishlist for Smart, Busy Women

So many women find the idea of self-care daunting or don’t have a clue how to soothe themselves. As a concept, self-care sounds good, but actually finding things that work and fit into your life? That can be a whole different story.

And then there’s the whole issue of receiving gifts, asking for things – putting your wants on a list. For so many of us, it’s so much easier to create a gift list for everyone else in the (extended) family, than to know what to ask for for ourselves. 

This year, I took all of the above into consideration for you. Just in time for the holidays, the shopping season ahead, and any requests you might have for your own wishlist, I’ve compiled for you:

20 Gift Ideas for Better Self-care (Stocking Stuffers Included):

1. 1. Tea: Sitting down with a cup of tea is such a great way to slow down, and it can become an easy ritual. Taking a break, holding a warm mug (especially one you love), breathing in the fragrance, and slowing down. What’s not to love? Here’s my current favorite caffeinated, and decaffeinated or if you want to practice creating a tea routine, how about this 24 days of tea advent calendar?
   2. The perfect mug: Speaking of tea, I’m a bit of a mug addict and periodically have to curate my collection. But these are so fun. These are the colors I would choose, but you have choices! Unboxme has combined the tea, the mug, some cozy socks, and a few other things in a self-care box that’s packaged for gifting.
   3. Electric kettle: I have to include just one more tea/beverage item. My Canadian friends laughed at me for years because I didn’t own an electric kettle. Now I do, and now I get it. It turns out that quality really matters with electric kettles and the Cuisinart has made it to the top of review lists since 2013. I love that it has different temperature settings for different tea varieties, a French press setting, and a 30-minute keep-warm function so I can go back for a second mug.
   4. A facial massager and decadent cleanser: One way I transition from work to “after work” is by changing my clothes and washing my face. This facial massager and cleanser is like a mini spa treatment. Combined with this rose-infused cleanser, it’s a decadent, awesome-smelling ritual that I love.
   5. The coziest slippers: Every woman needs a cozy, comfortable pair of slippers. The Ugg Coquette is a classic and comes in lots of fun colors. Plus, it has a hard sole for when you need to let the dog out or step outside to grab your mail. 
   6. Bubbles! Soothing doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. Who doesn’t feel good blowing bubbles? I dare you to try this and not feel your mood lighten. Better yet, throw these in all the stockings this year.
   7. Airpod Pro: I know you already know about these, but I had to include them. Every now and then I buy something that turns out to be a complete game-changer. I was shocked by how much I love my Airpod Pros. They create instant privacy and signal a boundary (I love using the noise-cancelling feature on flights, even if I’m not listening to anything). I can listen to what I want to, no matter what is going on around me, and I can do the dishes AND have a phone conversation. I use them for guided meditations, listening to podcasts and music on my walks and runs, and I know my friends and clients love them for audiobooks.
   8. Amazing scented hand cream: If you’re stuck for ideas on how to self-soothe or comfort yourself, it always helps to think about ways to feed your senses, and one of my favorite go-to strategies is fabulous hand cream with an amazing scent. I’m very picky about scents and don’t do artificial ones. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no better-smelling hand softener than this. I almost always go for the lavender scent (unless I choose verbena). Want a total body experience? Here’s the body butter gift set that Oprah recommends. 
   9. Essential oil diffuser: Speaking of feeding your senses, what about using an essential oil diffuser to add soothing scents to your environment? I know next to nothing about essential oils, but I’ve found that peppermint is great when I have work to do, and lavender makes me feel like I’ve just entered a spa. This diffuser has a simple design that I like.
   10. A lifetime of challenging crosswords: Word games are a great way to escape or refocus or take a break, but as much as I love Wordle and Quordle, sometimes it feels even better to walk away from your phone. This giant book of Sunday New York Times crossword puzzles will last a long, long time – and you won’t find yourself distracted or doom-scrolling instead. 
   11. A Kindle Paperwhite: I love to read. LOVE to read. My bookshelves are over-stuffed, and I always have at least ten books on reserve at the library. AND, I love my Kindle Paperwhite. It fits in my purse, I can take as many books as I want on vacation, and I can read in bed without keeping my husband awake. I got the one with wireless charging which makes it even easier to use and I love the adjustable warm light and font size.
   12. Pens (and more pens): Rewards and lovely treats don’t have to be big. In fact, sometimes it’s the little things that just add a bit of specialness to my day. My son introduced me to Pilot G2 gel pens years ago, but while he sticks with a black, fine point, my desk is littered with the colored version. They just make me happy.
   13. Coloring books: If mindless creativity appeals to you, consider adult coloring books. A quick search will give you tons of options. Mandalas, patterns, animals, and “inspirational sweary quotes.”
   14. A sunrise alarm clock: I swear by my sunrise alarm clock. It slowly lights up from a low glow to bright light, waking you up gently, and helping to assure you aren’t jarred out of a deep sleep cycle. It makes such a difference in the morning. This one also has a sound library and a wind-down cycle.
   15. Puzzles: Have you ever gotten yourself lost in a puzzle? I think that puzzles helped me (and a lot of others) survive the last few years. These puzzles by Ponderium are beautiful and unique.
   16. The coziest blanket ever: When I’m going for luxurious, I want to read reviews that say “worth every penny” and “best blanket ever.” Everyone needs a warm, cozy blanket to curl up in sometimes. This is a fantastic one that feels special.
   17. The Emotional Eating Rescue Plan for Smart, Busy Women: I didn’t originally have this on the list, and my assistant looked at me sideways. The Emotional Eating Rescue Plan for Smart, Busy Women is the book I wrote with a 28-day plan to stop emotional eating. It’s a fantastic resource. I strongly recommend that you purchase the paperback version because I want you to fill in all the blanks, answer all the questions, and use it as your own guidebook.
   18. A massage gun: Sometimes my husband makes some impulse purchases that I think are pretty out there, but this one was a home run. I have become a massage gun evangelist and I firmly believe my life would be better if I remembered to use this thing to work out the kinks in my shoulders and neck and calves every day. That’s okay, it’s well worth the price for the ease I feel in my body every time I pick it up. My favorite thing is that I can actually use it on the tight spot I get under my shoulder blade that I was never able to reach before. I give this idea a five star recommendation for soothing and self-care.
   19. The ultimate journal: Few habits are as important to me as journaling, and Leuchtturm is the ultimate journal. Choose from plain, dotted, lined, or graph pages. The pages are numbered! The binding lies flat for us lefthanded people, and they come in a gazillion great colors. Gift yourself one of these. 
   20. Shower steamers: Shower steamers are like bath bombs for your shower – because we don’t always have the time or inclination for a leisurely bath. I love that you can bring the spa experience to a busy day by just using one of these in the shower. This variety assortment gives you ten essential oil scents and lets you choose between relaxing, recharging, and restoring.

More ideas to round out your shopping cart or fill up your stocking:

Lip gloss and lip balm, extra pairs of your favorite socks, a skincare sampler and a new hairband to hold back your hair when you wash your face. A water bottle that you’ll actually empty (it reminds you!). Something in your favorite color (lots of things in your favorite color). Naturally scented candles. A subscription to your favorite meditation app. You’ve got this!

Happy shopping!

All products and ideas in this post were hand-selected and curated. However, when you buy something through a retail link, we may earn a small affiliate commission at no cost to you.