We all like to be reminded, every now and then, that we’re special. Why not do something for that someone you love?

Give a beautiful card that guarantees the recipient a relaxing massage from you. And shop the health and beauty care section of your favorite natural products store, which carries a range of gift ideas from eye pillows and yoga togs to body buffs and bath oils.

Small Indulgences for Others

“Natural and organic soaps are food for your skin,” says Elayne Belkas, founder of Elayne’s Garden in East Hampstead, New Hampshire. “They can soften rough, dry skin, soothe irritated skin, and make your largest organ [skin] feel healthy and alive.”

While conventional soaps are loaded with synthetic fragrances, preservatives, and detergents, natural bars keep it simple with ingredients including plant oils, goat’s milk, vegetable glycerin, herbs, and essential oils.

“Although they’re both called soap, natural and commercial bars are completely different,” explains Belkas. “Conventional brands can strip the skin of its natural oils and leave it dry and irritated. Natural soaps contain mostly food-grade ingredients like olive, palm, and coconut oils that actually heal and nourish the skin.”

Essential oils and herbal scents make natural soaps good for your mind, as well as your body. Uplifting oils include orange, lemon, and grapefruit. Cedarwood, ylang ylang, and lavender can help relieve stress, while cypress, pine, and peppermint promote mental clarity and concentration. “Aromatherapy, or use of essential oils [in soap], can be very mood enhancing, and steam from the bath or shower facilitates the inhalation process of the oil molecules, making natural soap an effective vehicle for aromatherapy,” adds Belkas.

Treat Yourself to the Best

To stay fresh, select natural deodorants and body powders. These products use pure ingredients like tea tree oil, lichen, lemon, grapefruit, and baking soda, which offer safe alternatives to the questionable chemicals commonly found in commercial brands.

“Conventional antiperspirants contain parabens and aluminum,” says Jennifer Nevels, NMD, of IntegraMed Center in Mesa, Arizona. “Neither of these chemicals is safe for the body. Parabens in antiperspirants, for example, have been linked to breast cancer, while long-term research on the use of aluminum indicates that high levels may contribute to Alzheimer’s.”

Unlike conventional products that are designed to prevent the body’s natural perspiration process, natural herbal sticks, sprays, and roll-ons target the bacteria that causes odor. “Perspiring is the normal cooling process that occurs when the body is overheated, and there are questions as to the safety of blocking this natural process,” explains Dr. Nevels.

To help absorb wetness, natural body powders contain starches and powders (like rice, corn, and oat starch) that soak up moisture. Most also contain botanicals that inhibit bacteria growth and prevent odor, as well as herbs and essential oils (like lavender, chamomile, and aloe vera) to help soothe irritated skin.

“Powders are a great complement to a natural deodorant,” says Mike Hoffmann, natural beauty care consultant. “They not only help keep you dry and bring a fresh feeling to your skin, but they can also prevent chafing and skin irritation. A body powder is great for layering, which is a way of maintaining a scent throughout the day by building a fragrance using beauty care products that are the same scent.”