37 Self-Care Gifts Vetted and Tested by a Wellness Editor

The only thing that could make a warm bubble bath more relaxing? Adding CBD to the mix. This blend of Dead Sea, Pink Himalayan and Epsom salts, Eucalyptus Essential Oil and CBD isolate (no THC) is infused with 240 mg of CBD that will make your giftee feel like they are melting down the drain—in a good way.

"I've tried tons of mocktails and nonalcoholic beverages, and Figlia is absolutely near the top of my list," says PureWow Senior Editor Abby Hepworth. "It's yummy, light, mixes well with other flavors (limoncello LaCroix is a particular fav) and isn't chock-a-block full of sugar." When everyone else is drinking Cinar and sangria, those who don't drink alcohol might feel left out of the flavorful spring fun. That's not an issue if there's a bottle of this herbal, floral drink on hand. It's got notes of bitter orange, cloves and flowers, and the pinkish liquid looks festive poured over rocks, mixed with seltzer or enjoyed with ginger ale.

"The Alo Magnesium Reset spray is one of the few sleep aids that I really do think helps me get a more restful nights' sleep. I just put on three spritzes of it, like the brand suggests, and that's it, so easy!" says Natalie LaBarbera, PureWow assistant commerce editor. Rub a spray or two of this magnesium oil on the soles of your feet and you'll enjoy a faster wind-down period than usual. (I tested this Instagram-famous regimen and found it really helped my sleep.) The NIH says more study is needed to determine if this is due to transdermal absorption or just a moment of relaxing self-care, but either way, it's a loving before-bed ritual for your giftee.

Wellness director Sarah Stiefvater has tested lots of sleep-enhancing products, and has a novel sound muffling accessory to recommend: "For your light sleeper friends: Loop Dream earplugs offer the brand's highest noise reduction yet," she say. "They're comfortable to wear (even when sleeping on your side) and block out essentially all noise. Once they're in place, these babies don't budge. I also love the  color options: a sleek black, soothing lilac and pretty peach."

TikTok taught me how to correctly dry brush (it's towards the heart and lymph clusters) to improve lymphatic circulation before showering and moisturizing. The cumulative effect is smoother skin (ahh, exfoliation) as well as a feeling of calm.

I've ruined sets of carefully applied eyelash extensions after my tossing and turning smashed them into my pillows—but not since I started using this all-silk eye mask. Since the inside of the mask has contoured spots so that the mask doesn't lie flat against your lashes, I can enjoy all the light-blocking excellence of mulberry silk without my lashes falling out or getting misshapen. Additonally, I'm secure in knowing that mulberry silk doesn't pull at hair or skin the way rough cotton can, so I'm not giving myself follicles or hair stress.

"Another gift for friends and family who have trouble falling and staying asleep, Helight is a little device that emits a narrow wavelength of red light to help you fall asleep faster and have a more restorative sleep," Stiefvater says. Portable, rechargeable and travel-friendly, the little glowing red light is on a 28-minute timer—intended to be the maximum time it will take you to drift off. "Red light therapy is trending in a variety of forms right now for a reason—it really can help," our Wellness Director says.

A basic tenet of self-care is providing one's body with nourishing and balanced meals. I like this ingenious blender set-up because it not only has a 600-watt motor to do the business, it's designed so that the blending vessel pops off and you can switch the blades for a handy carry top. So the blender capsule becomes a go cup, and there's no excuse for skipping the most important meal of the day.

"Intelligent Change's 5-minute gratitude journal has made such a difference in my daily routine. Just taking those few minutes in the morning and night every day help me shift my perspective away from anything bad that might have been holding my attention - it's so worth it!" says LaBarbera. As the name implies, filling out this journal takes up just five minutes of your day. Every morning, it prompts you to reflect on three things you're grateful for and write down what would make the day great, plus an affirmation for the day. Then, in the evening, you're asked to write down three amazing things that happened that day and something that you might have done to make the day even better.

"I love breathwork and the calm it brings to my life, but am not always great at doing it on my own outside of a guided class setting," says Stiefvater. "Moonbird makes it easy to reap the benefits from the comfort of my apartment. It's a cute little device made with a medical-grade silicone skin that expands and contracts in your hand, providing a rhythm with which to breathe in and out with the guidance of an app on your phone. Easy peasy." And if you want to know your metrics, this real-time biofeedback your body’s immediate response such as heart rate and heart rate variability.

I spend most of my time as a writer and editor, so I find it soothing to use the visual half of my brain when I'm trying to unwind. There's clinical experience that backs me up: Psychotherapist and relationship expert Gin Love Thompson, Ph.D., says that doing anything creative, including painting with watercolors, can help calm the mind. That's why I recommend gifting this set with everything you need—48 different watercolor paints, two brush pens and 15 sheets of watercolor paper—to doodle or create your new life persepective.

"I love the Olive & June kits! It's so nice treating myself to a fresh manicure without needed to spend a ton of money every time I want to switch up the color," says Hepworth. "The handle is so easy to hold and the polish itself is really long lasting. It also makes for a fabulous gift." I agree, and since I tried the new gel manicure set, which comes with polish, cuticle serum and other manicure essentials including a patent-pending gel mani lamp, my manicures don't chip for over two weeks—and I'm not tempted to bite them because they look too pretty.

The National Endowment for the Arts has compiled studies demonstrating reading reduces stress, protects our brain from dementia and increases empathy. (Not only that, but if you're a bookworm and love discussing books with friends, you love reading as a fun escape.) I loved the many life lessons in this bestselling memoir of young writer Suleika Jaouad's battle against cancer. The lack of sentimentality, refreshing honestly and indominable life force in this book makes it a tonic for every reader, no matter their health status. (And readers can follow up with Jaouad, who is featured with her husband Jon Batiste in the acclaimed American Symphony on Netflix.)

I'm saving for one of these babies—as well as putting it on my birthday wish list—ever since my bestie told me that a few minutes reclining on one of these every day gave her more energy as well as fewer aches. PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field) therapy—basically little zaps of low-dose electricity applied via the skin—has been used by doctors to stimulate bone growth and repair nerve damage since the 1970s. Today, chronic pain suffers and hard workout lovers utilize PEMF therapy to eliminate aches, and a 2020 Danish study even found that PEMF could benefit people with depression. This portable mat is meant to provide a home application of this tech, sending little electrical zaps from the mat to wherever it comes in contact with the body. Plus, it radiates infrared heat, so that's going to feel good, too. Your recipient will also appreciate the design: A bend in the middle of the mat means they can keep it propped up in their WFH chair.

Yoga and mental health are more closely linked than you might think—and I'm not just talking about how much calmer I personally feel after a CorePower hot yoga class. A 2011 study published in the International Journal of Yoga found that practicing 90 minutes of yoga once or twice a week can reduce anxiety both short- and long-term. Sounds like a pretty good excuse to finally gift someone their own mat, and this one is extra-special because it comes with its own balancing block and carry strap that doubles as a stretching aid.

Whenever I want to celebrate someone's birthday or say congratulations, I want my well-wishes to last longer than a bouquet. So I turn to the growing greenery from The Sill. There's a wellness benefit, too: According to a 2015 study in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, interacting with houseplants can actually reduce feelings of stress and make you feel more soothed. Which means not only will this Monstera and planter look great in your bestie's living room, it’ll actually help her feel more relaxed.

PureWow Associate Sales and Deals Editor Destinee Scott said that doing gua sha massage not only helped her skin look less puffy and feel tighter, it also taught her to feel better psychologically, "Once I started using the tool with no makeup on for a full 15 minutes before bed for two weeks, I was forced to get vulnerable with myself," she wrote in her review. "During that time, I was able to remind myself of all the reasons why I love me, which made me feel more confident and hopeful. Not to mention, I just felt lighter—something that made sense, as gua sha attempts to awaken and move energy around the body, restoring balance." This particular kit is great because it includes facial balm to apply to your face before you begin your soothing strokes.

New Mexico-based doctor of Chinese medicine Dr. Janine Mahon tells PureWow that fall and winter are associated with the kidney meridian, a time of honoring detoxification and hibernation. She suggests stimulating the bottom of the foot between the arch and the ball, the most grounding point of the foot that's associated with the kidney meridien, for a few minutes post-bath and pre-bed. We think a roll of this three-speed vibrating massager is just the thing to get in there for your stressed-out family member. We like this massager because while it's small enough to fit in your palm, it packs a low, medium or high oscillation punch, and operates with a simple toggling push button, so even the most tech-challenged giftee will find it intuitive to use.

I've been to many spas and meditation retreats and can attest that all the best places use Backjacks, the little cotton-covered meditation seats that sit on the ground and give you support no matter which way you situate your legs. This green one is prettier than the standard issue black cotton editions, and it folds in half—so there's no meditation cushion taking up valuable floor space between Om sessions.

Essential oils can serve as a reminder to slow down, take some deep breaths and get back in tune with your body, says Lindsey Wirth, LMSW, therapist at Tia. This one is infused wth CBD, which has been shown to improve sleep scores in a 2019 study. I can vouch for its efficacy, since I keep it in my car and when the Los Angeles traffic slows to a near-standstill, a swipe of this on my wrists and a quick, deep inhale helps me avoid road rage.

"There was no setup process for the SolaWave spot treatment. I just pressed the button and used the tool on a specific blemish. It’s very comfortable, as the light is directed at a concentrated area, says PureWow Beauty and Cultures editor Chelsea Candelario. While the device didn't prevent or completely erase breakouts, Candelaro says "it minimized any inflammation and irritation. The device has one standard mode—a blend of blue and red light—and is wireless, so I can walk around without being restricted by a cord. It’s also small, making it travel-friendly and not bulky."

Sometimes, having a little reminder of a positive affirmation on your body, like a meaningful piece of jewelry, is enough to give you a bit of a mental health boost. If you’re shopping for someone going through a difficult time, consider getting them this necklace with the word "faith" written atop "fear." Every time they look down, they’ll be reminded to stay hopeful.

PureWow content creator Kate Kesselman says she was skeptical about this vibration plate machine, but once she started her workout balanced on this 12.6 by 21-inch little machine, she was a convert. "As soon as I stepped on, my whole body was not only shaking but working towards not trying to shake," she explained in a TikTok for PureWow. "When instructors say engage your core, I don't always know what that means, but on this machine I finally understood. I will definitely be adding this to my home workout routine." A 10-minute workout on the vibration plate is not only going to wake up muscles trying to keep you balanced upright, the vibrations may also offer health benefits like improved bone density, better balance and even better circulation and lymphatic drainage, according to the makers.

At first, I was skeptical of this powdered supplement as being one of a range of biohacking companies beloved by Silicon Valley investors in the 2010. Touted as having 75 vitamins, minerals, whole-food sourced superfoods, probiotics and including pea protein, I thought the dun-colored powder was just going to be another slash in the pan product—until my first water bottle full of it. I felt more energetic right away, and now I add the stuff to my daily smoothies and, when I'm feeling up to it, my water bottle (the taste is very green and not sweet or sour like I usually like). I love this as a gift for people whose on-the-go lifestyle or taste for fast food gets in the way of them eating their veggies.

I'm looking forward to gifting this to someone going on a camping trip this summer, and keeping one in my car's glove box. It has 10 items including an emergency blanket, wire hand saw, whistle, earplugs, pencil, candle, flint and striker, razor blade, multi-function knife, fish hook line and bait.

The psoas muscle complex (pronounced so-as), a matching band of muscle that curves around our pelvis on both sides, allows humans to stand and walk upright. And when it gets tight or inflamed, it presses against nerves, resulting in backache. That's what makes this 10.7-inch tool such a bullseye for the backache sufferer in your life. Users place it on the floor and lie atop it, driving their hips, lower, upper and mid-back, hamstrings, thighs, calves, glutes, triceps, biceps and chest into it. Just like a sturdy once-over from a masseur, this tool, designed to approximate the hardness of an elbow, can loosen the psoas and ahh, relieve pressure.

Have a pal who is always traveling for business? It can be really stressful, so maybe she'd enjoy blowing off some steam with this innovative portable vibrator. It has 8 settings from soft and gentle to forceful, and the unique air suction design zeroes in on the clitoris. Added bonuses: There's a hygienic cover for it and a travel lock, so it won't go off in the security check line.

This 15-count box of packettes of berry, citrus and unflavored magnesium powder adds adaptogens to magnesium L-Threonate, the form of magnesium that naturopathic doctor Stephanie Nichols explains crosses the blood-brain barrier to calm racing thoughts. What's especially giftable about this magnesium powder is that since there are two fruit flavors and one unflavored versions in single-serve packettes, your giftee can find their favorite (me, I like them all).

I had a fascinating conversation with Todd Anderson, the co-CEO of Dream Performance & Recovery, a company that makes mouth tape, nasal strips and other accoutrement meant to improve sleep and well-being. Anderson explained how nasal breathing (rather than inhaling and exhaling through an open mouth) forces your lungs to work harder and more oxygen to enter your bloodstream, easing anxiety (I checked—there are studies to back this up). I can't wait to gift this tape to my wellness-obsessed friend who I know wears sleep tape, because it's the Rolls-Royce of the category. Not only is it medical-grade tape, but the tape is infused with collagen, vitamin E, aloe vera and other skincare ingredients meant to improve the appearance of fine lines. Win-win.

I like this deck because frankly, it's trippy. The cards in it go beyond trite positive affirmations with diverse categories including breathing techniques, mindfulness basics, mindful living, concepts of metta/loving kindness, Zen, and more. This is an especially apt extra gift for an especially mature high school or college graduate, because it questions identity and life purpose, which are especially electric topics during times of transition.

Not every powder supplement is made to put you to sleep, for example this powder contains ashwagandha, an adaptogen that our reviewer said made her much less of a worrier after taking the supplement for a few weeks. That's because this herbal extract works on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), the main stress response system in our brain. Dr Nichols explains that ashwagandha modulates the brain’s reaction to triggers such as emotional, mental or physical stress including sleeplessness. The chain reaction of hormones and other chemicals that our brains release can become disregulated and need a sort of re-set. One teaspoon of Spirit Dust in juice, water or tea, taken regularly, and you're back to a baseline of even temper.

Give the gift of instant relaxation with a fluffy robe with slouchy pockets for him or her, along with a note in the pocket that reads: "One gift certificate enabling recipient to hang out in jammies all day Sunday."

Someone you know have a boisterous bunch of family members all up under them? Gift them this handsome wood-grain diffuser with its bottles of soothing lavender, eucalyptus, tea tree, orange, peppermint, lemongrass, jasmine, nutmeg, clove and spearmint essential oils. They can just add water and turn this little baby on to enjoy a calmer household vibe.

Whether a loved one is trying to cut down on their alcohol consumption for greater mental well-being, cardiovascular health or just to try something new, an alcohol-free alternative to liquor is interesting. And these four formulas—approximating tequila, rum, whisky and gin—are the closest to the real thing you can get without risking a hangover. We suggest gift certificates of $60, so your recipient can choose the two blends they'd like to try.

Want to give someone a sleep tracker, but not sure how that will go over? According to Kamiu Lee, co-founder of Proper, a science-based sleep wellness company, "some folks do well with sleep trackers or wearables, as it can help remind them to build better habits, such as getting to bed at a certain time and get enough exercise every day." Gifters should be aware these aren't for everyone, though. As Lee notes, "We also see folks that get overly anxious about tracking and it ends up being detrimental to their sleep!" This slender model monitors blood oxygen saturation, stress levels, heart rate and sleep quality throughout the day, as well as tracks 11 sports, including swimming.

Shopping for your perpetually anxious bestie or your insomniac self? Try a weighted blanket. Its soothing pressure has led users to report lower anxiety, and even non-anxious users like how it feels like a hug.

The moon is a backache-easing chair, recliner or mattress version of a bean bag chair, but for the TikTok generation. This convertible piece of furniture weighs only 12 pounds and has a small footprint (only 4 feet wide!) so its repurposed polystyrene bead fill can look minimalist cool in whatever room of the house you like. It's great for getting work done, and taking quick rests, too. And, since the National Sleep Foundation stans naps as a way to enhance performance and reduce mistakes, it will make a great gift for your sibling who's killing it in grad school.