Best Spa Gift Baskets

Buying guide for Best spa gift baskets

Written by Jennifer Manfrin

Updated January 2024

Are you looking for a lovely gift that pampers but is also practical? It can be challenging to find a gift that meets these criteria. Making sure you get a gift with all of the important features — size, color, and individual likes and dislikes — can be daunting. Then there’s the challenge of wrapping your gift so it looks just right. Thankfully, a good spa gift basket can easily resolve these concerns.

A spa gift basket is practical for almost any holiday or occasion. Packed with goodies from bath items to edible treats, it's almost like giving several gifts in one. Plus, you can be assured that the recipient will find the items inside as useful as they are enjoyable. After all, bathtime is a part of everyone's day, and the specialty products found in spa gift baskets will potentially transform that ritual from a routine task to a luxurious and relaxing experience.

If you don’t like to wrap gifts, a spa gift basket may be the right choice for you. These presentations are typically wrapped in clear plastic (or shrink wrapped) and adorned with bows, flowers, tags, or other decorations. In other words, you don’t have to get out the wrapping paper, tape, and scissors to give this gift.

Spa gift basket items

If you’ve ever received a gift that included numerous items, such as a beauty kit or candy sampler, you know how fun it is to sort through them. That’s the concept behind the spa gift basket. These baskets include multiple items with a variety of purposes, though the main goal is always the same: to provide a relaxing experience with items that soothe and smell great.

Some items are more common than others, but here are a few you’re likely to find as you shop.

• Bubble bath, bath salts, and/or bath fizzies

• Bar soap

• Shower gel

• Shampoo

• Hand and body lotion

• Manicure tools

• Foot or body scrubs

• Loofahs and/or sponges

• Massage items

• Body oils

• Candles

• Potpourri

• Coffee

• Tea

• Food items such as chocolates, candies, and cookies
   

So how do you choose? If you know the person you are shopping for will enjoy spa-worthy bath items, then you’ve already determined that she will appreciate a collection of them. Ask yourself what types of items she may prefer or use more frequently. Does she wear lotion? Does she like to perform at-home manicures? Does she love to indulge in unique treats? What are her favorite scents and colors? The answers to these questions can help you narrow down your options.

Key Considerations

Think about color

You’ll find all colors of the rainbow when you shop for a spa gift basket. Consider a basket with an eye-catching color scheme — one that she’d be proud to display in her home. It may help to know the color scheme of her bathroom. What color are her bath towels, bathroom walls, cabinetry, and other accents?

Think about scent

The fragrances you’ll find in spa gift baskets are just as diverse as the color schemes, from florals to fruits and everything in between. Some spa gift baskets contain items that all have the same scent. Others contain soaps, lotions, and other products in two or more fragrances that pair nicely together. Is there a particular fragrance that she loves? Is there a scent she dislikes? This information can help guide your decision.

Think about basket type

Classic baskets made of woven wood products or wicker are the most common types used for packaging spa product collections. Some are available in typical basket colors like tan or brown, but others sport bright, bold colors to match their contents. The traditional basket isn’t the only type of basket, though. Some spa gift baskets are made of materials like plastic, metal, or ceramic.

Lots of people like to reuse their basket for other purposes once it’s empty. Keep this in mind as you shop. Even after the products have been used up, she may still be using that basket for another purpose.

Think about theme

Some spa gift baskets revolve around a particular holiday, style, or place. You’ll find baskets with any number of themes, including Christmas, the ocean, and the tropics. Some baskets center on a particular fragrance, such as the sweet essence of lavender or the warm, tummy-rumbling scent of pumpkin spice. And some gift baskets focus on a functional theme, such as skincare or bubble bathing.

Spa gift basket prices

Before shopping, you’ll need to consider how much you want to spend. Fortunately, spa gift baskets are available at a wide variety of price points to fit different budgets.

Smaller baskets with just a few items usually cost $25 to $30.

Baskets with larger collections (and maybe even a few edible goodies) tend to cost between $35 to $55.

For a big basket with everything from bath products to candy and coffee, expect to pay $100 or a little more.

Tips

• Does the person for whom you are shopping have a favorite color? Choosing a spa basket in that shade will show you put extra thought into your selection.

• Do you have your eye on a spa gift basket with a presentation that’s on the plain side? It’s easy to jazz up the packaging by adding bows, ribbons, and wrapping paper to make it look as special as the products it contains.

• Think about the occasion before you choose a spa gift basket. For example, if you are giving a spa basket to a friend in the summer, one with a floral, beachy, or vacation theme would be fitting.

• If you’d like to give an additional gift with the spa basket, consider a spa-themed item such as a pretty bath towel or a cozy bathrobe.

If you want to make a big presentation, there may be no better way to do it than with a large spa gift basket filled with luxurious products and topped off with a big bow.

FAQ

Q. When is it practical to give a spa gift basket?

A. There is no specific time of year, event, or holiday that’s more “right” for giving a spa gift basket. This is the type of gift you can give for almost any occasion. It even makes a thoughtful token of your love or appreciation “just because.”

Q. How can I be sure about the size of the basket and products?

A. Not all spa gift baskets are the same size. In fact, some are huge while others are quite small. Be sure to read the product descriptions and basket dimensions before you make your purchase, as some tend to appear larger in online photos than they actually are in person.

Q. Can I give a spa gift basket to a man?

A. Absolutely! Not all spa gift baskets are frilly and feminine. Some have subdued designs and versatile scents and products that any man who likes to pamper himself would enjoy receiving.