DIY Like a Boss

I remember the first year I decided to DIY holiday gifts. I was determined not to succumb to the commercial holiday machine. I swore to myself that that this year’s gifts would be gifts from the heart, authentic and homemade. I scoured the internet for the perfect DIY bath and body recipes, created a plan, bought everything I needed and then proceeded to execute the best DIY holiday FAILURE of my life. It was a mess, literally and figuratively. I ended up with a blender jammed with beeswax and a gallon worth of goop. I laugh now, but in that moment I could have just cried (and probably did).

And with that said here are three Smart TIPS to DIY like a Boss:

TIP #1: Buy more ingredients than you need. I recommend buying enough to make a minimum of 2 extra products (lip gloss, body butters, balms) or 2 extra batches (bath bombs, bath salts, milk bath). The main reason for doing this is because the chances of making a mistake is high and you will need to start over. It happens to the best of us, and it is just better to be prepared (remember my tears). The second reason is that when you are making products you will “lose” product. Whether it sticks to the side of the bowl, gets stuck in a blender or ends up on the floor, you will typically end up with less than what you started with. And the third reason takes us to TIP#2.

TIP #2: Make a practice batch. Practice does make perfect. This applies to pros and novices alike. Going through a recipe in your head is not the same as doing it. Practicing will give you an opportunity to work through the steps slowly and make adjustments and customizations to the recipe. Practicing will also help you to better organize and execute your plan, which takes us to TIP #3.

TIP #3: Prep. Prep work is one of those steps that is typically regarded as optional, but every time I decide to skip this step I regret it one way or another. So pretend you're Rachael Ray and make sure your space is clean and everything you need measured and ready to go. Hear me now. Believe me later. Prepping makes all of the difference. You’ll thank me in the end. (Check out our DIY Prep Checklist.)

So there you go, three Smart TIPS to keep you DIY savvy throughout all of the seasons. And if you missed the first installment of the DIY series check out the article DIY: Keeping it Simple”. It’s a great article for beginners and pros alike.

That’s all I got. For now.