David and I’ve always loved attending Craft Fairs and checking out handmade soaps and which is why I was excited to try out Custom Event Soaps by Outis who scent me three bars of there Soaps.
I like how they sent two scents I would like and one Charlie and David will want to use and Bradley to. In my home when a package arrives its like Christmas as everyone wants to know what I got.
Sometimes a package arrives in the mail and before you even get to the actual product, the packaging has already made you smile. That was my first reaction when I opened my package from Outis Soap & Gifts.
I was intrigued before I even opened the first little package. The presentation is simple, natural, and just plain cute. These are the kinds of little gifts that make you want to slow down and actually look at what you’ve received.
And then I smelled them. Oh my goodness. The scents are one of the first things you notice when you open the package. They aren’t the kind of overpowering fragrance that makes you want to close the box and put it away.
Instead, they have that wonderful handmade-soap quality that makes you want to pick the bar up, smell it again, and imagine using it. In fact, one of the scents made me want to go take an actual bath. Not a shower. A bath. And if you’ve been around here for any amount of time, you know that says something!
One of the first things that surprised me about Outis Soap & Gifts was learning how their soap begins. Every bar begins as a cup of tea. Being a Tea drinker this intrigued me and made me want to share the website with my sister Debbie who loves Tea as much as I do.
I told David and Charlie real tea is brewed and incorporated into small-batch, cold-process soap and he bars are cut by hand, cured for weeks, and made with the seasons in mind. They were like me and had never heard of soap being made from tea before.
That was a #teachingmoment for my family, and it immediately made me think about homeschool families. Think about all the things you could learn from one little bar of soap: tea, botanicals, scents, ingredients, the soapmaking process, cold-process soap, curing, seasons, small businesses, packaging, and even entrepreneurship.
I could easily see this becoming part of a homeschool lesson or a health and beauty class. Sometimes the best learning opportunities are the ones we can actually hold in our hands and share with our friends and family.
Outis Gifts describes its soaps as naturally rooted and seasonally inspired, with each bar telling a story. A foggy London morning. A walk through evergreens after the rain. The first warm spice of autumn. Those aren’t just scents. They’re little experiences making the soaps unique and one of a kind.
The first soap I want to talk about is Lavender London Fog and this one is beautiful. It has three layers: deep charcoal, soft lavender, and warm cream. It looks completely different from the ordinary bars of soap we usually have sitting in our bathroom.
The company describes it as Earl Grey steam on a cool, gray morning. Real Earl Grey tea is steeped into the batch, creating a scent intended to smell like the cup of tea rather than something overly sweet.
I love that idea. This isn’t simply lavender soap. It has a story behind it. And the three layers make it look like something special. The Lavender London Fog is listed at $12, making it a lovely choice when you want to give someone a little luxury rather than an ordinary bar of soap.
It would make a beautiful addition to a gift basket, a teacher gift, or even a little self-care package for someone who deserves some pampering.
Then there’s Jasmine Sunrise. This one has a beautiful scent. It’s the kind of soap that makes you want to smell it again before you ever put it in water. I can imagine using this one in the bathtub, but I can also see it sitting beside the kitchen sink or bathroom sink.
You know how some soaps make washing your hands feel like a chore? This is not that kind of soap. The scent makes you want to use it. I can already imagine friends and family coming over, seeing these soaps, picking them up, smelling them, and asking, “Where did you get this?” And yes, I’ll probably have to tell them they can smell them—but don’t use my whole bar!
Then there is Woodland Mint and Sage, which is the one I’m especially looking forward to sharing with David and Charlie. One thing I immediately noticed about this bar is that it doesn’t look overly feminine.
It has a beautiful natural, soothing cream color, and the overall appearance is earthy and simple. I could easily see this being a soap that a man would enjoy having in his bathroom. But women would want to use as well.
Sometimes products marketed as gifts for men try so hard to look masculine that they become almost comical. This doesn’t. It simply looks natural and would fit in any restroom or kitchen.
The mint and sage combination also sounds perfect for someone who likes a clean, fresh, earthy scent without wanting something floral. Charlie and David loved it a lot and Charlie ended up taking it and refuses to share with David so I know this is going to be the perfect Gift for them during the Holidays.
The more I learned about Outis Soap & Gifts, the more scents I found that caught my attention. There’s Chamomile and Honey, which sounds like the perfect relaxing combination.
There’s Smoked Vanilla Chai, and if you know me, you already know that one caught my attention. Because I love anything that has the scent of Vanilla in it. And then there’s The Moonlit Mask.
That is one I really want to try because growing up I always used a Soft Mush perfume from Avon and I want to see if it reminds me of it at all. Not only that the Moonlight is my favorite part of the day and Charlie’s too.
Some of these scents make you think about a particular time of year, while others sound like they would be perfect when you simply want to slow down at the end of a long day. That’s one of the things I like about the collection. The scents give you choices to not only keep for yourself but to give as a Gift.
I also received a little package labeled Jasmine Surprise. The packaging is adorable. It’s a little brown envelope, and I wasn’t even completely sure at first what was inside. I didn’t want to tear the label because the packaging itself is part of the charm.
I carefully opened it and discovered another small bar of soap. And it is just the perfect size. It fits right in your hand. That’s one of the things I really like about these smaller bars. They’re not huge or awkward. They’re little handcrafted pieces that are easy to pick up, use, and enjoy.
I like how this one says it is soft and warm, the way the first sun feels through a window and after trying it out I agree with the description. This was my favorite bar and one I will be using again and again. Real jasmine tea brightened with fruity tangerine, was a fun surprise to share with my family.
And the packaging makes these soaps especially giftable. I immediately thought: Stocking stuffer. Teacher gift. School staff gift. First-day-of-school gift. Summer gift bag. Hostess gift. Thank-you gift. And, of course, Halloween.
This is why you will find Outis Gifts inside several of our Gift Guides including our Summer Gift Guide and our Back-to-School Gift Guide. Now, I have a question for you. Why Give More Candy at Halloween? Here’s an idea I really love.
Instead of giving candy at Halloween, why not give a cute little bar of handmade soap? I know, I know. The kids may look at you like you’ve lost your mind. But think about it. These little soaps are cute. They’re useful. They’re different.
And if you’re giving treats to teachers, neighbors, coworkers, or adults at a Halloween gathering, a little packaged soap could be a fun alternative to another bag of candy. You could even choose seasonal scents and put them in a little basket. It becomes a Halloween gift instead of simply another piece of candy.
If you Buy 4 bars, you can get a 5th free. All you need to do is add 5 to your cart and the lowest-priced one comes off at checkout. That allows me to give 4 gifts which covers David, Charlie, Gerald and my sister Debbie and leaves one for me.
With school getting ready to start, I’m also thinking about teachers and school staff. A small handcrafted soap would make such a thoughtful first-day-of-school gift. Teachers receive plenty of mugs. They receive candy. They receive school supplies. But a beautifully packaged handmade soap? That’s something different.
You could pair a small soap with a washcloth, hand lotion, a packet of tea, and a little gift card and have a simple but thoughtful teacher appreciation basket. And you don’t have to spend a fortune. The little soaps make it possible to give someone something special without making the gift extravagant.
Building a Spa Gift Basket is where my gift-giving brain really started working. You don’t have to purchase an expensive pre-made gift basket. You could go to the Thrift Store and find a cute basket. Visit your local Dollar Tree for a washcloth a candle a headband. Bath accessories a package of tea, a small bottle of lotion and then add one of these Outis soaps. Suddenly, you have a beautiful spa relaxation basket.
And because the soap is the special handmade piece, the whole basket feels more expensive and thoughtful than it actually was. This is one of my favorite ways to give gifts. Find a few inexpensive things that work together, then add one really special item that becomes the centerpiece. The soap can be that special item.
If you don’t want to build your own basket, Outis Gifts has gift sets that have already been put together for you. One that caught my attention is the Luxury Gift Set. The description really says it all: the whole season in one box.
The set includes two seasonal soap bars, a hand-poured bath soak, and dried botanicals, all wrapped by hand in a kraft window box. The listed value includes: Two seasonal soap bars — $24 value Hand-poured bath soak — $16 value Dried botanicals and hand-wrapping — $12 value
There is something nice about receiving a gift that already looks finished. You don’t have to figure out what goes with what. You don’t have to find a basket. You don’t have to buy wrapping paper. You open the box and the gift is already thought through.
That’s especially nice when you’re shopping for someone who deserves a little luxury. And then there is one gift set that combines two things I absolutely love: Books and gifts. It’s the Blind Date with a Book Gift Set. This is such a fun idea and it is one GIFT I hope SANTA brings me or tells David and Charlie to get me.
I like how I would receive a surprise romance novel, a handmade ornament-shaped soap infused with seasonal, heartwarming scents, another bar of soap from the collection, and classic chocolates. Everything arrives beautifully wrapped and ready to give so I wouldn’t have to wrap it and yes, more times than not I end up wrapping my own Gifts because I purchase them or I get nothing.
And if you’re buying it for someone who enjoys romance novels, you can even indicate whether they prefer fantasy romance or contemporary love stories. I love the idea of combining reading with self-care. You could give this to a friend. A daughter. A sister. A teacher. A book club member.
Someone who needs a little pick-me-up. Or simply someone who deserves an evening at home with a book, chocolate, and a relaxing bath. That’s a gift I would happily receive and most of my girl friends and even my sister would like. How about you?
The Blind Date with a Book set also immediately made me think about our reading content. We’ve been talking about the importance of making time to read, including our 30 Minutes of Reading challenge. What could be better than pairing a book with something that encourages you to slow down and relax?
Put the phone away. Run a bath. Use your favorite handmade soap. Make a cup of tea. Open the book. And give yourself 30 minutes. That’s not just reading. That’s creating a little moment for yourself.
One of the things I keep coming back to with these soaps is the packaging. The little brown envelope. The kraft packaging. The handmade feel. The little bars that fit perfectly in your hand. The colors. The labels.
Everything gives the impression that someone actually thought about the person receiving the gift. And that matters. A gift doesn’t have to be expensive to feel special. Sometimes it’s the presentation that makes someone feel remembered.
Now I have to tell you share a fun fact about how we use bar soap in our house. I don’t like sharing bars of soap. For me, I prefer to have my own bar. David has his own, and Charlie has his own. That’s simply what works for us.
I know plenty of families share soap and don’t think twice about it, and that’s perfectly fine. I’m not saying that these soaps can’t be shared. This is just our personal preference. Charlie and I both feel better having our own bars, so that’s what we do.
And knowing me, when my friends and family come over and start admiring these soaps, I’m probably going to have to decide which one I’m willing to share! I hate to admit it there isn’t one I want to share so I will need to buy soaps for them to use.
What I really appreciate about Outis Gifts is how many different ways you can use these products. A little bar can become a stocking stuffer. A teacher gift. A school staff gift. A first-day-of-school gift. A Halloween alternative to candy. A hostess gift. A birthday gift. A thank-you gift. A gift basket centerpiece. A spa basket addition. Or simply something you buy for yourself. And then you have the larger gift sets when you want to make the gift feel even more special.
I’m always looking for gifts that aren’t just something someone opens and forgets about. I want something useful. Something pretty. Something different. Something that makes the recipient smile. And, whenever possible, something that gives me a story to tell.
Outis Gifts checks a lot of those boxes. The soaps are handmade in small batches. They’re made with real tea and natural botanicals. They’re seasonally inspired. The bars are cut by hand and cured for weeks. The scents are interesting. The packaging is gift-ready. And there are options for everything from a little stocking stuffer to a luxury gift set.
Plus, I learned something. I never knew real tea could be part of handmade soap. That alone made me want to learn more. And that’s why I think these could be especially fun for homeschool families or a health and beauty class.
You could start with a bar of soap and end up talking about science, history, nature, business, creativity, and self-care. and entrepreneurship. That’s a pretty impressive little bar of soap.
If you want to learn more about the soaps, scents, gift sets, custom favors, and other gift ideas, be sure to visit Outis Gifts. There’s also a QR code with the information, pricing, and inspiration, which makes it easy to find the details right from the product packaging.
And if you’re planning a wedding, shower, party, classroom event, or other special occasion, don’t overlook the custom favors. Custom scents, colors, personalized labels, elegant packaging, mini bars, and full-size options give you the opportunity to create something that fits your event.
Favors start at $2.50 each, which could make them a very affordable way to give guests something memorable. I would like to have some soaps created with the blog name on them to hand out to local clients for there restrooms as a way to be seen.
I went into this review thinking I was receiving some pretty little handmade soaps. What I discovered was something much more interesting. These soaps have a story. They’re handcrafted. They’re made with real tea. They’re inspired by seasons and experiences.
They come in scents that make you stop and smell them again. And they’re packaged in a way that makes them easy to give. I love the Lavender London Fog because it looks completely different from any other soap we’ve had in our bathroom.
I love the natural, earthy appearance of Woodland Mint and Sage because the guys in the family appreciated it and can’t wait to order more. I love the scent of Jasmine Sunrise and can imagine using it beside the bathroom or kitchen sink.
I want to try The Moonlit Mask. Smoked Vanilla Chai sounds wonderful. And the little packaged soaps? Those may be my favorite for gift giving because they are just the right size. Stocking stuffers. Teacher gifts. Halloween treats. First-day-of-school gifts. Little surprises.
And yes, I can already see myself putting one into a dollar-store spa basket and turning a few inexpensive finds into a gift that looks like I spent much more than I did. Most importantly, I love discovering a product that gives me something to talk about beyond whether I like it.
I learned something new. I had never thought about soap being made with real tea. Now I want to know more. And that is a pretty good sign that a product has caught my attention. So if you’re looking for a handmade gift that smells wonderful, looks beautiful, has a story behind it, and can be used in so many different ways, take a look at Outis Gifts.
Just be warned. You may open the package, smell the soap, and suddenly decide that a long, relaxing bath sounds much better than a quick shower. And if that happens, don’t blame me. Blame the soap!
This product was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, opinions, and reactions are my own.
Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates