DIY Kits - Are They Worth It?
To buy a kit or not to buy a kit? That is the question (for at least the next three minutes).
And with that said here are my thoughts.
The Pros - Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice
DIY bath and body and DIY skincare kits are a great way to introduce novices to natural skin care ingredients and products. The obvious benefit, is that it’s a kit. DIY kits include everything you need to make the products: ingredients, recipes and packaging supplies. No muss. No fuss. As a bonus, DIY kits typically include fun ingredients, aka “flair”, like botanicals, glitter, micas and colored jojoba beads. It’s that little bit of flair that provides an element of creativity to the final product and makes the DIY experience colorful and fun.
The Cons - Trash Talk
Let’s just start with the cost. DIY kits are expensive considering the amount of product you will make. Forty bucks for a DIY Peppermint Citrus Salt Scrub Kit that makes 12 ounces of scrub, forget about it! And if something goes wrong, you won’t have enough ingredients to make a second batch. This might not be a big deal if you’re making it for yourself, but if you were counting on gifting those items or making them with your 5 year old, prepare for tears. Also, when it comes to the kit ingredients, there are rarely options for substitutions and you may be less than happy about what you received. This is especially true with the fragrances that come with the kits. Patchouli essential oil may have seemed like a good choice when you bought the kit, until you smelled it, and although you’ve never actually smelled a dirty hippie, you’re pretty sure this nails it. Now, let’s talk about flair (Office Space, anyone?). I really want to say that flair is like a beautiful mess, but it really just makes a mess. If it’s not sticking to the sides of your tub, shower curtain and shower walls, it’s clogging up your drain. Flair might be fun, but like a fun night out, it’s rarely nourishing and can go sideways in an instant.
Recommendations - Let’s Meet in the Middle
When it is worth it:
It is always worth it to give a DIY kit as a gift. You’ll be gifting inspiration, creativity and empowerment. It’s also worth it if you are new to DIYing or if it is your first time creating intermediate/advanced level DIY products like soaps, lotions, body butters, creams, salves and lip balms. Even though they are pricey, the kits take out all of the guess work and allows you to simply experience the creative process.
When it is not worth it:
It is not worth it when you are making products like bath salts, sugar/salt scrubs, milk baths or bath bombs. For the price of a kit you can buy enough ingredients to make several batches. Additionally, recipes for these products are relatively standardized and it is hard to mess them up. If you happen to make a mistake, it’s not a big deal because you have plenty of ingredients leftover to make another batch. Nicely put, the cost of the kits outweigh the quantity of product. Simply put, it’s a rip-off.
That’s all I got. For now.
Want more DIY savviness in your life? Give these articles a once over “A DIY Kiss”, “Smart DIY”, and “DIY Prep Checklist” .