This post is sponsored by TEA.L. Thank you for supporting the brands that I trust and that support my small business!

This year more than ever before, I’ve been facing the challenge of re-defining what I consider an absolute necessity to be a functioning human being, self-care. What is self-care? It might seem like an abstract concept but if you’re into tea, chances are you’re already familiar with it. Steeping and enjoying tea is a ritual that inherently invites us to slow down, sip and savor while being present in the moment. Self-care is about figuring out what makes us feel good and practicing it consistently.

There are so many different ways to enjoy the beauty of tea and so many elements that can enhance a tea ritual, making it truly unique and personal. By gifting tea you can help someone discover their own self-care ritual or you can give it to yourself and carve out some time to feel good! Let me walk you through some tea gift ideas and how to create the perfect tea gift set for self-care.

How to: the perfect tea gift set for self-care

When putting together a tea care package think of the recipient. Who is it for? Don’t forget that it could be for yourself too. What do they like? Do they prefer black tea to green tea? How is the tea gift set going to be delivered? In person or in the mail? These are just some questions to consider but I always like to start with a handwritten card, it’s such a personal touch and it makes a difference. Furthermore, when selecting my gift set items, I like to support small businesses and independent artists whenever possible.

Here are some of my favorite items to include:

• Premium loose leaf tea and natural sweetener pairing

• Treats or snacks that pair well with tea

• Tea-infused skincare

• Homemade tea recipe or DIY tea recipe kit

• Fun activities or games

• Accessories

Premium loose leaf tea and natural sweetener pairing

I recommend choosing good quality loose leaf tea. Bear in mind that some tea types might be more seasonal than others (freshly harvested green tea in the spring, for example) but ultimately it really depends on personal preference. I like the idea of pairing a specific tea with the natural sweetener that best compliments it. I don’t normally sweeten my tea because I enjoy it pure but the sweetener could be used in baked goods to pair with that tea or in a cocktail or mocktail made with that tea. The recipient of your tea care package might enjoy sweetening their tea though! Here are two pairings I really like for the fall season, when I naturally gravitate towards roasted oolongs, comforting black teas, robust puerh and hojicha.

Taiwanese black tea and California avocado honey
I selected a black tea from Lishan, Taiwan made from the cultivar normally used for green oolong (its name translates to Four Seasons Spring). It’s naturally sweet with mint notes on the nose, and malty but not too tannic with mint notes on the palate. Avocado honey is dark and aromatic and pairs beautifully with this tea by highlighting its great flavor notes without overpowering it.

Yancha rock oolong and California date syrup
I selected a Yancha rock oolong from Fujian province, China and paired it with local California date syrup. The tea is pleasantly mineral-y and together with the syrup, which has some rich and almost licorice-like taste, yields some great vanilla and bright fruity notes.

Treats or snacks that pair well with tea

I love gifting produce from the farmers’ market, especially seasonal fruit, it’s so fresh and flavorful. Such a treat! Here I chose tangerines from the farmers’ market because they are in season and they are absolutely delicious. If you are sending the package in the mail, make sure the produce doesn’t spoil or opt for something a bit more shelf-stable like tea-infused chocolates.

Tea-infused skincare

When I’m enjoying tea, one of the most important elements of the experience for me is the natural scent that comes from the leaves. First, when you open the tea container, then when brewing, the scent that clings to the inside of the gaiwan lid, and finally the steeped tea, inhaling the warm steam while taking a sip. 

When I discovered TEA.L, an indie brand specializing in hand-crafted, tea-infused clean skincare, I was positively surprised that their products retain the natural scent and benefits of tea because they contain real organic tea leaves (dragonwell green tea, rooibos, guayusa and yerba mate), which are infused into their ingredients. I love the idea of enjoying tea in many ways and theirs is such a fresh, innovative take on cultivating a tea-centric lifestyle. No more unidentifiable, nondescript, questionable “tea extracts” buried in endless ingredient lists. Tea is front and center here!

What I love about this skincare line is that it’s made by tea lovers for tea lovers and it’s designed to be inclusive. As the beautiful box my TEA.L products arrived in stated, “Every body deserves self care. Thank your body for being awesome.” I believe this is such a powerful reminder, self-care is not a reward, self-care is a necessity and everyone, regardless who they are and what they look like, deserves it!

Husband and husband Zhao and Ronald launched TEA.L in 2019. Their line, which is handcrafted in the US, includes 3 core products, a face cream, an eye cream and a body lotion. They can be purchased separately or in a set, aptly named The TEA.L Ceremony Set. Airless packaging seals their formulations in a vacuum to protect their antioxidant content from air, light and bacteria.

As I mentioned, the scent in their line comes from the tea and natural ingredients, and if you think about it, that’s not an easy task! I can tell you that even when incorporating tea in cooking and baking, it’s always trial and error to make sure that its flavor and aroma shine through!
Face care: green tea face lotion with guayusa. It smells great, it reminds me of fresh walnuts picked from the tree, with herbal and slightly floral notes. Its texture feels luxurious but not overly rich or oily and it’s easy to spread and sinks into the skin beautifully without leaving it sticky. For your reference, my skin type is combination to acne prone.
Eye care: yerba mate & green tea eye cream. It smells floral and fresh and it’s very rich. If your eye area is particularly dry or needs extra TLC, this is going to be your new holy grail.
Body care: rooibos & green tea body lotion. It smells divine, like rooibos, woodsy and sweet. I have dry skin especially on my legs and this lotion felt great. I personally don’t enjoy body lotions that are too rich and oily and stay that way long after application and luckily this isn’t one of them.

Surprise: I have an exclusive offer just for you from our friends at TEA.L!

Use exclusive coupon code TEACARE2020 for 20% off any TEA.L product, except for sample size. Limited to one use per customer. Coupon code expires on November 15 2020 at 11:59pm.

Homemade tea recipe or DIY tea recipe kit

This item could be a fun s’mores kit with a tea twist, a tea infusion kit for cocktails and mocktails or an overnight oats kit. Don’t forget to add instructions to your kits! Alternatively, you could bake something with tea, like I did. This recipe I developed is super easy to make and can be packaged in a nice glass jar.

Matcha black sesame granola recipe

If you like a crunchy granola full of delicious clusters, this recipe is for you. It packs a ton of flavor because matcha green tea is generously dusted on top after it comes out of the oven to preserve its bright color and flavor. I used date syrup instead of maple syrup because it is locally made here in California but feel free to use whatever liquid sweetener you have on hand, honey or maple syrup are great too. To make a vegan version of this recipe, omit the egg white and increase the date syrup by one tablespoon and the olive oil by one tablespoon or experiment with aquafaba (chickpea brine), I’d start with 2 tablespoons.

Dry Ingredients:

1 ½ cups (135 gr) rolled oats
½ cup (55 gr) quinoa flakes or almond flour
¼ cup (40 gr) raw walnuts, roughly chopped or whole
¼ cup (35 gr) raw almonds, roughly chopped or whole
¼ cup (40 gr) raw cashews, roughly chopped or whole
¼ cup (30 gr) raw pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons (27 gr) black sesame seeds
1 teaspoon salt

Liquid Ingredients:

2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 egg white 
4 tablespoons (60 ml) date syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

After Baking:

2 teaspoons matcha green tea, I recommend a good quality culinary grade

Method:

Preheat the oven to 300F/150C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients thoroughly. In a separate smaller bowl, lightly whisk together the oil, egg white, date syrup and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Pour the liquid ingredients into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until evenly coated. Spread the granola on the parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, checking at the 20 minute mark that it’s not browning too fast (each oven is different!). Take out of the oven and leave undisturbed to cool onto the baking sheet, which will make sure the clusters form properly. When it has cooled completely, add matcha green tea by sifting it generously on top. Enjoy with milk or yogurt, fresh fruit and a drizzle of date syrup. Store the rest of the granola in an airtight jar.

Fun activities or games

Fun is self-care, think coloring books and pencils, a DIY craft kit with all supplies, a board game or puzzle, admission to the local cat cafe, the options are endless. You could also create a personalized playlist for tea time and include a card with all the details to access it.

Accessories

While teaware is definitely the go-to accessory for tea, think outside the box. I love the idea of including a meditation app subscription and meditation cushion, a yoga app subscription and yoga gear, for example. Because it’s all about feeling good, body and mind.

What would your ideal tea care package look like? Share in the comments below!

A heartfelt thank you to TEA.L for partnering with me on this post. Opinions are my own.

Don’t forget to take advantage of the awesome offer they are sharing with us!

Use exclusive coupon code TEACARE2020 for 20% off any TEA.L product, except for sample size. Limited to one use per customer. Coupon code expires on November 15 2020 at 11:59pm.