YES YES YES!
Check out this example from a 2008 experiment by Dunn, Aknin & Norton: They approached people on a university campus and offered them either $5 or $20. They told half the people to spend the money on themselves and the other half to spend it on someone else. That evening, those who had spent the money on others said they felt much happier throughout the day than those who had spent it on themselves. Which is the opposite of what the participants had thought would happen.
And in a virtuous circle (I admit I just had to look up ‘what is the opposite of a vicious circle'), the happier you are, the more generous you become. And so the positivity continues. What a win-win!
We LOVE it when you choose a Salt & Oil product to gift to a friend.
There are a few reasons why:
You’re giving your friend the gift of relaxation. It’s not ‘just’ a bath soak. Transdermal magnesium is the bomb for mental and physical R&R. And our soaks are packed full of it. With no petals or glitter taking up space, your friend will get a great big dose of magnesium to help soothe their mind and body, lower their stress levels, and help them have a good night’s sleep. A box of chocolates can’t do that! Or if you opt for one of our magnesium oil sprays, you’re gifting at least 3 months of muscle-soothing, anxiety-reducing, sleep-enhancing benefits.
You’re actually double gifting – every item you order means a larger donation to our charity of the month.
You’ll have introduced someone new to Salt & Oil. Which means you’ve gifted something precious to us too. Getting noticed as a small business is becoming harder by the day. Sure, we can pay lots of money to the rich folks at Google and Facebook. But we can't help but wonder - why should anyone believe what we have to say on there? Of course we'll be raving about our products! We’d rather use our money to give back to you, someone who already knows and believes in what we make: every dollar you spend earns you SO:Rewarding points to redeem on future orders.
We stock and support other NZ small businesses, so you’ve helped them too – you rock!
And remember the research - gifting helps YOU feel happier too. Scientists believe that altruistic behaviour releases endorphins in the brain, producing a positive feeling of joy and peace known as ‘the giver’s glow.
But wait. There’s more! In her book ‘The How of Happiness’ Sonja Lyubomirsky writes “Being kind and generous leads you to perceive others more positively and more charitably”. When you give to others, you not only make them feel closer to you, you feel closer to them. That greater sense of connection and gratitude has positive effects on your physical and mental wellbeing.
We have quite a few customers who live overseas that send ‘thinking of you’ gifts to their friends here. I feel all gooey inside when I pack those orders!
One more thing: Giving is contagious. Finally, a kind of contagious we can celebrate! So the person you’ve sent a gift to is more likely to go on to show generosity to someone else. Like when someone lets you into the line of traffic. Doesn’t that put a smile on your face, release a bit of oxytocin, and make you feel more inclined to let the next car go in front of you?
Who can you pay it forward to today? Whose face can you bring a smile to?
If your Salt & Oil order is going directly to someone else, please add a gift note so they know who is sharing the love. Anonymous can be fun, but can also be perturbing to the recipient!
"A surprise gift is priceless. It shows you're valued and being thought of."
"It's not just a gift. It's giving your soul a lift."
PS - If you haven't signed up to receive our Weekly Soak email yet, it contains a
code for $5 off AND a free gift worth $14.50 with your first order xx