yoga gift guide 2013

It's that time again! This list was great fun last year, so here it is again with a few go-to favorites as well as some new products and ideas for any yogi. Hang on to this list for your favorite yoga teacher or friend because this year's list starts as low as 17¢! :) Namaste!

1) Custom Yoga Music CD - 17¢
For just the cost of a blank CD, you can create a really special and useful yoga-related gift for any friend or instructor! DIY to share your favorite music style and personal flair. Instructors LOVE to receive music suggestions and it will be fun for you to hear the updated playlists in class! (hint, hint!) ;)

2) Yoga Jewelry Charms - $2.50
This Etsy shop boasts a variety of unique and affordable charms for everyone from the spiritual yogi to the sporty yogi. Great for charm bracelets, necklaces or keychains...maybe keep a few for yourself?

3) JuJu's Aromatherapy Eye Pillows - $4.00
These eye pillows will probably remain a staple on this list for quite some time. They're only $4 and they're all custom and handmade! You can mix and match from a huge variety of luxurious silk fabrics and scents. Pop them in the microwave or the freezer for a few minutes for an extra special relaxing treat before bedtime or use them to boost your meditation practice.

4) Chevron Elastic Hair Ties - $7.50
These types of hair ties are about as gentle as you can get without rocking the scrunchie. For those who need to pull their hair back often, these are a stylish and gentle option. At $7.50 for 10 hair ties, they make a great, cheap handmade gift!

5) Target Yoga Tights - $12
Target has recently stepped up it's game in the active-wear department, but if you're just looking for some not-plain-black cotton tights to add a little flair to your yoga practice, head over to the sock section. For around $10-$15, you'll find all sorts of cute (and don't worry: opaque) tights from simple stripes to crazy plaids. (I have the ones pictured here!)

6) Essential Oil Blend - $12.95
Essential oils have long been used to help to create a calming atmosphere, invigorate yoga practice or increase awareness of the senses. Oils make a great gift because there are tons of different scents and uses for them. You might dilute them with water and citrus to make a fresh mat-cleaning spray, pair with an oil-diffuser or gift with a carrier oil to use for massage.

7) Watercolor Yoga Art - $20

If you're not artistic enough to DIY, consider purchasing a watercolor print or notecards from the talented, Lindsey Satchell. She creates simple, yet powerful yoga asana designs that would fit beautifully into any yogi's home and for just $20, you can choose an 8.5" x 11" print from her huge collection of poses. 

8) Wholehearter Yoga Spreadshirt Apparel - $25+

Shameless plug? Perhaps. Excellent, custom gift? Absolutely. New designs are posted periodically and you can choose any product, design and colors you want! "Stay Present" pictured here, is one of the more popular designs for yogis and non-yogis alike.

9) TOMS gift certificate - $50

Whether it's the incredibly comfortable and practical shoes or the charitable organization that attracts yogis like flies, you'll usually find at least a few pairs of TOMS outside of any yoga class. If you're not familiar with the company, for every pair of shoes they sell, TOMS donates one pair to a child in need. "One for one." <3

10) Hand-Dyed Ombre Yoga Tights - $50

Handmade gifts are the best and this Etsy shop has all different colors of these entirely customizable ombre tights. Comprised of a 90% cotton/10% lycra blended knit, they offer a lot of stretch, but are breathable. 

11) oGorgeous Designer Yoga Mat Bag - $82

No, of course you don't need to spend $82 to get a decent yoga mat bag. But if you're going to splurge, it darn-well better be cute and oGorgeous has you covered with these unique bow bags. 

Namaste, people!

Check out last year's gift guide here!

how to choose a yoga mat

If your yoga mat is starting to look a little worse for the wear or if it's just not meeting your needs, it's hard to know what type of mat to choose. There are many options and accessories out there from $20 - $100+, but does price always indicate quality? Do you need to spend over $50 to get a good mat? It's not a simple answer and there are lots of pros and cons to think about, depending on where and how you practice. Below is some info I wish I had known before buying my first few mats!

ASK YOURSELF:

How often do you use your mat? If you're only rolling out your mat once a week, a $10 mat from Target or TJ Maxx might last you about a year. But beware, if you're new to yoga, you might be making it more difficult on yourself. Certain poses such as Down Dogs can be greatly effected by the texture and grip of your mat, possibly adding or removing a bit of struggle when you're first adjusting to the pose.

Do you care about the environment? Well, you should. It's tempting to lean toward a cheap plastic mat, but when you need to pitch it in 8 months, Mother Nature is stuck with your crappy old mat. Not only that, but your putting your face and body all over that mat...breathing it in and absorbing possibly chemicals or off-gases through your skin.

Where do you practice? Are you looking for something you can drag around outside and not worry about? Do you lug your mat a few blocks in the city and need something lightweight or are you mostly only toting to and from class? Depending what they're made of, sometimes even thin mats can be surprisingly heavy.

What type of yoga? Think about why you want or need this mat. If you have sensitive joints or you're practicing at home in your basement on concrete, you might be looking for a thick, cushy mat. Hot yoga-ers or those with healthy sweat glands will definitely want something grippy and probably also cover it with a towel to avoid slipping.

What's your favorite color? Though not an imperative factor, color can still effect your yoga practice and your mood. I can't say I would recommend choosing a mat based solely on color, but I would definitely take it into consideration.

Closed-Cell or Open-Cell? Closed-cell VS. open cell is often what separates the cheap from the expensive. Closed-cell mats are the basic type that you'll find in any department store, usually okay for those with a very relaxed yoga style who don't perspire much. They're considered more hygienic because they do not absorb water or oils from our skin/sweat. Closed-cell mats are cannot tolerate any moisture, so even slight perspiration in your palms or feet can make them slippery and difficult to grip.

Open-cell mats are porous and permeable. They provide significantly better traction than closed-cell mats and are ideal for a sweaty practice, but they are difficult to clean. Soaking in a vinegar bath is a good way to go, but open-cell mats wear out faster (with moisture) because the material is less dense. 

OPTIONS:

For Those on a Budget:
Gaiam mats, $10-$20. You can find these mats all over the place, and they’re relatively inexpensive. I would recommend these thin, lightweight mats for people who don’t plan on making flow-focused or heated classes a part of their practice. They don't offer much grip or support.

*NOTE: Though Gaiam mats are eco-friendly, many knock-offs and cheap closed-cell mats are not, so beware.

Pros: Easy to clean, inexpensive, eco-friendly
Cons: Not grippy

For Hot or High-Intensity Yogi: Lululemon’s The Mat, $68, is designed to soak up moisture without becoming slick. For lots of reasons, I personally do not support Lululemon, but I see students using The Mat without towels, even during the drippiest of hot classes. If you live near a Lululemon store, you can also easily try before you buy.

Pros: Eco-friendly
Cons: Difficult to clean

For the Nature, Eco and Yoga Lover:
Lots of mats are eco-friendly nowadays, but Hugger Mugger mats have a great Nature Inspired Collection, for about $30. They use really cool colors and designs inspired by nature and they're all natural with no heavy metals or phthalates. The texture is not woven or super-grippy, but if you love nature anyway, this would make a great outdoor mat!

Pros: Easy to clean, inexpensive, eco-friendly
Cons: Not grippy

For the Vinyasa Yogi:

Jade’s Harmony Professional Yoga Mat, $70, is endorsed and used by many world-famous yogis. You'll see tons of them at your local studio and they're all made with 100% natural USA rubber, are sustainable and sweat resistant and offer great texture and grip. My last open-cell Jade Harmony yoga mat only lasted about 8 months before it lost it's grip. I don't feel that I cleaned it too much and I only used it for teaching. Some yogi friends have had their Jade mats longer and others much less, but I'm going to see if I can drag my next one out a bit more by wiping it less.

Pros: Super traction, eco-friendly, great company

Cons: Difficult to clean, break down quickly

For Lifetime Yogis: Manduka’s Black Mat Pro, $100. This mat is thick and heavy, super grippy and eco-friendly. It comes with a lifetime guarantee, which makes it a good investment if you've shredded through a few cheap mats and aren't rolling up your mat any time soon. What's cool about these mats is that they actually get BETTER with age and even come with a recommendation to give your new mat a "sea salt scrubbing" to break-in the surface a bit. 

Though it seems pricey, you can rest easy knowing you NEVER need to replace it and it will not lose it's grip. Manduka will definitely be my next investment.

Pros: Super traction, eco-friendly, lifetime guarantee

Cons: Heavy, Expensive

Regardless of what kind of mat you go with, know how and when to clean your mat.

As with anything, try before you buy, if you're able. I made the mistake of ordering a Natural Fitness mat online that gets great reviews from others, but I despised the second I touched it. Many teachers or studios would be more than willing to let you test out their mats for a few poses or a class!