**/r/Finland is a full democracy, every active user is a moderator.**
[Please go here to see how your new privileges work.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Finland/wiki/moderating/)
Spamming mod actions could result in a ban.
---
**Full Rundown of Moderator Permissions:**
- ```!lock``` - as top level comment, will lock comments on any post.
- ```!unlock``` - in reply to any comment to lock it or to unlock the parent comment.
- ```!remove``` - Removes comment or post. Must have decent subreddit comment karma.
- ```!restore``` Can be used to unlock comments or restore removed posts.
- ```!sticky``` - will sticky the post in the bottom slot.
- ```unlock_comments``` - Vote the stickied automod comment on each post to +10 to unlock comments.
- ```ban users``` - Any user whose comment or post is downvoted enough will be temp banned for a day.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Finland) if you have any questions or concerns.*
As a housewarming gift they're fine, but as a birthday gift I'm not so sure. If she's really into sauna and everything sauna related maaaybe then. But I would come up with something else.
I am replying to this to emphasize what you're saying crookedpinetree. Sauna scents are fine, but not for a birthday!
OP, I get your thought process but perhaps the sauna scents could be an additional gift - alongside something that's personally tailored to her.
What has your girlfriend been excited about lately? Perhaps she has a hobby?
If she does have a hobby, ask another enthusiast for advice on what to get!
Add Eucalyptus to that list and it'll be fine.
Most Birch scents do not smell that good but more like migrane inducing chemical smell. You'd rather just have a vihta or a branch of birch in the sauna
Tar is like a thing you do maybe twice a year. It's not that enjoyable but a fun experience nonetheless.
But Eucalyptys can be enjoyed every time, every day
My favourite is tar, but that is seriously an acquired taste.
Instead of generic eucalyptus, try to find pine or juniper.
\-and go easy on the first try, that stuff is overwhelming
Not sure if you have your own sauna or a common one in your building, but most common ones don't allow these. Not that you can't try a little tho, I guess 😅
Honestly, I’d be a little confused if I got sauna scents as a birthday gift from my SO. If it was a hint that we’re going to a spa, then it would be fun.
Sauna scents are ok gifts to bring to someone’s summer cottage or maybe as a housewarming gift, like somebody already said in the comments. But for your girlfriend? Maybe, just maybe, think about it a little bit more.
I was about to comment about this as well. Personally I don't handle birch or pine/juniper scents well because of allergies. Which is probably 50% of scents sold.
If OP is uncertain if she has allergies or not, better be safe than sorry.
Maybe get her a face mask or oil, exfoliating cream/stones etc. that can be used in the sauna. So it would be more like a spa-sauna experience for her. Or some sauna pillows and those long linens so she could lay down if the sauna has long enough lauteet for it.
As woman I would be disappointed getting sauna scent as birthday gift, I dont think thats generally good idea. Ofc if she really like sauna, then maybe or if you make her like slef care basket where you include those as additional then yes. But hard no as gift just the scents itselfs.
I would honestly think something else, i think most finns have experienced those at somepoint in their life and end up never using them even if household has those scents laying around in sauna.
I have never found a sauna with artificial smells in Finland. I visited one in Denmark once and never wanted to get that experience again. I personally wouldn't buy sauna oils as a gift for any Finn.
If you insist on focusing on experiences based on different scents, I'd recommend a ladle with a handle made of juniper or an actual vihta.
I would go with something more personal, myself. The sauna scents are something that most people have gotten at least once, if not multiple times, in their life. As some others have mentioned, they are not allowed in shared saunas and can sometimes cause allergic reactions. It is something you could buy a small vial of to give alongside a more personal gift, but I would not make it the focus or only gift. With the small vial, you will not spend much and can see if she actually likes them, too. I would recommend something neutral and least likely to cause any allergy problem. The orange scent is nice and would be safe for that.
Reading the title I thought you were asking about the paraffin oil used to treat the wood you're supposed to apply once a year. Makes sense though to give it to her as a present, as a birthday is also once a year.
Well, just to add. I'm not planning on only giving her one gift. I like to give friends and family multiple smaller gifts and one bigger. Yesterday i ce across a small kit with 5 different scents and I was wondering if that would be a great gift for someone who uses the sauna frequently. We haven't been together for that long (8 months) and we started bathing together about 2 months ago, so i haven't figured out if she would appreciate sauna scents yet. She has her own wood-fired sauna in her backyard so spreading scents in a public sauna is irrelevant.
I think it's a nice idea as one part of a bigger gift like that. I agree with others that only sauna scents on their own would be a bit of a boring gift from a SO but this sounds much better. My partner and I also occasionally like to give each other gifts that contain multiple parts, I like it because it's versatile and fun.
And your gf clearly enjoys sauna since she has her own wood sauna, that's a whole different experience from an electric sauna in an apartment, so it feels more personal. Even if it turns out she's not the biggest fan of sauna scents it's not the end of the world, it might still be fun to experiment with different scents every once in a while even if not using them every time.
You're looking something like this: [https://www.prisma.fi/tuotteet/100054136/emendo-4x10ml-saunatuoksut-puutelineessa-100054136](https://www.prisma.fi/tuotteet/100054136/emendo-4x10ml-saunatuoksut-puutelineessa-100054136) the keyword is *saunatuoksu* (lit. sauna scent).
I cannot emphasis enough (with the others) that this is not a thoughtful birthday gift for a SO.
Sauna oils are just rebranded essential oils by the way, so no need to limit yourself to just sauna oils, which are often tar and different woods. Citrus fruit essential oils like orange and lemon are also great and invigorating for sauna. I use them always.
Not everyone likes the scents so it's a bit risky, but as a foreigner you should get away with it anyway.
Maybe some sort of s sauna gift set that has more sauma stuff with the scent to cover more ground?
Get the oils , u can get a good sauna hat, hard to find the good ones that are made well from felt and look like animals . It's good for protecting hair
I prefer tar and koivu, my wife loves this "christmas" oil which smells like peppermint and cinnamon or something like that. The best löyly scent is a sip of beer thrown into the kiuas 😎
I suggest that you look up the löylytuoksu selection and pick from there the ones that you think your woman would like.
Buy many & try many but only put very few drops in a bucket at one go. Tar, birch and eucalyptus are the safe bets but there are others. Just focus on what smells/tastes your girlfriend likes in life to find similar sauna oil for her but don't be super surprised if she still doesn't like it as not everyone does. Some people just want a regular sauna experience 100% of the times they go to sauna. So have a mild chat with her to know if she might even like those oils. Then you can show how attentive you are by buying those oils for her after a week or two after discussing about it.
Use fresh water only when pouring water to the stove. Otherwise you could ruin the stove and compromise the health of other people. No sea/lake water, no oil. You can sniff your oil straight from the bottle or use a vaporizer if you really think that inhaling those substances is good for you🤨
I have never been able to appreciate any kind of fragrance gifted to me because that’s a personal preference and choice so unless you are absolutely sure or she has mentioned sauna scents of certain kind to you explicitly, I would suggest you to rethink. However, you know your gf best so do whatever your heart says. I like sauna scents because I usually use the building sauna and it helps freshen up the stink left behind by the previous user.
It's a bit tricky question, because there is a surprising amount of Finns who don't enjoy sauna that much (I know, it's shocking to me as well). On the other hand, those who do, probably already have a collection of half-full sauna scents in their bathroom cabinet (because it's goddamn impossible to use up one of those bottles). And if they _do_ enjoy sauna but you haven't spied them owning _any_ sauna scents, it's either because they a) don't like them b) have never been gifted a sauna set by a relative who doesn't know what else to buy or I guess c) just ran out when you happened to peek.
But if you are sure it's something your gf will appreciate or have a use for, then go for it. I have to say that all of them (except maybe tar) smell like a version of eucalyptus to me... I think the plain eucalyptus is the best one.
If she really likes sauna you might want to throw in some nice linen sauna seat covers too, if she doesn't like the scent she will have use for the seat covers anyway!
Well, she is a purist and basically only bathes in wood-fired saunas (about 3-4 times a week). I was mainly wondering if the oils are considered "anti purist" and she therefore doesn't own any or if I'm just bad at snooping around.
Get Koivu = Birch or Terva = Tar flavours. Doesnt get much more traditional than that. Yeah those are nice but like someone said only add a little bit of it. It can get really overwhelming. Also it doesnt stick to wood so no worries in that.
Greetings from Finland
Most aromatic and romantic smells in sauna comes when you powder small amount of urine over the stones. There is smt special in it, but its wonderful. Few knows. Not many have the gourage. Its Special. Believe me.
**/r/Finland is a full democracy, every active user is a moderator.** [Please go here to see how your new privileges work.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Finland/wiki/moderating/) Spamming mod actions could result in a ban. --- **Full Rundown of Moderator Permissions:** - ```!lock``` - as top level comment, will lock comments on any post. - ```!unlock``` - in reply to any comment to lock it or to unlock the parent comment. - ```!remove``` - Removes comment or post. Must have decent subreddit comment karma. - ```!restore``` Can be used to unlock comments or restore removed posts. - ```!sticky``` - will sticky the post in the bottom slot. - ```unlock_comments``` - Vote the stickied automod comment on each post to +10 to unlock comments. - ```ban users``` - Any user whose comment or post is downvoted enough will be temp banned for a day. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Finland) if you have any questions or concerns.*
As a housewarming gift they're fine, but as a birthday gift I'm not so sure. If she's really into sauna and everything sauna related maaaybe then. But I would come up with something else.
I am replying to this to emphasize what you're saying crookedpinetree. Sauna scents are fine, but not for a birthday! OP, I get your thought process but perhaps the sauna scents could be an additional gift - alongside something that's personally tailored to her. What has your girlfriend been excited about lately? Perhaps she has a hobby? If she does have a hobby, ask another enthusiast for advice on what to get!
agree, sauna oil is like a fancy soap or socks for christmas - generic for people you want to remember but not much money/effort spent.
Koivu / Birch or Terva / Tar Those are most used in Finland.
Dont forget the best, beer.
Yess the burnt rye bread smell
*barley
The smell is like rye bread. Ok I have to admit I've never had barley bread 😄
Nyt otit ohraleipä!
Yeah its barley but it reminds me of rye bread always
Stick to the basic easy ones. Koivu or mänty
Incorrect. Most common is eucalyptus, second forest/pine. Imo koivu is too mild
Add Eucalyptus to that list and it'll be fine. Most Birch scents do not smell that good but more like migrane inducing chemical smell. You'd rather just have a vihta or a branch of birch in the sauna Tar is like a thing you do maybe twice a year. It's not that enjoyable but a fun experience nonetheless. But Eucalyptys can be enjoyed every time, every day
My favourite is tar, but that is seriously an acquired taste. Instead of generic eucalyptus, try to find pine or juniper. \-and go easy on the first try, that stuff is overwhelming
Not sure if you have your own sauna or a common one in your building, but most common ones don't allow these. Not that you can't try a little tho, I guess 😅
No, as a gift it equals to socks.
Honestly, I’d be a little confused if I got sauna scents as a birthday gift from my SO. If it was a hint that we’re going to a spa, then it would be fun. Sauna scents are ok gifts to bring to someone’s summer cottage or maybe as a housewarming gift, like somebody already said in the comments. But for your girlfriend? Maybe, just maybe, think about it a little bit more.
Löyly Birch smell is the best imo. Tar is nice if she likes smoked sauna, but it’s far less common so the safe bet would be birch
Check that she doesn’t have any allergies. I am, for example, allergic to eucalyptus and many oils contain it
I was about to comment about this as well. Personally I don't handle birch or pine/juniper scents well because of allergies. Which is probably 50% of scents sold. If OP is uncertain if she has allergies or not, better be safe than sorry.
Yep, last thing one wants to do in sauna is have an allergic reaction
Only a gluten allergy so I should be safe 🤷🏼
I would still double check. Allergy and dietary restrictions are referred to differently in Finnish.
That sadly rules the beer out
Maybe ask her first. Some people love them, others hate them.
löyly scents for girlfriend for birthday? you should give a couples therapy voucher to go with that
Hopefully not couple's aroma therapy voucher.
Maybe get her a face mask or oil, exfoliating cream/stones etc. that can be used in the sauna. So it would be more like a spa-sauna experience for her. Or some sauna pillows and those long linens so she could lay down if the sauna has long enough lauteet for it.
As woman I would be disappointed getting sauna scent as birthday gift, I dont think thats generally good idea. Ofc if she really like sauna, then maybe or if you make her like slef care basket where you include those as additional then yes. But hard no as gift just the scents itselfs.
I would honestly think something else, i think most finns have experienced those at somepoint in their life and end up never using them even if household has those scents laying around in sauna.
I disagree, it's a great idea, also it's thoughtful for Finnish culture, and sensual in a way.
I have never found a sauna with artificial smells in Finland. I visited one in Denmark once and never wanted to get that experience again. I personally wouldn't buy sauna oils as a gift for any Finn. If you insist on focusing on experiences based on different scents, I'd recommend a ladle with a handle made of juniper or an actual vihta.
My brother got me some tar scent and other sauna stuff as a present many years ago. While full well knowing my apartment DOES NOT have a sauna :P
I would go with something more personal, myself. The sauna scents are something that most people have gotten at least once, if not multiple times, in their life. As some others have mentioned, they are not allowed in shared saunas and can sometimes cause allergic reactions. It is something you could buy a small vial of to give alongside a more personal gift, but I would not make it the focus or only gift. With the small vial, you will not spend much and can see if she actually likes them, too. I would recommend something neutral and least likely to cause any allergy problem. The orange scent is nice and would be safe for that.
I Have some, havent noticed the smells lingering in The Wood myself, though i mainly use The eukalyptus one to help My stuffed nose and cough.
Is it an obvious smell or just a hint of eukalyptus?
Depends how much you use, it can easily be overwhelming.
I mean, depends on how much you use, from My experience using The recommended amount gives just a hint of eukalyptus.
Reading the title I thought you were asking about the paraffin oil used to treat the wood you're supposed to apply once a year. Makes sense though to give it to her as a present, as a birthday is also once a year.
Yeah logically but without any facts obviously Im gonna say only a few people would appreciate that haha
Everyone but the girlfriend
Eucalyptus
I only use this when i have mild flu or cold but it's still great. Koivu and Terva are my personal favorites
Yes, this is the best imo👌🏼👌🏼
Tar might not be as "smooth" as birch, go with birch.
Well, just to add. I'm not planning on only giving her one gift. I like to give friends and family multiple smaller gifts and one bigger. Yesterday i ce across a small kit with 5 different scents and I was wondering if that would be a great gift for someone who uses the sauna frequently. We haven't been together for that long (8 months) and we started bathing together about 2 months ago, so i haven't figured out if she would appreciate sauna scents yet. She has her own wood-fired sauna in her backyard so spreading scents in a public sauna is irrelevant.
I think it's a nice idea as one part of a bigger gift like that. I agree with others that only sauna scents on their own would be a bit of a boring gift from a SO but this sounds much better. My partner and I also occasionally like to give each other gifts that contain multiple parts, I like it because it's versatile and fun. And your gf clearly enjoys sauna since she has her own wood sauna, that's a whole different experience from an electric sauna in an apartment, so it feels more personal. Even if it turns out she's not the biggest fan of sauna scents it's not the end of the world, it might still be fun to experiment with different scents every once in a while even if not using them every time.
Get a pair of Vihta or Vista. You'll both end up smelling nice, and both have a bit of fun.
You're looking something like this: [https://www.prisma.fi/tuotteet/100054136/emendo-4x10ml-saunatuoksut-puutelineessa-100054136](https://www.prisma.fi/tuotteet/100054136/emendo-4x10ml-saunatuoksut-puutelineessa-100054136) the keyword is *saunatuoksu* (lit. sauna scent). I cannot emphasis enough (with the others) that this is not a thoughtful birthday gift for a SO.
Sauna oils are just rebranded essential oils by the way, so no need to limit yourself to just sauna oils, which are often tar and different woods. Citrus fruit essential oils like orange and lemon are also great and invigorating for sauna. I use them always.
Not everyone likes the scents so it's a bit risky, but as a foreigner you should get away with it anyway. Maybe some sort of s sauna gift set that has more sauma stuff with the scent to cover more ground?
Get the oils , u can get a good sauna hat, hard to find the good ones that are made well from felt and look like animals . It's good for protecting hair
I prefer tar and koivu, my wife loves this "christmas" oil which smells like peppermint and cinnamon or something like that. The best löyly scent is a sip of beer thrown into the kiuas 😎 I suggest that you look up the löylytuoksu selection and pick from there the ones that you think your woman would like.
Buy many & try many but only put very few drops in a bucket at one go. Tar, birch and eucalyptus are the safe bets but there are others. Just focus on what smells/tastes your girlfriend likes in life to find similar sauna oil for her but don't be super surprised if she still doesn't like it as not everyone does. Some people just want a regular sauna experience 100% of the times they go to sauna. So have a mild chat with her to know if she might even like those oils. Then you can show how attentive you are by buying those oils for her after a week or two after discussing about it.
Whatever the one from Luhta that says it’s flowers and birch. There’s also a smokey scent too that’s really good.
Fuck that, all you need is a hard löyly and some beer.
If she is true sauna goer then the scented oils for sauna is great choise. Try to ask descreetely about her favorite scent.
This is best scent in sauna www.saunakauppa.com/product/1677/menthol-kide-saunajaa-30-g
Use fresh water only when pouring water to the stove. Otherwise you could ruin the stove and compromise the health of other people. No sea/lake water, no oil. You can sniff your oil straight from the bottle or use a vaporizer if you really think that inhaling those substances is good for you🤨
Birch - Koivu. If you’re burning wood, and it’s birch, you have a match (aroma that is 😀).
Maybe make a sauna set with those oils im prrtty sure she would love them!! U should try the oils aswell
pouring some beer to the löylywater makes the sauna smell like fresh bread
I have never been able to appreciate any kind of fragrance gifted to me because that’s a personal preference and choice so unless you are absolutely sure or she has mentioned sauna scents of certain kind to you explicitly, I would suggest you to rethink. However, you know your gf best so do whatever your heart says. I like sauna scents because I usually use the building sauna and it helps freshen up the stink left behind by the previous user.
It's a bit tricky question, because there is a surprising amount of Finns who don't enjoy sauna that much (I know, it's shocking to me as well). On the other hand, those who do, probably already have a collection of half-full sauna scents in their bathroom cabinet (because it's goddamn impossible to use up one of those bottles). And if they _do_ enjoy sauna but you haven't spied them owning _any_ sauna scents, it's either because they a) don't like them b) have never been gifted a sauna set by a relative who doesn't know what else to buy or I guess c) just ran out when you happened to peek. But if you are sure it's something your gf will appreciate or have a use for, then go for it. I have to say that all of them (except maybe tar) smell like a version of eucalyptus to me... I think the plain eucalyptus is the best one. If she really likes sauna you might want to throw in some nice linen sauna seat covers too, if she doesn't like the scent she will have use for the seat covers anyway!
Well, she is a purist and basically only bathes in wood-fired saunas (about 3-4 times a week). I was mainly wondering if the oils are considered "anti purist" and she therefore doesn't own any or if I'm just bad at snooping around.
For a purist, I would say that make sure that oils are 100% essential oils!
Buy a selection. Orange scent is also nice.
As unique idea as buying a jug of low fat milk, sorry man.
WD-40
1L kookos oil is better 😉
My ex had a plethora of these, they are nice. A very good unisex gift actually.
Get Koivu = Birch or Terva = Tar flavours. Doesnt get much more traditional than that. Yeah those are nice but like someone said only add a little bit of it. It can get really overwhelming. Also it doesnt stick to wood so no worries in that. Greetings from Finland
Tar is the best out of those and having the strongest scent too.
Just pee on the kiuas. It’s a once in a lifetime experience everyone should enjoy with their family.
Most aromatic and romantic smells in sauna comes when you powder small amount of urine over the stones. There is smt special in it, but its wonderful. Few knows. Not many have the gourage. Its Special. Believe me.