Regardless of which camp we each fall into when it comes to celebrating Valentine’s Day this year, a whole month dedicated to showing love to those around us is pretty great. Married or single, young or mature, there’s always an opportunity to live out the patient, kind, never failing thing called love. One of the aspects that I think makes this holiday fun is the good kind of secrecy that accompanies it: a secret admirer, an unexpected gift, or a surprise from a friend. And if you’re looking for a secret sauce to help you in this department, dōTERRA® can supply!

Before we begin, though, have you breathed in the respiratory sensation of dōTERRA® SuperMint yet? This compelling blend of Peppermint, Japanese Mint, Bergamot Mint, and Spearmint essential oils is a crisp, refreshing addition to the sweet secret sauce we’re about to make. Today I want to share with you a DIY valentine idea starring chocolate paired with the flavors of Peppermint, Wild Orange, and/or Cinnamon Bark. You might also try using Lavender or Frankincense, or a totally different oil that sings to you a lovely song with chocolate.

To create Valentine Secret Sauce Cups, you’ll need:

• dōTERRA SuperMint (or another oil of choice)

• Organic chocolate syrup, homemade or store-bought

• 2-ounce squeeze bottles

• Paper cups, with lids and holders if desired

• Decorative paper straws

• Decorative paper shreds

Place 1-2 drops minty essential oil (to taste) into a 2-ounce squeeze bottle. Fill rest of bottle with chocolate syrup and shake to mix. Label your bottle of dōTERRA Chocolate SuperMint Sauce according to your aspirations of craftiness. This could be a great activity to involve the kids, or to do with a group of friends — in a group, the expert crafters are welcome to share their ideas and supplies! Try making Chocolate Orange Sauce, Chocolate Cinnamon Sauce, etc, being sure to label each bottle accordingly. Once bottles are labeled and decorated as you please, place inside the paper cups with packages of tea and/or hot chocolate. Surround the items with decorative paper shreds. Embellish outside of cups with stickers, ribbon, tape, the recipient’s name, and/or whatever kind words come to mind about them.

A few different flavors of these mini homemade chocolate sauce bottles within a small basket would make a perfect gift arrangement. Just be sure to taste each of your concoctions first; your stamp of approval means your friends will get just the right balance of flavors and a sweet, aromatic essential oil experience.

Oh, and one more essential addition to our Valentine Secret Sauce Cups: check out this fantastic alternative to processed candy, made with just four simple ingredients.

To make Simple Chocolate Bark, you’ll need:

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil

• 1/2 cup almonds

• favorite dōTERRA oil to pair with chocolate

Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil together until smooth. Add in one drop (or less) of essential oil and mix together. Pour melted chocolate onto wax paper on a cookie sheet, spreading chocolate around with a spoon to make an even layer. Crush almonds and sprinkle over chocolate. Place in fridge and allow to chill before breaking into pieces.

Secret sauce and a simple snack inside of a sweet cup is enough to get the DIY ideas flowing. It’s only one of limitless ways to show loved ones how much we care; and sharing the gift of dōTERRA at the same time makes it that much better.