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A care package is always a welcome surprise for college students. We put together our favorite care package ideas for college women with some necessities and others that will just make her smile.
We have you covered if you want college care package ideas for guys.
College care package ideas for college women
1. Open When Envelopes (Amazon)
Your daughter will be thrilled when she opens a box of 12 “open when” envelopes. Fill them with notes, gift cards, small photos…and each one will be a wonderful surprise….just when she needs it.
2. Kitsch Satin Pillowcase (Amazon)
Kitsch silk pillowcases soft and cool and claim to be great for hair and skin. In a small, shared dorm room, this tiny bit of luxury will be a welcome treat. Available in a 18 colors and Standard/Queen or King sizes.
3. notes to self socks®
Help your daughter remember how much you believe in her with notes to self® positive affirmation socks. We love their singular messages, variety of styles, and gift packs — the only thing better than one pair is two. Or, three. Or, four…
Use discount code GROWNANDFLOWN to receive 10% off your $75 or more order.
4. Sol de Janiero Hair and Body Fragrance (Amazon)
Sol de Janiero has become an incredibly popular cosmetics brand and this is just one of the heavenly perfume mists they offer.
5. Crossbody Belt Bag (lululemon)
We’re in love with the belt bags at lululemon and this clear one is stadium-ready for any security restrictions that exist at her campus for college came day or to attend a concert. Your daughter will LOVE this in her college care package.
6. Casegrace Mini Jewelry Box (Amazon)
A mini jewelry box is excellent for travel and for storing special pieces at college. This compact case is available in six pretty colors and fits in a drawer in a dorm room for safekeeping or slips into a bag if she wants to take jewelry along with when she travels.
7. Apple AirPod Pros(2nd Gen) (Amazon)
With the 2nd generation of AirPod Pros, there’s now up to 2x more Active Noise Cancellation than the previous model. If your daughter is having difficulty blocking out noisy roommates and hallmates, this could be a fantastic care package or birthday gift.
8. Anker MagGo Power Bank (Amazon)
Having a charged phone is your daughter’s #1 safety tool and this compact power bank by Anker will help her stay charged even if she is gone from her dorm all day long. It’s powerful enough to charge an iPhone almost twice. With fast charging, it keeps phones ready between classes, studying, or going out. Limited time offer save 25%.
9. Supergoop! Play Lip Balm (Amazon)
Your daughter will love this broad-spectrum SPF lip balm with hydrating honey, shea butter, & sunflower seed oil. In a crowded market of lip balms, this one gets great reviews. I love mine!
10. Bliss Hand Cream (Amazon)
She will also love to receive this Bliss hand cream with a lemon and sage fragrance.
11. Essie Treat, Love & Color Nail Polish (Amazon)
Your daughter can polish her nails without needing a top or base coat with this line of Essie polishes. Gorgeous colors, too.
12. Birdie Safety Alarm (Amazon)
Get your daughter a lightweight and compact Birdie safety alarm. She can quickly activate the LOUD siren and flashing strobe-light to create a diversion and to help deter an attack if she feels threatened.
13. Tea Assortment (Amazon)
Your daughter will feel comforted and loved with this assortment of herbal teas from Tea Forte.
14. Microfiber Hair Wrap Towel – 2 Pack (Amazon)
These are so useful for drying hair and gentler on the hair than using a regular towel.
15. Do Your Laundry (Amazon)
Since day one we have loved this book, and it is a G&F favorite volume to send to college daughters. Becky Blades is the uber-talented author and illustrator who wrote these words of encouragement for her off-to-college daughters. She left a blank page for you to add your love note to your daughter.
16. Betty Crocker Mug Treat 3-Pack (Amazon)
A warm chocolate cake with chocolate icing that your daughter can cook in a microwave in one minute(!) might be a perfect indulgence after a long day of classes. Mug Treats come in many flavors.
17. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Makeup Wipes (Amazon)
These facial wipes are the easiest way to remove makeup, especially if your daughter wants to clean her face without walking down the hall to a communal dorm bathroom. They gently dissolve dirt, oil, and makeup, even waterproof mascara. They also remove pollution, sweat, and sunscreen, in a convenient disposable face wipe
18. The 5-Ingredient College Cookbook(Amazon)
If your college student struggles with cooking ideas, this cookbook is designed for college students — filled with easy and simple recipes. Even if she is in a dorm right now, this could be helpful to use if she has access to a communal kitchen and/or has friends who live in an apartment.
19. Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask ( Amazon)
Lineage lip products are wildly popular and this one has 48,000 4.6 ratings on Amazon. This would be a great treat!
20. K18 Leave-In Hair Mask (Amazon)
A hair mask can protect and deeply condition their hair, making it extra soft and silky after use. This award-winning hair mask can be applied after your daughter shampoos her hair. The best part? No rinsing after so she can wash, mask, and go. This is the #1 bestseller in hair masks on Amazon.
21. Inspirational Stress Balls (Amazon)
Stress balls are a great care package items and fun to share with a roommate. We love the inspirational sayings on this set – these are messages of empowerment your daughter would LOVE to hear from you!
22. grace & stella Under Eye Patches (Amazon)
These under eye patches are packed with retinol which helps with the appearance of fine lines and also plumps the skin. These are ideal for helping to reduce puffiness and dark circles.
23.Tide To Go Stain Remover Wipes (Amazon)
This portable stain remover is designed to help treat and eliminate stains while on the go. Your daughter can pack them in her backpack, and if she ever drips catsup or coffee on a shirt or white jeans, these are the ideal solution for getting rid of the stain before it sets in.
24. Glocusent USB Rechargeable Book Light (Amazon)
This portable clip-on LED reading light offers 3 amber colors and 5 dimmable brightness levels. The amber mode filters 99.9% of blue light to protect her eyes and reduce your eye strain. This is a hardy little light for her to use if she is reading in her dorm bed late at night and does not want to disturb her roommate.
25. Automet Women’s Half Zip Cropped Pullover (Amazon)
This cute pullover is made with cotton and polyester, ideal for staying warm. It comes in 32 different colors, so you can choose your daughter’s favorite color. Plus, it is machine washable for easy cleaning. This is the #1 bestseller in Women’s Fashion Sweatshirts on Amazon. Apply a 25% coupon for even more savings.
26. Mighty Patch Pimple Treatment (Amazon)
This wildly-popular treatment for breakouts has nearly 176,000 4.6 star reviews on Amazon and has been a best-seller among G&F families. Almost everyone develops a pimple from time-to-time and this patch can improve the look overnight.
27. Owala Water Bottle (Amazon)
The Owala brand has become very popular and there is no wonder – the insulated stainless-steel bottle keeps drinks cold for 24 hours. The wide opening at the top makes it easy to fill with ice and to keep clean. Plus, so many cheery colors to choose from!
28. Crest 3D White Strips (Amazon)
Your daughter will want to look her best and this white strips kit will be a nice treat for her in a college care package. This is one of the top whitening kits on Amazon.
29. Polaroid Originals Now 1-Type Instant Camera (Amazon)
30. Apple AirTag (Amazon)
These small tags are easy to pair with a phone and slip into a backpack, gym bag, tote bag or wallet…any bag your daughter wants to be able to keep up with on a crowded campus.
Prices were accurate at time of publication.
Why You Can Trust Us:
I’m Madeleine Korn, a shopping writer and editor with years of experience researching the best products for teens, college students, and recent graduates. I stay up-to-date with trends and know which items are not only popular but also deliver real value. For this care package guide, I developed a list of the best ideas for college girls based on in-depth research. With recommendations from major retailers, trustworthy publications, and social media influencers, I selected a range of products, paying close attention to reviews and price tags.
I’m part of the Grown and Flown team which includes three moms who have raised 8 young adults and have been working on product lists for over 12 years now, making them experts. When selecting products they survey the Grown and Flown Parents Facebook group of nearly 300,000 parents of teens, tweens and young adults. They do opinion polls, surveys and ask open ended questions. They search for products that combine reasonable price with high quality and are recommended by our large following.
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