14 Romantic Beauty Ideas for February the 14th
By Gigi Anders
Eek! It’s Valentine’s Day now and you have nothing. Don’t worry, I’ve got this. Just whip out the plastic and show that love, be it to yourself or to your special love person.
1. Victoria’s Secret Love Eau de Parfum ($55 - $68).
Fresh juniper, apricot blush and cotton flower combined with the warmth of your boyfriend’s T-shirt create a pure and sensual scent meant for waking up or going to bed in.
2. Angel Shave Club First Shave Kit ($38).
Moms and aunties, this adorable and smart kit is perfect for your tween girls who are hairy-legged shaving virgins. Replete with a heavy, ergonomic, no-slip pink shaver; a pink box of razor cartridges; sugar and fig whipped shave soufflé; sugared fig ultra hydrating body lotion with aloe, shea and avocado oils; an envelope containing a dozen pink bandages; a pink canvas bag; and, perhaps most importantly, a pink instructional booklet explaining every excruciating shaving deet for first-timers. Why didn’t they have this when I was 12?
3. Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist ($49).
Pricey but potent, this luxurious mist is like spraying pure, cooled, rose water on your face. Instant refreshment and happiness. Despite its unbearable lightness of being, it contains multitudes: to hydrate, restore, soften, balance, and protect the complexion, we have a delicate blend of these extracts -- grapefruit seed, aloe leaf, marshmallow, and of course rose flower. It’s supposed to be ideal for normal and combination skin types, but I’m on the oily side and am perfectly addicted.
4. Now that we talk of roses, Jurlique Rose Hand Cream Limited Edition 2018 ($59) is the complement to the mist above.
This unique cream is like falling into a bed of freshly-plucked, velvety rose petals. Your hands will turn into babies’ thanks to power-house nourishing ingredients like rose extract and macadamia, almond, and safflower seed oils to penetrate dryness and give instant relief and softness.
5. Phlur Annica Candle ($68).
With 50 hours of burn time, you’ll be wafted away for days (or weeks, if you’re self-restrained, which I am definitely not) on a gorgeous and ultra-luxurious flow of fig, white florals, hazelnut, and sandalwood. Based on Phlur’s Hanami parfum, the candle’s scent is both warm and intellectual, minimalist and complex. And can we just say the
“vessel,” as they call the container, is as beautiful as any MOMA ware? It’s like a big white egg that you can use after the candle – which is is hand-poured with a blend of 80% vegetable wax and 20% food-grade paraffin in Greenfield, Massachusetts – is tragically gone. As with all Phlur products, Annica is cruelty-free, and free of skin allergens, parabens, phthalates, unnecessary stabilizers and animal products.
6. Vaseline Lip Therapy Rosy Lips ($3.49).
The steel tin couldn’t be cuter and the cult-y product inside is a cult-y product because it works every time. Clinically proven to help heal dry, chapped lips, this un-sticky, un-greasy formula smoothes on long-lasting moisture with a sheer rosy tint and shine, and is fragranced with a little kiss of rose.
7. Dr. Teal’s Pink Himalayan Foaming Bath ($4.87).
You won’t be able to get enough. Which is a good thing because this bubbly delight is one cheap thrill that feels and acts like a world-class spa bath. This instant stress-killer has an herbaceous, clean, gender-neutral, uplifting scent thanks to bergamot, basil, sweet orange, and spearmint essential oils. Meanwhile, pink Himalayan salts work their magic to unwind you and whoever’s in the tub with you, and replenish your bodies’ minerals.
8. Mōda Rosè 4PC Face Perfecting Kit ($24.99).
It’s no secret we love these brushes. The price can’t be beat and the quality is obscenely good. This new iteration, a pink quartet, includes a large fat brush to apply liquid or cream foundation; a medium-sized brush ideal for powder blush or bronzer; a contour brush for hairline, cheekbones, and jawline; and a little brush for concealer application. Every one is thick, flexible, and softer than a kitten.
9. Cuvée Beauty Everyday Essence Travel Kit ($30).
Like Paris, Champagne is always a good idea. Shall we wash our hair in Champagne? Pourquoi pas? After all, “cuvée” in French means “vintage.” Indeed, the “Cuvée Complex™” is a Daisy Buchanan fantasy that combines extracts of Champagne, a natural antioxidant that protects against free radical damage and promotes softness; white truffle to help restore moisture levels and promote a healthy foundation; and platinum to detoxify and boost shine. The kit’s trio of deluxe travel sizes is the best introduction to the Cuvée experience. Shampoo, Conditioner and Première Treatment -- the basics – all smell like pink Champagne with a sugar cube tossed in, and are free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and cruelty. The caboodle is also safe for color- and chemically-treated hair. It’s fabulous.
10. Zoya Bridal Bliss Collection (12 nail polishes at $10 each).
You’ll want every last nude and pastel polish that makes up this stellar collection intimating romance and springtime. Among my personal faves are: Leia, a sheer, opalescent white with metallic fuchsia, green, and gold flecks -- great on its own or layered over another shade. Brighton, a full-coverage, diamond holographic soft nude. To. Die. For. Blu, an icy, almost bleached-out baby blue denim with a glossy cream finish that’s a fun alternative to classic pink and taupe.
The rest of the group includes McKenna, Chantal, Loretta, Erika, Bela, Avril, Rue, Abby, and Snow White. All groovy, all safe and healthy for every set of nails in the world.
11. vegaLASH Volumizing Serum ($79.95).
Skimpy little lashes will be history with this 100% vegan, clinically-proven hero lash treatment that promises to strengthen, fatten, and lengthen lashes in 15 days. The serum transforms inert lash follicles into here-I-am active ones, accelerating the growth cycle to produce safe, Bambi-worthy results. You have to apply it twice every day to upper and lower lashes to maintain. Small price for Bambi results.
12. NU•ME Limited Edition Precious Metals 32 MM Curling Wand in Rose Gold ($69.30 using promo code LOVE30).
Nothing says “touch me” like soft, beachy waves. And this world-class wand, made with a 100% titanium barrel -- a durable material that provides intense heat for lasting hairstyles in thick or coarse hair types -- will get you there in minutes. It features “far infrared heat” that moves directly into the hair follicle and out to the cuticle to protect strands over time; negative ion conditioning technology that maintains moisture and eliminates frizz by sealing the hair’s cuticle and boosting shine; and of course those chic chromatic rose gold touches in the barrel. The curler comes with a heat-resistant styling glove and is safe for all hair types.
13. DeoDoc Deowipes Intimate ($15 for 10 wipes).
These Swedish-made, vegan, hypoallergenic, physician-developed, pH-balanced deodorant wipes – are the absolute bomb. They freshen, cleanse, and help neutralize odor downstairs. Paraben-free and gentle, the wipes contain moisturizing olive oil, aloe vera, and Vitamin E. Choose from three scents: Fresh Coconut (don’t worry, it’s truly nice), Jasmine Pear, or Violet Cotton. You’ll wonder how you ever lived without them.
14. thisworks dream team ($19).
At a certain point in life, a good night’s sleep is the ultimate aphrodisiac. To help get there, I love “deep sleep pillow spray.” The mini but mighty mist has a calming blend of lavender, vetiver, and chamomile essential oils to relaaax and releaaase you. The equally mini but mighty “stress check breathe in” aromatherapy roller encourages clear breathing for a deeper sleep and a less freaked out mind, via a soothing and clean combo platter of eucalyptus, frankincense and lavender.
Happy Valentine’s Day! And remember, these indulgent products are appropriate anytime.
