We all deserve to be spoiled, not with gifts necessarily, but with love, kisses and hugs; regardless of Valentine’s day. Admittedly, it is a special occasion that serves as an excellent reason to celebrate love. I believe that more couples will make the most of Valentine’s day this year to spice up their lockdown routine.

Why not make home wining and dining a new tradition? Make an exceptional effort this year – given the situation – and blow your partner’s socks off with extra-tender loving care and a thoughtful gift. There is a myriad of gift choices online to meet all budgets and entice originality of thought. Additionally, skincare products could not be more beneficial amidst the current narrative concerning mental health and psychological well-being.

5 Key Benefits of Skincare.

I have several recommendations for Valentine’s day gifts. Albeit the popular choices being perfume or jewellery – skin care products have a direct impact on one’s well-being. They offer several benefits, such as:

(1) An improvement of mental health by adding stability to one’s day
(2) Alleviate anxiety through self-pampering
(3) Help one to look and feel good
(4) Boost self-esteem
(5) Discourage self-neglect

Beautifully presented, L’Occitane’s latest skincare range is luxurious. I tested their Overnight Reset Eye Serum by applying a small amount onto the delicate eye area. It has an emollient consistency similar to the Overnight Reset Oil-In-Serum. My skin absorbs oil-based serum well and, as a result, feels pleasantly hydrated. Following L’Occitane serum’s application, I gently massage a small amount of Advance Youth Face Care cream into my skin. All products are rich in texture, accommodating dehydrated skin; especially the Almond Milky Bath. The pocket-size hand cream also makes a cute gift for handbag essentials.

Valentine’s Day Love Set

Ecooking has created a Love Gift that consists of body lotion and shower gel. Both products, which will launch soon – stay tuned – emanate a fruity scent and encourage a similar fruity mood. You could not possibly miss out on your 5 A Day with Ecooking’s jasmine-, grapefruit- and orange-flower-enriched body lotion. I add a few drops of Ecooking’s Multi Oil to the body lotion. The shower gel contains orange, lavender, organic cucumber extract, aloe vera and rose. Furthermore, the packaging is sustainable and compact.

The Beauty Game-Changer

Holistic Silk is back with more sleep-enhancing products. Fair made, their Pure Mulberry Silk Hair Turban looks super pretty in pink. What is more, it helps to keep moisture in Afro hair. Afro hair can become brittle without the protection of a silk wrap when asleep. Additionally, I love Holistic Silk’s lavender-scented eye pillow – what a beauty game-changer. Made from 100% Duplan Silk, the pillow also contains organic seeds and real lavender flowers for additional weight. It has enough power to turn a 10-minute rest into a deep sleep for a small pillow.

Holistic Silk is offering a 20% discount on full-priced products from 1 am on the 1st February until midnight 1st March 2021. The offer excludes sale & monogrammed products, gift vouchers and delivery costs. 

Valentine’s Day Variety Box

As a suggestion, you could create a bespoke variety gift box. Oh Mumma has incorporated a similar concept for the modern-day mum who can build her very own box of luxury beauty treats. The brand’s key message is to ‘be kind to yourself’ to which we can relate. I hope to become a Mumma one day. For those who are, Oh Mumma offers a ‘just for mum‘ box with a focus on green, clean beauty. They also donate 1% of their profit to families affected by perinatal mental illness. The gift box includes:

(1) Ren Ready Steady Glow Daily Aha Tonic

(2) John Masters Hair Milk

(3) Lunar Glow Remover Pads

(4) Little Karma Co Candle Sol

(5) Bee Bee Beeswax Wraps

(6) Fushi Shea Butter Original

(7) Artio Skincare Mum Soap

(8) Artio Skincare Baby Soap

GoBo would make a practical variety-box filler. It is a natural, scent-free deodorant which benefits healthy underarms. After all, who likes in-grown hairs, blotted sweat glands and dark pigmentation caused by shaving? Indeed, not I. GoBo is my go-to deodorant, currently. I love that it is unscented and kind to my underarm skin since using it. GoBo is available for purchase on Amazon.

The Smell of Africa

If your partner is car-obsessed, why not treat them to the iconic Lynx Africa car freshener. We may not have anywhere to go now, but that does not mean you should feel less inspired. Africa is the perfect start and a source of inspiration. The Lynx car fresheners are available from Halford.

Inspired by Southern Italy, L’ABU is an organic, vegan, luxury skincare range accessible to all. Thus far, I have incorporated Retinol Face Oil, Anti-Ageing Face Serum and Anti-Ageing Face Moisturiser – the powerful trio – into my morning skincare routine. The suitability of a product becomes evident within a few seconds of application. With just a few drops, my skin absorbed the Retinol Face Oil effortlessly. If the latter is too rich for your skin type, I would suggest using only the face serum after cleansing, followed by the face moisturiser. Enriched with vitamins A, C, E and hyaluronic acid, L’ABU helps produce brighter and softer skin. You can get 10% off your next order with voucher code Thankyou19.

Valentine’s Day Grooming

Is it time for your man to get his ‘groom’ on? Pro makeup artist Benny Hancock has launched a men’s grooming and makeup brand. Men deserve to look and feel good, too; hence the primary focus of the brand is to encourage self-confidence in men. The sophisticated makeup set is for the modern-day man who takes pride in his appearance. The collection would make a wonderful gift for him and includes:

(1) Moisturising Face Perfector (SPF 15, anti-pollution, moisturiser and foundation all-in-one).

(2) Corrective Pen

(3) Brow Definer

(4) Beard definer

(5) Cream Bronzer

(6) Buffing Brush

(7) Hydrating Lip Balm.

Benny Hancock is also the First Men’s Makeup and Grooming brand to have a Virtual Try-On Mirror for men to get the best result by ‘trying before you buy.’

Embryolisse Skincare

Do you love being spoilt for choice? Pamper your skin with Embryolisse’s Emulsion repair care (which keeps dry skin incredibly moist), Hydra-Cream Light and Lait-Crème Concentre. All products agree with my skin which is prone to dehydration; thus enjoys a nourishing moisturiser. Enriched with active ingredients from natural origin: shea butter, aloe vera and soy proteins, my skin feels supple and healthy-looking whenever I use Filaderme Emulsion and Hydra-Cream Light. Lait-Crème Concentre is slightly different. It is a multi-tasking cream and works as a five-in-one moisturiser, primer, intensive masque, after shaving product make-up remover.

COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches would make an excellent pre-Valentine’s Day gift to keep whiteheads, blackheads, pustules and pimples at bay. A pack of 24 patches costs £7. Stockists include Boots, Cult Beauty, Look Fantastic and Beauty Bay.

So Eco-Friendly Gifts

Why not join So-Eco and be the face of responsible beauty? So Eco offer a range of sustainable products for those who are environmentally conscious. Ahead of Valentine’s Day, take some time out to look after your skin to make it shine. Start with So Eco’s Exfoliating Gloves when having a shower or bubble bath. You could also incorporate So Eco’s Bamboo Facial Cleansing Kit, Gentle Facial Buffers and Konjac Sponge into your daily skincare routine. Konjac sponges are fantastic for make-up removal and serve as a facial exfoliation tool for smoother and cleaner skin.

Soleil Lalique Hair Mist For Her

Make Valentine’s Day memorable for your loved one by being creative. Lalique has launched the new addition to their summery fragrance, Soleil Lalique hair mist. The latter would make a chic gift for her. Soleil’s hair mist smells like fresh linen – vibrant, breezy and nostalgically reminds me of how summer used to be when we could roam freely. Stockists include Lalique and Harrods.

Always remember to say “I love you” to your partner on a daily basis (not just on Valentine’s day) which is a sure-fire way to make them feel special every day.

Written by @styleiconnat | Gifted Collaboration.