It’s that time of year again. Love is in the air, roses too. And odds are? You’re bound to receive a heart-shaped box of chocolates when February 14th rolls around the corner. Whether from a special someone… or likely yourself.
But, as nice as chocolates are, (don’t we love them?), wouldn’t it be nice to be gifted something… new? I say, rightfully so. Because whether your beloved partner sends you some roses, or you buy yourself something new, Valentine’s Day is the holiday of love. So, why not show some love for yourself? It’s time to take care of your little desires and show some self-care. How? Treat yourself!
So to help you out, I’ve made a little list of the cutest finds to add to your Valentine gift list (yeah, there’s a list). Feel free to send it to your lost boyfriend, or better yet, splurge on yourself. Who says you can’t be your own Valentine?
- Begin with the One & Only… Shoes
-
Yeah, diamonds are nice. But everyone know shoes are competing for the top spot on the best friend list. It’s a close call. So, here’s just a few of the amazing shoes, I’ve discovered this past month. Definitely adding to my Valentine wish list. …And summer list… and fall…
- MOU
-
MOU has some of the best quality boots, ever. I especially recommend to you their ‘eskimo 24’ booties. So soft, it’s as if you’re walking on a cloud! And with the design, it’s an eye-catching masterpiece of a shoe. The “eskimo is made with divinely warm double-face sheepskin, hand-crocheted wool seams, a supportive heel counter and an EVA & rubber outdoor sole.” The bootie is perfect for winter and can be your next go-to boot for nearly every outfit. It certainly will be mine.
Honestly, it’s one of my favorite pair of shoes in my closet. Love this brand!
- Brand X Huaraches
-
For the sandal lovers out there? You better be adding huaraches to your list! Brand X Huaraches sells amazing, quality sandals. Their huaraches are extremely flexible with intricate weaving patterns that make them stand out from your other footwear. Brand X Huaraches uses top-quality vegetable-tanned leather, and is designed to fit your feet perfectly! I do recommend sizing down a half-size as the leather stretches over use. As expected from soft leather shoes!
My favorites are the classic huarache sandal, the huarache boot, and the gladiator sandal – with a braided lace-up knotted tassel.
The huaraches are quite comfortable with a leather-lined insole, and a cushioned outsole so you can wear them all day. When the first day of Spring hits, I’ll be throwing on a pair at the crack of dawn. Ah, so soft.
- ROAN
-
When I first saw these sandals, I knew I was in love. I immediately went to check out the brand to see their other styles. Yep. I was right. Roan footwear? All extremely cute, with a comfortable design. I’m really into the gladiator-style sandals – as mentioned above – so I had to get their BEE woven sandal. It’s made with grain leather and a unique hand finish. It also has a flexible PU outsole, rubber plate, and cushioned footbed so it’s quite comfortable as well. Other Roan favorites? Their Christine heel, and Maddie leather boots.
And then, I kinda got sidetracked and went browsing in the men’s section. Man, can you appreciate a good men’s boot? So, if your boyfriend has been wearing the same pair of shoes since…well… the beginning of time?? Then I recommend getting the Crestone C boot. Quality gift right there. Quality gift.
- Valentine Fashion
-
Who says a little shopping splurge every now and then isn’t good for the soul? In fact, it’s a necessity. Well… not really. But if you know you need to add to your Spring wardrobe, why not use Valentine’s Day as an excuse to get shopping? If anyone asks, just say: “It’s a holiday. Gifts! …for myself.” Sounds good to me.
To get you started, here are some of my favorite fashion favorites I’ve saved this month!
- Chaser
-
Okay, I love this brand. For my cozy nights in, I love wearing Chaser’s lounge sets. They have all types of stylish clothing, but their casual clothing is my favorite. I really recommend their cashmere fleece pullover and jogger pant. In fact, I’m wearing mine right now while writing this. So soft. The great thing about this outfit is you can easily wear it out or in for a cozy evening and still look amazing.
But for Valentines Day? You must check out their Valentine set! It’s an adorable white and red heart hoodie with Valentine pants to match! I’ll be wearing mine come “Valentine’s Day: Quarantine Edition”.
- Saltwater Luxe
-
Preparing for Spring, you’re gonna need some floral dresses to match the flowers set to bloom. Saltwater Luxe has some beautiful maxi dresses that are perfect for any occasion! And? They’ll have even more dresses when their Spring 2021 line comes in. Hallelujah!
Rock it casual, or dress up this stunning floral maxi dress from Saltwater Luxe. I’ll wear mine with a pair of Dr. Martens. I guess you could say dresses are their specialty because they have so many cute ones. But then again… I love their jackets too.
- Mestiza New York
-
It’s your Valentine’s night out – err, in. (Stay home people!) And you need the perfect high-quality dress for your romantic dinner date. Mestiza New York is the way to go.
College friends Alessandra Perez-Rubio and Louisa Rechter Takacs launched Mestiza New York when they found it almost impossible to find the perfect dress to attend weddings and other formal events. They needed a beautifully crafted, high-quality design dress that wasn’t over one thousand dollars. So, they started Mestiza New York. Their jaw-dropping dresses are made from luxurious materials. So much so that they’re “sourced from the same level of manufacturing and suppliers as your favorite luxury designers,” without the jaw-dropping, expensive price tag.
The brand is also known for their contemporary fit, but if your Mestiza dress doesn’t fit quite right, they’ll reimburse you up to $50 for alterations with proof of receipt from your local tailor! Can a fashion brand get any nicer?
For my next evening out – or fancy evening in – I’ll be wearing the Shimmy Shimmy Tassel Dress in black. I kind of have the whole outfit planned in my head but will, unfortunately, be walking around the house in heels pretending I’m at a fancy house party until this pandemic ends.
- TAI Jewelry
-
Who doesn’t love some jewelry for Valentine’s Day? TAI jewelry has the perfect Valentine’s Day gifts if you’re looking to buy jewelry for yourself or your loved one. *hint hint* Boyfriends out there? This is your chance to wow your partner with TAI’s beautiful designs!
They have personalized jewelry as well that can match your zodiac sign or initials. Unique and personal? Sounds like a perfect gift. Adding another piece to my wish list right now!
I especially love their pendants. It’s a go-to necklace. I’ll be wearing mine on Valentine’s Day as well.
- Self-LOVE, Care, & Beauty
-
The best form of love you can receive this Valentine’s Day? Self-love. Make yourself feel beautiful and loved by practicing self-care in every form. That means improving your inner beauty, and while you’re at it, who doesn’t love to improve their outer beauty as well? We all love to look and feel beautiful, and these products will help you do just that.
- lilah b.
-
I absolutely love this beauty brand. lilah b. offers a minimalistic collection that makes beauty easy and effortless. Which allows women to achieve a beautiful, finished look with fewer products.
Most of their beauty products are “housed in sleek and modern signature stone compacts.” And boy, do I tell you these stone compacts make the products so much more wonderful. Sometimes, you simply want great packaging along with beautiful products. The stone compacts fit perfectly in the palm of your hand, with a heavyweight that’s almost therapeutic. When you put on their products not only do you feel effortlessly beautiful, but you enjoy opening the stone compacts themselves. Also, all their products are housed in beautiful compacts and bottles.
lilah b’s founder Cheryl Yannotti Foland explains that “beauty should be about quality, not quantity, and so I set out to create a healthy, ‘good for you’ collection that offers a flawless finish with ease.” And lilah b. does just that. It’s one of the best brands I’ve found this year, and it embodied everything I wanted in a simple yet effective beauty routine.
My favorites? The Let’s Face It Brush Set, which comes with five makeup brushes – including two retractable brushes (!) – and a brush roll. Along with their Hydration Set, Luxe Lip Mini Duo, and finally their Glisten + Glow Skin Illuminator, my absolute favorite (likely mostly due to their signature stone compact).
- Lanolips
-
Lanolips is the perfect beauty brand if you want the perfect hydrated and dewy lips. Their products are made of “lanolin, which mimics human oils.” They often use hyaluronic acid as well for extra moisture. I love their LANO 101 Ointment – Baby Rose Gold, as I can use it for a flushed look on my cheeks and lips. The LANO Watermelon Lip Water is also amazing. Because watermelon flavor of course! My favorite. You can purchase them directly from their site or at Ulta stores as well!
And if you’d like to try a set of lip tinted products, I suggest their #1 Essential Lip Tints Trio. Three beautiful shades, and hydrated lips. This reminds me… I need to go put some on. Ah, watermelon flavor…
- Taylor Beauty
-
I know summer is a while away, but who doesn’t want to smell like a tropical beach? Taylor Beauty’s Quartet Collection of signature lotions have a variety of flavorful scents including Peche, Blue Razz, Coconut Kiwi, and Strawberry Avocado. So since we can’t travel during this pandemic, you might as well remind yourself of the luxury of vacation with these lovely scented lotions.
Founded by father-daughter duo, Bryan and Madison Taylor, Taylor Beauty is a brand worth buying from. You’ll not only be purchasing a fantastic product, but you’ll be supporting a family-owned business as well!
- Sand and Sky
-
Sand and Sky is an Australian-base skincare brand that is especially known for its porefining pink clay masks. The brand strives to show its customers the amazing benefits of Australian skin care with its botanical ingredients. They claim the “best skincare comes from Australia”, and looking at these products, they may be right.
Their Heartbreaker Kit is perfect for Valentine’s Day if you want to boost your skincare regime and try something new. Their Dreamy Skin Kit is fantastic as well! Their Dreamy Glow Drops boost hydration and brightness in your skin for – as the title says – a dreamy look. It’s an oil-serum hybrid that has five types of hyaluronic acid for deep hydration and moisture. With these beauty products, could our skin appear any more radiant?
- Pear Nova
-
Painting your nails can be therapeutic and make you feel beautiful. Especially, with a nail polish that lasts. That’s why you should add Pear Nova’s nail polish to your Valentine wish list. Their nail polish is known to last weeks without cracking, and their colors are amazingly gorgeous.
I recommend adding a full set to your collection of nail polishes. That way you can try out all their colors. Their SUMMER’S OVER set and BRWNGRLMGC are perfect sets to try out first. That is before you end up buying well over a dozen jaw-dropping colors.
- Oyin Handmade
-
Hello?? We can’t forget about our hair. That’s why I recommend to you Oyin Handmade. Their products’ natural formula coats and cleans your hair to leave it feeling clean and looking beautiful.
I’ll be using their Honey Wash Hydrating Shampoo, made with a “natural formula that helps coat, cleanse and protect each strand of your hair with quinoa protein, organic aloe vera juice, and pure honey.” Ah, silky smooth hair.
- Self-care for the Body & Mind
-
It’s great to feel beautiful on the outside, now what about the inside? Taking care of our body and mind is just as important, it’s yet another version of self-love. And since I have been into yoga lately, I thought I’d share some of the great brands I’ll be using this year to care for my body and mind. So practice some self-love by lifting yourself up. Then, lift yourself up literally.
- WodBottom
-
You can’t work out if you don’t have great workout clothes. I recommend WodBottom as a go-to destination to shop for your workout wardrobe. You can’t help but feel a bit more confident and motivated when you’re wearing something comfortable, stylish, and fit. I’ll be sporting the Bestie Bra and Luxe Sea Foam Leggings.
- Yoga Design Lab
-
It’s essential to have a great yoga mat that fits your workout needs. Yoga Design Lab has a variety of yoga mats for you to select from. Especially, their yoga cork mat. I’ve heard many great things about cork mats, and it looks like they’re well worth trying. The cork mat has a non-slip grip that improves performance, and it’s eco-friendly. I recommend the Travel Cork Mat and Travel Bag, perfect for when you need to practice your downward-facing dog.
- Mala Collective
-
Peace, tranquility, meditation. An important part of self-care is to meditate before your yoga or exercise routine. To help you, I recommend a Japamala, or mala from Mala Collective. A beautiful string of prayer beads, these beaded necklaces are often used in meditation practice.
According to Mala Collective, these beads are “a tool to help you count mantras, and acts as a tactile guide as you sit in silence. Malas can be made of many materials,” The good news? Mala Collective only uses “authentic gemstones, rudraksha seeds and sandalwood.” And? Their hand-knotted mala’s are blessed in Bali.
Their selection of mala’s are exquisitely designed and may just help you feel grounded in peace and motivated to meditate daily! I recommend the I Am Strong Mala – Rudraksha from their selection of malas. And? If you are in need of a comfortable meditation cushion, they have a gorgeous selection of meditation cushions handcrafted in India! - AREBESK
-
Okay, something I’ve always wanted to try? Open toe grip socks. I know, right? Where have I been? They’re something I had to try out. You want your feet to feel snug without slipping when you work out. That’s why AREBESK’s grip socks are ideal. They’re the first ‘gripper’ socks with not only a silicone patch on the bottom but silicone inside of the heel too. I absolutely recommend their open toe socks. Their leg warmers are a must-have. And their fringe socks? Stylish and comfortable.
- The Things That’ll Make Your Days LOVE-ly
-
See what I did there? The gifts in this list are extremely sweet. In fact, they’re too cute and fun to have by yourself. Meaning, you best be inviting your girlfriends over and sharing the love with gifts and wine!
- Sophie La Francaise
-
I, love, this, store. They have such adorable stationery and stickers, as well as enamel pins. Take a look through their Instagram feed and then you’ll understand my love for their well-designed stationery.
And just when you think it can’t get any better? They’re French bulldog themed. Yep. French, Bulldog, Themed. As you can tell, I’m excited. If you love dogs as much as I do, I suggest you get their Hoodie French Bulldog Keychain. Once again, you read that right. He’s wearing a hoodie.
I’m especially excited to use the new daily planner I got from Sophie La Francaise. It’s undated so no need to worry about buying it mid-year. You won’t be wasting any pages in this planner! And you’ll stay motivated by their sticker sheet at the back of the planner. Ah, the satisfaction of placing a French bulldog sticker after a task completed. Well-earned my friend, well-earned.
- Moonlight Jewels Co
-
There’s a little witch in all of us. And Moonlight Jewels Co brings out the good witch in you with their assorted crystals and gemstone jewelry. Their Angel Aura Heart Necklaces would make a beautiful gift and are strikingly beautiful. Could you imagine that gem around you neck? And since they’re raw stones, each piece is positively unique! One of my favorite crystals? Their Lepidolite Hearts! The hearts feel so wonderful in the palm of your hand and they add a sense of calmness and peace when holding. Ah, healing energy.
If you love essential oils, your dreams have likely come true in the form of their Angel Aura Essential Oil Bottle Necklaces. Yep. You can now carry your mini essential oils with you, with the security of them being around your neck – in a fashionable design!
But one of the best gifts to get yourself for Valentine’s Day – because self-love, right? – is their Valentine’s Day Crystal Heart Box! Instead of a box of chocolates, wouldn’t you rather have a heart-shaped box of crystals? Each box contains nine crystals which can bring you intuition, harmony, luck, purification, mental truth, and love confidence – to name a few. Say goodbye to the chocolates this year, now all that’s on my mind are crystals. Yep. I’m becoming a witch. See ya in a couple of weeks.
- Hey Mama Wines
-
At some point this Valentine’s Day, you’ll likely want to invite the gals over and crack open some wine and rosé to celebrate the love. A classic Galentine’s Day celebration requires some good quality rosé and Hey Mama Wines has the best rosé bubbly in a can. It’s ideal for the Valentine party you’ll be throwing with your girlfriends late into the hours of the night. And remember, sharing is caring. Each of you get your own!
If you are indeed throwing a Galentine’s Day party, I recommend the Rosé Bubbles Party Bundle. So sit back, crack open a can, and give yourself a bit of relaxation time. It’s self-love, remember? It is Valentine’s Day after all.
So, which of these gifts will you be getting for yourself? Will you be throwing a Galentine’s party as well? All from the comfort of your heart-shaped pajamas? I know I will. Self-love people! Self-love.
Written by Michal Mitchell
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter at @jackycoocoo for more articles, celebrity interviews, original poetry and more.