Well well well... here we are again.
If there's one thing I've learned over the past 4 years of running this business, it's that no one seems to care at all about Valentine's day. You would think it'd be a somewhat busy holiday for a natural perfume and body care/makeup/accessories shop, but every year, people seem to pass right over it like it doesn't even exist. NO FUN.
I don't know if it's my geographical location, (many Oklahoman's like to fancy themselves as Southerners, but I'm sorry to report that you all are a bunch of squarely practical Midwesterners if there ever were any,) or if millennials and gen-z just decided to collectively discard this holiday and us old millennials/xennials didn't get the memo... or maybe just me?
I get it though. Every time I've ever been in a relationship, (which is still for most of my adult life, despite the fact that I now feel as if I've been single F O R E V E R) Valentines Day SUCKED. I've never had a good one. Not once. NEVER. EVER. I mean... there might have been one that wasn't god-awful at some point but I honestly can't remember it so how good could it have really been? I'm about to be 37 years old and I'm still waiting, y'all.
I guess it's a lot easier to write it off as a pointless, dumb holiday that you don't care about, than to expect the person you're in a relationship with to actually want to have an excuse to celebrate you. Oof. Yeah. I just said that out loud.
By skirting over Valentines Day, are we preemptively killing any chance of romance just to avoid being disappointed?
(Also OMG am I Carrie Bradshaw now? I mean I certainly have the relationship experience at this point, although I like to think of myself as a little better adjusted, and I'm veering dangerously off topic now so we can circle back to this later... 😜)
Maybe that's not you. Maybe you really don't care. Maybe I'm just speaking for myself here. In which case, I'm going to just come right out and say that I expect a grand effing gesture on Valentines day from my next partner.
And in the meantime, I'll gesture myself.
Wait. That came out wrong... uh oh I am full of it today I tell ya.
But seriously, my favorite thing about Valentine's day now is that it is a perfect excuse to show myself some love. Because, obviously I am great and I'm worthy of a little romance on this totally meaningless, dumb, made up holiday day. (I'm worthy every day, actually ~ as are you ~ but this is a symbolic day and it DOES MATTER so do something nice for someone that you love and don't half-ass it for once!)
Of course, you don't have to buy yourself anything to show yourself how much you care. But if there's something that you've been hoping for, I hope you'll take this small opportunity to treat yourself. Also, I'm surrounded by products that just scream 💕 V-DAY 💕 and I can't help myself because as you know I am all about the romance this year, so I made a little gift guide:
1. All of the pink (and rose gold) hair accessories 
First of all, I'm obsessed with this little travel brush! It's one of those brushes that you can actually use wet, so it really is perfect for your gym bag, if that's your thing. It's not my thing, but I love to keep this in my purse for teasing up my cowlick after taking off my winter beanie. Honestly, the bristles feel so good on my scalp, I kind of want to use it all the time. Also, it's like treating yourself to a macaron, only one that's sugar free and vegan and lasts forever. Keep this cute little guy on your desk, in your car, in your bag... and you'll always have a little reminder of how much you care.
Why not go back in time and make your Jr. High self happy with these fun hair clips? Also, why use a regular hair tie when you can use a hair tie with a pink bow on it? (As you might have guessed, these are the kinds of questions I ask myself with every product I bring into my store...)
I will never not love these lip print headbands, handmade by Thready or Knot.
Speaking of lips,
2. Buy yourself a nice lipstick already.
Listen, if you've never had a real, sexy, grown up lipstick before, it's time. Only, don't go to a department store and buy something with questionable ingredients, weird texture, and a bad synthetic fragrance. Get yourself the cleanest vegan lipstick on the market, with a texture like buttah. Avocado butter, actually. It's the most moisturizing, lightest-weight lipstick I've ever worn, and that little click when you pop off the cap? So luxe. I suggest Clarity for your V-day color. It's a hot reddish pink with orange undertones that looks great on EVERYONE.
Speaking of makeup,
3. Anything on this shelf will do...
Look me in the eyes and tell me that V-day is not the perfect excuse to upgrade to a new, handmade eyelash curler, or the best tweezers you will ever freaking own (in pink, of course!) Or treat yourself to an extra makeup eraser in a fun lip print - because you deserve to have an extra, clean one on hand, right?
And if you really want to treat yourself...
4. There's an extra special set of rose quartz makeup brushes on this shelf too!
Hello. Let me tell you, these will make your morning, every single day. Rose quartz is the love stone, and you will be feeling it, sister. Even if you're not a makeup person (I'm not!) you will be absolutely giddy unrolling these to apply your shimmer powders. Like a mf queen I tell ya. (Yes, I am speaking from experience!)
Speaking of being a rose quartz enchanted queen...
5. When was the last time you did something nice for your yoni?
This is the kind of gift you can really only give yourself, and why don't you already? If you are someone who has a yoni/womb space, I just want you to think about the fact that it's the source of all mankind for a sec. So... yeah... I mean, doesn't she deserve a treat? I'll let you in on a secret - I meditate with my yoni egg whenever I'm feeling stuck or need a boost of creativity, and it always leaves me feeling more energized and grounded. If you're curious, seriously, what are you waiting for?!
And if you need a juicy, heart chakra focused aromatherapy boost to go with your yoni mediation...
6. Rose Hydrosol
Classic. Even if you're not a fan of rose-scented things, a light mist of rose hydrosol is a great way to ease you into the world of plant magic™️ to experience the uplifting, heart-opening aromatherapy benefits of this, the queen of all flowers.
It's also dead useful (hydrating, oil-balancing, all-around-healing) for your face. Add one of the pink clay konjac sponges and rose quartz eye masks pictured in the background here and your V-Day is PLANNED.
And after you're nice and relaxed from your meditation/skincare sesh,
7. Give yourself the gift of a good night's sleep
These satin pillow cases feel so luxurious, and, they can actually help keep your face more hydrated (cotton draws water away from your skin) and your hair soft and smooth. Tuck a warmed glitter pack into your cozy cat eye mask and shut out the world. IDK why I put those hair coils there but boy aren't they cute. (Actually, you should grab these sleep scrunchies for keeping your hair perfect while you sleep!)
Of course, when you wake up, you'll need
8. A cozy and adorable pot of tea
Few things in life are as comforting as a (pink) pot of cinnamon apple flavored green tea. It's as cozy as it is healing. (Or maybe cozy and healing are the same thing?! 🤯) If you're intimidated by loose leaf tea, don't be! This tablespoon scoops out just the right amount for a pot of most teas. It's time to upgrade yourself from grocery store tea bags... you're worth it, you hot-tea.
After your tea, anoint yourself with the scent of...
9. Flowers that aren't dead.
A bouquet of fresh flowers is always a lovely gesture, but a natural perfume will last a lot longer. And at $15, this rose perfume is probably a much better deal than a dozen roses at peak V-day prices. Sometimes, not always, but actually probably mostly, people are coming into my shop for just the necessities. You might smell a few fragrances, but you usually talk yourself out of it because it's not something you "need" (see! practical midwesterners!) and just go for yet another toning mist or cleansing oil refill. Well, I'm not suggesting that you buy things that are outside of your budget or that you won't really use, but what better opportunity than Valentine's to buy yourself something you just want? Just because.
That's romance, people. And you're perfectly capable of giving it to yourself.
Of course, any perfume will do. I snapped this picture of the single note rose roll-on because it's only available this month, but there are a million other options, depending on your taste. If you want to see some of my top picks, here's a V-day perfume post I wrote last year.
Oh, and for more flowers that aren't dead:
10. Handmade flower jewelry by Ann + Joy
I don't know if there's anything more joyful than handmade jewelry made with real tiny flowers inside. Again, just $15, and even more permanent than perfume! If cats aren't your thing, I loooove these simple square rings too. You do you. I'll do me, which means I'll be wearing the cat things.
And with that, while I could probably continue to write about every product in my store for this post, I will cut myself off right here for now.
Happy Valentine's!
- Stefanie -
