The Heart Will Go On — Behold Part 3 of our Valentine’s Day Gift Guide!
Dress your sweetheart up in your love for Valentine’s Day — whether the recipient of this affection (and, as a result, these gifts) is a friend, colleague, daughter, or even yourself. And remember, my female readers, you can always steer your husband, boyfriend, fiancé, or suitor in the right direction and ever so slyly declare your love for the featured piece of your choice. Get ready for Part 3 of our Valentine’s Day Gift Guide!
Jonathan Adler Pink Heart Sunglass Case, $42. Available at JonathanAdler.com
Any bespactacled lass knows how easily lenses can smudge and scratch, regardless of how much was spent on protective coatings and other accoutrements. And, while it’s always wise to carry your eyeglasses or shades in a protective case, traditional hard flip-top cases can be both bulky and heavy. This 100% wool needlepoint case, measuring 3.5″ x 7″, is fully lined with protective padding, but its lightweight nature and unobtrusive silhouette makes it easy to stach inside totes and clutches. And, of course, the heart-shaped, red sunglasses stitched along the front surface of the honeysuckle pink case will make anyone’s day a bit sunnier.
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Amrita Singh Frunces Earrings, $120. Available at AmritaSingh.com
These 3.5″-long Amrita Singh earrings nod to the 1970s disco era but in a way that’s neither dated nor costume-y but, rather, feels modern and sophisticated. Made of a gunmetal-coated brass, the vertical earrings feature an elongated oblong shape and are covered with pavé-set Austrian crystals in a ruby red shade.
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Jean-Michel Cazabat Carrie High Heel Peep Toe Pumps, $345. Available at Bloomingdales.com
A triangular and sculptural peep toe adds a coquettish but ladylike twist to the exotic snakeskin uppers which also feel a bit more youthful thanks to their golden blush pink, sandy beige, and grayish taupe color scheme. Pink leather piping outlining the open vamp and the peep toe, meanwhile, gives the shoe a bit more structure and a grown-up glamour. A covered 4″ heel brings the style to new heights —literally.
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Pure DKNY A Drop of Rose Eau de Parfum Spray, $45 for 1 oz. and $65 for 1.7 oz.. Available at Ulta.com and DKNY.com
Introduced last fall, the third fragrance in the Pure DKNY line revolves around the aromatic beauty of the rose, as well as the romantic and sensual aspects of this blossom.It’s a fragrance meant to convey the loveliness of simplicity, to remind people of how enticing scents can be in their purest form, without a cacophony of notes and the addition of aromatic synthetics. Pure DKNY A Drop of Rose, then, is light, youthful, and delicate, made entirely of distilled Turkish roses grown in the Isparta Valley and harvested once a year, a process that involves gently plucking each blossom by hand and transporting these flowers to a nearby village for distillation.
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Dawn Levy Sunny Coat in Valentino Red, $400. Available at Bloomingdales and dawnlevydesign.com
Forget those Inspector Gadget-like trenches in bland shades of khaki. For Valentine’s Day, invest in a bold red trench that will make any woman feel like showing up at her lover’s door wearing nothing but her naughtiest lingerie underneath this jazzy coat. Like a traditional trench, this one features two rows of buttons along the front, a belted waist, epaulet straps at the shoulders adorned with buttons, and adjustable straps along the wrists.
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mark. Make It Rich Lip Color Crayons, $11 each. Available at shop.meetmark.com
Available in six shades, these chubby lip crayons will coat lips with highly pigmented, creamy color with a succulent luster. Unlike other lip pencils and crayons that deliver just a hint of sheer color, these offer full coverage, plus the pigment glides onto the skin effortlessly, almost melting onto lips. Check out swatches of the Peony, Hot Sauce, and Punch shades:
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Baggallini Fold Out Cosmetic Bag, $49.95. Available at Baggallini.com
Whether you’re a makeup junkie like myself or you’re traveling for a considerable period of time, you likely know how hard it can be to condense your list of beauty essentials in order to fit them into a makeup bag or train case. And, while you can always pack multiple makeup bags, doing so can not only be a hassle, but it can exacerbate your sense of confusion since it’s always hard to remember what was tucked into a particular pouch or bag. Are the lipsticks in that smaller case? Are the eye shadows and eye pencils in the rectangular pouch? And where are the brushes? You get the drill.
Fortunately, you can now carry a plethora of cosmetics in a single bag that — get this — folds out to 24″ in total length and even includes a swivel hook so that you can hang it from your hotel closet. Made of a lightweight, water-resistant polyester fabric and available in fun shades like pink (pictured first above) and lime (pictured second above), he Baggallini Fold Out Cosmetic Bag features a rectangular shape reminiscent of a lunch box when closed, the top flap secured by two hidden snap closures and a sturdy top handle making traveling with this bag all the more convenient. When you open and unfold the bag, you’ll discover three compartments in which to store all your beauty musts: a slim, zippered pocket on one side; a roomy, built-in pouch with a zippered closure on the other end; and a hefty zippered pouch along the center secured in place via Velcro strips, so that this main compartment can be removed as needed. All three compartments are completely see-through so you can quickly scan and locate your Baggalini for the desired item.
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Melvita Ultra-Nourishing Body Balm, $32. Available at USA. Melvita.com
French natural skincare and haircare brand Melvita specializes in exploring the healing and restorative qualities of the fruits, flowers, seeds, and herbs found in nature. Working with an in-house dermatologist consultant, they developed the brand’s patented 3 Honey complex, a mixture of thyme, acacia, and orange blossom honeys that they discovered could provide immense relief to dry and sensitized skin. This delectable, honey-scented, rich body balm features the outstanding 3 Honey complex, which helps skin retain moisture for smoother and more supple skin and which also works as an antibacterial agent; along with royal jelly, which can work as an anti-aging ingredient thanks to its skin-firming amino acids; cocoa butter, which is rich in fatty acids that are essential to maintaining softness and elasticity; and stevia leaf extract, believed to help heal wounds. What could be a better gift for your honey pie?
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Jenna Leigh Lingerie Namos Unlined Demi Bra $91, and Namos Ruched Back Tanga, $52. Available at JennaLeighLingerie.com
Ever looked at catalogs for luxury lingerie brands and wondered how they managed to make the models looked so ethereal? Well, aside from good lighting (every woman’s best friend), the key is that the models often wear pieces that exude a tender and elusive sensuality, revealing just enough while also boasting a feminine delicacy. These are the qualities that could well define the Jenna Leigh Namos Unlined Demi Bra, made of semi-sheer stretch lace in a powder pink hue and featuring adjustable straps and supportive underwire, and the matching Namos Ruched Tanga, which features an unexpected touch of ruching along the center back area.
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Teroforma Whisky Stones 9-piece Set, $20. Available at Teroforma.com
Want to get your Martini on the rocks but fear that the ice will melt and dilute your precious drink? Then the Teroforma Whisky Stones will feel like the answer to all your liquor-related problems. These 7/8″ cubes, made of Vermont-milled soapstone can chill a lukewarm or room temperature drink without diluting your cocktail (the drawback to trusty ice cubes) or altering its flavor. To use the Whisky Stones, you can simply place them inside their muslin storage bag and tuck them inside the fridge, allowing them to chill for at least four hours. When it’s cocktail time, drop three stones into a glass and pour the spirit atop them, then let the drink stand for about 3-5 minutes before taking a sip of your newly chilled beverage. Once you drank up, you can rinse the whisky stones off, air dry them, tuck them inside the pouch, and place them back in the freezer. And don’t be confused by their name — these problem solvers can be used for any type of spirit, be it wine, gin, rum, scotch, cognac, or whisky.
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Vintage Shoe Company Aubrey Shoe in Sunset, $179. Available at VintageShoeCompany.com
Gender-bending footwear is more than a passing trend — just ask Taylor Swift, who has been spotted on more than a handful of occasions wearing the Vintage Shoe Company Aubrey, a feminine twist on a classic men’s oxford featuring the trademark wingtip stitching and brogue-like details. Made of washed suede, the Aubrey is ultra adorable in the Sunset hue, a warm coral pink.
