You’ll Love To Love These Thoughtful & Creative Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas (As Seen on CBS Austin’s “We Are Austin”)
Whether you’re single, dating, in a relationship, or going through a murky my-Facebook-status-would-be-“it’s-complicated” phase, there’s no need to feel anything but joy as Valentine’s Day approaches. If you’ve yet to find the perfect token for your other half or your current squeeze, we’ve got some ideas right here that are sure to inspire you (and save the day!). And, if you’re single, consider treating your bestie, sister, or mom, and making it a Galentine’s Day celebration. Also, ladies, there’s no shame in buying yourself a little somethin’ special — you deserve it!
Below, check out some of the gift ideas showcased today on CBS Austin’s “We Are Austin” and make sure to watch the segment videos embedded above (or click here for Part 1 and here for Part 2). From curated gift boxes to diamond jewelry, we’ve got treats galore!
TICK THE RIGHT BOXES WITH BOXFOX!
We tend to associate Valentine’s Day with hokey rose bouquets (the type with garish stuffed animals clinging to the wrapper) and heart-shaped boxes of not-so-tasty chocolates, but there’s no need to fall into the trap of cliché gifts —especially when the idea is to convey your feelings for someone (and surely you want to say something beyond “I just picked this up at the supermarket on my way home”). That said, trying to come up with a gift that’s thoughtful and original can seem like a daunting feat. Luckily, the three young women who founded BOXFOX in 2014 planned to create a space that would streamline the gift-giving process, making each creation have the personal feel for which shoppers yearn. Think of them as your gift-giving jedis, streamlining the process of finding and assembling the perfect gift box — down to hand-packing each gift and including a handwritten note.
You can visit ShopBoxfox.com and choose a pre-curated gift box from the Valentine’s Day collection or you can build your own gift box, hand-picking items from the vast selection of products for the home, kitchen, office and beyond. You can select a small, medium, or large box; pick between the nude and black color options; then shop the BOXFOX marketplace, where you’ll find everything from scented candles and printed journals to colorful mugs, gourmet teas, cookie cutters, face masks, and more. Once you’ve assembled the ideal gift, you can type the message you’d like handwritten on the note included in the gift box and specify the address to which it should be shipped. How convenient is that?
If you want some inspiration, the pre-curated Valentine’s Day options are simply stunning. The BOXFOX Walks On the Beach Gift Set ($65 at ShopBOXFOX.com) was inspired by romantic seaside moments (think moonlit walks along the beach and kisses on the boardwalk), so it includes adorable beach-inspired goodies like a Herbivore Botanicals Coconut milk bath soak; a Voluspa Casa Pacifica tin candle that smells like driftwood and sea salt; a box of Sugarfina’s ice cream cone-shaped gummy candies; and an aqua blue ban.do luggage tag with the words “First Class” printed on it.
If you’re shopping for a gift for your BFF, the Gayle to your Oprah, check out the Galentine’s Box ($30 at ShopBOXFOX.com), which has everything a gal needs for some at-home pampering: a copy of Pablo Neruda’s Love Poems (with each poem printed in both English and its original Spanish version), an Aneon’s Rose Purifying Face Mask, and a box of Sugarfina’s Sugar Lips gummies.
LET HER SPARKLE WITH SPENCE DIAMONDS
There’s nothing like diamonds to bring out the sparkle in a girl’s eye! Spence Diamonds, the only diamond retailer that offers both mined diamonds and Artisan Created Diamonds, has some great options for every possible scenario: whether you’re a mom wanting to buy her daughter a special and timeless piece of jewelry or a lovestruck gentleman ready to pop the question with a shiny ring.
What is an Artisan Created Diamond, you ask? Well, these are diamonds created in a plasma chamber using a special technology that replicates the conditions under which diamonds are formed in the earth. Not only are they crafted in an ethically responsible and environmentally sustainable manner, but they have the same physical, chemical and optical properties as mined diamonds. In fact, the two are virtually indistinguishable!
You can’t go wrong with a pair of Classic Stud Earrings, like those shown above, which are available with Artisan Created Diamonds or mined diamonds. The earrings are available in a variety of sizes, and you can choose between a white, yellow or rose gold setting, with prices starting at $269 (visit SpenceDiamonds.com for more details).
Next, for those who want to get down on one knee this Valentine’s Day, I showcased two Multi Stone Solitaire Engagement Rings from Spence — one with an Artisan Created Diamond and one with a mined diamond.
The first ring featured a 0.54 carat mined diamond with 16 smaller diamonds along the 14K white gold band, and it retailed for $3,975. The second ring featured a slightly larger 0.92 carat Artisan Created Diamond with 16 smaller diamonds along the platinum band, and it was priced at $6,330. Spence Diamonds offers over 3,000 engagement ring styles, so these were just two of the options available, so if you’re planning on taking a knee, make sure to visit SpenceDiamonds.com or, if you’re here in Austin, stop by the Spence store at the Domain.
DEW IT RIGHT WITH A DR. DENNIS GROSS SKINCARE KIT
Maybe it’s because I just watched Guillermo del Toro’s masterful The Shape of Water or because I was raised on an island, but I always think of the sea as the most magical and romantic realm. You can bring some of that magic into your home this Valentine’s Day with the Dr. Dennis Gross Marine Moisture Rescue Kit ($58 at Sephora.com and DrDennisGross.com), which features three skin-quenching products that will transform dull and dehydrated skin, leaving it plump and dewy.
The kit contains a full-size Hyaluronic Marine Oil-Free Moisture Cushion, a deluxe sample of the Hyaluronic Marine Dew It All Eye Gel, and one Hyaluronic Marine Hydrating Modeling Mask treatment. All of the products in the kit contain hyaluronic acid, a buzz-y ingredient in the beauty realm thanks to its ability to hold 1,000 times its weight in water, drawing moisture to the skin and locking it therein to provide an instant moisture infusion while also ensuring long-lasting hydration. The products also include marine algae extracts — professional-grade algin in the case of the mask and Japanese green caviar (a type of elasticity-boosting algae harvested from the waters of Okinawa).
You want to start out by using the Hyaluronic Marine Hydrating Modeling Mask, which drives hydration deep into the skin and provides a cooling sensation, all while boosting radiance. To use the mask, you first need to mix the powder and gel (each one is packaged separately) in a bowl, using the enclosed spatula to stir together. Next, you simply apply a thick and even layer of the gel to your skin and watch as it solidifies, hydrating skin while removing impurities through an oxygen exchange process. Once the mask sets and is completely dry, you can simply peel it off and admire the difference.
After completing this treatment, you can then apply the Dew It All Eye Gel, which moisturizes the area around the eyes while also reducing puffiness thanks to the caffeine in the formula and adding instant luminosity thanks to the addition of optical diffusers. To complete the routine, massage the Hyaluronic Marine Oil-Free Moisture Cushion to your entire face. Over time, you’ll notice this moisturizer not only hydrates your skin and gives it a radiance boost, but it also makes it look more lifted and taut.
CREATE A SCENT-UAL EXPERIENCE WITH DOLCE & GABBANA’S THE ONE EDT
There’s something so mysterious and enchanting about perfume. As Sonia Rykiel once said, “Perfume follows you’ it chases you and lingers behind you. It’s a reference mark. Perfume makes silence talk.” So, if perfume is your signature via scent, if it’s a reflection of your innermost self, what do you want it to say? If you want a fragrance that exudes your joie de vivre, that’s sensual and sophisticated but also exuberant and vivacious, then you’ll adore Dolce & Gabbana’s The One EDT ($78 for 1.6 oz. and $100 for 3.3 oz. at Macy’s stores and Macys.com). The fragrance features a floral heart of madonna lily, lily of the valley, and jasmine, but it also has a charming freshness thanks to juicy top notes of mandarin, lychee and peach.
The Dolce & Gabbana The One for Men EDT ($68 for 1.6 oz. and $88 for 3.3 oz at Macy’s stores and Macys.com), meanwhile, is designed for the elegant, suave, magnetic man. The spicy oriental scent features notes like grapefruit, ginger, cardamom, tobacco, and cedar wood, so that it somehow feels simultaneously classic and modern — not to mention effortlessly enticing.
If you’re shopping for your favorite power couple, buy one bottle of each and make it a “his and hers” gift. Or, if you’re in a relationship, treat yourself to The One EDT and pick its counterpart for your bae!
SEND YOUR LOVE (AND BEAUTY TREATS) VIA BIRCHBOX
I love getting mail. Correction: I love getting handwritten cards or letters and fun packages in the mail (bills and circulars obviously don’t fill me with glee). And, of course, when it’s a package filled with beauty products, it feels like Christmas (even when it’s a random Tuesday in March). Obviously, I’m not alone, which is why subscription box services have become more and more popular over the years. And, when it comes to beauty, nobody does beauty boxes quite like Birchbox.
This Valentine’s Day, treat the beauty buff in your life to a Birchbox subscription so that, every month, she can receive a box filled with product samples for her to experience. Not only will you be giving her access to great beauty products, but you’ll be treating her to all the excitement and anticipation that accompanies each month’s unboxing experience.
For just $10/month, Birchbox members receive 5 personalized beauty samples that address their specific skin care and hair care needs, as well as their fragrance and makeup preferences. When gifting a Birchbox subscription, you can pick between a 3-month, 6-month or 12-month plan (priced at $30, $60, and $110, respectively) and, once you’ve made your choice, you can enter the recipient’s info online. The recipient can then log onto Birchbox.com and fill out her Beauty Profile, which will be used to determine which products would most interest her.
The monthly box is a great way to discover new products — and, if you wind up swooning over something you sample, you can always log onto Birchbox.com and buy a full-size version. The site offers a great selection of goodies from amazing brands like Benefit, Kiehl’s, Sunday Riley, Tata Harper, Supergoop, and more, so it’s a great place to do any beauty shopping necessary!
MAKE SELF-CARE A PRIORITY WITH VITAL PROTEINS
I’m a big believer in taking time out for yourself, in seeking out everything you need to enjoy a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Whether it’s daily meditation, a morning run, a relaxing soak in the tub, a quiet moment watching the sunrise, a weekend afternoon spent curled up with a good book and a hot cup of tea, you always need to make sure you’re taking care of your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs. In the words of Carrie Bradshaw, “the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself,” or, if you want to keep it simple, remember RuPaul’s trademark phrase: “If you can’t love yourself, how the hell you gonna love somebody else?” This Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to start prioritizing self-care.
One great way to do so is by taking advantage of Vital Proteins’ Valentine’s Day bundle options. For a limited time, when you visit VitalProteins.com and grab one of the brands’ flavored Collagen Peptides, you’ll get a special “I Love You A Latte Mug.” You can choose between two bundle options: a 20 oz. Mixed Berry Collagen Peptides tub and special Latte Mug for $55 or a 20 oz. Vanilla Collagen Peptides tub and special Latte Mug for $68.
These dairy-free, gluten-free, and 100% natural dietary supplements contain hyaluronic acid, collagen peptides, and probiotics to help support healthy skin, hair and nails; fortify your bones and muscles; and to balance your gut flora and promote a healthy digestive system (and, in turn, a strong immune system). The powdered formula is soluble in cold and hot liquids, so you simply need to add 1 scoop to your coffee, tea, juice, or smoothie, and you’ll get the nutrients you need while satisfying your sweet tooth.
