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In a world where Valentine’s Day gifts can alter a relationship or affect a friendship, shopping for a loved one can be an arduous task. And for the extra anxiety-stricken, even choosing the right gift guide to flip through can be a struggle. Well, whatever your stress level this year, rest easy knowing that you came to the right place. The following Valentine’s Day gift picks are not only quite eclectic, crowd-pleasing, and unique, but they’re also R29 editor-approved.
It simply never hurts to get some wide-ranging perspectives on the issue at hand: Finding a Valentine’s Day gift that leaves your February muse(s) utterly smitten. So, whether it’s a quaint ceramic cream-and-sugar set or the internet-famous rose vibrator, cart one or two of the following editor recs. Or, at the very least, get a little gift inspo on what would really make your Valentine blush.
“My favorite way to rock Valentine’s Day color palette is through makeup — what can I say? I’m a beauty girl to the core. I recently tested out a bunch of Charlotte Tilbury’s new lipsticks, and this gorgeous muted red emerged as my favorite. Even though it’s a matte lipstick, the texture is surprisingly plush and comfortable on lips. And can we talk about the packaging? The metallic ruby case is stunning IRL and will make you legitimately want to reapply in public. In short, it was love at first sight — and sealed with a kiss.” —Karina Hoshikawa, Senior Writer
Shop Charlotte Tilbury
“Unfortunately, no one will ever stop me from recommending Smoko’s plushies as gifts, no matter the holiday. However, I thought I’d switch it up a little bit this year and recommend the brand’s new plushie…keychains that are perfect for Galentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day seems to get less and less about romance every year (even for my friends in relationships) and more and more about celebrating platonic love — and I think these adorable matching keychains do a great job of (and for under $20!).” —Alexandra Polk, Affiliate Lifestyle Writer
Shop Smoko
—PAID—
“I’m a big believer in incorporating games — whether they involve boards, cards, pantomimes, even piñatas — into the mix during social events. But recently, I’ve been trying my hand (no pun intended) at playing card games with a loved one as a date-night activity, which I highly recommend as a means to connect, grow closer, and engage in some healthy, flirtatious banter. This cleverly designed deck — a limited-edition collab between Baileys and The Skin Deep — makes an excellent gift this Valentine’s Day. Relationship-centered prompts (think, “Name my green, beige, and red flags”) run the gamut between playful and thought-provokingly deep, making this 50-card set a true game-changer for significant others and best friends alike.” —Hilary Shepherd, Branded Content Beauty Editor
Shop The Skin Deep
“I love a food-related gift, but chocolates and candies can sometimes feel too on the nose for Valentine’s Day. Yes, I realize that anything heart-shaped is cliche, too, but this heart-shaped waffle iron somehow feels more personal than just your typical sweet. Depending on who it’s being gifted to, you can gift it unopened, or surprise them with a heart-shaped waffle breakfast in bed on Valentine’s morning.” —Charlotte Lewis, Sexual Health & Wellness Writer
“Many people on this team know I love a cute breakfast moment (I saw a Hallmark movie during the holiday season and copied a reindeer pancake idea for my extended family at Christmas, and I do believe it made everyone’s day). A couple of years ago, my former partner came down with Covid right before a winter weekend trip away, which could have ruined our Valentine’s Day together, but I didn’t let it. I ordered a heart-shaped waffle maker, and, once recovered, I made a gooey and sweet breakfast. This is also cute for kids on Valentine’s Day — it’s not only reserved for a partner.” —Clare Palo, Senior Strategist, Audience Development
Shop Amazon
“Roses are a classic Valentine’s Day gift — but while the shelf life of fresh roses is about a week at maximum, this rose-shaped suction vibrator that doles out orgasms by the dozen is a gift that will last a lifetime.” —Charlotte Lewis, Sexual Health & Wellness Writer
Shop PinkCherry
“I am of the personal belief that if you’re giving a Valentine’s Day gift it should be something relatively thoughtful, but there is absolutely no assumption that it needs to be an investment — to be honest, I’d rather get diamonds or a dozen roses on a random day that’s not associated with a cheesy holiday. I love a sour gummy, so receiving an $18 bag of fun Swedish candies to pick through with a friend or a partner on Valentine’s Day seems just right to me.” —Kate Spencer, Sr. Affiliate Partnerships Manager
Shop BonBon
“I was gifted these Hawaiian chocolate bonbons, and they were such a sweet treat! This particular 18-piece collection has a bunch of fun, tropical-flavored fillings like mango, guava, honey blossom, and passion fruit. Each one is so tasty and unique (and a step up from regular Valentine’s milk chocolate, in my opinion).” —Victoria Montalti, Associate Affiliate Writer
Shop Koho Chocolates
“My mom just gave me this absolutely adorable iridescent cream and sugar set as an early Valentine’s Day gift, and I’m obsessed with it. It comes from Target’s Bullseye Playground section in the physical stores, but they’re selling out quickly, so unless you run to your local Target ASAP, you can find a ton of them on eBay for re-sale (and trust me, it’s worth it!)” —Victoria Montalti, Associate Affiliate Writer
Shop Ebay
—PAID—
“After forgoing the nutty, creamy, delectable goodness that is Baileys Original Irish Cream for years due to traumatic memories of pounding “brain hemorrhage” shots (IYKYK) in college, I recently reunited with the dessert-like elixir in the form of a chilled, chocolate martini, concocted with Baileys’ all-new Chocolate Liqueur. Smooth, sweet (but not too sweet), and absolutely delicious, this new drop tastes like the original Baileys, but with a welcome dose of rich, Belgian chocolate. In lieu of gifting a loved one the obligatory box of assorted chocolates or a boring bottle of wine, consider surprising them with this special bottle, which can be mixed into cocktails (a chocolate martini is an excellent option) or sipped solo for a luxurious post-dinner treat.” —Hilary Shepherd, Branded Content Beauty Editor
Shop Baileys
“Valentine’s isn’t all about romantic partners; sometimes it’s for your soul sisters. What better way to show your love than a cute lippie to make your bestie feel even more like a queen than she already is? I got this one with a cute jelly charm. It is a perfect V-day gift for my lovelies, plus it’s great for traveling.” —Becca Sax, Affiliate Coordinator
Shop Sephora
“My favorite person to give presents to is myself — that goes for any holiday, but especially Valentine’s Day. In the famous words of RuPaul, ‘If you can’t love yourself, how the hell are you gonna love someone else?’ I bought myself this set from Agent Provocateur as a V-Day gift for myself. It is the perfect gift to add a little spice to my everyday life and add romance when the mood calls for it, plus it’s on steep discount right now.” —Becca Sax, Affiliate Coordinator
Shop Agent Provocateur
“No brand does the overlap of kitschy and girly better than Brunette the label, and they have a whole range of Valentine’s Day sweatshirts, joggers, t-shirts, and fuzzy bags that make excellent gifts. I’m personally obsessed with this pink heart-printed jacket. Especially in mid-February when the weather is at its roughest, a cozy sherpa jacket that feels (and looks) like a hug is always going to be a hit. Plus, it doesn’t feel as intimate as gifting PJs, which is the usual heart-printed line available for most retailers.” —Charlotte Lewis, Sexual Health & Wellness Writer
Shop BRUNETTE The Label
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