Get Ready for Valentine’s Day – Hitched or Single! Beauty Edition

There are lots of reasons to love Valentine’s Day if you’re dating or have a significant other. If not, then it’s just a big ‘ole excuse to buy yourself some beauty products!

When I lived alone (before the days of Gregg), I had an epiphany one day. I realized that when people came over to my apartment (guys or gals), I would do certain things to make my home more hospitable. I would turn on the ambient lighting, light some candles, pick up all the junk mail on the coffee table, put out some snacks, turn on some tunes, maybe even put out some fresh flowers. Then I thought – why the HECK am I not doing this for myself? If you’re single this Valentine’s Day, vow to make yourself the special one. Do this for yourself every day. Take the time to clean up and make your space more inviting. I know it’s hard – and I don’t always do it for myself, but I feel so much better when I do.

You can do the same thing with beauty products. Take the time to make yourself look good, so you can look in the mirror and say “hell yeah – I am lookin’ good!”. Have a spa day just for yourself. Light some candles and relax.

Here are some awesome beauty products that you will probably have to buy for yourself. Even if you’re married or have a boyfriend – come on – guys don’t know about this stuff! Unless you send them this article as a little hint! 🙂

TokyoMilk is a fun brand that started with fragrances and has branched out into lotions, lip balms and more. I just found out about this Femme Fatale Lip Elixir (what a name!) during a recent Sephora haul. This one is No 36 – salted caramel, sweet cream, and toasted vanilla bean. It tastes and smells SO good! I’m hooked!

The highly pigmented, sparkly Tarte True Love Lipsurgence Lip Gloss comes in the QVC special Colored Clay 7 piece kit. You can wear it alone or over red lipstick for a sexy, shimmery pout. It might seem like a bit of a splurge, but you get a lot for the price. Plus, you’re worth it! What did we just talk about?

I’ve been obsessed with 100% Pure for a while now, and I recently test drove some of their nail polishes. I’m wearing this one now and I keep telling my boyfriend to look at my nails every few minutes. I’m like, “look at them on the dog, look at them on this shopping cart, look at them in this light…” Yep – I have a problem.

You can buy your own chocolates – in lip balm form that is! Mystical House is an Etsy shop run by a nurse, Belinda, who makes cruelty free bath and body goodies in her spare time. Check out these delicious blends: Mint Chocolate, Cherry Chocolate and Orange Chocolate! They are great for chapped lips that are about to do some kissing! You may have to offer some to your boyfriend if he doesn’t already have mad lip balm game.

LAVANILA Laboratories makes great aluminum-free deodorant, but WOW – their perfume is amazeballs! The Vanilla Coconut perfume is perfect for me, because I love it AND my boyfriend loves it (he loves anything coconutty). It’s rare that our noses like the same thing, so this is a huge win for me. It’s an exotic blend of coconut, Tahitian tiare flower, and warm Madagascar vanilla, and is created by master natural perfumers who use only the finest pure essential oils. It’s made with good-for-your-skin antioxidants like goji berry, kakadu plum, olive leaf and willowherb. It’s vegan and cruelty free.

Traditional Fragrances are loaded with phthalates, harsh chemicals, chemically-laden alcohol and petrochemicals that can cause dryness and irritation. LAVANILA fragrance is made with all-natural and organic ingredients and is completely free of harsh chemicals. The packaging is ridiculously gorgeous too – with die-cut flowers. This would be a good gift FROM your man or FROM you to yourself!

Finally, get your candlelit bath time – either with your dude or solo. I’ve been loving Clenapure products for bathtime. The Shea Oil Body Wash is moisturizing without being greasy. The peppermint scent is so refreshing too.

The Fluide Body Moisturizer is simple and perfect for all skin types. Not greasy and unscented. Check out the ingredient list – amazing stuff packed in!: Organic Aloe Juice, Lavender Distillate, Organic Roman Chamomile, Organic Coconut Oil, Jojoba Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Avocado Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Witch Hazel, Organic Extracts of Red Rooibos, Green Tea, Nettle Leaf, Chickweed, Slippery Elm, Milk Thistle, Marshmallow, Oatstraw, Blue Green Algae, Vitamin E, Phenoxyethanol, Neem Oil, Black Willow Bark Extract, Rosemary.

My favorite product is the tub of Grapefruit scented Detox Bath Salts. Made with Himalayan sea salt and essential oil, it eases aches and pains in the bath without turning the water any weird colors. Sometimes weird colors are good. Sometimes you just want a pure, relaxing bath experience without dyes or chemicals. All Clenapure products are cruelty free and vegan, and they don’t contain sulfates, parabens, mineral oils, phthalates, propylene glycol, synthetic fragrances, artificial colors or petroleum-based ingredients.