This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.
Be Your Own Valentine in 2022!
The first time I even heard about Valentine’s Day was in middle school in the mid-90s. Back then, Russia was slowly recovering from the collapse of the communist regime and for the first time ever its citizens had the opportunity to access satellite TV and foreign TV channels. My parents, who wanted to expose my sister and I to as much outside world as possible, paid for two of those channels: a music channel and a popular kids’ TV channel, which is where I got my first glimpse of the American pop culture. We started doing “cherub mail” at school and it was a huge success! So many people got love notes: friends sent each other bff valentines, favorite teachers got them too, and sometimes there’d be anonymous love confessions sprinkled in. Those were some good times!
As an young adult, my Valentine’s Day experience turned into something less innocent and more materialistic. It was expected to spend the day with your SO, go on a dinner & movie date, and exchange small gifts. Singles celebrated with their other single friends, which usually involved going out to party in the hopes of meeting someone. I didn’t love this version of Valentine’s Day nearly as much as the one from my middle school days; it felt obligatory and didn’t quite have the same magic anymore.
Now that I’m nearing the big 4-0, I found a way to fall in love with this holiday all over again, and the key to it is to fall in love with yourself. I’m now a firm believer that you don’t need a designated holiday to treat yourself, just do it when you feel like you need it – that’s a good enough reason already. Honestly, I’m not surprised that the self-care trend is on the rise – god knows, we could all use some positive energy in our life right now, right?
With that said, the other day I received this Valentine’s Day box from Babbleboxx and wanted to share the contents with you guys. Everything here is perfect for a day of indulgence and self-care, and hopefully these goodies will inspire you to take some time for yourself.
Strawberry Sparkletini by Verdi
(21+) Strawberry Sparkletini by Verdi is fun, and sweet, and bubbly, and sooooo delicious! The strawberry flavor is bold and fresh, so you can enjoy it chilled on its own or easily make brunch mimosas. My favorite feature is the resealable cork that actually keeps the bubbles for up to 7 days [tested: it really works!!], feel free to sip a little at a time without worrying that your drink won’t be the same after a while. Sparkletini contains only 5% ABV, making it a great socially responsible drink choice [personally, I no longer enjoy anything over 10%, so this was a major selling point for me.] Honestly, I loved this one so much, I plan to try Raspberry and Watermelon flavors as well! For purchase info, head over to this website to find a retailer near you.
Tree Hut Bare Tahitian Vanilla Bean Moisturizing Shave Oil
I’m no stranger to Tree Hut body scrubs, but it’s my first time trying their Bare Tahitian Vanilla Bean Moisturizing Shave Oil, and so far I’m really enjoying it. The feeling is way different than when I use a shaving foam, it has a bit more slip and my razor seems to glide more easily on the skin, giving it a nice close shave. As an added bonus, it makes my skin smell so delicious! Purchase info can be found here.
Walmart Beauty: Julep Triple Quench Face Mask Trio
Walmart Beauty: Ariana Grande Grande Sweet Like Candy Perfume
Speaking of beauty gifts, when was the last time you checked out Walmart offerings? They even released a handy Valentine’s Day gift guide that has a bunch of good suggestions for every budget.
With the rising popularity of minimalism, I started giving consumable gifts – such as sheet masks – more often. I think they are are ideal for a quick pick-me-up during the week, and it’s not something the giftee will have to keep forever. Julep Triple Quench Face Mask Trio is a pretty good choice because it comes with three extra-fancy hydrogel masks, plus a prep serum and a night cream for each application. It’s kind of like having a SPA night at home! And for a more classic and longer lasting – but still consumable – gift, you can’t go wrong with a small bottle of perfume. Ariana Grande Grande Sweet Like Candy Perfume has glowing reviews online and has the cutest packaging, which will appeal to the singer’s fans and anyone who loves light, sweet, cheerful scents. The pompom is detachable and can be reused as a phone or bag accessory.
How are you celebrating Valentine’s Day this year?
