Two things my 15-year-old self never thought I’d grow to love- bright pinks and rose scents. Despite my sweet mom’s attempts at trying to encourage me to be, or at least dress like, a “girly girl” I’ve always had this deep dislike for dresses, all things pink and anything that smelled even remotely close to roses. The latter always reminded me of one of my older, distant relatives who loved using way too much of that strong, powdered perfume that smelled like… you guessed it, roses. She was also quite opinionated and never shy about criticizing everything and everyone she could which, despite the “always listen, be kind to and respect the elderly” value engrained deep within me by my family, led me to simply didn’t like her.
But hey, Valentine’s Day is all about love, right? Why waste our time talking about that one aunt who, for some strange reason, seemed to hate even those very well-behaved children?
To be honest, I’ve never been a huge fan of this particular “holiday.” I mean, yeah, it’s fun and exciting when you and your SO are in those early stages of dating, just getting to know each other. Ten years down the road though, it becomes a little tiring trying to find a place to eat when every nice restaurant is packed, not to mention that you have everyone on the radio, TV and the Internet talk about chocolates and flowers for a month.
Of course, I love LOVE, but I also think that it’s something that should be celebrated all year round. So, for a couple of years now we’ve had our own little tradition where both my husband and I treat ourselves to something each one of us likes. We each take the time to have a little “me” time and finish the day off by cooking an epic meal together, which we can then enjoy from the comfort of our living room, away from the crowds. These are a few of my beauty picks that help put a smile on my face.
ROSE SCENTS
Jo Malone Red Roses Cologne– if rose-y scents are your thing, then this is worth a sniff or two. It’s a clean, delicate and very “real” scent that is close to that of a fresh bouquet of roses.
Molton Brown Rosa Absolute– I love the entire Rosa Absolute Collection, but the Eau de Toilette is my favorite. Similarly to the Red Roses Cologne, this is a very real, red-rose scent that doesn’t smell fake or artificial.
Voluspa Rose Champs+ Milk Rose– a scent of fresh, real roses is great, but what I look for in my rose-scented candles is a bit of that soft coziness and creaminess. Voluspa’s Rose Champ smells like a mix of sweet roses and champagne and while Milk Rose is a delicate mixture of Bulgarian rose, marshmallow milk, white copali amber.
SKIN + LIP TREATS
Other than the adorable packaging, YSL Heart and Arrow Rouge Volupte Shine Oil-in-Stick Lipstick also has a beautiful texture, a formula that won’t bleed and gives long-lasting hydration with just a hint of color.
Givenchy also has a gorgeous, limited-edition release for Valentine’s Day: Rouge Interdit Satin Lipstick. It’s available in two vibrant shades, Rouge Interdit which is a true red and Infarose– a bright fuschia. Both have buildable coverage and very smooth, creamy formula.
I’ve always thought that Pixi has some of the best rose-infused skin products. Some of my favorites include the Rose Cream Cleanser and Rose Ceramide Cream. I really love how gentle these are on the skin, the rich, creamy formula of both without an irritating or overwhelming scent.
BATH-TIME INDULGENCE
This winter I’ve been taking more baths than ever. One, they help me deal with chronic pain, and two- I’ve actually discovered that they also help me practice being more patient.
Weird, I know.
For a while now I’ve been trying to find my way back to that peaceful, mindful place in life and it’s been tough. Mainly because I find myself feeling incredibly inpatient and fidgety all the time, or even annoyed by very small things. Regular meditation doesn’t always do the trick when I find myself feeling overwhelmed. Having a long bath sort of forces me to just relax, unwind, de-stress- because it’s not like I can just get out after a minute since I spent 30 minutes filling the tub with water, gathering all my favorite bath treats, etc. I turn off my phone and read or listen to an audiobook, and try to find my way to embracing the stillness.
Dr. Teal’s’ Relax & Relief Soaking Solution has been my favorite for years. There’s something about that Eucalyptus and Spearmint combo that always helps soothe both my body and mind. I love the beautiful scent and that it helps me to relax those tense muscles. For a more Valentine’s Day themed bath indulgence: Lush Twilight Bath Bomb and The Comforter Bubble Bar. These two used together really make for a relaxing and soothing bath. I love using all three together- I find that while the bath bombs and bubble bars turn the water into a silky-smooth liquid, they don’t do much in the indulgent scent department. It might be that my bathtub is simply too big (also a pain in the ass to clean, which is why once I commit myself to take a bath I’m staying in till the water turns lukewarm), but they only smell nice right out of the bag. Once dissolved, I no can no longer detect that sweet, soft scent, and adding Dr. Teal’s Solution compensates for that.
Are you treating yourself to anything special this coming week?