Galentine's Day is more important than ever, some fun ideas to get in on the love
2021-02-02
This one's for the girls.
If you're not already familiar with Galentine's Day, the I-love-you-BFF celebrating holiday is, according to Urban Dictionary, celebrated on February 13, the day before Valentine's Day, and was designed with the sole purpose of cheering hip-hip-hooray for the lady friends in your life whether they're single, attached, or in complicated relationships. Basically it's a big "hey, you're the best friend evurrrrr" declaration holiday and a sort of polite middle finger snub to the conventional roses and chocolates everyone says we're to expect the very next day from a traditional Valentine. You can, of course, have both. The more love, the better-- which is why Galentine's Day is more important than ever.
Photo by Uby Yanes on Unsplash
All you need to do is find a female friend, sister, or loved one and shower them with affection and goodies. It's that easy, and we've got some ideas for you.
Is this the neatest, and most useful thing you've seen in ages, or what? This 50-plant composting vertical planter has been deemed the "world's most advanced vertical garden planter," and for good reason. It's made in the USA, fits neatly on apartment-sized balconies, breathes new life and fresh air into small spaces, and keeps gorgeous, delicious, and mood-enhancing little green gems growing at professional levels even in big cities that feel like they're a million miles away from farm-fresh produce and flowers. Plus, balcony gardens are sort of the gifts that just keep on giving, making regular bouquets of roses just seem... lame.
This affordable little gift just may be the most genius way to reinvent the traditional cup of brew. Instead of waiting several minutes for your coffee to percolate, you can simply dunk a bad of this high-end joe in a cup of hot water the same way you'd do with a cup of tea. If the Galentine in your life is on the go, this gift will be her hygienic, cost-effective new best friend. Did we mention how endlessly cute it is? It is, and worthy of some Insta-lover. It also ships quickly, is made in the USA and is POC woman-owned, and offers an out-of-the-ordinary experience for an otherwise common drink.
Sure, she can work out in these stain-resistant, ultra-comfy track pants that give a nostalgic nod to the 90s, but more realistically you two can catch up on much-needed lounging, relaxation, and nothing in particular. They're available in up-to-date lavender or black and white colorways, and are eco-friendly and odor-resistant, which means they're in the laundry basket less often. See? That's what friendship is about.
Cozy up with some dark chocolate, dried fruit, and nuts on a wooden platter and open a bottle of Intrinsic's Red Blend for the perfect girls-night-in. With notes of fig, dark plum, and licorice root it's a lively addition to any meal, but also the star of game night nobody knew they needed (till now). If you're feeling extra friendly, up the chocolate ante to a pot of friends-forever-fondue.
She'll get five distinctly helpful sheet masks in this crowd-pleasing favorite set, and you'll be thrilled knowing you saved 20 percent on the bundle. You can use the Winter is Coming sheet mask together on FaceTime as you talk shop, Teens Dream to kick hormonal skin issues to the curb as you catch up on vintage TV from your youth, Hangover after too many Proseccos, or any of the others as needed. You can make weekend nights your new mask-together social distance tradition.
If you're both prone to watching cooking shows, binge-snacking in front of the Food Network, or tagging each other in recipe ideas across Instagram and TikTok, this set of two vintage floral printed 1.5-quart slow cookers from The Pioneer Woman is exactly what you need. Think of it as the modern, adult version of the broken BFF heart necklaces. You each get one to place on your counter, fill with delicious things, and fill each other's hearts with warmth.
The Anastasia Beverly Hills x Jackie Aina Palette Vault brings together everything you need to create on-trend eye looks and smoldering Zoom beauty. It starts with an eye primer for the perfect canvas, a shadow palette, a liquid liner for incredibly pigmented, true-black matte liquid precision, and a Lash Brag Volumizing Mascara that takes natural lashes to the next level without clumps or that icky, heavy feeling other mascaras often leave. Did we mention it's bundled for more more than half off retail value? It's a steal right now, so maybe get this one for yourself, too.
Did you know that having real, living houseplants can actually purify air and improve mood? It's true, and NASA backs this up, which is exactly why this adorable and easy to care for spider plant from Lively Root is the modern Galentine's Day answer to traditional bouquets. It's pet-safe so her cuddly BFF isn't at risk, and requires little more than water and showing up every few days to keep it thriving. The best part about spider plants? They set off shoots of little 'baby' spider plants that she can easily pot, repot, and give as gifts to the extended friend network, you, or just turn her casa into a jungle. We're not here to judge.
This social media-worthy mask is about to rock both of your worlds, because it's the kind of futuristic beauty device that really works and only takes 10 minutes a day that can easily be spent lounging on the sofa, listening to music, or catching up on podcasts. This medical grade LED Mask harnesses three therapeutic lights for a clearer complexion with blue light to banish bacteria, red light to prevent wrinkles and yellow light to detoxify skin.
Upload a treasured photo of the two of you, a captured moment of her with her favorite furball, or a family moment that was especially meaningful to Fracture.me and pick your preferred size to print directly on a frameless glass. It's shipped in eco-friendly packaging, ready to display on a stand or mount with a simple included screw, and offers endless sentimental value.
This water bottle is beyond all the others, and not just because it's cute and easy to carry. Astrea water bottles actually CLEAN tap water anywhere (on the go, rest stops, airports, gross gyms, park water fountains, etc) are are the only refillable, stainless steel, filtered water bottles on the market with the highest NSF certification to eliminate toxins, pharmaceuticals, lead, and contaminants like mercury. One Astrea water filter kicks a whopping 225 plastic water bottles to the curb, making this healthy hydration choice an eco-friendly option as well. If you love this, you should check out these doctor-suggested health hacks for better living.
This one-size-fits-many at home spa option is just what she'll want for a day in with a face mask, some deep conditioner, and a complete lack of desire to wear things with proper waist bands, buttons, and zippers. The set is as easy to wear as it is to machine wash, and is the bathroom accessory she'll use for the next several years with joy thanks to just how practical and cute it is.
You get a kick out of each other and love time together, so a pair of heart-adorned kicks probably makes the most sense. Go wild and get matching pairs of these James Goldcrown art-printed shoes that match his iconic heart-printed murals and walls everyone has seen around Instagram. They're comfy, classic, and go with just about every form of athleisure she's happily living in right now.
If she's a total pill and the balance to your entire world, she completely needs this Chaos + Order reversible pendant charm necklace from Maison Miru. It's the whimsical way to say you make life more interesting, and thanks for being the yin to my yang, and a decidedly mature, modern take on the classic broken heart BFF necklace.
If she spends more time on her hair than anything else, she'll get a good laugh out of this hair lube that actually works like a dream on textures of all types. Funny name aside, it adds shine, helps reduce breakage, smooths frizz and flyaways, and adds subtle definition to just about every hair style out there. Spoiler alert: you're going to want to order two so you both have one on hand.
Dry January can keep going, because this House of Saka White THC wine is the non-alcoholic wine she's been dreaming of since she committed to going booze-free. Are you sitting down? This gorgeous bottle is full of handcrafted white wine from specialty grapes grown in California's Napa Valley. It offers mouth-watering aromas of ripe peach, apricot, and toasty oak -- much like a Chardonnay might -- but instead of alcohol she'll be treated to a well balanced dose of THC and CBD. You're the best friend ever, pat yourself on the back.
She's going to fall in love with these comfy jogger shorts from Cozy Earth, and you'll probably fall for the buttery-soft fabric too. The good news is that the brand makes a whole range of bamboo viscose loungewear and bedding so you can drape both your lives in eco-friendly swoon-worthy fabric. You can also take 40 percent off any purchase with code bryce40 through Valentine's Day.
These always-useful eye pads are an underslept skincare lover's best friend. Each order comes as a six-pack, perfect to share with your girls group or give as an entire bundle to one deserving Galentine. They hydrate, plump, firm, and restore radiance to the undereye area, and when flipped on their side go hard to work softening crow's feet. Pro-tip: each package is over-filled with the brand's iconic serum formula, which means you can scoop the leftovers out to douse your entire face, neck, and bib areas with rich, skin-boosting serum at no extra cost.
If she's walks a little off the beaten path, has her own ideas about what's great, and displays a distinct sense of style, she's going to love Alter Eco dark chocolate bars -- especially when they come in rich, exciting flavors like Burnt Caramel and Total Blackout. They're made with organic, feel good ingredients and are the more thoughtful answer to a box of sugary truffles.
Get ready for a game-changing lip tint that's about to solve all the most pressing pout-relating issues: color, plump, and hydration in one little tube. A lot of products have said that before, but this subtle tint is a stickiness-free solution to a little Zoom pick-me-up look and the one little tube she'll leave in her bag, on her desk, and in the most prime corner of her vanity.
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