Love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and, more than ever this year, it’s time to get creative with our Valentine’s gifts. A nice card and gift doesn’t have to cost a lot after all, it’s always the thought that counts in the end and you don’t need a big budget to let your other half know you care.
A gift that you both can share would get my vote. Whether it’s dinner somewhere nice, or a candlelit home-cooked meal, Valentine’s is all about romance so lay it on thick. If you do opt for a night in, make the effort to dress up for each other, prepare a romantic meal and take a cue from many chef’s Valentine’s menus using aphrodisiac ingredients like shellfish, asparagus, banana, strawberries or chocolate, topping the meal off with a sparkling wine like Prosecco or splash out on your favourite bottle of bubbly. Perfumes from natural foodstuffs such as almond, vanilla and other herbs and spices act as a pheromone to communicate emotions by smell so don’t forget to consider scent as well as all the other senses for your date, some scented candles will also help set the mood.
Valentine’s night itself conveniently falls on a Saturday this year, and I’d imagine restaurants throughout the city and county are already taking bookings for what’s bound to be a sell-out night. The Valentine’s Soirée black tie ball at the Strand Hotel will, I’m sure, prove very popular with many couples wanting to dress up and dance the night away. For singletons, grab your girlfriends and get out on the town en masse for what can be a great night out – and there’s bound to be lots of single men out there doing the same thing so you never know what chance encounters might lead to!
It’s important of course to dress from the inside out ladies, and feeling body beautiful will make you more confident in those carefully chosen intimates. Exfoliate well in the run up to the day and lather on the moisturiser to have yourself feeling great. If you can’t stretch the budget to a manicure and pedicure, then do it yourself at home the night before. Clear your schedule and invest some ‘me time’ to properly pamper yourself. Finally, whatever you get up to, take the time to really enjoy this one night of the year totally dedicated to good old fashioned romance. Happy planning! Next week I’ll have some gift suggestions to help those still trying to decide on a gift for their loved one… Red hot lips and nails will look great for Valentine’s – Novalip Rouge Satin e16.50 for lips and Silicium Color Bloc e11 for nails; both by La Roche-Posay are available from pharmacies.
