Valentine’s Day — February 14 — falls inside Black History Month. But what is Valentine’s Day, exactly?
According to a Google search, the month of February has long been associated with romance, and that St. Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains parts of both ancient Roman and Christian traditions. Was there a real Saint Valentine, and if so, how did he become associated with this ancient rite?
His death probably occurred around A.D. 270 while others claim that the Christian church may have decided to place St. Valentine’s feast day in the middle of February in an effort to “Christianize” the pagan celebration of Lupercalia.
Celebrated at the ides of February, or February 15, Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. Either way — the world over will celebrate Valentine’s Day with gifts of wine, chocolate and of course fragrance.
Here’s my list of the perfect Valentine’s Day gifts that will get the results you absolutely want.
FRAGRANCES
Maison Margiela’s newest fragrance — Replica On A Date – When creating this new fragrance, the perfumer Carlos Benaïm was inspired by his own cherished memories of Provence. On A Date is the scent of grapes and roses. The top notes are
Black Currant Liquor Accord, Bergamot Oil, and Pepper Oil. The middle notes are Insparta Rose Petal Essence, Geranium Oil, and Davana Oil. Sustainably sourced.
Prada Paradoxe EDP 90 is a lush, floral ambery fragrance that’s fresh with the first Neroli bud extraction for Prada, to capture the flower’s fresh dimension. The top notes are pear, tangerine, and Bergamot; the middle notes are orange blossom, Neroli Essence, Neroli, and Jasmine Sambac; the base notes are Bourbon Vanilla, White Musk, Amber, and Benzoin.
Infused with Ambrofix™, a bio-converted amber, revealing a vibrant warmth. Reinventing intensity through a new revolutionary musk molecule: the Serenolide™, for an intense yet subtle and comfortable trail noticeable right from the top.
This scent sells out quickly. Created by billionaire Rihanna her inspiration was clear:
“What began as a garden walk in the global center of perfume became an unapologetic expression of my full and true essence. The experience begins as soon as you lay eyes on the bottle. This isn’t about a fantasy—I wanted to experience truth. Fenty Eau de Parfum is for remembering what’s real. I made a fragrance for myself and am now sharing it with you.”
MAKEUP
New from Benefit. Their obsession with pores continues with the arrival of PORE Care. The
Collection: 6 high-performance POREfessional products to visibly minimize pores, clear pores, and smooth pores. Plus, a PORE tool! The POREfessional Good Cleanup: pore-purifying foaming cleanser ($29). The POREfessional Tight ‘N Toned. The POREfessional Get Unblocked. The POREfessional Deep Retreat (pore-clearing clay mask). The POREfessional Smooth Sip lightweight smoothing moisturizer for pores. The POREfessional Speedy Smooth quick smoothing pore mask. The POREfessional All-in-one mask wand: face mask applicator and cleansing tool.
Rare Beauty introduced three new colors of the Lip Soufflé Matte Lip Cream which are now part of a collection of neutrals that she felt were currently missing from the set, which now boasts 15 shades ranging from neutral to bright. The Lip Soufflé Matte Cream is a hydrating lip product that has long-lasting color and a weightless texture.
HOURGLASS has so many products that fit this category it’s hard to choose. But if I had to choose three gift ideas they would be their Ambient Lighting Edit — Unlocked, Ambient™ Lighting Edit Brush, and the Soft Glow Foundation Brush.
BLACK-OWNED BEAUTY BRANDS
FOR HIM
Scotch Porter Beard Collection Beard Collection’s key ingredients include Biotin Liposomes, Burdock Root & White Willow to condition and moisturize to promote a healthy, soft, thick-growing beard.
Buttah Skin is pure perfection. Launched by Dorión Renaud in 2018, and now available online and in Ulta Beauty, this brand continues to build a devoted fanbase because it works. The products are designed to care for melanin-rich complexions and to help empower Black men in their skincare journeys, the line’s moisturizers, serums, masks, and more have become favorites across any binaries.
FOR HER
Juvia’s Place was created by Chichi Eburu after struggling for years to find makeup that enhanced her dark hues of her skin tone. Her collection covers everything from eye shadow palettes and foundations with a rich shade range, all created to celebrate the vibrancy of Africa.
Danessa Myricks Beauty, created by Danessa Myricks, creates products with multi-purpose, which comes from the founder’s background as a self-taught makeup artist. From sparkling chrome pigments to flexible base shades, the expert-approved brand has everything you need to create a show-stopping look.
FOR HIM AND HER
Base Butter was founded by She’Neil Johnson-Spence and Nicolette Graves created a product to treat their oily, combination, and acne-prone skin. This brand seeks to make skincare simple and deliver products that work.
TPH by Traji is created by actress and beauty icon Taraji P. Henson. Her line was created to embrace how versatile Black hair is, ensuring that scalp care is the No. 1 priority. TPH features products that will provide a deep clean and targeted treatment for any hair type.
Rosen Skincare was founded by Jamika Martin to assist those with acne-prone skin.
The brand is committed to avoiding questionable ingredients and is both a thoughtful and affordable brand.
