Love language tests fail me on a pretty consistent basis. This isn’t a critique of the tests themselves; rather, I think I just struggle to give adequate answers to each question. I need all of the five love languages in pretty equal amounts, whether it’s Valentine’s Day or any other day of the year.

But the one I miss the most when it’s gone is gift-giving.

When people hear “gift-giving,” they tend to think of it in simple, materialistic terms: I want X, Y, and Z. You have to spend however much on me for each holiday. It’s a plastic sort of consumerism, focused in on creating waste. But for most of us, I think, gift-giving is a love language that’s all about being frivolously thoughtful in all the little ways.

Think of the term as something built instead on micro-gifting, centred on the action rather than the gift. A bouquet of supermarket flowers once or twice a year; new markers by the sink so we can leave messages on the mirror; my favourite ice cream in the freezer, instead of yours. Suffering through eating only thinly-sliced bacon for eight months without ever mentioning that you only buy it because I can’t chew through the thick slices that you love from the butcher’s shop.

Shower staples for him (or whomever)

As someone who’s sensitive to silicones, dating can be hard. Even a couple of goodnight kisses will make me break out if the other person has silicones in their foundation or moisturizer, so finding someone who’s already silicone-free is a blessing.

For those who aren’t, though, switching over is usually pretty easy—and it’s the best gift that I could ever be given. I’m testing out some new products from Wise right now, including their silicone-free Wise Hemp Seed Oil Conditioner ($38 CAD) and Neem Wood Comb ($15 CAD). I have to make sure to wash the conditioner out really well (there’s plenty of rich, fatty oils in it), but the pair would be perfect for someone with dandruff or short hair. It smells the way you’d expect, with small amounts of essential oils like hops, tobacco, and vetiver root.

My best friend immediately switched over to Live Clean when we met, upon my recommendation—it’s a really affordable range. But Wise introduces something different to the ‘cone free market in the form of low-waste packaging. Their soaps and combs come in cardboard containers, and their shampoo and conditioner are sold in thin “refill” bags that come with a free glass travel bottle. Each bag contains a whopping 450 ml, and cuts down on packaging by using 80% less plastic than the average bottle.

Valentine’s Day date-night prep

The lashes on the Wise bag are, sadly, not included with your conditioner purchase. Instead, they’re KISS Lash Couture Little Black Dress lashes ($5.99 USD), a lash set that I fell in love with through a product sample a year or two ago. I’ve easily gone through a dozen pairs since then, and I finally managed to find them at London Drugs this month at 20% off.

I bought out almost their entire stock, of course, leaving just one set for the next person. They deliver the perfect, eye-opening amount of intensity, and they’re so comfortable once you trim them.

The other Kiss find featured here is their Purifying Charcoal Peel-Off Mask, which I was introduced to at a Kiss event last summer. I can’t get enough of it: it’s a little gentler than others that I’ve tried, easier to find, and a fraction of the price. The packaging says to use the product 2-3 times a week and let it dry for 20-25 minutes, which kind of makes me think that no one in their entire office has ever tried it; I’d recommend using it weekly (or the day before a big event). It should take about 10-12 minutes to dry, and peeling it off never gets any less fun.

(The Kiss mask smells really good, too, which isn’t always true of charcoal masks!)

Indulgent scents and serums

Scents are another one of the ways that I show love, both to myself and to my partners. I’m a low-scent person when I’m going out (fragrance allergy awareness!), but for a night in, I like to indulge in a little fragrance.

I am forever recommending the Kerastase Aura Botanica Concentre Essentiel Serum ($60 CAD), a rich, nourishing treatment for the hair and skin. It’s a product that I never use in my hair or on my scalp (ironically), but I love it enough that I’ve gone through more than one bottle. The serum is fragranced with a heady, botanical scent, and is the perfect consistency for a massage oil—not so thick that it’s sticky, nor so thin that your hands slip weightlessly over the skin. It even looks like it belongs on your nightstand for Valentine’s Day!

When it comes to perfume, I’ve been wearing Balenciaga B. ($87 USD for 1 oz size) and Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur ($55 USD). B. is a lovely, airy fragrance that wears close to the skin—it smells kind of the way a washed-out pink satin dress looks. It’s very light and fresh, with soft iris notes and a powdery, woody base. Maurice Roucel’s Musc Ravageur is almost the opposite, with spicy cinnamon and clove notes on a bed of bergamot and vanilla. Powerful and perfectly unisex, it clings to the skin for days.

Lip products to love

It wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without a couple of lip products, so I’ll leave you with a few last products to consider! One is a lip that you all know I love: Maybelline Voyager. The deep red and crisp lines of Voyager are a favourite for both my partner and I, but I’ve been mixing things up recently—we don’t go out a lot anymore, and I’m told that matte liquid lipsticks “feel like plastic” when you kiss them.

Lise Watier’s Rouge Fondant Supreme lipsticks ($27 CAD) dropped very recently at Sephora, and they’re well worth checking out. This one is in Chloe, a light mauve. The Rouge Fondant Supreme lipsticks are really creamy, with sheer to medium opacity and a soft, moist finish. I have a few that I was sent last year that I’m trying to find the time to swatch for the blog, so you’ll definitely see more of them soon!

Finally, for those who want a liquid lip in a lighter colour, Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in Flurries ($5.20 USD) is there to save the day. I bought a couple of the brand’s lipsticks during Boxing Week, and this one is my favourite. It’s a medium pink, and sits a little drier than Voyager—although it still creates that tight seal!

What are your Valentine’s Day plans this year? I’ve never gone out for it (and that’s not changing), but I’m always curious as to what everyone else gets up to!