As a special time of year, Valentine’s Day, is approaching, our favourite romantic flowers are everywhere. I love roses- both their beauty and their fragrance – all year around. Here are my 14 rose “alternative to flowers” gift ideas that can be enjoyed at any time of year as a gift or a treat to yourself.
All of the beauty products in this wish list are are cruelty free and vegan.
From top (left to right):
Rose Blush Tin Candle
“Gentle notes of rosebud & green-leaf mix with soft fruity notes of mandarin, the heart combines rose, lily, amber, geranium and spicy clove, with a base of musk, vanilla and classic iris.”
This cute, sweet smelling tin candle burns for 30 hours and costs £7.99.
Rosie Heart Creamer
“With a light, contemporary floral fragrance, this Bomb Cosmetics Bath Creamer has also been rolled by hand in finest quality Morrocan Rose Petals.
A sophisticated blend of floral notes, combining rose and jasmine for the fragrance heart and geranium and neroli top notes.”
This moisturising bath creamer smells beautiful and costs £2.29 (warning: it will fill your bath with rose petals.)
Second row (left to right):
Too Faced Love Flush
“Flush all day and night with the blush of true love. The long-wear, fade-proof, smudge-proof formula keeps your cheeks perfectly flushed for up to 16 hours. Pigment-rich, high-impact shades give a pretty pop of colour for any skin tone.”
I admit the packaging first drew me to this gorgeous blusher but it gives a great colour and lasts ages so the fact that it reminds me of a Polly Pocket set is just a bonus!
It costs £25 and is available from Too Faced (you can choose two free samples and use code TRUELOVES to receive 20% off your order!) and Debenhams which offers free Click and Collect for orders over £20.
Rosie for Autograph “I Love You So Much” Lipstick
“A hydrating, nourishing lipstick with a super-soft feel.”
Good vegan, cruelty free lipsticks are hard to find (especially since the BD Trade Secrets range was discontinued) so I was delighted to find the Rosie for Autograph range. I love this lipstick in the rose red “I Love You So Much- ILYSM” shade. It even has a rose embossed on the lipstick. This lippie will set you back £14. Other good vegan lipsticks can be found at Inika, costing £18. I hope Superdrug relaunch their B. Range soon for even more choice.
Kypris 1000 Roses Beauty Elixir
“A symphony of roses, this exquisite elixir cocoons your complexion with nourishing, normalising oils – steam-distilled from more than 1000 Bulgarian rose petals – to harness their skin-soothing, softening and pampering properties. The heady rose perfume uplifts and inspires, while the nutrient-rich oil both conditions and strengthens dry, damaged or stressed-out skin types.”
I have been lusting over this cult beauty product since Caroline Hirons reviewed it in 2015. It even appeared in her 2016 Cult Beauty Box which I would have loved to have got my hands on! It’s a beautiful product which will make your skin glow immediately and helps pigmentation which is one of my skin problem areas. It does come with a high price tag (*whispers* £70 for 14ml or £175 for 47ml) but this reflects the high potency of the product.
“This gorgeous shade is part of our Pastel range of polishes – it’s super cute, and it looks so lovely – what more could a girl want? Perfect for parties, nights out- or just another Monday at work. We don’t judge.
Veganise your entire nail care routine – start with our awesome nail polish remover, lay down a good base then a couple of coats of this fab nail polish should see you right. It’s super long lasting, but top with with one of our top coats, and you’ll have perfect talons for days.”
Fairypants is a new to me vegan makeup brand but one I’m looking forward to getting to know well. They have a great nail care range so you can treat your nails to a quick manicure this valentines with their nail care including cuticle oil and then paint them with this speckled Rose Nail Polish, £3.99.
Third row (left to right)
Ring of Roses Soap
“A pocket full of posies! A twisted take on the classic rose with a hint of pink pepper to send you loopy! With added pure rose and black pepper essential oils.”
A mild soap that smells great from Bomb Cosmetics. A lovely treat (I really love starting a new soap!) for £2.99.
Lush Imogen Rose Gorilla Perfume
“A true rose fragrance, delicate and full of love. Amber and vetivert add a touch of baby powder but little else complicates this romantic and exquisite love letter to the rose. On the skin, there’s a green, truly floral first breath of crushed petals, drying down to a sweetly powdered and utterly natural rose.”
Imogen Rose has been one of my favourite fragrances for a long time. Indulge in the perfume for £20 (10ml) or £40 (30ml) or get the 12g solid perfume for £12 (a great one to keep in the handbag).
Lush Tisty Tosty Bath Bomb, £3.50
“He loves me, he loves me not – Tisty Tosty is based on a medieval love potion. Studded with seven real rosebuds, it is scented with a captivating combination of floral orris root powder, rose, and lemon. As this dissolves in the bath, you may fall in love with it as the scent of geranium, jasmine and rose create a spellbinding fragrance. Rose oil also gets to work soothing broken hearts – it’s used by aromatherapists to lift the spirits.”
This pretty bath bomb smells so good and makes your skin feel soft too (beware it will leave dried roses in the bath but it’s worth it). Use Lush’s Love Spell Massage Bar on your skin after for even more magic (another warning: it does leave your skin quite pink!).
Lush Love You Love You Lots Soap
“Shower in them, bathe in them, uplift your mind, body and soul with them – nothing beats a rose to show you feel the throws of passion, and there’s four kinds in this luxurious lather.”
Rose petal infusion, rose oil, rose syrup and even fresh rose petals find their way into this love potion to give you a blooming good clean. Can you feel the love? You can now with this soap bar, £4.25.
Bottom row (left to right)
Diptyque Roses Candle £20 for 70g, £42 for 190g
“Like a tender, freshly picked bouquet, it pays homage to the queen of flowers.”
Oh, I love a Diptyque Candle. I adore Baies, especially in Autumn, but my favourites are their rose blends, such as the original Roses. I also loved Rosa Folia from last year and this year’s limited edition Rosa Mundi (currently sold out on their website but still in stock with Space NK and Selfridges). When you order direct from Diptyque your candle will come beautifully presented with two free samples- I love the Infused Face Oil and the sample lasts quite a while.
Cursed Rose Print, from £8.20, Etsy
This print inspired by the enchanted rose from Beauty and the Beast would brighten any wall (can you tell I’m looking forward to Beauty and the Beast next month?
Tale as Old as Time, Red Rose in a Bottle Necklace, £11.49, Etsy
“”Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme, beauty and the beast.”
Originally inspired by the classic movie Beauty and the Beast, these bottle necklaces/sets of earrings/bookmarks/decorations/key rings are perfect for fans as well as people who simply love beautiful roses.”
I love this enchanting necklace, perfect to wear to the film or any Beauty and the Beast inspired parties!
Another rose necklace I have is “Stop and Smell the Roses” by I Love Crafty.
Rose Ancienne (Old Rose) Diffuser, £25 for 100ml
“A tribute to the queen of flowers: a subtle, delicate blend of the green freshness of tea-rose and the creamy petals of white rose basking in jasmine: quite lovely. Enhance the experience by using in combination with Branche d’Olive’s Rose Room Spray.”
I was never a fan of diffusers until our visit to Clydey Cottages. The cottage was fragranced so beautifully with a Branche d’Olive diffuser I had to investigate. Rose Ancienne is the perfect fragrance to scent your room this Valentines.
I hope you’ve enjoyed these rose inspired gift ideas. What rose inspired gifts do you love?
Have you seen the “Smell the Roses” section in my shop?
