A special way to share the love this Galentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is the ideal time to celebrate love in every form, whether that’s love for your significant other or the special kind of love you have with your best friend.
Traditionally, Valentine’s gifts have been reserved for those in relationships, but after a turbulent couple of years, we’ve learned that any opportunity to show loved ones just how much they mean to you is not to be sniffed at. And while romantic Valentine’s Day gift ideas for a partner are easy enough (flowers, chocolates, fragrance – you know the drill), Galentine’s Day gifts are often overlooked. But a little Valentine’s treat for a friend could be just the thing to brighten their day. Luckily, we’ve got you covered.
We’re talking best friend Valentine gifts that won’t break the bank, ideal for loved ones near and far. Introducing, the letterbox Valentine care package – a thoughtful edit of beauty and self-care treats housed in one letterbox-friendly parcel. All you have to do is purchase a letterbox-sized envelope or parcel from your local post office (or better yet, recycle a box you might have received in the post) and fill it with little beauty pick-me-ups, curated specially for your best friend, ready to be dropped through their letterbox.
Whether you want to treat your best friend to a pamper-filled night in, complete with face masks, stock them up with beauty classics or arm them with make-up goodies to help them feel their very best on date night, Boots has everything you need to make their day.
THE BEST LETTERBOX VALENTINE'S DAY GIFTS FOR YOUR BEST FRIEND
For a cosy night in…
The perfect gift for friends who like to indulge in self-care, a letterbox gift filled with de-stressing beauty treats makes for the ultimate Valentine’s Day gift. Look for lightweight sheet masks and products housed in sachets to keep parcel weight down, ensuring your picks will fit in a letterbox-sized envelope or box.
Try: EcoTools Jade Roller (£10)
• Made with 100% jade
Nothing signals me-time quite like a facial massage and this jade roller is the perfect tool for the job. Great for helping de-puff and de-stress, its larger end glides over cheeks and forehead, while its smaller end has eyes and nose covered. It’s sure to go down a treat.
Try: Lee Stafford Coco Loco with Agave Coconut Shine Mask Sachet (£1.99)
• Size: 20ml
• Vegetarian-friendly
This highly efficacious hair treatment injects dry, damaged strands with a hit of shine-boosting moisture. After shampooing, apply the entire contents of the sachet to the mid-lengths and ends and let hydrolyzed milk protein and agave essence do their nourishing work while you soak. After five minutes of optimal relaxation, it’s time to rinse it out.
Try: Boots Care Moisturising Foot Socks Honey & Almond (£1.99)
• 1 pair
Think about relaxing treats that your best friend might not typically find the time for, such as these moisturising foot socks that couldn’t be easier to use. Simply pop clean, dry feet into them and kick back for 20 minutes while they help soothe and soften, breathing new life into tired tootsies.
For a night on the town…
Sometimes a night out with the girls is all you need. If you and your best friends plan on celebrating Galentine’s Day with a big night out, why not treat your girlfriends to bespoke letterbox beauty parcels? Think mini eyeshadow palettes, slim compacts and high-impact lip bullets and tubes. Just pop them in the post to arrive the morning of your big night out to get everyone excited.
Try: Fenty Beauty Diamond Bomb All-Over Diamond Veil (£31)
• Size: 8g
This glow-giving powder highlighter can be used on the high points of the face or dusted over the collarbone, shoulders and shins for a dazzling finish. It’s the perfect way to give a standard out-out make-up look a super-special finishing touch.
Try: Revlon Super Lustrous Glass Shine Lipstick (£8.99)
• Size: 4.2g
• Six shades
With the comfort of a balm, the pigment payoff of a lipstick and the high-shine finish of a gloss, this handbag (and letterbox) friendly lipstick makes for the perfect night-out lipstick. Plus, it comes in a variety of different shades suited for any and every taste.
Try: Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara (£9.99)
• Size: 7.2ml
• Ophthalmologist tested
Choosing a mascara to gift a friend can be tricky given the difference in tastes and preferences. While some want theirs to champion length and height, others prefer in-your-face volume. Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara, however, has it all. With a deep-black finish and lightweight length and volume, it’s a guaranteed hit.
For date night…
If you’re racking your brains for gift ideas for those friends in relationships, look no further. Perfect for the friend with a significant other (and who is subsequently missing out on Galentine’s Day plans), a letterbox gift for date night prep is the perfect way to show you’re thinking of them. Everything from glow-giving skincare to clutch-friendly make-up fit for touch-ups can be included.
Try: Garnier Fresh-Mix Tissue Mask with Vitamin C (£3.99)
• Size: 33g
• Vegan
With vitamin C, an exfoliating AHA and hyaluronic acid, this cult sheet mask makes for the ultimate date night skin prep. Simply pop onto cleansed, dry skin and leave for 15 minutes for a firmer, plumper and smoother-looking complexion.
Try: Eylure Fluttery Light 008 False Lashes (£6)
• Latex-free
While a girls’ night out might call for bold, voluminous lashes, for an intimate date night, a pair of subtly enhancing three-quarter lashes, like these from Eylure, shouldn’t go amiss. Ideal for the friend that prefers natural-looking make-up, these classic false lashes are a staple. Check out our guide on how to apply false lashes like a pro to nail your technique.
For a little bit of luxury…
What do you buy the friend that has everything? The best bit about Valentine’s or Galentine’s Day letterbox parcels is that they’re the most versatile and unique gifts. If your galentine is fussy or appreciates the finer things in life, you can still pack your letterbox gift with little luxuries without having to break the bank. From mini perfumes (you’ll have to tell the post office if the package contains perfume, confirm there’s under 150ml inside and keep it in its original packaging) to cult lipsticks, a little box of luxury is sure to put a smile on anyone’s face.
Try: MAC Retro Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo (£17.50)
• Size: 3g
• Five shades
A classic red lipstick is a must-have in any beauty lover’s make-up bag, and this cult shade from MAC is universally flattering. In fact, make-up artists and beauty insiders consider this one of the best red lipsticks in existence.
Try: Ted Baker Violet & Bergamot Hand Cream (£8)
• Size: 125ml
Even the most difficult galentine to buy for will appreciate this luxurious pick. It looks great on a dressing table and its nourishing formula containing shea butter and delicate scent provide some much-needed TLC for hard-working hands. There’s a good chance that you’ll want to treat yourself to one too.
