The 2021 Galentine's Day Gift Guide
Happy Galentine’s Day ladies! Super excited for this year’s guide because I’m featuring products made by friends. Most of the gifting ideas from this guide were curated with shopping female-owned and supporting small businesses in mind. Please keep in mind that all images in this guide are shippable and many of the items listed further down on the list are available through Amazon. That being said… Gift away!
Gift mindfully
Secret Scents of Ella
Does this one sound familiar? That’s probably because you saw the curvy body candles featured on BuzzFeed. I have the pleasure of being friends with the bad*ss boss running things over at Secret Scents of Ella. Pamela started her business pretty early on during the COVID-19 pandemic, as she had to pivot her business model very quickly to continue succeeding in a more challenging environment for retail brands. The Fantasy Collection was the first product line to launch and boy was it a hit! Now The Enchanted Collection just launched for Valentine’s Day!
The Secret Scents of Ella “Parker Torso” candles are featured in the above image in the following shades (displayed from left to right): Bare, Crème Brûlée, Luna, Sandy, Mahogany.
Pili Restrepo
This thriving Latinx female-owned business was featured on BlogHer’s article — “Latinx-Owned Instagram Shops to Support This Month (and Always)”, as well as Vogue, Man Repeller, and ELLE magazines. The founder and small business owner creates beautiful jewelry and sentimental objects made to raise awareness about the damaging effects of artisanal gold mining. This is a great cause to shop for and her work is beautiful. Don’t forget to share your gifting picks on social media by using the hashtag #objectsbyPR.
“Provocar Trinket Tray” by Pili Restrepo
Takamichi Beauty Room
This female-owned small business has been called "a “cabinet of curiosities” located right on 17th Street in the Gramercy neighborhood of Manhattan. Not only does this beauty boutique have a fantastic selection of luxury skincare products, but there are so many nice candles and unique beauty tools.
The Natural Rubber Elvis The Duck is made by Oli & Carol, designed in Barcelona, and made in Morocco. This cutie is made with 100% natural rubber from Malaysian Hevea trees and is actually meant to be a safe bath toy for children. And there are no holes for water to collect inside the rubber duck, which means Elvis can’t grow mold. Something to note… Because this is a handmade item, there can be minor variations in color and shape.
The Welcome Soap was made by Tamanohada, a 120-year-old soap company in Tokyo, Japan. I love this old fashioned “soap on a rope” for the shower, but I’m using mine for decorative purposes in one of the guest bathrooms because it’s so cute and fragrant. I got my hanging fish soap in Pomegranate, but it also comes in Muscovado (charcoal black) and Lily of the Valley (creamy white).
Clarifying Mask, Plumping Balm, and Balancing Rose Toner by Ilera Apothecary (displayed from left ot right)
Ilera Apothecary
Plant-based beauty is a girl’s best friend! Gift your bestie with these non-toxic skincare goodies. I discovered this brand when I was desperately looking for non-mainstream retailers selling hand sanitizer. This black-owned vegan beauty brand is relatively new, as it was founded in 2015, and based in Michigan. And the vegan beauty retailer has partnered with us here at OSFL to offer you 15% off your first purchase, using the promo code OSFL15. Shop away!
Purifying Hand Spray, Mellow Body Butter, and Revitalizing Night Oil by Ilera Apothecary (displayed from left to right)
“Umber Fairy Dust Torso” candle by Secret Scents of Ella
Welcome Soap by Tamanohada
Natural Rubber Elvis The Duck by Oli & Carol
Personal Recommendations
I love moisturizing oils and body butters, especially during February since it’s like the coldest damn month of the year. The Revitalizing Night Oil is everything! When it comes to my dry skin and seasonal eczema, oils and balms are the only way to go. My boyfriend likes the Conditioning Beard Oil and so do I because I haven’t come across a beard balm that I like yet. Yes, fellas! Ladies notice these things.
If you’re gifting this to a friend who’s never tried the brand before, I also recommend both the Cleansing Discovery Set and Moisturizing Discovery Set. Exploratory bundles and kits are the best way to try out travel-sized products!
And generally speaking, I enjoy sharing my favorite beauty products with friends and family, so sharing clean and vegan beauty brands has been at the top of my mind this year.
If you’re really stuck on what to get, go for the Purifying Hand Sanitizer… Everyone needs hand sanitizer these days, so it’s a nice gesture. Someone DM’ed me that they ordered a bunch of stocking stuffers over the past holidays.
Get a round of drinks from a distance
Here’s $15 off your first order from Cocktail Courier. If the link doesn’t work for some reason, the promo code is AHQUMC. While Cocktail Courier has a select offering of mocktails for the “sober curious”, I think WithCo is a better option because they have several different flavors of cocktail mixers that can just be combined with some sparkling soda. Plus, they have great cocktail kits with both their mixers and garnishes. And here’s 15% off your WithCo order using promo code OSFL15. If you absolutely can’t wait, WithCo does sell products on Amazon, but then the promo code won’t be valid. Amazon also sells cocktail making kits that just require your own booze. Check out some of the cocktail making kits by Filthy Food below or their Amazon storefront.
Pretty Cocktail Kits
Honey Sour Mixer
Pairs well with Whiskey.
Customized Cocktail
Create a kit with all of the ingredients needed for a special cocktail recipe from Whole Foods via Amazon.
Give the gift of self-care
It’s been a rough year and everyone is going through a lot, so I’m gifting lots of self-care kits to my friends this year. I’m usually big on candles when it comes to small gifts, so of course, I threw in a Burkelman candle. But I found these great bath and spa gift boxes on Amazon, in their new section featuring small businesses and up and coming brands. Just a tip: Be sure to ask about any allergies or friends who have sensitive skin, just in case.
Unique Fragrances
Shop these vegan, cruelty-free candles that are hand-poured in Upstate New York for a business that is LGBTQ+ owned.
Give something pink
Here are some basic pink cuties to gift to your friends on Galentine’s Day. The best part is that they’re all available on Amazon. From cozy sweats to a hot pink slip dress from The Drop by Amazon to a small pink heart by Kendra Scott, you can’t go wrong gifting these to your bestie.
Check out some more Vday gift guides!
Here’s the 2021 Valentine’s Day Gift Guide curated by yours truly! This year I’m shopping on Amazon for Vday & Galentine’s Day because I want to gift from the comfort and safety of my home.