3 Special Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas Under $50

Chocolates and Roses are OK, but nothing beats a unique and thoughtful gift. A gift that says “I know you better than anyone” and a gift that is far from generic – that says “this gift is as special as you are”. This is the kind of gift all of us girls cherish. We don’t want to be an afterthought, and we don’t want our gift to be more of an obligation than a gesture of love.

While there is nothing wrong with chocolate and roses, this is the time of year when a lot of women are dieting and we don’t really need to get high-calorie gifts that could sabotage our success. We want to feel thin …and pretty.

To me, a gift is something I want, but wouldn’t buy myself. It’s something “extra” that you don’t need but would be fun to have. Then, on top of that, if it’s something that no one else has, something that was made just for you, then you REALLY feel special.

Valentine’s Day is not really a time for “practical” gifts. While the gift doesn’t have to be expensive, a girl likes a certain lavish aspect to the gift. We like to feel like a princess. We like to know someone was thinking about us, shopping for us – or even taking the time to write a poem or hand-make a card. All of these gifts say “you are so special to me”.

Here are some gift ideas under $50 to help the men out there who are still trying to figure out what in the world to give their sweetheart. Get ready to be creative boys (but don’t worry, I’ll help!)!!

#1 Bejeweled Beauty

Girls love to try beauty products, but sometimes we feel guilty for getting another lip gloss or nail polish, when we know we need it like another hole in our head. If your girl is like me, she probably has plethora of make-up and beauty aids, but can we ever really have enough? I don’t think so!

Even something as simple as fancy lip balm can make a girl feel like a movie star. Like this bejeweled Vaseline Lip Therapy Rosy Lips, available at Kitson stores or at ShopKitson online. It is a limited-edition jar (just for Valentine’s Day), adorned with fine European crystals and a heart on the lid, which is totally over the top cool. You can also get a variety of these cute little Lip Therapy jars (minus the bling) in different flavors for only $2.29 in local food, drug and retail stores.

(PS: I just got this myself and love the soft texture of the product. Rosy Lips deeply moisturizes for soft, rose-tinted lips – not to mention the WOW factor of bling! It wasn’t even Valentine’s Day yet, but boy did I feel special opening this box! What a creative idea to put each Lip Therapy where chocolates go!)

OK, back to the gift idea. One of the most special gifts Steve ever gave me is when he hand picked simple beauty products like lip gloss, nail polish and beauty trinkets and made me a beauty basket. He didn’t have a clue what color would look good on me, but he did his best – and I had a blast trying the different products and colors.

If you really want to wow her, create a custom basket of handpicked beauty gifts from your local drug store, or department store beauty section, like a variety of lip glosses, nail polish, manicure/pedicure kit, beauty travel bag, make-up gift set, eye cream, facial masks and skin treatment systems. The more out of your box you go to put something together, the more special it will be!

$2 Photo Gifts

Girls love accessories – and nowadays, we carry our phone more than our purse, so a custom phone case with a special photo can be extra special. For instance, Steve designed this phone case for me from MyCustomCase.com and I absolutely LOVE it! He made 3 of them for me – one for us (the Love Endures one you see here), one for work that looks like a big business card with my name, picture and PfitBlog logo, and one with me and Marley (my great dane). Not only was the gift special, the fact he took time choosing meaningful photos meant the world to me! And it only cost him $35 per case to make my heart melt!

Don’t have time to make a custom order with that special photo? CVS and Walgreens offer same-day pickup for custom photo jobs including beautiful photo books and personalized calendars for under $30. Sadly, we rely on facebook and iPhoto to capture memories and rarely print photos these days. So, with printed photos being nearly extinct, any printed photo gift will be extra special and last for generations.

#3 Bath & Beyond

While bath and body products may seem like an easy gift idea, and may even lack that special flair, that doesn’t mean you can’t MAKE it special. Combine some body washes, lotions and fragrances with some relaxing and pampering aids like scented candles, aroma therapy, bath salts, a calming CD, bath robe or plush towel set. Baths are a wonderful quiet time for a woman to wind down after a busy day – and the products don’t have to be expensive. This gift idea isn’t as much about the product as it is the next part of the gift – the set up.

Take the whole gift over the top by setting up the bathroom as her ultimate oasis – bathroom sparkling clean, lights dim, candles already lit, rose petals floating in the water, music playing and her gift set on display waiting for her. Sound romantic? Well it is, but there is a catch. To make this gift special, you need to make this gift ALL about her. This means, don’t do it with the bedroom in mind or what she can give you in return. That’s for another night (unless she initiates it). The gift is not just about giving her body wash, but a safe place she can truly relax and simply feel pampered. Plus, this gift will keep on giving. Every time she takes a bath, she’ll remember your love and feel like a princess all over again.

Vaseline sponsored this blog post. The opinions and text are all mine.