Men always ask, What do I get my Partner for Valentines Day?
We, as men, know the perils and pitfalls of trying to buy for your better half. Man or woman, you’re going to make a mistake. Accept that now, and move forward with giving it your best shot! A pug duvet set, as I have learned, is not your best shot.
I know! A great gift, my fiancée didn’t think so. With her help, we’ve put together a gift guide from some fantastic Irish brands that are really setting the way in their industry.
This Valentines Gift Guide for Men is aimed at the hopeless out there who want to make sure you don’t end up in the dog house again this year (we accept no responsibility if your plans fall to sh!t after buying any of these, you should know your partners tastes!).
We wanted to cover the bases in terms of product selection, prices and types of product and we feel we’ve found some well known brands and some really great artisan producers to showcase in this article. As a small Irish independent retailer ourselves, we’re happy to give back and try and send some business their way.
Without further adieu, here’s our 2018 Valentines Gift Guide for Men, for your partner:
Fuschia
Fuschia are an Irish make up brand that have been going since 2005. My fiancee was very excited when she heard they were sending over a hamper so take note gents! Fuschia are a massive Irish success story and that’s something we really admire. Here’s an overview of some Fuschia products that would make ideal Valentines Gifts:
BOOM! Brow
Women are all about the eye brown these days apparently. Whether she likes them big and bold, or subtle and natural, Fuschia Make-Up’s Award Winning BOOM! Brow is easy to apply and can be used to create any brow finish. Brow-nie Points in the Bank, lads. Price: €18.25
Tribal Shadow Palette
Buying make-up for her can be daunting, especially anything colourful. Fear Not. TheFuschia Make-Up Tribal Palette is a best seller and this is down to the versatility factor. A diverse mix of warm, flattering shades, in both matte and shimmer finishes, this palette can create day to night looks or even full-on festival creations with ease… a definite winner. Giving the gift of a lascivious pout is a Win-Win. Liquid Lips from Fuschia Make-Up is a long-wearing lip stain, which ensures full coverage, all day and long into the night, without drying or caking. Her lips will thank you for it.
Mineral Make-Up Starter Kit
Mineralise her make-up kit, without breaking the bank. Mineral Make-Up is all natural, simple and pure and can be used to build any level of coverage with ease. This kit is insanely good value. The real beauty of Fuschia’s mineral make-up is the radiant, dewy glow it creates on all complexions. Price: €49.95
#spoilme Hamper
For anyone looking to make a real statement this Valentine’s Day, this hamper is the right job. As the name suggests, this hamper includes a stunning selection of Fuschia Make-up, covering everything from foundations, lashes, lips stains, mascara, highlighters, shadows, shimmers and the genius product iLine Sealer. This is an absolute knockout gift, which is sure to impress.
Price: €160
Contents Value Individually: €280
Fuschia Make-Up is available in pharmacies and salons nationwide. They have a flagship store in Scotch Hall, Drogheda and a new concession now open in McCabes Pharmacy, The Pavilions.
Also available online at www.fuschia.ie
Celtic Candles
Another great Irish brand that’s making waves is Celtic Candles. You’ve probably seen their candles in your pharmacy or gift shop as this is one Irish Brand that’s really getting out there, which is great to see. Established in 1993, Celtic Candles is a family run Irish Business, directed by James and Jerry Stewart, a father and son team who have a passion for producing quality products. James was kind enough to send us some samples to try out and we can confirm that they smell amazing. Even a small candle will fill the room with a beautiful, delicate scent that’s not too overwhelming.
The Relaxing scent is one of our favourites and the Black Pomogrante is a great scent for the Man Cave.
Their candles are 100% organic plant wax candles and are made with a unique blend of soy, palm and rapeseed. They ingredients are so natural that you can use the warmed wax on your skin. Each medium jar burns for up to 50 hours, burning clean with no waste which we are strong advocates of. You can clean out the jar when it’s used to store your food!
Your better half will really love one of these candles as a gift, a nice candle is always a great gift choice.
Mianra
Their beautiful soaps are handmade in Cork using high quality natural oils and butters. Mianra Soaps are enriched with an array of natural additives making them unique and extra luxurious.
These exquisite soaps are both inviting (they’re a true feast for the senses) and also great for sensitive skin, something my fiancée would suffer with. They contain NO preservatives, Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS), Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate (SLES) or parabens which make them suitable for the most sensitive skin.
Their products are very affordable with customisable gift sets starting from €14.95, not only do they sell luxury soaps, they also sell body scrubs, bath truffles, artisan perfumes and much more. We can strongly recommend Mianra products!
Spotlight
Lisa and Vanessa are cosmetic dentists working in Ireland. Spotlight Whitening was created to provide our patients with a safe, effective simple to use system, containing the same active ingredients used in clinical dental practice everyday.
With an in-depth knowledge into the science of whitening, a new formula was carefully created and designed by Dr Lisa and Vanessa Creaven, which included a small amount of peroxide to ensure effective results.
Hydrogen peroxide is the only clinically proven ingredient to whiten teeth. This, along with their super-seal strip technology ensures for a seamless and safe whitening experience that can be used safely in the comfort of your own home.
Spotlight Whitening was first launched in September 2016 and due to demand, three further products launched within year one- a whitening toothpaste, male whitening strips and an easy to use Whitening pen.
In 2017 Spotlight Whitening was launched in UK, Norway and Finland along with the UAE.
Roza Natural Cosmetics
Roza are an upcoming Irish brand that we stumbled upon in Kildare Village, my fiancée fell in love with their hyaluronic acid serum as it’s really good value for such a high quality product. Roza offer free delivery in Ireland and all of Europe, if you order a gift box, it’ll make Valentines Day that bit more special for the one you love. They’re an Irish based family manufacturer of natural cosmetics.
All of Roza’s products are handmade in limited batches, all of their formulas are original, created and tested by them. On real people, never on animals and always made from scratch. Every ingredient in their products is an ‘active’ ingredient, this results in pure, highly concentrated and effective cosmestics. Knowing that everything we put on our skin quickly absobs into our bodies, Roza Skincare offer the finest ethically sourced materials that the earth has to offer.
Defintely on to a winner here! Pictured below are the CQ10 eye serum, coconut soap and coconut and chocolate body moose which all get great reviews!
Roza Skincare were kind enough to offer all of our readers 10% off for any purchase online, just enter MANLYSTUFF and the code is valid until Valentines!
Brooke & Shoals
Brooke & Shoals was founded by Alison Banton in the picturesque seaside town of Greystones in County Wicklow, known as the “Garden of Ireland”. Alison’s passion for fragrance was inspired by the divine aroma’s of the petals she picked as a child in her great-aunt Mollie’s circular rose garden. Mollie used to say the ‘babbling brook and the whispering shoals’ would help her turn Alison’s rose petals into perfume.
Alison decided to create her own range of candles that were superior to other Irishmade candles on the market. Her vision was simple, high quality, divine fragrances, natural wax, beautiful packaging and Irish made. Her customers loved them. She built on her experience of fragrance by going to Grasse in the South of France, the capital of fragrance, to study it in more detail and gather new inspiration.
Originally, Alison’s wonderful fragranced candles were sold only in her own shop in Greystones. However an increasing number of enquiries from other stores to stock her ranges, led her to scale up the business to meet the growing demand for her high quality, Irish made, design-led products. Now, Brooke & Shoals divine natural wax candles, home fragrance diffusers and natural body product range can be found in many high quality stores in Ireland and the UK and increasingly in mainland Europe.
Absolute Cleansing Oil
For those who’s loved ones are environmentally friendly this brand is for you. This cleanser is both vegan and animal friendly.
Feel like you’ve had a facial with this multi-award winning cleanser. Its balancing blend of fragrant plant oils will cleanse your skin gently and effectively, while effortlessly removing make-up, even stubborn mascara.
Containing pure plant extracts, it is completely free of preservatives or harsh chemicals often found in cleansers like alcohol and SLS.
Tan Organic
Is your better half looking a bit pasty? We have the answer! Drop a subtle hint… OK not so subtle but still, brownie points!
TanOrganic’s luxurious tanning oil is the perfect gift for Valentines Day. It’s brilliant for those who want a quick and mess free tanning routine. It gives your skin the ultimate natural-looking, radiant glow! Your tan will last for days and fade perfectly.
The application couldn’t be easier; no glove is needed, one applies with your hands.
***Don’t forget to use baby wipes on the palms of your hands after finishing and to always exfoliate!
You can wear your white top or sleep in your white sheets right after and there will be no transfer! Some of the attributes of TanOrganic:
- Natural Looking Tan
- Simple Application
- Ultra Moisturising
- No Fake Tan Smell
- Streak Free
- Perfect Fade
That’s our round up of gift suggestions for Valentines Day! We hope we’ve given you some nice ideas that are a bit different from the usual chocolates and flowers combo, put a bit of thought in to the gift this year and it’ll pay dividends to you throughout the rest of the year.
Whilst your here, take some time to peruse our range of Shaving Gear, Watches, Pocket Squares, Ties and other essential mens goods.
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