I think what I love most about Valentine’s Day (besides all the pink!), is the opportunity to shower my people with love. We’re an affectionate family anyway, and say ‘I love you’ several times a day, but there’s something about Valentines Day that makes those expressions of love more intentional. We don’t make grand gestures for the holiday, but rather exchange sweet notes and simple gifts…and of course chocolate is always part of the celebration.
Now that our daughter is in Middle School, this will be her first year with no class party…which means the holiday is about to take a turn for her. Gone are the days of obligatory exchanging of cards for everyone. Valentines will be handed out to a select few, and feelings will get hurt. I never want her to let a boy dictate her value and self-worth, so we focus more on friendships and loving ourselves…and when’s a better time for that, than Galentine’s Day!
She and I had so much fun putting together a Girlfriend Valentine Party, complete with sweet treats, cookie decorating, and fun beauty gifts as take-home favors.
Love Garland | Letter Board Light Box | Milk Bottles | Cake Stand
We kept it really simple and stuck with a pink and red color palette, and found all the party supplies (including the food!) at Walmart. Yep, Walmart!
Can you even with this face?!? Thank you, God, for this precious girl!!
Sugarplum Style Tip: Bake your cupcakes in plain white liners, then place them in cute, decorative liners once cool. Or in my case, do this trick with store-bought cupcakes.
Little Miss and I love a good spa night…complete with a bubble bath and manicures…so we assembled little treats of some of our beauty faves for her guests to take home. Walmart has such a huge beauty department, it took us awhile to narrow down what we wanted to include!
Metal Pails | Shredded Paper Filler | Nail Polish | Tinted Lip Balm Set | Bath Fizzies
And speaking of the Walmart beauty department, I love perusing the aisles of affordable products and finding all kinds of new products. (Usually late at night?!) I do my share of department store shopping, but these are the drugstore products I swear by!
one // Dove Moisturizing Shampoo Little Miss has a sensitive scalp, and super-tangly hair. Not a great combination. One day my hairdresser-friend told me all her mom-friends swear by Dove Moisturizing Shampoo & Conditioner for their little girls, so of course I tried it and was blown away! It leaves her hair smooth and shiny, and brushes out easily. (We use this Wet Brush.) I alternate between the Dove and other shampoos and conditioners that are specific to colored, damaged hair for myself. (P.S., I also love their dry shampoo!)
two // Jergons Sunless Tanning Mousse I’ll continue to try new and different brands of sunless tanner, but this remains my first choice for a natural, streak-free tan! See my full post with all my Sunless Tan Tips & Tricks here.
three // It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Treatment I’ve shared a few hair tutorials on the blog (see them here & here), and every time this product makes the list of heavy-hitters. It’s my absolute favorite for detangling, conditioning and heat protection…I spray it in my hair damp, then dry and style as usual. I never style my hair without it!
four // Dove Cream Oil Body Lotion Again with the Dove, but I just love their products! (Humble brag: Remember that time I was on the cover of Redbook? Well, yeah, I had a celebrity hair stylist and he used nothing but Dove!! He said it compared with every high-end brand on the market) This body lotion is thick and creamy, and has a touch of oil which leaves skin illuminated. I always rub it on just before photoshoots to add some highlight to my skin, too.
five // Dolce & Gabbana ‘Light Blue’ Perfume I rarely wear perfume, and only have two on my counter…and this is one of them. One of my all-time favorite scents.
six // Goodie Clear Hair Ties These clear elastic hair-ties are my go-tos for ponytails and messy buns. The clear doesn’t show in my hair, and I’m able to stretch them enough to get a really tight hold. I don’t consider them reusable, but for the price, I’m okay with that.
seven // Burt’s Bees Make-Up Removal Wipes These are the best make-up removal wipes I’ve found, and they’re extra sensitive for my skin. An odd use maybe, but I also use them to clean the footbed of my sandals.
eight // Essie Nail Polish My cabinet is full of nail polishes (I rarely get manicures), and most are Essie brand…I just love their color options! If I had to choose one favorite shade, I’d say ‘Bachelorette Bash.’
nine // Batiste Dry Shampoo I love Dove Dry Shampoo, but will always grab this one if available. It works really well, and the different tints are perfect for blending with different hair shades. Plus, the blonde helps when I’m overdue for a color touch-up!
ten // Electric Toothbrush I switched to an electric toothbrush several years ago, and don’t know how I ever used anything else. Not only does it get your teeth so much cleaner than a traditional toothbrush, but it polishes off stains and keeps your smile brighter and whiter.
What are your drugstore beauty must-haves? And you mamas of Middle School girls, how do you instill confidence and self-love? I wish I could shield her from the hard parts of the coming years, but I know it’s just part of growing up for a girl. #gulp
{Throw Your Own Galentine Party!}
{Shop My Drugstore Beauty Faves}
*This post is created in collaboration with Walmart, but all styling, opinions and beauty bargains are my own. Thank you for supporting Hi Sugarplum sponsors.*
