Valentine’s Day gifts 2018: The best ideas for vegans

Spread the love a little further than your other half this Valentine's Day with our pick of this year's best cruelty and animal product free gifts

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The Naked Marshmallow Company
Jenna Farmer19 January 2018

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, you may well be on the hunt for something special for the lady in your life. But what if she’s vegan? You might think that the only label you’d need to check pre-purchase would be on a box of chocolates, but don’t be fooled.

There are actually all sorts of romantic gifts that can be problematic to vegans-from cosmetics (which contain things like collagen and honey) to alcohol (which may use animal products such as gelatine) and even lingerie (many vegans avoid silk since silkworms are used to make it).

With this in mind, we’ve compiled a shopping list full of vegan friendly Valentines goodies. Whether you’re on a budget or wanting to splash out, we’ve got you covered. Here are 15 of the best valentines gifts for the vegan in your life...

Booja Booja Dairy Free Champagne Chocolate Truffles Artist's Collection 185g

Nothing says Valentine’s Day like chocolates so if you’re going to splash out, you might as well make sure they’re the best of the best. Booja Booja has gained cult status amongst vegans and those on a dairy-free diet, since their chocolates taste so creamy and indulgent; managing to avoid the chemical aftertaste that sometimes comes with dairy-free chocolate.

Presented in a beautiful gift box (hand-painted by artists in India), these organic Champagne truffles are also handmade by a small team in Norfolk. 16 truffles for £21 might seem pricey, but they’re all so decadent that a truffle or two at a time is more than enough, meaning this box should last a few weeks at least. Not only are they the perfect present, they don’t require any hassle either: you can purchase them online at Ocado, alongside your weekly shop.

£21.00, Ocado, Buy it now

Iconic London Ultimate Brush Set

For vegan makeup lovers, this Iconic London’s Ultimate Brush set will most definitely be on their wishlist. The beautiful but sturdy pink and gold make-up bag (perfect for storage) contains 12 super-soft, pearl-gold brushes that promise to do everything from contour to highlight.

Included in the set is a mix of powder brushes, a blending foundation brush, eyeshadow brushes, eyeliner brushes and contour brushes-perfect for those who take their makeup routine seriously. Unlike many premium makeup brush brands, Iconic London uses man- made, velvet like synthetic bristles that are both vegan and cruelty free. Splash out and treat the beauty lover in your life.

£75, Iconic London. Buy it now

Self Care Co Rose and Bergamot Candle

These natural soy candles avoid animal products (such as beeswax, which is often used in premium candles) and instead use 100 per cent natural soy wax and therapeutic grade oils. Our candle arrived gift boxed with a fresh white rose but they also offers the option of a handwritten, personalised note for extra brownie points. The rose and bergamot jar is a stylish addition to any room- we loved the simplicity of its design; meaning it doesn’t clash with any decor.

Each candle has a burn time of around 60-80 hours and offers the perfect way to de-stress. A thoughtful and beautiful gift for someone who needs a bit of relaxation.

£20, Self Care Company. Buy it now

Iris London Isabella Long Line Bra and Knickers

Not only is the material of underwear important to vegans, but many are also on the hunt for ethically made products too. Iris London’s beautiful lingerie isn’t cheap but it does tick all the boxes. Composed of vintage and surplus fabrics, this beautiful bra and knicker set is also ethically made and environmentally friendly.

The result is a luxurious garment that is extremely flattering and avoids the scratchy, synthetic feel that mass produced underwear can sometimes bring. These gorgeous yet comfortable pieces will make the lady in your life look and feel beautiful.

Bra, £78.00, Not on the High Street, Buy it now

Knickers, £42, Not on the High Street, Buy it now

Love Chocolate & Snack Hamper Gift Box

If food is the way to your loved one’s heart, then this chocolate and snack hamper will earn you major brownie points. The Goodness Project offers a variety of vegan snack boxes and subscriptions-but this hamper is literally filled with valentine’s themed treats that are vegan and also gluten free. Highlights included Pomegranate Jelly heart sweets, a mini box of Booja Booja Truffles and Seed and Bean’s organic coconut and raspberry chocolate bar.

The perfect accompaniment to a romantic movie night for two.

£24.95, The Goodness Project. Buy it now

Story 81 Milan Mini Satchel

Truly beautiful vegan bags are hard to find, so this mini satchel is the perfect present for the fashionista in your life. Story 81 was set up when its founder struggled to find non-leather bags that were also contemporary and stylish so she decided to make her own. This mini satchel is ideal for date nights, and has an identical look, feel (and even smell) to leather – both vegans and non-vegans alike would be delighted to wear this on their arm.

£93.75,Story 81, Buy it now

Love Cocoa Vegan Chocolate Subscription Box

For those who love to receive something other than bills through their letterbox, Love Cocoa offer another subscription box option. This time it’s chocolate- and you can sign up for your loved one to receive 3, 6 or even 9 (perfect for chocoholics!) of their luxury organic chocolate bars through the post each month. You can tailor your order to receive vegan chocolate only-and there’s all sorts of interesting flavour concoctions to try (from gin and tonic to avocado!).

from £9.99, Love Cocoa. Buy it now

The Pink and Rose Gold Votch

Should you want to splurge on a piece of jewellery, a vegan votch is a timeless, classic piece that any fashion savvy vegan would be thrilled to own. Using faux leather straps made from a materials such as cotton and polyester, the watches are completely cruelty free and vegan. The Votch comes in a variety of colours but we think the pink and rose gold version is just perfect for Valentine’s Day. Not only is the watch a great vegan purchase but you’ll pleased to know that each month the company also partners with different animal charities and donates 10 per cent of their profits to these causes.

£120, Votch. Buy it now

Vegan Marshmallow Toasting Kit

This vegan marshmallow toasting kit is the perfect addition to romantic nights curled up in front of the television. Most marshmallows are out of the question for vegans, since they contain gelatin, but this toasting kit comes complete with two boxes of vegan marshmallow and a non-toxic mini toaster which burns for two hours.

We love how personalised this option is too. You can select your partner’s favourite flavours and even have their name printed on the burner itself.

£15.20, The Naked Marshmallow Co. Buy it now

Ponderlily Weekly Planner

If your partner is stationary-obsessed, look no further than this Ponderlily Planner. Not only is it vegan but it’s completely environmentally conscious too. A combination of eco-friendly linen cover, vegetable based ink and recycled paper, it comes packed with space to make notes, inspirational quotes and a weekly planner with days scheduled by time, so they’ll never forget the dates you organise…

£25, Ponderlilly. Buy it now

Divine 70 %Dark Chocolate Hearts

For those watching the pennies this Valentines day, these 70 per cent cocoa, solid dark chocolate hearts are a great budget gift coming in at under a fiver. They might be a bargain but the chocolate is vegan and fairtrade (cocoa farmers own shares in Divine’s company) and each heart comes suitably wrapped in red foil. These aren’t quite as decadent as some of the other chocolate options on our list but will still go down a treat for those with a sweet tooth.

£4.95, Divine Chocolate, Buy it now

Nailberry Gift Box

You probably didn’t know that some nail varnishes can contain things like fish scales and crushed beetles. It’s enough to put us off manicures for life but luckily Nailberry’s Nail Polish is just the thing to give your lucky lady a spot of pampering.

The company uses innovative L’Oxygéné technology which is breathable and allows water to pass through to the nail bed; resulting in a cruelty free, chemical free and 100 per cent vegan polishes. Choose your partner’s favourite shades and have them delivered in a beautiful gift box.

£44.50, Nailberry. Buy it now

Aldi Organic Prosecco

When you’re looking for a quick and cost-effective present, you can’t go wrong with a bit of fizz.

This prosecco is vegan, eco-friendly and organic (meaning it’s free from pesticides). We loved the subtle fizz of this very drinkable bottle and, since it’s organic, we felt surprisingly hangover free the next day.

The best part? It only costs £7.99 from Aldi (an unlikely place for valentine’s gifts we’ll admit!). It looks and tastes way more expensive, so grab yourself a bargain. Just make sure you keep the receipt hidden…

£7.99, Aldi, Buy it now

Neek Sparkle and Shine Set

Australian skincare company Neek specialise in products that are made without chemicals, are vegan and cruelty free. Their Sparkle and Shine set comes with a vegan lipstick of your choice (choose from 8 shades) enclosed in a sparkly purse with your choice of wrapping. The vegan lipsticks glide on with ease and are extremely moisturising (thanks to the combination of avocado oil and shea butter). Perfect for puckering up this Valentine’s Day!

£18.95, Neek, Buy it now