If you want to show your sweetheart or loved one some extra sweetness this Sweetest Day, we have the gift guide for you!
What is Sweetest Day?
Sweetest Day is celebrated predominantly in Florida and the Midwestern and Northeastern parts of the United States on the third Saturday of October, which falls on October 16 this year. It is a day dedicated to making someone else happy with kindness, charity, or romance through sweet messages, small gifts, or helpful acts.
As Sweetest Day was created by candymakers, it’s also traditional to give candy and confections as gifts.
How did Sweetest Day start?
The first Sweetest Day was on October 10, 1921. A Cleveland candymaker wanted to show often neglected members of society that they were not forgotten. With the help of his friends, neighbors, and other confectioners, C. C. Hartzell distributed more than 20,000 boxes of candy to newsboys, orphans, the elderly, and the poor.
Every year after, more and more Clevelanders participated in Sweetest Day, and slowly the idea of remembering others with an act of kindness or small, sweet gift spread to other cities across the country. In 2006, even Hallmark and American Greetings created a total of 329 greeting cards for Sweetest Day.
What can you do?
Sweetest Day is all about showing the people in your life how much you care. As well as offering them help, writing them sweet notes, or giving them confections to show your affection, we’ve made a list of some sweet options anyone is bound to love.
Gifts for Gals
If the lady in your life enjoys the occasional spa day or loves to pamper her skin, we’ve found some delectable finds.
Pink Sugar’s Body Mousse or Creamy Body Lotion will leave her skin soft with a sweet, candy-like fragrance, while Philosophy Falling In Love Luminous Body Crème melts in with a sparkling berry scent. If she wants soft and smooth skin, but sugary scents aren’t her jam, Demeter’s Yuzu Marmalade Body Lotion has a bright, zesty, and honeyed sweetness enhanced with apple and vanilla. To help her relax even more, Blissy’s Silk Sleep Mask adds a touch of soothing luxury.
[elementor-template id=”2230292″]
Of course, it’s not just her skin that could use some TLC. Help heal her cuticles with Cuccio Pro’s Cuticle Revitalizing Oil – Vanilla Bean And Sugar Manicure, then complete her at-home mani with sweet, soda-inspired lacquers from Essie’s Soda Pop Nail Polish Collection or Tip Beauty’s stick-on Cotton Candy – Couture Nails.
[elementor-template id=”2230297″]
For the beauty guru in your life, we also have some candied makeup picks.
If she likes highlighters, the Too Faced Love Light Prismatic Highlighter is perfect with its fun heart-shaped packaging and glowing finish. If a blush is more likely something she’ll love, Milani’s Rose Powder Blush is pressed into a romantic rose shape, while NYX’s Sweet Cheeks Soft Cheek Tint adds just a flush of sweet, tinted color.
[elementor-template id=”2230298″]
If your sweetheart is a lipstick lover, Holika Holika’s Heart Crush Melting Lipstick is creamy and long-lasting, while TONYMOLY’s Bling Cat Cotton Lip Stick is as soft as cotton candy. For the more adventurous makeup lover, NYX’s Candy Slick Glowy Lip Color features lollipop-bright hues with sweet scents. Or, if she wants to take care of her pretty pout, Fresh’s Sugar Lip Treatment Trio Set plumps and protects while still adding some fresh, fruity hues.
[elementor-template id=”2230304″]
For the girl whose go-to look always emphasizes her eyes, The Balm’s Meet Matt(e) Shmaker Eyeshadow Palette gives complementary matte and shimmer shades for a variety of looks in one convenient palette. Winky Lux’s Kitten and Royal Kitten palettes come with multiple finishes, while Too Faced’s Chocolate Gold Eye Shadow Palette not only looks delicious paired with a chocolatey gift, but it’s also infused with cocoa powder so even its scent matches the theme.
[elementor-template id=”2230307″]
When she loves makeup but already has everything else, you can’t go wrong with a fun applicator. Sun Smile’s Silicone Heart Puff will remind her of you whenever she uses it, and Banila Co’s Mung-Moong Paw Brush adds an adorable touch of whimsy to any collection. Of course, you can never go wrong with beautyblender’s The Original Beautyblender, but there’s also Real Techniques’ 4 Mini Miracle Complexion Sponges for the travel bug, or Banila Co’s Finger Touch Silicon Puff for the eco and budget-conscious beauty guru.
[elementor-template id=”2230752″]
Of course, a nice perfume is also always welcome. Prada’s Candy Eau de Parfum combines caramel, benzoin, honey, white musk, and warm, sweet balsamic notes, while Ariana Grande’s Sweet Like Candy Eau de Parfum includes fruity, floral, and traditionally sugary aromas with blackberry, Italian bergamot, pear, jasmine sambac, frangipani, honeysuckle, marshmallow, cashmere woods, and vanilla. Viktor and Rolf’s BONBON Eau de Parfum features zesty mandarin on top, followed by floral orange blossom and jasmine accords, and finishes with a warm base of caramel, cedar, and guaiac wood.
[elementor-template id=”2230778″]
Gifts for Guys
Although they may not always admit it, men like knowing they’re appreciated and loved just as much as women. Along with telling them how much you care, a token of your appreciation can also go a long way.
Soothe, nourish, soften, and protect his skin with sweet-scented creams. Sabon’s Hand Cream – Gentleman has a patchouli and citrus scent, while Jo Malone London’s Body & Hand Lotion combines Lime Basil and Mandarin, and Molton Brown’s Body Lotion features vetiver and grapefruit. For something more unique, Demeter’s Paperback Body Lotion smells like a library or old bookcase with hints of aged paper, violets, and potpourri.
[elementor-template id=”2230803″]
For a sweetly-scented shower, 18.21 Man Made has a Man Made Wash Shampoo, Conditioner & Body Wash in both Spiced Vanilla and Sweet Tobacco scents. For a citrusy splash, there’s also Baxter Of California’s Invigorating Body Wash – Citrus & Herbal Musk and 4711’s Acqua Colonia Blood Orange & Basil Aroma Shower Gel.
[elementor-template id=”2230814″]
Continuing with the sweet scents, a nice cologne always goes over well. Prada’s Luna Rossa Carbon Eau de Toilette combines florals, woods, musk, and bright citrus, and similarly, 4711’s Original Eau de Cologne features citrusy notes with orange oil as well as fruity peach, bergamot, lemon, and melon, floral cyclamen, lily, jasmine, Bulgarian rose, herbal basil, Tahitian vetiver, patchouli, musk, sandalwood, oakmoss, and cedar. For a more traditionally masculine scent, Jo Malone London’s Oud & Bergamot Cologne Intense features mysterious and smoky accords of oud wood, cedarwood, and bright bergamot, and Creed’s Millesime Imperial Fragrance is more marine with bright lemon, bergamot, mandarin, and orange mixed with iris, musk, wood, and sea salt.
[elementor-template id=”2230827″]
If the guy on your mind already has a signature scent, grooming products are always in.
You can go for a matching shaving set with rose gold versions of BaBylissPRO’s Cordless Metal Double Foil, Outlining Trimmer, and Clipper. Then complete the set with a soothing after-shave, like Christian Dior’s Sauvage After-Shave Balm or Paco Rabanne’s 1 MILLION After Shave Lotion, or a pre-shave oil such as Elemis’ Smooth Result Shave & Beard Oil.
[elementor-template id=”2230844″]
If he likes to style his hair, there’s also plenty of products to tame tresses or lock down looks. American Crew’s Fiber is ideal for shorter hair, while Billy Jealousy’s Plaster Master Hard Hold Pomade works well with medium to long locks. You can also get light hold with Acqua Di Parma’s Grooming Cream Light Hold, a stronger grip with Reuzel’s Extreme Hold Matte Pomade, or get him a unique styling product with Sexy Hair’s Style Sexy Hairspray Clay Texturizing Spray Clay.
[elementor-template id=”2230886″]
If none of these ideas are quite right for your guy, we still have you covered.
For the practical gift-lover, check out Tweezerman’s G.E.A.R. Travel Fogless Shower Mirror or Revlon’s Men’s Series Grooming Kit. For the travel bug, Clarins’ Grooming Essentials For Men Travel Kit has everything he needs while on the go. Boost his barbering collection with Mason Pearson’s Pure Badger Shaving Brush, or get him to relax every once in a while with Menscience’s Eye Gel Mask Cold and Warm Therapy For Men.
[elementor-template id=”2230905″]
What else can I do?
If there’s a particularly difficult person you want to buy a gift for, you can always send them a gift card. This shows them you care while still letting them pick out whatever they truly want.
At the end of the day, this holiday is all about showing appreciation to loved ones. Whether you get them something from every category on this list, a simple box of chocolates, a handwritten note, or even just a phone call, take part in a hundred-year tradition this Sweetest Day and show someone how sweet they make your life.
For questions, concerns, or article ideas, feel free to reach out to our eCosmetics Beauty Editor directly at beauty@ecosmetics.com
