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Valentine’s Day is an opportune time to wear your heart on your sleeve — whether by setting up a romantic breakfast-in-bed situation for your spouse, tucking a package of Sweethearts into your kid’s lunch box, or presenting a floral bouquet to a friend. But if you’re struggling to choose a gift for the woman you love — especially if heart-shaped, more-frivolous-than-functional Valentine’s Day fare isn’t quite her style — the Strategist is here to help. (Pity the poor giant teddy bear that gets cast aside once the holiday is over.) Below, I’ve rounded up dozens of ideas, from a strawberry-and-rose vinegar to a chocolate-scented perfume, all of which are delightful and editor-approved. Every item is available on Amazon, too, for speedy, fuss-free shipping. (And if you’re looking for inspiration for the guys in your life, check out our men’s version of this list.)
Update on February 11, 2025: Removed items that won’t arrive by Valentine’s Day and added one last batch of products that will, including a Jellycat cross-body bag, a handsome tea kettle, and an expert-recommended wine decanter; updated prices and checked stock for all other products.
Under $25
For the woman simmering soups all winter
These adorable pasta pot grips make it easy to take a steaming pot of minestrone off the stove (and were very well received by writer Amelia Jerden during our most recent Strategist Secret Santa exchange).
For the woman with a daily journaling practice
This cherry-red, clothbound hardcover notebook from Princeton Architectural Press goes beyond basic lines: Its 144 pages are printed with a variety of grid designs, including blue boxes, tessellated triangles, and evenly spaced dots. Strategist contributor Molly Young says the grids “are all bold enough to provide structure but faint enough to foreground your writing.”
For the woman whose phone is an extension of her
When Strategist writer Erin Schwartz rounded up their favorite aesthetic phone cases, they called this one “futuristic, techy-yet-organic, and high-shine.”
For the woman with a posh pantry
This strawberry-rose vinegar has many applications, but it’s perhaps best drizzled over a bowl of vanilla ice cream.
For the woman with a candy crush
Swedish candy store BonBon is currently a viral sensation, and the brand’s signature Swedish fish, made with all vegan ingredients, are sure to satisfy her sweet tooth.
For the woman who prefers salty over sweet
Singer Jade can’t live without these salt-and-vinegar-flavored corn kernels: “This is my current obsession,” she says. “I love a corn snack. It’s relatively healthy. And it’s too small to really share — not like crisps.”
For the woman who always orders a cherry on top
More complex than American maraschinos, these syrupy cherries typically top gelato, but they can also be paired with creamy Brie or spooned over Greek yogurt, says Strategist contributor Ashley Mason.
For the woman who likes to play games
This charming card game involving “risk, deduction, and a sliver of luck” is the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for a board-game fan.
For the woman who lives for toast
These cheeky tongs ensure she’ll never burn her fingers trying to extract hot bread from the toaster again.
For the woman who loves a challenge
This double-sided — and, thus, extra difficult — puzzle features scenes of beautiful fresh-cut flowers from Floret, a family-run flower farm in Washington’s Skagit Valley.
For the woman who considers bath time sacred
These soothing bath salts will transform her bathroom into a Japanese onsen.
For the woman who tosses and turns
A longtime Strategist favorite, this lavender-scented stick is similar to Ambien — without the side effects, according to contributor Sara Gaynes Levy. “The smell was addictive at first waft — calming and just a little sweet,” she says.
For the woman obsessed with K-beauty
K-beauty brand Kaja is known for its playful, cheeky packaging. This heart-shaped blush stamp is very Valentine’s-coded.
For the woman who’s analog
Designer Luke Edward Hall put this Fujifilm camera on his packing list for a trip to Rome. “It’s a cliché, but they do take lovely pictures with much more atmosphere than I’ll get with my iPhone,” he explains.
For the woman with cold feet
Myha’la Herrold turned us onto these cozy fuzzy socks that come in a rainbow of pastel colors.
For the woman who needs some lip service
Eadem’s Le Chouchou balm comes in four buildable shades that look nice on a wide range of skin tones.
Under $50
For the woman who multitasks
If she wants a one-and-done beauty routine, Clinique’s iconic Black Honey shade — dubbed a “black turtleneck” by fashion editor Amy Larocca — now comes in an oil format that’s perfect for popping onto the lips and cheeks.
For the woman whose love language is baking
Phaidon’s design-y cookbooks are especially gift-worthy; this one by cook and writer Ben Mims includes 300 recipes for sweets from around the world, from Danish pepper-and-spice cookies to Filipino powdered-milk shortbreads.
For the woman who needs a moment to chill
This gel cap from TheraICE provides both hot and cold therapy; Joanna Goddard uses it to soothe headaches in an instant.
For the woman who craves cuddles
Instead of the stereotypical teddy bear, get her a cuddly cross-body bag from Jellycat. There’s lots of designs to choose from, including a cloud, a watermelon, and a slice of toast.
For the woman who loves the smell of roses
Amy Sedaris likes that the scent of this Jurlique hand cream is “not a tacky rose, it’s a nice rose.”
For the woman who adored her dollhouse as a kid
Let her rediscover the magic of miniatures with Rolife’s intricate DIY model kits. Designer Yvonne Lin loves how “the pieces fit perfectly, sliding and snapping together with almost the same level of satisfaction that you get from Magna-Tiles.”
For the woman with a growing candle collection
Black-owned Harlem Candle Company has plenty of lovely scents that come in beautifully luxurious glass jars.
For the woman who loves affordable luxuries
Everyone should have a silk pillowcase. We were introduced to this one by Viera-Newton, who credits it with reducing her eczema and minimizing bedhead.
For the woman who screams for ice cream
S’well’s ice cream cooler offers endless dessert-on-the-go possibilities: “bringing apple pie and ice cream to a potluck dinner, sharing sorbet with friends in the park, or even enjoying it while reclining at the beach,” says Strategist writer Kat Gillespie.
For the woman who’s an AFOL
If she’s also a romantic at heart, she will appreciate this chic, sculptural orchid that almost resembles the real thing (and won’t ever wilt).
For the woman looking for a new hobby
The Woobles’s beginner crochet kits come with everything she’ll need to learn the art of amigurumi.
For the woman who drizzles
Piro’s high-quality, antioxidant-packed olive oil enhances everything from soups to salads.
For the woman who appreciates true grit
Ursa Major’s volcanic ash-infused exfoliating scrub will leave her fresh-faced and invigorated.
For the woman who can hear a pin drop
This white noise machine helped actress Eva Mendes sleep during a trip through Australia, where magpies, kookaburras, and cockatoos made her mornings sound like Disneyland’s Enchanted Tiki Room.
Under $100
For the woman who double-cleanses
Strategist junior writer Brenley Goertzen reports that this Mara Beauty cleanser “effortlessly melts away makeup and SPF” without leaving any residue and says it can also be used as a light peel or a shaving oil.
For the woman who dinks
Holbrook’s pickleball paddles, which come in a variety of cute patterns, will help her hit the court with style.
For the woman who loves shiny things
Help her keep her baubles bright with this jewelry cleaner and brush duo from Shinery. It has a gentle formula that’s suitable to use on all metals and stones.
For the woman who loves an everything shower
This set of OSEA’s best sellers includes the Strategist-approved Undaria Algae body oil and the Salts of the Earth body scrub for some serious pampering.
For the woman who’s a gourmand
With notes of chocolate, vanilla, and sandalwood, Snif’s House of 8 perfume would be a perfect Valentine’s gift for a woman who loves smelling like a bakery.
For the woman who can’t start her day without a smoothie
In addition to her daily green juice, she can also use this personal-size blender to make small-batch sauces, emulsions, and salsas.
For the woman whose vanity is out of control
This handy makeup organizer from Paravel has transparent mesh panels, so she can see all her products at once.
For the woman who scrapbooks
This Kodak wireless printer makes it easy to free her iPhone snapshots from the cloud.
For the woman who’s sober-curious
This set of nonalcoholic wines from Oddbird contains zero-proof versions of red wine, white wine, and rosé.
For the woman with a sense of humor
She’ll definitely be tickled by Isamaya’s Water Balm lipstick, which comes in cheekily phallic packaging.
For the woman who’s racking up miles
This neck-brace-esque travel pillow is the most practical neck pillow travel writer Sarah Khan has ever tried. “And I can sleep through an entire 15-hour flight, so clearly it’s working for me,” she adds.
Under $150
For the woman who’s always on her toes
Pamper her with the best electric foot massager, which will give her a deep Shiatsu-style kneading.
For the woman who can’t start her day without a cuppa
This Le Creuset enamel tea kettle is handsome enough to keep out on the counter when not in use.
For the woman whose PJs are full of holes
We crowned these Eberjey pajamas as the best of the best. Goddard also points out that they don’t wrinkle, so they’re perfect for the tosser-and-turner.
For the woman who runs cold
UGG’s ultra-fluffy Coquettes fully converted Strategist writer Arielle Avila into a slipper person. “There’s nothing like slipping these on on chilly mornings when I don’t want my feet to touch the cold hardwood floor,” she says.
For the woman who needs inspiration to use up her PTO
Assouline’s collection of travel-themed coffee-table books covers every dream destination, from Tulum to Tuscany. (For bonus points, present alongside a pair of plane tickets.)
For the woman who wants to see herself clearly
This sleek, attractive makeup mirror has an elongated oval shape and comes with three dimmable light temperatures.
For the woman who’s currently perusing seed catalogues
These rubber Italian clogs come in lots of eye-catching colors and have a massive fan base consisting of gardeners and nurses — people we trust for comfy footwear intel.
For the woman who wouldn’t be caught dead in heels
Danielle Corona, founder of accessories brand Hunting Season, told us about these Italian-made slippers, which have soles made from recycled bicycle tires and luxe uppers made from a range of colorful velvet, brocade, and embroidered fabrics.
$150 and up
For the woman who’s obsessive about thread counts
These luxurious bedsheets from Brooklinen have a supersoft feel that won’t disappear in the wash.
For the woman with a minimal makeup routine
Who needs makeup when you’re already radiant and fresh-faced? Sydney Sweeney uses the TheraFace Pro before red carpets and photo-shoot days and says it “definitely tones and sculpts” her face.
For the woman who can tell a sparrow from a swallow
This camera-enabled bird feeder records close-up videos of the feathered friends it attracts.
For the woman who naps
Bearaby’s cozy, chunky weighted blanket looks stylish and gets its comforting heft from large-scale “yarn” made of cotton and Tencel.
For the woman who can’t abide stale bread
The key to this magic toaster (a favorite of Emily Mariko’s) is that it slightly steams the bread as it toasts, allowing it to retain its softness and fluffiness.
For the woman who swirls her wine
Riedel is king when it comes to wine decanters, and this one is our pick for the best overall thanks to its classic, elegant shape.
For the woman who could use a (literal) wake-up call
This gentle-wake alarm clock will make her mornings easier — or at least more serene. It comes with 18 different color settings, as well as white noise, guided meditations, and musical alarm sounds.
For the woman whose photo roll is overflowing
A digital picture frame preloaded with photos would make for a thoughtful gift. The large-screen Aura Walden is wall-mountable and has a nice-looking mat.
For the woman who can’t sleep with wet hair
If you really want to splash out, cut her blowout budget by gifting the Dyson Supersonic, the Rolls-Royce of hair dryers.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best women’s jeans, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, ultra-flattering pants, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
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