Scents for your sweet Valentine (+photos)

Make gift-giving easier this Valentine's Day. Photo / Thinkstock

It's time to seek out sweet tokens of affection.

Roses, perfume, chocolates and sparkly stuff are the commercial centres of attention on Valentine's Day and why not, if you're buying into the annual love-in?

Sometimes going with the obvious is just easier and all of the above make welcome treats at a time devoted to wearing your heart on your sleeve. Here's a few variations on a familiar theme.

1. Vera Wang Love-struck 50ml eau de parfum $89

Say it with perfume - and get the flowers too - with this bouquet of a bottle from the American wedding dress designer turned seller of a long-line of sweet scents. (Selected Farmers stores.)

2. The Body Shop White Musk Libertine 30ml eau de parfum $56

Light, bright musk reinterpretation of a Body Shop favourite which, on launch in 1981, was the first cruelty-free musk fragrance. Now synthetic scents abound and this one uses musky notes intermingled with feminine florals in perfume and eau de toilette versions priced from $35. Body products round out the range.

3. Diesel Loverdose 30ml eau de parfum $89

Purple passion in a fruity floral hit. (Selected department stores and pharmacies.)

4. Issey Miyake A Scent Florale 40ml eau de parfum $139

A special smaller size of this softly sophisticated floral scent will appeal to all ages. (From Smith & Caughey's and selected pharmacies.)

5. Juicy Couture eau de parfum 30ml Traveller $104

A strawberry sweet charm decorates this youthful fruity fragrance packaged to go. (Farmers and selected stores.)

6. Jo Malone Red Roses Body and Hand Wash $100

Each year Jo Malone adds to its made-for-Valentine's Day Red Roses range. The latest additions are this luxurious wash and a Fragrance Chronicle gift set, boxing the signature cologne with four others for fragrance layering. Failsafe choices remain the Red Roses candle ($130) bath oil ($130) or body creme ($160). (From Jo Malone, Britomart, or ph (09) 309 4418.)

Tokens of affection

I Love You badge $5

Wear it, or pin it on your significant other's jacket. (From World stores)

River Veda Lotus and Rose Attar Face Mask $58

A richly nourishing natural mask with rose attar oil to revitalise skin. (Selected boutiques and health food stores, see here.)

The Body Shop Chocomania Soap from $8

Smells scrumptious and is packed with fair trade ingredients plus exfoliating cocoa nibs.

Kiehl's Lip Gloss in Golden Berry $32

Natural balm with a golden glow for kissable lips.

The Aromatherapy Co. Therapy Range Pulse Point for Stress $15

Choose from Sleep, Energy, Jet Lag or this peppermint and lavender Stress option to anoint pulse points. Aromatherapeutic essential oils combine in an almond oil base dispensed from a 15ml roller-ball vial providing perfume with a purpose.

BEAUTY BRIEFS

Valentine's Day spa indulgences are a popular present, but you'll be hard pushed to get a booking on February 14 if you've left it late. Instead show you care with a voucher. Here's a couple of options that caught our eye.

Extra indulgence

The Langham Hotel's Chuan Spa is offering those who book a treatment of an hour or more by February 14 a complementary 30-minute Reflex Remedy, in which feet, hands and scalp come in for some extra attention; plus you can linger as long as you like in the pool and spa area.

Go it alone

Sometimes it's not hand-in-hand into the sunset, so don't sulk, give someone single a day to remember or treat yourself. We like that East Day Spa has added solo temptations to its Valentine's Day menu, along with the usual couples massages. The Single and Still Fabulous package, costing $120, offers two 30-minute treatments from a range of options including massage, facial, manicure and pedicure.