As Valentine’s Day nears, some of us are left scratching their heads about what to buy their loved ones. To help guide your search, we put together lists of gift ideas from candy to gifts for her. If your significant other found the viral Bernie Sanders meme funny, you may want to consider a T-shirt, face mask or even bobblehead featuring the Vermont senator. Or perhaps someone in your life has taken up cooking during the pandemic and would be overjoyed to unwrap a slow cooker come Feb. 14.
GameStop was probably the most talked about retailer last week but other brands recently released interesting products, and some just announced new campaigns they’ll be working on throughout 2021. Le Creuset debuted Agave-colored cookware, a new shade that blends green and blue together to create a jewel tone. Yummie upgraded its bestselling legging, the Rachel: It now features side pockets where you can store items like your phone. Clothing company Arc’teryx also pledged $1 million towards outdoor accessibility and nature conservancy through its new Outer Peace Initiative. Levi’s launched a new campaign called Beauty of Becoming, too, creating and releasing videos highlighting the journeys of artists, activists, athletes and creators like Willow Smith and Dolores Huerta throughout 2021.
Additionally, Mario Lopez is the latest brand ambassador for Echelon Fitness, a partnership through which he will lead a variety of workout content. Small appliance brand Ninja added a unique position to its job listings: Its new Smoothie Sommelier will act as a spokesperson for the Ninja Foodi Smoothie Bowl Maker and Nutrient Extractor, as well as create content for the brand. Finally, Kohl’s is bringing seven new Curated by Kohl’s brands to stores and online, from The Honest Company by Jessica Alba to Human Nation by Ciara and Russell Wilson.
Beyond the above, we’re sharing the most interesting product launches and releases to know about right now.
The North Face’s VECTIV sneakers are made specifically for running and hiking. VECTIV shoes are built with a newly designed 3D plate, midsole and high-traction grip outsole. The shoes come in men’s and women’s sizes — The North Face plans to launch eight key VECTIV styles, including the VECTIV Infinite and VECTIV Enduris. The first in the collection is the Flight VECTIV, which features a carbon fiber plate that adds stability to the shoe. It’s a lightweight option designed to help runners increase their speed during ultra-marathon distance trail races. Additional VECTIV styles will be available online and in-store through The North Face in February.
Pink Moon, a brand that sells eco-conscious self-care products, launched the first of its limited edition box series, Bathing in Moonlight. The bundle features Malaya Organics Lavender Vanilla Bath Salts, Midnight Melody Body & Hair Oil and a raw Rose Quartz Stone. The bath salts contain flower and botanical essences blended with herbal and sweet fragrances, as well as soothing Himalayan pink salt. The included oil is formulated with organic sunflower seed, apricot kernel and meadowfoam oils, which are vitamin-rich and soften skin and hair. Finally, the Rose Quartz Stone is ethically sourced from Madagascar. Pink Moon is donating $1 from each sale to the Global Fund for Women, a foundation that stands up for the human rights of girls and women worldwide.
If you’re looking to upgrade your makeup collection, consider Covergirl’s recently launched collection, including Outlast Extreme Wear 3-in-1 Full Coverage Liquid Foundation. It acts as a primer, concealer and foundation and it’s available in 21 shades. Covergirl also debuted its Simply Ageless Instant Wrinkle Blurring Pressed Powder, which contains hyaluronic acid and vitamin C to promote healthier looking skin. Additionally, the makeup brand added seven neutral colors to its Outlast All-Day Lip Color line. Also, Covergirl’s new Perfect Point Plus Liquid Liner makes your eye makeup pop, as its highly pigmented formula is designed to last for up to 12 hours.
Knix, a brand known for its wireless bras, period-proof underwear, loungewear and more, released a new line of shapewear it says is designed to enhance your natural shape rather than restrict it. The smoothing underwear is made to be comfortable enough to wear all day, and it promotes celebrating your body instead of hiding it. There are three pieces in the shapewear collection: the Shaper Brief, Shaper Bodysuit and Shaper Short. Each item is made from a fabric blend containing cotton, nylon, spandex and other materials. The pieces range in size from small to 3XL and they’re available in five colors: Black and five shades of Nude.
To celebrate the Chinese Year of the Ox, Victorinox created a limited edition Swiss knife. The pocket knife features 16 functions, including sawing, cutting, trimming and more. It is lightweight and small enough to fit in your pocket. The pocket knife also comes with a presentation box, making it a great gift or collector’s item.
The MIX:BAR Fragrance Collection exclusively launched at Target, bringing shoppers perfume and hair and body mists crafted by artisan perfumers. Fragrances can be worn alone or they can be layered together, allowing you to create your own unique scent. MIX:BAR fragrances are free from parabens and phthalates, and products are all vegan and cruelty-free. Scents include sweet Tangerine Squeeze and Blackberry Tonic, warm Vanilla Bourbon and Wood Elixir and more. MIX:BAR also sells a Discovery Set that comes with five different fragrances.
Tennis player Serena Williams collaborated with Away for the second time to create a line of products she co-designed. The collection features a line of suitcases and bags that come in a variety of exclusive colors and patterns, such as Periwinkle and Light Swirl. In addition to Away’s popular polycarbonate suitcases like the Kid’s Carry-On and The Large, the line includes Packing Cubes, The Pet Carrier and The Front Pocket Sling Bag. New Away products are also featured in the line, like The Convertible Backpack Tote and The Jewelry Sleeve. Pieces from Williams first line with Away are also still available.
Designed for kids to wear while playing, LEGO and adidas partnered to create a new clothing and footwear collection. The line features colorful unisex pieces like sweatshirts, hoodies, pants and sneakers in kid and junior sizes. There’s also a variety of items for infants, including sport shoes and onesies. Pieces can be mixed and matched to put together full outfits as well. LEGO and adidas also released a selection of accessories, such as socks, a graphic cap and a backpack, in addition to two sweatshirt and pants sets.
As a nod to Kate Hudson’s 2003 romantic comedy “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” the actress’ vodka company collaborated with UrbanStems, a flower and plant delivery company, to offer The Love Fern for Valentine’s Day. The potted Blue Bell fern comes in a pink-spotted vase. It’s pet-safe and easy to care for, too. The fern comes with a mister that was designed in collaboration with Hudson’s vodka brand, King St. Vodka.
Athleta’s Kinetic Bag Collection is the brand’s new line of lightweight, recycled nylon bags. They’re designed to store items you carry with you on the go, and feature an antimicrobial lining. The collection features four pieces: The Kinetic Backpack, The Kinetic Duffel, The Kinetic Travel Crossbody and The Kinetic Waistpack. Each item comes in multiple colors, from Orange Haze to Shadow Olive. The backpack, duffel and travel crossbody all have internal pockets to help you stay organized, and some come with dedicated pockets for devices like laptops and tablets. While it’s the smallest of the bags, the waistpack has plenty of room to carry your phone, face mask, headphones and keys while you run errands or go for a walk.
Created in collaboration with women at different stages of pregnancy, adidas just launched its first maternity collection. The line features performance tops and leggings that are designed to stretch and grow with the body during pregnancy. The Designed 2 Move 7/8 Sport Tights, Essentials Cotton Leggings and Aeroready Designed 2 Move Sport Tank are the first three pieces in the new maternity collection. Notably, both pairs of legging feature a fold over waistband that can be worn over your bump for support or folded down. All three items of clothing come in multiple colors and are available in sizes ranging from extra small to 2XL. adidas plans to add more pieces to its maternity collection next season.
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