February 14th is just about here — do you know what gift you’re buying your valentine? Sure, you could embrace the holiday crowd pleasers and go the chocolate box, rose bouquet, or DIY-massage route…But for some of us, having picky recipients makes the task of finding that perfect present a tad more challenging. And crumbling under gift-pleasing pressure makes even the most romantic day of the year feel quite the opposite of warm and fuzzy.
But don’t panic about what presents to purchase just yet, because we swept the internet and rounded up 20 genius gift ideas to please the pickiest of valentines — from forgetful friends to stressed-out SOs, chronic complainers, eco-obsessives, and more. Scroll on for the shoppable solutions to your most difficult Valentine’s Day giftees.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
The Difficult Giftee: The valentine who’s always losing her keys.
The Gift: A sweet heart-shaped ring that she can securely attach to bags, belts, and wrists.
Oliver Bonas Heart Metal Keyring, $6.75, available at Oliver Bonas
The Difficult Giftee: The environmentally conscious valentine who is super-careful of their carbon footprint and recycling habits. *
The Gift: A pair of eco-friendly kicks made from natural silk and suede.
*Tip: Don’t use wrapping paper for this one!
VEJA Natural Silk Runners, $102, available at Antidote+
The Difficult Giftee: The valentine who’s always complaining.
The Gift: A complaint pad, for airing and working through grievances.
Knock Knock Complaint Sticky Notes, $5.99, available at Amazon
The Difficult Giftee: The valentine who just lost another set of earbuds while running.
The Gift: A stylish sweatband with built-in bluetooth-enabled headphones that filter out ambient noise for ultimate workout security.
AcousticSheep RunPhones® Wireless Bluetooth Headphones, $100, available at Urban Outfitters
The Difficult Giftee: The Youtube beauty tutorial-obsessed valentine who’s extremely meticulous about her products.
The Gift: A cool limited-edition lipstick.
Givenchy Valentine’s Day Limited Edition Rouge Interdit Lipstick, $34, available at Saks Fifth Avenue
The Difficult Giftee: The valentine who’s always fashionably late.
The Gift: A soft rubber and stylish matte wristwatch.
Nicholas Nixon: The Brown Sisters. Forty Years. Time Teller Watch, $60, available at Shopbop
The Difficult Giftee: The valentine who values experiences over material things.
The Gift: An involved game of, "Never Have I Ever."
Firebox Never Have I Ever Card Game, $32.99, available at Firebox
The Difficult Giftee: The valentine who refused to put a case on the iPhone she just dropped for the third time this month.
The Gift: A nearly-naked screen with a touch of stylish sparkle.
Case Mate NAKED TOUGH Case (Apple iPhone 8), $21, available at Case Mate
The Difficult Giftee: Your mother-in-law who you suspect cherishes fido more than you, hmph.
The Gift: A pet-friendly flower bouquet that’s better than the real thing.
BARK Bouquet Of Flowers Dog Toy, $11.99, available at Urban Outfitters
The Difficult Giftee: The valentine who needs to save money.
The Gift: An impossible-to-ignore piggy bank.
Interior Illusions Plus Pink Mini Balloon Dog Bank, $37.5, available at Amazon
The Difficult Giftee: The low-key label snob who likes to keep it casual.
The Gift: A trendy tee that’s suited to the dual-heart holiday occasion.
Comme Des Garçons Play Double-Heart T-Shirt, $100, available at SSENSE
The Difficult Giftee: The single valentine who hates this day more than most.
The Gift: A book that reminds them just how awesome and loved they are, single or not.
Knock Knock Fill-In-The-Blank Hardcover Book, $10, available at Urban Outfitters
The Difficult Giftee: The wanna-be cat lady valentine who’s (regrettably) allergic to cats.
The Gift: A chic sleep mask that makes her cat-lady dreams come true (sneeze-free).
ModCloth Play It by Ears Cat Headband/Eye Mask, $9, available at ModCloth
The Difficult Giftee: The wellness valentine who doesn’t want that heart-shaped box of chocolates.
The Gift: A fruit-infuser bottle for ultimate hydration with a touch of sweetness.
Young & More 24 Oz Infuser Water Bottle, $11.97, available at Amazon
The Difficult Giftee: The always-busy valentine who needs some serious TLC.
The Gift: A transdermal patch infused with premium calming-hemp and pain-relieving menthol oils to calm her down.
The Good Patch Hemp-infused Be Calm Patch (1 piece), $12, available at DermStore
The Difficult Giftee: The office valentine you’re trying to win over.
The Gift: Anything delicious is a good choice, but extra points for the scene-stealing grandeur of an edible bouquet.
Dylan’s Candy Bar Chocolate-Covered Donut Pops Bouquet, $55, available at Dylan’s Candy Bar
The Difficult Giftee: The valentine ( ahem, roommate) who forgot to pick up toilet paper…again.
The Gift: A bold red notebook for writing down VIP reminders (oh, the shade!).
Moleskine Narrow Rule Composition Notebook , $13.99, available at Target.com
The Difficult Giftee: The valentine (might be the other roomie) who never has enough clean socks (and constantly steals yours).
The Gift: A premium pack of lightweight, fine-gauge cotton pairs with a honeycomb arch-supporting weave and a vibrant design — a.k.a. socks she won’t want take off.
Bombas The Women’s Lightweight Calf Mixed 4-Pack, $53.2, available at Bombas
The Difficult Giftee: The, "I can’t find my ring," valentine who has a few misplacement issues.
The Gift: A thoughtful place to store (and remember) her treasures.
Catbird Jewelry As Poetry Mini Tray, $12, available at Catbird
The Difficult Giftee: The fashionable valentine who brings pet hair everywhere.
The Gift: A chic and portable lint-roller.
Flint Reusable Lint Roller, Metallic Rose Gold, $9.95, available at Amazon
The Difficult Giftee: The statement-making valentine.
The Gift: A personalized necklace that makes an oversized (yet delicate) name statement.
Anthropologie Block Letter Monogram Necklace, $38, available at Anthropologie
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Source: Refinery29