There is no place like home, especially when you and your significant other have transformed it into a blissful oasis to commemorate the holiday of passionate love. Whether you’re watching your budget or just want the most intimate venue possible, planning for a commute-free Valentine’s Day will give you and your mate license to do whatever either you of desire—without any prohibitions. Whether you’re looking forward to a tranquil, soul-gazing evening or a thrilling, sleepless one ignited by a striptease, take heed of the following and make this night a memory to fantasize about for years to come.
Beauty and Body Prep
Exfoliate and pamper your skin a day or two before V-Day. To make your skin luxuriously smooth, it is essential to exfoliate from head to toe—a process that removes the outermost tier of dull, dead skin cells to reveal the smoother, more radiant layer underneath. With circular motions and a gentle-to-medium pressure, this can be done on the cheap with loofahs, exfoliating brushes and gloves, or with grainy cleansers that contains ingredients such as ground almonds and sea salt (for skin above the neck, use exfoliating-cleansers made specifically for the facial area).
Because it’s easy to deploy a heavy hand and over-exfoliate, give yourself a buffer of a couple of days before the big night to allow finicky, sensitive skin to calm itself. Or, if you want to splurge and allow the pampering to be done by a professional, schedule a treatment with an esthetician for a silky body he won’t be able to keep fingers off of.
Go light on the make-up while utilizing soft, shimmering hues. More than likely your mate loves your natural beauty, and since you’re staying in, lay off the thick foundation and heavy eye-make up—save it instead for a night out downtown. If you’re self-conscious about a few blemishes and still want to look and feel sultry, just dot concealer on where you need to and finish it with a light dusting of powder—no more, no less. To give yourself an effortless, ethereal glow that will intensify under candlelight, sweep the eyelids and cheeks with a warm, luminous color, such as a champagne-gold or a bronzy-peach. Finish off with a tinted lip gloss or a lip balm in his favorite flavor.
Bust out the frills and the lace for a private lingerie show. If you have any hiccups when it comes to wearing erotic intimates, you’ll have to put them aside for the special occasion (Valentine’s Day may be dubbed the Hallmark Holiday, but for adults, lingerie comes in at a close second). If you and your loved one aren’t already enjoying them regularly after the kids are put to bed, then head over to a Frederick’s, Victoria’s Secret, or any other intimates retailer to get the best advice on styles customized for your body type. Despite which pieces you choose however, you may want to lay off the convoluted ties and buckles—you don’t want your partner scratching his head and playing locksmith while he tries to figure out how to extract your body from the binding garments.
Sensual Activities
Surprise him with Boudoir Photography. Transform yourself into a provocative pin-up by scheduling in advance a boudoir-themed photo shoot. Aside from your own presence, there is no sexier gift you’ll be able to give your beau that’ll remind of why he’s grateful to be your significant other. Even better, grab your own point-and-shoot and transform your bedroom into an exclusive photography studio—this will be the one gig where he won’t mind being behind-the-scenes.
Concoct a sample platter of aphrodisiacs and finger-foods. Whoever stated that the way to a person’s heart is through his or her stomach was right on the money, especially when the delicatessens are aphrodisiacs (or foods that enhance one’s libido). From oysters to pomegranates to chocolate, there are full-on cookbooks dedicated to aphrodisiacal cuisine that you and your paramour can experiment with. Eschew the forks and feed each other with your hands—it may lead to some reenactments of the libidinous scenes from the film 9½ Weeks.
Take turns playing masseuse. Even if you feel like you have two left hands, it’s easy to give a tranquilizing rubdown—it’s all about tuning into your partner’s body and needs—which requires relaxation on your part as much as his. Unless you’re trying to give him a bruise or he feels like he’s being tickled with feathers, there’s no wrong way to give a mind-melting massage. Human skin was made to respond to the subtlest of touch, and you can start off with long, gentle strokes and circular motions before progressing to more creative forms of rubbing and kneading.
Revile in sex-themed games. You can indulge in a scantily clad game of Twister or have a lively session of Strip Poker, but you can also play with adult versions of favorite board games. Some titillating favorites are Sexopoly, the Nookii Adult Board Game and the board version of 101 Nights of Great Sex —each one includes variations of sexual trivia, naughty toys and methods of foreplay.
Recite passages from erotic literature aloud. Get a hold of sex-themed fiction and take turns reading some steamy paragraphs to each other. This act will be a guaranteed turn-on for either of you and after tonight, you and your mate will be able to pen your own provocative memoirs.
Other Important Considerations:
Look for a babysitter well in advance. Don’t look for someone to watch the kids at the last minute—you’ll frustrate yourself and the people you’re trying to contact, especially since so many may have already made their own plans by the time V-days comes around. To guarantee an evening alone, secure a sitter at least a week or two prior to the occasion, whether it’s a favor from your parents or your neighbor’s daughter.
Plan something unorthodox and unexpected. Obviously, concentrating on sex isn’t the only way to connect with your flame during the holiday of love; infact, doing something unconventional could be the key to making the night momentous. Perhaps you’ll want to spend a portion of your time stargazing from the porch, having a heart-to-heart conversation about your shared goals, recounting fun, humorous memories or participating in a secret ceremony in which you both renew vows of commitment. Regardless, the more personalized the Valentine’s Day-themed activities are, the more memorable it will be.
By Sara Ferrer