What’s the over-under on your teen having the kind of esteem-inducing, heart-warming February 14th worthy of a ‘90s teen romcom? Yep, the odds aren’t great, because a) hormones, b) social media FOMO and c) the Pyrrhic efforts of the human heart. Well, at least you can give them a happy moment or two by gifting one of these thoughtful and fun Valentine’s Day gifts for teens. We’ve culled the best items from Tik Tok and Instagram and even off-line hobbies, and these are sure to please, with a wide range of items for $20 (hello, Selena Gomez’s lip gloss). After all, if the key to communicating with kids is meeting them where they’re at, we wager that place is a box of chocolate-chip cookies?
15 Valentine's Day Gifts for Teens That Are Cool, Not Cheesy
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Published Jan 17, 2023
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Valentine's Gifts for Teens at a Glance
- For Bling Lovers: Bonbonwhims Resin Ring
- For Music Thumpers: JBL Wireless Headphones
- For Long Hairs: Kitsch Heatless Curling Set
- For Plant Lovers: Bouqs Desert Love
- For Beauty Buffs: Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Lip Gloss
- For Sports Fans: Nike 49ers T-Shirt
- For Sweets Snackers: Milk Bar Assorted Cookie Tin
- For the Interior Decorator: Neon Heart Decoration
- For Iced Coffee Drinkers: Stanley Tumbler
- For Astronomy Fans: BlissLights Nebula Lamp
- For the Nail Artist: Claire’s Squareletto Faux Nail Set
- For the Workout Buff: Athleta Elation Tight
- For the Primpers: PB Teen Marquee Mirror
- For the Chocolate Addict: Levain Bakery Chocolate Lovers
- For On-the-Go Breakfasters: Dash Mini Waffle Maker
Bonbonwhims
A heart-shaped sparkly stone is set in a colorful floral resin ring, made by this AAPI-owned brand that hit big on Instagram soon after it launched in 2020. Anything from the line is sure to be a hit, since everything is playful and sported by celebs including Ariana Grande.
Urban Outfitters
Love: 40-hour charge, foldable design
Large over-ear headphones are the listening option of choice for discerning teens today—and this pair, with cushy ear pillows and the capability to seamlessly take phone call via Bluetooth, are high-quality option. They’re available in white or soft pink colorways.
Amazon
Love: Easy to use, time-efficient
Instead of spending precious morning minutes on using a curling iron to get those mermaid waves just right, a teen will appreciate wrapping this silky band and two scrunchies into her damp hair before bed. In the morning, voila! The thin foam bands have created flowing waves without heat damage.
Bouqs
Love: Two-plant set, easy to grow
Want to give your teen a reminder you love them? Send them this Hoya succulent plant set, which needs next to no water to survive and takes up hardly any space. We love the idea of ordering this to be delivered the day before Valentine’s Day, in case your little romantic wants to re-gift one of the plants to their crush on V-Day itself.
Sephora
Love: Sheer color, mess-free applicator
Selena Gomez. TikTok love. Shiny-bright colors. Add all this together in lip gloss formulations that are sheer enough to be age-appropriate and light enough to glow up a person’s lips instead of turning them into a sticky mess, and you’ve got a makeup product that a teen would love even if it didn’t have a famous name attached.
Dick's Sporting Goods
Love: Ties into playoff mania, screen printed
Is he or she a fanatical fan, able to rattle off statistics and team gossip like a sportscaster? They’ll appreciate a T-shirt to wear on game day—especially during playoff season.
Milk Bar Store
Love: Big cookies, a repurposing tin
Fruity, corny, chewy, crispy, fudgy, and salty-sweet flavors are all part of the mix in this giftable tin of six different, individually wrapped cookies. Warning—you’re liable to give them the habit of asking for chocolate confetti cookies by name.
Etsy
Love: Compact size, safe acrylic construction
This 9-by-11.8-inch plug-in glowing heart is available in nine colors, to suit every room décor without overpowering it. It lets teens get into the whole “neon décor” trend without the safety risks of neon gas and glass construction, since this acrylic tubing and LED lights are a sturdy, low electricity option.
Stanley
Love: 7 colors, 40 oz. capacity
This is a Tik Tok craze you can get behind: the Stanley tumbler lets a teen sip coffee, an energy drink or just plain water with a resealable straw top and a special design that fits in any car’s cupholder.
Amazon
Love: Changing RGB background, Bluetooth compatible
Control this shifting outer-space night light using a compatible phone app or the device’s own simple buttons. With customizable brightness, spinning visuals and light effects, this lamp is like gifting a room-sized planetarium light show.
Claire's
Love: Nail glue and applicator included, trendy shape
What’s better than a fresh manicure to a teen? A fresh manicure that’s on-trend and super unique, such as these squared-off talons. The multiple pink hues and heart designs nod to Valentine’s Day but are classically cute enough to wear any time.
Athleta
Love: Buttery soft, double as pants
These highly engineered leggings (no side seams for a flattering fit) have a matte finish that allows them to double as everyday pants…and the ultra-high-rise waist means there’s no chance of exposure, even when she’s wearing one of her favorite baby tees.
PB Teen
Love: Flattering light, convenient on-off switch
This 27-inch-wide heart will fit over any dresser or bookcase to give your teen a convenient place to style their hair, experiment with makeup and examine their smile in every single angle. And the circle of lights makes them look their best, just like those YouTube makeup tutorial makers’ ring lights.
Levain Bakery
Love: Two types of rich chocolate cookies, ribboned cellophane packaging
If they are all about chocolate all the time, give them this boxed set of four classic chocolate chip cookies chock full of chips and four chewy, almost brownie-like cookies. And they don’t have to eat them all at once—after opening, they can be stored in an airtight container for a week.
Amazon
Love: Surprise breakfast love, easy to use
Be the kind of parent who wakes the kids up with a special Valentine’s Day breakfast (because even the most grizzled kit is going to smile munching a 6.4-inch heart that Mom made). We bet they’ll like the crispy waffles so much, they’ll even be willing to use this heats-in-minutes waffle iron themselves. Bonus: This comes in a dozen colors, including a funny goth skull-and-crossbones pattern that leaves an imprint on the waffle.
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