Valentine’s Day is this weekend, so if you’re hoping to pick up a gift for your special someone, a Galentine, a friend (or honestly, just fancy treating yourself), now’s the time to shop—especially if you’re ordering online. Bouquets of roses and boxes of chocolates will always be a classic, but if you’re after something a little more interesting, a beauty box is a great alternative. Yes, they’re ideal for beauty lovers (particularly those packed with makeup), but they’re also a lovely way to give someone a proper pamper.

Beauty boxes themselves aren’t new. Brands like LookFantastic, Boots and Fortnum & Mason have been releasing seasonal edits for years, and Valentine’s Day is no exception. I’ve been lucky enough to get a sneak peek at a handful of the beauty boxes this year. I took on the very serious task of opening them early (strictly for research purposes, of course) to see which ones are actually worth your money. While some do feel like a bit of a splurge, many offer genuinely brilliant savings, and others are a great way to try a mix of often high-value products for a fraction of the usual cost.

So, I’ve rounded up a few of my favourites for the season based on value for money, how much you get inside, and, of course, how good they look. And one box in particular really stood out.

Starting off strong with the box that stood out to me the most. When you think of a beauty box, your mind probably jumps straight to products marketed at women: makeup, skincare, fragrance, that kind of thing. This year, though, Next have switched things up with their Grooming Box, which is aimed at men (based on the products inside). It’s been released in time for Valentine’s Day alongside their Beauty Lovers box (which is more traditionally marketed towards women).

What makes this box stand out is how versatile the selection is. It feels a bit different from what’s already out there and makes it easy to create a cute his-and-hers gift set when paired with the women’s box (more on that below).

At £22, it’s also excellent value for money. According to Next, the box is worth over £73 if you were to buy the products individually. That’s a £51 saving—roughly 69%—which makes it one of the best-value boxes I opened.

As with most beauty boxes, you get a mix of full-size and travel-sized products. It’s ideal for anyone who likes trying new things without committing to full sizes, or for those products they’ve been curious about but haven’t quite splurged on yet.

I handed this one over to my boyfriend so I could get a man’s take on it, and he was genuinely impressed with the range. Inside, there are six products covering haircare, skincare and fragrance. A few familiar names jump out straight away, including ESPA, Bath and Body Works and Murdock—the latter being the London-based barbershop brand.

Without hesitation, he picked out his standout favourites as the two travel-sized Murdock products: the 10ml Patchouli cologne and the 50ml Sea Salt Spray.

“The travel size of these two products means they’re super handy for on-the-go,” he said. “The aftershave smells decadent and woody, and would be a great one for holidays.”

He added: “Sea salt spray is something I already use day-to-day, so it’s great to have a top-up.”

You also get a foaming hand wash, a sheet mask, an age-defence facial serum and a shower gel, making it a really well-rounded edit.

When it comes to beauty boxes aimed at women, my favourite was the LookFantastic Valentine’s Day Edit. According to LookFantastic, the contents would cost £215 if purchased separately, while the edit itself is priced at £55. That’s a saving of over 74%.

Inside, you’ll find a mix of four full-size products and four items described as “deluxe size”—though in reality, these feel more like travel or sample sizes. The edit leans heavily into skincare, with a mix of makeup, cleanser, eye cream, a brightening sheet mask and two self-tanning products.

The two standout items for me both come from big-name brands and have been viral favourites on social media over the past few years. First up is the Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 59 body spray, described as having notes of velvet plum, sugared violet, vanilla orchid and sandalwood. This size is worth £11 when bought individually, though it’s usually only available as part of a Sol de Janeiro travel set.

The second is the Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm, a product that’s had a lot of online buzz. I find it glides easily onto the skin, and once removed, my skin feels soft, clean and noticeably glowy. Given that the 20g cleansing balm retails for more than £14 on its own, it’s another inclusion that really adds to the value.

You’ll also find a 195ml Color Wow Bombshell Volumising Mousse (worth £24 individually), a sample size of Dr. Levy Intense Stem Cell Eye Cream, a vitamin C sheet mask from Beauty Pro, a Glow Hub Gen Gleam lip gloss in a wearable nude shade, and an Iconic London sheer blush in a neutral pink. There are also two fake tanning products included.

Of everything in the bag, these were the two items I found least universal. They’re great if you love a year-round glow, but fake tan isn’t for everyone. That said, both are from highly regarded tanning brands. There’s a full-size Bondi Sands one-day matte tan spray, worth around £10, as well as a sample size of Tan-Luxe The Face tanning drops, which can be mixed into your usual moisturiser for a subtle sun-kissed look.

Beyond the value and the big-name brands, one of the nicest touches is the packaging. Instead of a standard box, the edit comes in a pretty pink knot bag that can easily be reused as a makeup or toiletry bag.

As mentioned earlier, Next have also released a bright pink Beauty Lovers box just in time for Valentine’s Day, which is more clearly marketed towards women. From an aesthetic point of view, this was probably my favourite—although it does lose a few points for not being reusable.

The box retails for £25, and according to Next, the contents would cost over £101 if bought individually. That’s a £76 saving, or roughly 75%.

Inside, you’ll find a mix of full-size and travel-sized products, many of which lean into the Valentine’s theme through pink packaging or their place in a cosy, date-night getting-ready routine. There are some impressive brands included, too, including Elemis and Neal’s Yard Remedies.

From Elemis, there’s a travel-sized Superfood Midnight Facial, which costs £48 at full price in the full-size version. From Neal’s Yard Remedies, you get a 100ml Women’s Balance Massage Oil—a very romantic-feeling addition. It’s infused with essential oils, giving it an instant spa-like feel and leaving skin feeling nourished.

There are also two makeup products: a Dr PawPaw lip balm in the shade True Coral, and either a Nudestix All Over Face blush or a Delilah Eyeshadow Stick. This is one of the main drawbacks of the box—not because either product is bad, but because the selection is random, with no way to choose which one you’ll receive. In the reviews on the Next website, one shopper explained: “I purchased the box specifically because the photos suggest the blush is included, but I received the eye crayon instead, which I didn’t want.” It’s definitely something to bear in mind if only one of the two would suit you.

The final beauty item is a travel-sized Coco & Eve tanning mousse, which the brand claims is lightweight and fast-drying. It’s a nice addition for anyone who likes to maintain a glow year-round—especially in February, when the UK is desperate for a bit of vitamin D—but it’s probably the least versatile product in the box, as not everyone (myself included) uses fake tan.

Alongside the beauty products, you also get a handy makeup bag from The Flat Lay Co., which adds a practical finishing touch.