Cheap date ideas are a dime a dozen on the Internet—but cheap date ideas that don’t feel cheap (or, you know, creepy)?
Those are a bit harder to find.
So we decided to pull together a few of our favorite affordable date ideas that don’t skimp on the romance and bring all the elements of a great date.
All these ideas are lovely on their own, but the best part? Most of them can be mixed and matched with other ideas on the list (e.g., picnic + stargazing) and still come in under $50.
Okay, this doesn’t scream “groundbreaking” at first, but hear us out. Picnics are very versatile—they work for a variety of settings, occasions, and budgets. We love a classic wine and cheese spread.
GO STARGAZING.
Lay out a cozy blanket, pour some hot cocoa (or wine), and take in the beautiful night sky.
Bonus points for downloading a guided astronomy app, like this one, to help you ID the celestial bodies you see.
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BUILD A PILLOW FORT + WATCH A MOVIE.
Watching a movie on the couch = is fine, average, just a regular night at home.
Watching a movie in a pillow fort = is nostalgic, has lots of ambiance, and shows that romance isn’t dead.
DESIGN YOUR TASTING.
You can’t go wrong with a DIY wine tasting, and the possibilities are endless. Of course, wine tastings aren’t the only option here—basically, anything you like to eat or drink could work.
For instance, one BLB has done this with veggie pizza. She picked up small veggies pizzas from a few local places, and then she and her date came up with a rating system and ranked them.
TAKE A CLASS TOGETHER.
Check out local resources to find in-person classes near you, or opt for a virtual class to do at home instead.
A badass founder with a powerful mission is enough to make us fans of a brand, but when the products perform, have a broad shade range, are vegan and cruelty-free, and are affordable, you’ll be hard-pressed to get us to stop talking about them. Since its launch, Selena Gomez’s makeup brand, Rare Beauty, has had its fair share of waitlisted products, and for a good reason—everyone (including all of TikTok and our editors) is obsessed with them.
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We try a lot of products around here, so when the Founder Crystal Lee, calls a product “God-tier,” you know we mean business. From the bronzing stick that melts into the skin, our Founder is sharing her favorite Rare Beauty products so you know which ones you need to get your hands on ASAP:
If you scroll on TikTok for a mere five minutes, there’s a pretty high chance you’ll come across this blush more than once. And while I hate to be preaching to the choir, this stuff is popular for a reason. When I say that a little bit of this formula goes a long way, I mean it. It takes one singular dot of this blush on each cheek to warm up my entire face, it blends so seamlessly and will last a long time. For me, that makes it worth every penny.
I have dabbled with bronzing and contour sticks in the past but, earlier this summer, I wanted to find one that blended easily and warmed up my face. A lot of sticks I’ve used in the past were tough to blend (eating up way too much time of my morning routine) and, at times, would leave me feeling like I just smeared dirt on my face. I picked up this Rare Beauty bronzing stick and let me tell you—this stuff puts in work. It’s super creamy without feeling too liquid-like and melts into my skin like butter. When it comes to warming up my face fast, this formula gets the job done and is one of my favorite parts of my makeup routine.
My lips are extremely sensitive, with most lip products I use causing reactions (plump lips are in, swollen ones? Not so much). The Rare Beauty Kind Words lipliner is truly a godsend. It glides on so smoothly and leaves my lips feeling nourished rather than dry. I use a shade close to my natural lip color for everyday wear and I couldn’t recommend it more.
The second Rare Beauty launched I knew I’d need to get my hands on this highlighter, and it has not disappointed me. It gives a beautiful glow without being in your face about it. On days I want to wear a little less makeup, I mix a drop of this with my blush and blend the two. It’s a holy grail kind of combo.
Everyone always talks about Rare Beauty’s liquid blushes (which for the record, I love) but nobody ever talks about how incredible their cream blushes are. If you’re someone who loves a natural flush, you’re going to adore these. They blend out to give the prettiest, flushed cheek, and unlike the liquid blushes, they’re hard to overdo. I have two different shades that I love for day-to-day wear.
As a tinted moisturizer fanatic, this is one of my favorites of all time. Unlike many tinted moisturizers, this one gives me a bit of coverage and leaves me with a blurred, poreless, healthy-looking complexion. I love this for daily wear, but it’s also significant enough that I wear it to the office all the time, too.
This mascara has some mixed reviews on Sephora, but it still has a 4-star rating. Its eye-hugging brush is meant to lift, lengthen, curl, and volumize the lashes, and reviewers say that it does—as long as you wipe excess product off of the brush first to prevent clumping.
Liquid eyeshadows are a God-send because they make applying eyeshadow seamless and quick. This one in particular is a weightless, liquid-to-powder formula that remains creaseless and because of that, reviewers are loving it.
This 4-in-1 primer hydrates, primes, sets, and refreshes skin with ingredients like niacinamide to improve the appearance of skin and lotus, gardenia, and white waterlily to soothe and nourish. While oily-skin gals say it makes them look like a “grease ball,” dry-skin gals are loving the glow.
Primp Tip:Â This is for black and brown people aka POC, don’t apply too much because too much product will leave your face sparkly ghostly unless that’s your thing.
Serum-like, weightless, and buildable foundations always sound too good to be true, and reviewers are torn on this one. Some say that it is the “best skin-like foundation on the market” and others are claiming that it is “patchy and cakey with REALLY bad separation.” This is one you’re going to have to test out for yourself to see if this foundation is for you.
This talc-free, loose-setting powder visibly smooths, blurs, and controls shine on all skin types. Five shade options deliver a natural, comfortable finish. One reviewer says “it leaves your skin blurred and smooth, without mattifying,” so you can still get your glow on without looking greasy.
This lightweight, hydrating concealer offers medium-to-full coverage in 49 shades. With 1,500+ reviews on Sephora and a 4-star rating, this has been tested by the masses and the resounding verdict is that it’s a must-have.
This gel primer claims to blur the look of pores and fine lines, boost and extend makeup wear, and help fight shine. As confirmed in the reviews, it is suitable for all skin types and worth a try if you are on the hunt for a new primer.
Dirty minds, Beauties. You thought this was going to be all about using your tongue during oral. Not so much. This steamy piece is actually on how to enhance foreplay and pleasure with your tongue. It’s sensual, it’s sexual, and it’s all about embracing the sexy side of self-care. Let’s get into the ways you can la-la-lick your way to seductive satisfaction.
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Using your tongue to turn things up sounds X-rated, but there are tasteful tricks that come off as very sensual over anything. How do you ask? Keep reading to find out.
Since we know you have all been practicing your myofunctional therapy exercises because that is all that you guys have been asking us to write about, put them to good use by flexing your tongue muscles when you’re with your partner.
OK, OK, here are the sexy moves to add to your next intimate evening.
Flick your partner’s ears and nipples with your tongue. While you’re teasing the ear area, softly breathe into their ear. This is sure to send chills down their body.
Outline their nipple—you can even gently bite for extra steam.
Lick up and down the chest and sprinkle in some kisses to give your partner butterflies.
This one is fire: slowly inch up the leg with your tongue, pausing for a bit, and then get close to the inner thigh. Talk about teasing.
Don’t forget the back. You can start with a shoulder rub with your body positioned super close to the other person, and then begin licking the back and up the neck and end with a little ear nibble.
While you’re sitting on the couch watching TV, nonchalantly start licking your finger and playing with your bottom lip. It’ll excite your partner and make them think “what oh what is going on in her head?”
Never underestimate the fun of incorporating sweets in the bedroom. Caramel, whipped cream—whatever fancies your taste buds.
When we speak about intimacy, our minds tend to go directly to “sexual” intimacy. However, intimacy goes beyond the bedroom. There is more to intimacy than just sex and getting frisky. It’s connecting on the deepest level emotionally, vulnerably, energetically, and spiritually to others—not just a partner but friends, family, or someone else in your life.
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Some forms of non-sexual intimacy are:
Listening: One of our deepest needs and desires is to be heard. When a friend or your partner listens to you (truly listens!), they are:
· Investing in what you’re saying
· Showing they want to connect
· Interested in what you have to say
· Care about how you feel
When a person truly listens, they don’t seek distractions (e.g., sneaking a look at their phone). A person who is truly listening will have constant eye contact with you and hear without the need to interrupt or redirect the conversation. Listening is intimate and it is sexy (even if it’s in a platonic way).
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Compliments/Words of affirmation: Everyone loves to be complimented, and our serotonin skyrockets when we receive compliments or words of flattery. Compliments and words of affirmation let us feel worthy and good about ourselves. This feeling creates an intimacy between the person giving the compliment and the person receiving it.
Gift giving: It’s not necessarily about the gift. It’s about the fact that someone has thought about giving you a gift and take the time and energy to consider what the recipient would appreciate. Many of us have received gifts that are not quite up our alley (maybe a pair of dollar-store socks?). When we realize that the giver put thought into gifting us, even if it wasn’t something we liked, it creates deep intimacy and connection. Why? Because being thought of feels amazing, even if the gift itself isn’t the greatest.
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Laughter, goofing around, and inside jokes: Laughter is incredible medicine for the soul. When we laugh with our friends, partners, or loved ones; when we play and goof around, drop the seriousness, and share inside jokes, intimacy is born. Life can be too heavy and serious sometimes but sharing laughter with loved ones or friends and having playful and silly moments infuses your connection with lightness and creates intimacy.
Sharing mutual interests: Sharing interests, or displaying an interest in what someone is reading, watching, doing, or listening to and how they feel about that interest, strengthens an intimate bond. Even if your interests are not necessarily shared, ask questions and show them that you’re interested in their interests because of how you feel about that person. Speak with your friends, your family, or your partner about their favorite music at the moment, the book they are reading, or the podcast they are listening to. Show an interest in their interests and you may surprise yourself and discover something you had not even thought to be interested in before!
Affection: Hugging and nonsexual physical touch increase serotonin, a neurotransmitter known as the “feel good” hormone. Serotonin helps us feel happy, calm, and confident, which in turn allows intimacy to deepen. Hugging and other forms of nonsexual touching also cause your brain to release oxytocin, which is also known as the “bonding hormone.” Bonding is intimacy. Whether you’re hugging a friend, a romantic interest, or a partner, know that it is boosting your intimacy within the connection.
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Quiet time: Believe it or not, just sitting in a pause between conversations with a friend or loved one is intimacy. Just being present in each other’s company without having to fill the silence shows that you are connected on a level that goes beyond words. Sitting in the silence of each other’s presence is true intimacy.
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