Whether you’re planning Valentines for a loved one, or are going to be pampering yourself on 14th February, here’s how to keep the love all-natural, raw and vegan.

Cacao Butter Massage

Massage is sensual and relaxing, and can be great for your skin’s health. A chunk of slightly warmed organic cacao butter is all you need for a great-smelling, moisturising massage bar. Coconut butter works well too, and melts a little faster in your hands.

For a little more pizazz, melt some cacao butter over a bowl of hot water or in a dehydrator, add a few drops of fragrant essential oil or some rose petals, and pour into a heart-shaped mould to set.

For more elaborate and luxurious homemade raw bath recipes, have a read of The Holistic Beauty Book.

Romantic Raw Chocolate

What would Valentines be without chocolate? Our Passion bar, aptly-named and with a heart-decorated wrapper, makes a perfect post-dinner treat. Or make a gift of the Rawr Love Collection – 4 raw vegan chocolate bars (including Passion), with red ribbon, heart-themed tag and optional gift message. Alternatively, create your own chocolate gift.

Bathing with Love

Run a relaxing, nourishing bath, adding essential oils, a few sprinkles of grated cacao butter, rose petals, or a natural pre-made bath soak, such as Raw Living’s bath salts or bath bar. Don’t forget the…

Toxin-Free Candlelight

Most regular candles are made from petrochemicals, which release toxic fumes as you burn them. Not terribly romantic! Make sure your Valentines candles are made from plant wax, such as these tea lights from Funky Raw.

Raw Dinner, in or out

If you’re in the UK and are lucky enough to live in or visit London, there’s an increasing number of raw restaurants where you can enjoy a romantic meal out – Saf, Inspiral Lounge, Vantra, Wild Food Cafe to name a few. If you want to eat raw at home without the preparation, Raw Fairies offer a food delivery service.

Dinner at home allows you to tailor your meal to your partner’s (or your) favourite raw foods. For example, if you both love avocados, why not make a delicious avocado-based salad followed by chocolate-avocado pudding?

Check out these raw food website and book suggestions for recipe ideas. This list of aphrodisiac raw foods will help give your dinner an extra boost!

Chocolate is one of the most traditional Valentines gifts and one that will always be appreciated by the receiver. It’s easy to see why: it tastes great, is a sensual experience to eat, and its endorphins make you feel great!

Giving chocolate is hardly a new tradition: it’s been given as a gift since Aztec times. Those Aztecs knew a thing of two about the link between chocolate and passion, considering it to elevate sexual power, and drinking cocoa at wedding ceremonies (following in their footsteps, Rawr has recently had their first wedding favours order).

Yet when most people give Valentines chocolate, they end up giving a load of refined sugar, emulsifiers, hydrogenated oils and generally unnatural ingredients to their loved one, plus a sugar crash post-consumption, and probably some guilty thoughts about wobbly thighs/bums/tummies. Not so sexy. With Rawr, you can be guaranteed, as always, a delicious, quality, high-cacao chocolate without any of the nasties.

If you’re looking for the ideal gift grab a bar or two of Rawr Passion (the heart-themed wrapper says it all), or even better, the Love Collection: 4 of our best-selling large bars (including Passion), wrapped with red organza ribbon and finished with a recycled card ‘Love’ label.

Order by midday on Thursday 11th February to ensure delivery for the big day.