Jonathan Van Ness dishes on their favorite holiday gifts
The beauty and style icon wants you to "slay" this holiday season
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This holiday, Jonathan Van Ness wants you to slay—and who are we to argue? JVN has partnered with Zulily to release the ultimate stocking stuffer, a gift that is bursting with affirmations spoken by Jonathan Van Ness themself, the aptly named “Slay Button.”
The button was born from Van Ness’s Monday affirmation posts on Instagram, which typically consist of a rallying cry for the week, punctuated with a slap on their rear end. You won’t get a JVN slap with this button, but you will get a rotation of five affirmations and adoration recorded in the voice of JVN themself, including, "You are a gift that brings joy, compassion, and love to those around you."
“It started as an exercise for me to just show up for me and give myself good energy on Mondays. We’ve had so much hurt, tension, fear, and anxiety in the world lately; I wanted to create a lighthearted moment to center on our own wellness,” they said.
This is a limited edition find, sold exclusively only on Zuliliy. We talked to JVN about what inspired them to make this button as well as some of their favorite holiday gifts.
1. A Jonathan Van Ness x Zulily “Slay” Button
For the one who needs to slay
Who wouldn’t want to hear JVN cheering them on whenever they need it?
“Of course, I’m giving the Slay Button. My whole team is getting one, my mom’s getting one—everyone is getting one.... We are all worthy of love, honey. It’s all about having fun and being thoughtful. It’s not the price that counts it’s the thoughtfulness that goes far,” says Van Ness.
JVN extolled the process of working with Zulily: “I love the meaning behind the campaign… the holidays are a stressful time and this will remind people to slow down and take a moment. This is only available for a limited time—get it together!”
2. JVN Hair products
For the one who wants great hair
Here are some of Jonathan’s favorite things!
Who wouldn’t want JVN haircare products? Van Ness recognizes that we probably expect them to plug their wares, but they want you to hear them out.
“I know, I know, but these are such good products. I’ve always given hair stuff and gifts. Who doesn’t love to give the gift of good hair?" As for what to gift? JVN says a two-way tie between their Blow Out Milk and their Prewash Scalp Oil.
"The Blow Out Milk really preserves a hairstyle and can seal in the style for up to 72 hours. Plus, it gives you a beautiful shine and is so powerful at preventing frizz,” they say.
“The Prewash Scalp Oil is a nice gorgeous gift and ritual and it’s perfect for self-care and relaxation. A lot of heat styling and winter hats all put a lot of stress on your scalp, I just love the whole ritual of massaging this in and breathing it in. It’s a perfect gift for anyone with a scalp.”
3. Ries travel containers
For your favorite jet setter
JVN hails these as a thoughtful, affordable, and practical gift. Plus, they use these bottles themself and loves them.
Given how often Johnathan is on a plane, taking their recommendation of Ries travel bottles is a no-brainer. These bottles fit up to two week’s worth of product which they dispense with an airless pump. And, according to JVN, they never leak.
“I love Ries [travel bottles]. You just pour your favorite product in them—they are a perfect size and they work so well. The colors are great and the owner is amazing.”
4. Herbivore Coconut Milk Bath Soak
For the one who loves an indulgent bath
Van Ness loves how quenched their skin feels after using this bath soak.
JVN knows indulgence when they see it, and Herbivore’s Coconut Milk Bath Soak is a favorite indulgence at the moment—so much so that they highly recommend it as a holiday gift.
“I barely even need a moisturizer when I pour this into my bath. It has coconut milk at its base and is just really beautiful and indulgent. When you get out the bath, your skin feels really nourished and quenched,” says Van Ness.
5. Nécessaire's The Body Cream
A secret weapon against dry skin
Van Ness can’t get enough of this deeply nourishing body cream.
With five ceramides, colloidal oatmeal, and niacinamide, this is a deeply moisturizing, ultra-rich body butter that soothes, heals, and melts right into your skin. Van Ness says they are “obsessed” with Nécessaire’s body cream and highly recommend it as an indulgent gift. “It’s an incredible body butter that I’ve been using a lot myself lately. It’s perfect for dry winter skin,” they say.
6. Harry & David The Favorite Royal Riviera Pears
For the one who has everything
The perfect gift for the person who has everything.
“We were gifted these gorgeous pears recently, and they are just a really nice and elegant gift,” says JVN. Harry & David pears truly are the best gift for the one who is hard to shop for or who has everything. They are filled with symbolism, representing longevity and abundance. Plus, they are healthy and they just taste good—making them an easy snack choice when all you’ve been eating are heavy holiday party foods.
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