I’d never heard of ‘movie salad’ but was immediately smitten when I saw Emily Blunt mix up a big bowl of popcorn, Skittles and M&Ms in the Netflix film Pain Hustlers. Jennifer Lawrence evangelized movie salad in an interview and soon the whole trend blew up on TikTok (of course.)
A big box loaded with giant bag of popcorn and family-sized bags of candies would make a pleasingly large gift for an adult. (No fancy gift bag and tissue for this one. You need a proper, gift-wrapped and beribboned box.)
Toss in one of the following beauty gifts, because if your recipient is going to be parked in front of the television, they might as well be productive. Granted, my definition of ‘productive’ is rather elastic.
The Sephora Collection Mask Wishes Face and Body Skincare Set ($34, sephora.ca) is the beauty version of a box of chocolates, with its assortment of Sephora Collection greatest hits like vitamin C masks and depuffing eye masks. There’s more than enough to share through a double feature Netflix night and with its orange and pink palette, the bag is definitely a keeper. That colour combo is very Mark Rothko.
The Amopé Pedi Perfect Advanced Electronic Foot File ($49, Shoppers Drug Mart) looks like a gadget that you would abandon in a drawer after one use, but it is actually a miracle worker. You will become a fan, as there is nothing speedier and more effective at removing the (ick) dead skin on your heels, the balls of your feet and on toes with its rotating industrial-grade diamond roller. (I could make a Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend joke here, but I promise I won’t.)
Then follow up with Dr. Scholls Ultra-Hydrating Foot Masks ($14.97 for a pack of three pairs, Walmart.ca). You will actually make happy little ‘ahhh’ sounds when you slip your neglected, hardworking feet into these booties filled with hydrating ingredients like shea butter and macadamia oil and urea for softening. The results are nothing short of dramatic.
Jonathan Van Ness’s spectacularly shiny hair makes him the best ambassador for his eponymous haircare brand. JVN Nurture Intense Hydration Mask ($46, Sephora.ca) smooths hair with a vegan keratin alternative, protects from future damage with amino-acids and smells amazing.
The Body Shop Sleep Lavender & Vetiver candle ($28, thebodyshop.com) is an herbal oasis of calm and would pair beautifully with the face mask set for enhanced movie night relaxation. And unlike so many candles nowadays, the price is reasonable enough that you won’t try to save it for a special occasion (a ridiculous thing that I do far too often.)
Thicker than regular lip balm, Korean cult favourite Belif’s Aqua Bomb Overnight Lip Mask ($30, Sephora.ca) stays put while you sleep or binge all three seasons of Only Murders in the Building. It soothes lips with healing ingredients like cica and madecassoside (aka Tiger Grass)and comes in a generous 20 mg. jar so you can also use it on cracked cuticles without feel wasteful. And its faint citrus flavour pairs well with movie salad.
Are flavoured lip balm and snack pairings the next frontier in beauty writing?