Stop and smell the fresh cut roses…literally!
Even Virginia Woolf believed in the power of buying yourself flowers. In her classic novel Mrs. Dalloway, the opening line reads: "Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself.”
Do as Mrs. Dalloway does. If you're a mom, you don't need to wait for your kids to buy you your favorite flowers. Single or partnered? You don't need to wait for your S.O. to gift you a bouquet of roses. Anyone can feel free to buy fresh cut flowers just for yourself.
There's a plethora of reasons why you should do so — and there's even science to back it up.
Why you should start buying yourself flowers
1. It's the perfect pick-me-up to energize your day (like your favorite cuppa joe). Harvard University research shows that looking at flowers first thing in the morning boosts your mood. It's then wise to strategically place a vase of flowers where you can see it as soon as you wake up, perhaps on your nightstand, bathroom sink, or kitchen counter.
2. It sparks joy and other feel-good emotions. Not only do flowers make you more energetic, the research conducted at Rutgers University confirms that they also make you more content, more optimistic, and happier overall.
3. It triggers creativity. Whether you work in an office or at home, Texas A&M University research says that adding flowers in your workspace can improve your creative performance and problem solving skills.
4. It's a major stress-reliever. Did you have a bad day? Research from the University of North Florida reveals that having flowers at home for just a few days reduces your stress level.
5. It increases feelings of compassion and kindness toward others. When you're buying yourself flowers, it also benefits the people around you. Talk about flowers sparking joy AND spreading it! Harvard University research found that people who lived with flowers felt the noticeable difference in less than week.
Where to buy flowers in person or online
For the more environment-friendly (and affordable!) option, it's always best to buy local. This will limit the carbon footprint of fresh cut flowers — from farm to florist. You're guaranteed to get much fresher flowers, too!
You can find a trusty local florist near you via Yelp or Find A Florist.
If you really must order online, choose a flower delivery service that partners with florists in your area. Try ProFlowers, From You Flowers, or teleflora. Their floral arrangements are always handcrafted and delivered by local florists.
If you want to take your DIY-ing to the next level and on a regular basis, there are subscription services for flower arrangement kits that have all the flowers and tools you need to create your own bouquet. Get Petalled or It's By You are both good-rated.
What are the best flowers to buy for yourself
Let's categorize them by color — and match it with an acrylic dip powder. Fresh cut flowers and DIY dip mani? File it under the list of the best self-care pairing there is!
1. Pretty pink flowers to perk you up
Pink is a sweet and charming color and, just like the red color, it's usually associated with love and romance. There is then no better flower to give yourself than pink blooms that say YOU love YOU.
Need another reason to buy pink flowers? Especially when you're feeling anxious or stressed? The color pink has a calming effect, according to science.
As to what kind of flowers to buy for yourself, peony is one of the loveliest options around, and the pink variety might just be the most Instagrammable.
Show yourself some self-love with these pink flower options: Roses, Hydrangeas, Orchids (cut orchids last longer than almost any other cut flowers!)
Pink orchids paired with bubble gum pink dip powder (NA15). Check out more shades of pink dip powder here.
Pink roses paired with pinot noir red dip powder (CL37) from Dipwell's Classic Collection. Image by Hannah Squiers.
Pink roses paired with spicy red dip powder (CL37) and sparkly white dip powder (GL28). Image by Hannah Squiers.
2. Red flowers as powerful representation of strength
Shout out to all the independent dippers who are strong, courageous, and unafraid to be bold — the red blooms are perfect for you. The fiery color elicits the strongest emotions associated with passion and power.
So if you want to exude confidence, excitement, spontaneity, and put a little more energy into your world, these are the fresh cut blooms to buy. Consider it your power tie but in floral form.
Be bold with these red flower options: Chrysanthemums, Amaryllis, Dahlias
Darling dahlias from Amanda Jedlinsky's Ohio-based Everberry Farm & Flora. Rosey red dip powder (NA08) from Dipwell's Naturale Collection. Check out more shades of red dip powder here.
3. Purple flowers that are just impossibly pretty
The color purple has long been associated with royalty. So if you want to feel like a regal beauty, a fresh bouquet of purple flowers is it.
Not only that, it's said that the purple color makes you feel creative. You already know that flowers improve creative performance. If you choose the purple kind? That's double the creative impact!
If you've achieved an accomplishment — no matter how big or small the win is — gifting yourself purple flowers is also a great way to celebrate YOU.
And what better way to shop for fresh cut purple flowers than visiting a lavender farm and plucking the flowers yourself.
Get creative with these purple flower options: Lavender, Gerbera Daisies, Dahlias
Lavender field of dreams with light periwinkle dip powder (PA19) to boot. Image by Whitley Ngo. Check out more shades of purple dip powder here.
Fabulous flowers from Amanda Jedlinsky's Ohio-based Everberry Farm & Flora. Imperial purple dip powder (NE7) from Dipwell's Neon Collection.
Darling dahlias from Amanda Jedlinsky's Ohio-based Everberry Farm & Flora. Sparkly plum dip powder (PA07) from Dipwell's Pastel Collection.
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4. Yellow flowers to bring sunshine into your life
In the words of Vincent Van Gogh, "How wonderful yellow is. It stands for the sun." And with it comes the sunshiny emotions it evokes: happiness, enthusiasm, optimism. (It's for these reasons that Illuminating Yellow is one of the Pantone colors of 2021.)
When you want to add more cheer to your day, opt for a bright yellow flower arrangement that's sure to do the job.
Pocketful of sunshine yellow flower options: Sunflowers, Daisies, Tulips
Beautiful tulip backdrop for an equally beautiful French ombre dip mani by Karisa Holbrook, featuring light peachy sand dip powder (NA02) and oyster gray milk dip powder (NA16).
NEW spring-perfect tutorial alert — Daisy Nails: How to Create an Easy Flower Dip Nail Design, featuring sophisticated saffron dip powder (CL67) and milky green dip powder (MK13). Check out more shades of yellow dip powder here.
5. White flowers for new beginnings
New beginnings don't have to be about weddings only. The color white symbolizes rebirth, and whether you're beginning a new job, or maybe you just became a new mom or dad, or even if it's simply the beginning of the new week, you can celebrate the fresh start with fresh white cut flowers. It’s simple, pure, and makes you feel all elegant, too.
Start anew with these white flower options: Gardenias, Roses, Carnations
Milky white shimmer dip powder (MK02) from Dipwell's Milky Collection. Check out more shades of white dip powder here.
French White dip powder combined with sparkly white & silver (GL44), iridescent glitter (GL27), light pearl gray (CL27), and true black (CL64). Multicolor dip mani by Erica Sandoval Urdanivia.
Elegant white roses paired with classic red dip mani. Image by Mari Guzman-Laurean.
Grab yourself a bouquet of the aforementioned flowers, place them where you spend most of your time at home or in the office, and enjoy the benefits of fresh cut blooms triggering all your happy brain chemicals, such as dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin.
But if you're starting to think: "It's an expensive habit!" Nip that thought in the bud. You don't have to buy yourself new fresh flowers week after week. Care for them the right way, and you might only need to buy a brand new bouquet once or twice a month.
How to make your fresh cut flowers last longer
We all want our gorgeous flowers to put a smile on our faces for weeks on end, but nothing lasts forever. Some flowers naturally wilt faster than others, too, such as hyacinths, lilacs, daffodils, ranunculus, and tulips. In general, fresh cut flowers can last up to two weeks or longer. What you can do is properly care for them to extend their lifespan a bit.
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. You may also add in the flower food that usually comes with the bouquets of flowers.
- For better water intake, cut one to two inches off the flower stem at a 45-degree angle. Do this once every few days.
- To prevent water contamination and bacterial growth, remove any leaves that fall below the water line, and don't forget to replace the water every 2 days or so.
- Avoid placing your vase of flowers in direct sunlight or heat so they won't get dehydrated.
You'll also find many old wives' hacks online, and you need to look no further than your kitchen to make them happen. The claim is that any of the following helps make your fresh cut blooms last as long as possible: apple cider vinegar, sugar, aspirin, bleach, coins, fridge, hairspray, soda, or vodka. Among this list, keeping fresh cut flowers cool in the fridge seems to be the favorite technique that’s proven to be effective. FYI: It's how florists do it.
What to do with your old flowers
Alas! No matter the life-extending technique you choose to do, there will come a time when you have to say buh-bye to your floral pick-me-upper...
But not until after you've recycled them!
The best way is to encapsulate dried flowers with your dip mani.
How do you dry out the flowers? There are many ways to do this, but let's DIY it the easiest way. Go old school like when you try to preserve the flower from your sweetie.
- Step 1: Pick the flower petals you want to use for your dip mani.
- Step 2: Choose a thick book — think encyclopedia or any heavy book you don't mind repurposing as a flower press.
- Step 3: Take a coffee filter, like the one you use to lengthen your short dip nails. (Or any absorbent paper will do.)
- Step 4: Put the petals in between the two pieces of coffee filter, space them out, and then place it within the pages of your book. Remember to change the coffee filter every few days.
- Step 5: Shut the book close. You can also weigh it down with another heavy object.
- Step 6: Wait for 1 to 2 weeks for the flower petals to dry out. It may take up to a month for some thicker flower petals to completely dry out, so plan accordingly if you want to use dried flowers on your dip mani.
Once you have your dried petals, follow the instructions on our How To Encapsulate Floral & Gold tutorial (replace the dip powder with the color of your choice to match the flowers you dried out), and you'll end up with something similar to this stylish floral mani look:
There are plenty more Do It Yourself things you can make with your old flowers. Here are other fab options — all for your self-care needs:
Hint, hint: These are all perfect self-care gifts to give this Mother's Day.
Go forth to your nearest florist and buy yourself some much-deserved "just because" flowers
If you do decide to do this prettiest act of self-care, we'd love to see what kind of flowers ended up in your vase. Take a picture and tag us on Facebook (Dipwell’s Dipper Club) or Instagram (@dipwellnails | #DoYouDipWell.) Happy flower shopping!
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