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There’s something enchanting about a woman’s vanity. It’s more than just a surface, it’s a sacred space. A reflection of her desires, her rituals, her magic. And in the “kingdom under the sea,” few vanities are as iconic or contrasting as those of Princess Ariel and Ursula, the Sea Witch (and her glam alter ego, Vanessa).

As someone who treasures beauty as both an art form and a personal ritual, I recreated both vanities using real items from my collection, and the results are as dramatically different as the characters themselves. Whether you resonate more with Ariel’s innocence or Ursula’s unapologetic glamour, one thing is clear: both are expressions of feminine power.

🐚 Princess Ariel’s Vanity: A Dreamer’s Garden Beneath the Waves

Ariel’s vanity would feel like stepping into the softest chapter of a fairytale. Surrounded by sunlight shimmering through ocean currents, the entire space would glow in iridescent pinks, soft seashells, and trinkets collected from her adventures. Think delicate, romantic, and overflowing with heart.

On Ariel’s Vanity:

🌸 Flower Knows “Shell’s Jewel” Collection in Pink
Imagine compacts shaped like clamshells, blushes in the softest corals, and lip glosses that feel kissed by sea foam. This line captures Ariel’s softness, whimsy, and love for all things beautiful and rare.
🌿 Faux sea grass accents & pearl-encrusted details
Use small touches like shell dishes and pearl hair clips to evoke the atmosphere of her grotto… a place where everyday items are turned into treasures.
✨ Delicate perfumes and translucent shimmer powders
Ariel wouldn’t want heavy scents. I imagine she’d love light florals or watery notes that mimic a breeze across the water.
🪞 A soft pink mirror and pastel hairbrush
She may call it a “dinglehopper,” but her brush is definitely part of the ritual. This is a place where Ariel prepares not just to be seen, but to feel like the best version of her evolving self.

The Vibe:
Ariel’s vanity is soft, youthful, and full of promise. Every item tells a story. It’s where she gets ready to explore a world bigger than she’s ever known, and perhaps even where she learns that beauty is just another form of bravery.

🖤 Ursula/Vanessa’s Vanity: A Stage for Power and Seduction

Now step into darker waters. Ursula’s vanity isn’t about sweetness, it’s about spell work. When she becomes Vanessa, her entire beauty game transforms into a masterclass in confidence and allure. Every item on her vanity is curated, intentional, and undeniably dramatic.

On Ursula/Vanessa’s Vanity:

💗 The Nautilus Necklace
This infamous piece doesn’t just hang — it radiates. I styled it as a centerpiece, echoing its power to hold Ariel’s voice and command attention. It’s more than jewelry; it’s a symbol of Ursula’s belief that true power is not given, it is claimed.
🧴 Vintage Besame Perfume
Nothing says timeless seduction like a rich, vintage scent. Vanessa wouldn’t spritz, she would dab behind her ears with precision. Her scent would linger in a room long after she’s left it.
✨ A Gilded Gold Mirror
Sleek, antique, and undeniably regal. This mirror reflects not just her beauty but her calculation. She studies the world through it. Her makeup is drama-forward: vampy lips, bold eyes, sculpted cheeks.
💄 Deep plum lipsticks, smoky eyes, and perfumes in black glass bottles
These items evoke the enchantress archetype — sensual, confident, and always in control. There is no hesitation in her ritual. Every swipe of color is a declaration: I own the room.

The Vibe:
Ursula’s vanity is sensual, commanding, and luxurious with an edge. It’s where magic meets glamour, and where softness is replaced with sultry strategy. Vanessa doesn’t hope to be seen, she orchestrates it. To craft your own vanity spaces, which are not solely focused on the beauty products you might use, get creative with your treasures and how you place them! The idea is that you evoke what you know gives you joy.

🪞 Vanity as a Mirror of Identity

What I love most about comparing these vanity concepts is how they speak to two very real sides of womanhood. There’s the tender young woman who dreams and collects pieces of her future self… and the formidable woman who has learned how to wield her voice.

Some Days, I’m Ariel.
I want softness, sweetness, and a glowing blush that makes me feel like a daydream. I want to surround myself with the comfort of pretty things and gentle rituals.

Other Days, I’m Vanessa.
I want a perfume that leaves a trail, a red lip that speaks boldly, and the confidence to say exactly what I mean… or nothing at all.

And you know what? Both are beautiful. Both are real. And both deserve a place at your vanity.

💖 Which vanity speaks to you today? Are you Ariel, Vanessa, or a little bit of both?

#VanityDiaries #FlowerKnows #BesameBeauty #ArielVsUrsula #HyperfeminineVibes #VintageBeautyRevival #SeaWitchGlam

The marketing aesthetic of the Cowgirl Valentine this year is one that embodies both feminine style, and a new, future forward idea around cowgirl style. As people tap into what their connection to “country” might be in this current historical moment (and in a much larger schematic now – whether that be from a Grammy award to a way of life), there is definitely room for the style to embolden girls and young women to be their own cowgirl valentine. The costume of the “Space Cowgirl” has long been one that is fascinating to me. It is the idea that girls can bring forth retro style with a futuristic idea of femininity where the past meets the future. It likely originated from the Sci-Fi film genre of the Space Western.

The Space Western film genre touches on tropes of how women are “out of this world” – which can be perceived in empowering ways – and there are elements throughout the Space Western that incorporates how women are perceived, unfortunately, in classically misogynist ways at times, and other times in forward-focused inclusionary ways. I think merging together the tropes of the Sci-Fi Space Western films, obvious examples such as Star Wars to more niche ones like the 1956 film Forbidden Planet, to include these feminist elements with the main characters is especially fascinating. I remember fondly watching the movie Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century in 1999. I know that film was an instant Disney Channel classic, yet it’s rarely mentioned in popular culture now. I hope the messaging of belonging and kindness as a global attitude for the 21st century is one that continues to be elevated. Ideally, in ways that are truly focused on embracing themes of women supporting women, and men being allies in supporting women and ensuring the holistic nature of this occurring.

While we know Valentine’s Day is a holiday geared specifically towards embracing our loved ones and appreciating them in individual ways, there is a broader marketing opportunity for positive and inspiring messaging in merchandise and marketing that will occur, which is undoubtedly a huge component of how we perceive what is “trending” during a particular year. This year, I hope the Cowgirl Valentine is one that makes us continue moving forward with values of women embracing their feminine style, whilst being mindful of a broader messaging that ties together themes with identifiers of country, past and present.