JOHANNESBURG, February 2026 – This Valentine’s month, South African creators and their audiences were swept into a captivating mystery. A secret admirer, known only as “V,” sparked a trending online conversation, with searches for “Who is V?” surging across TikTok and Instagram as unboxing videos and playful detective theories captivated social media.
After a week of intriguing deliveries, Vaseline revealed itself as the brand behind the online courtship, marking the launch of its Soft Glow campaign, which reached its hight in an intimate event on February 26, 2026: The Soft Glow Affair.
A Courtship Reimagined: An Invitation to Embrace Softness
In the lead-up to Valentine’s Day, “V” sent South African creators three surprise deliveries, mirroring the rhythm of a romantic courtship with flowers, curated gifts, and handwritten notes. However, this attention was uniquely directed toward creators and their communities in celebration of Galentines Day; celebrating skin, care, self-love, friendship, and the softness women create for each other every day.
The final reveal came as an invitation to The Soft Glow Affair, held at the picturesque Shepstone Gardens, where guests were immersed in a sensorial experience hosted by the ultimate courtier — Vaseline.
“Soft Glow is about making care intentional and shared,” said Navini Ramsamie, Vaseline Marketing Lead for Southern Africa. “Women already create these soft, supportive spaces online. With The Soft Glow Affair, we wanted to bring that energy offline and celebrate it together.”
Inside The Soft Glow Affair: A Celebration of Sisterhood
The Soft Glow Affair transformed digital intrigue into a real-world celebration of sisterhood and soft-life rituals. The gathering brought together creators, media, consumers, and brand loyalists for a day centred on care, connection, and glowing, nourished skin.
The experience extended the online narrative into a thoughtfully curated physical space, featuring:
Soft Glow Beauty Moments: Interactive zones where guests explored Vaseline Soft Glow textures and skincare rituals
Curated Content Corners: Beautifully styled spaces designed for content, selfies, and capturing soft, shareable moments
Shared Rituals: Celebratory experiences including toasts, affirmations, and “soft life with your girls” photo opportunities
The dress code and décor embodied the romantic, feminine aesthetic that had already taken shape online — placing sisterhood at the heart of the experience.
Redefining Valentine’s Day
This campaign flipped the traditional Valentine’s narrative. The grand romantic gesture was no longer about finding “the one,” but about recognising that care begins with yourself — and is amplified by the friends who uplift and celebrate you.
Through Soft Glow, Vaseline is building a community of “Soft Girls” and “Glow Dolls,” where glowing, nourished skin transcends beauty to become a lifestyle rooted in self-love, connection, and shared care. “Vaseline’s Soft Glow isn’t just skincare — it’s a new era of softness, where caring for your skin becomes the ultimate expression of love from you to you,” added Ramsamie.