The Mom Diaries — Last-Minute Mother’s Day Gifts That Will Finish First
Pressure makes diamonds, you last-minute shoppers! Sure, you’re feeling the heat now, as you race to find the perfect Mother’s Day gift before Sunday, but you can still pull off an upset win. To give you a bit of an assist, we’ve rounded up some potential presents that have a lot of, well, potential.
Carolina Herrera Good Girl EDP, $115. Available at Macy’s stores and Macys.com
Remember that scene in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? when Jessica Rabbit stretched out a single leg from behind the stage’s blue velvet curtain, then stepped out in her strapless, shimmering, ruby red gown and opera-length purple opera gloves singing “Why Don’t You Do Right?” Well, her heels resembled the stiletto-shaped bottle of the new Carolina Herrera fragrance, Good Girl. The midnight blue glass flaçon exudes a mysterious sensuousness, while the sky-high gold metal heel underlines Herrera’s esteemed career as a fashion designer, her couture roots. There’s also a push-and-pull created by the juxtaposition of sharp lines — as seen in the thin stiletto and the near-vertical shank — and the curved slopes that characterize the topline and collar. The duality showcased in the bottle is indicative of the fragrance’s complexity, how it teeters between sinful and angelic, decadent and virtuous, moody and buoyant. Arguably the most innovative Carolina Herrera fragrance to date, Good Girl hooks you in with the sweetness of its almond and the vibrancy of its coffee top notes, then reveals a softer and more vulnerable side as the jasmine and tuberose notes at the perfume’s heart shine through, and then it adds a deeper and lingering layer of mystery via cocoa and tonka base notes. The line between good girl and bad girl is aromatically blurred and, in the process, the woman who wears it can embrace both her naughty and nice instincts.
Lulu dk Believe Love Code Charm Necklace, $68. Available at Shop.Nordstrom.com
At first glance, even a codebreaker of Alan Turing’s caliber might struggle to decipher the message etched onto this necklace’s circular pendant. But, when the golden disc is allowed to spin, the cryptic message becomes legible and the mystery is solved. Only when in motion, then, can onlookers grasp the sentiment expressed in this piece. Think of this as a coded declaration of love, a secret message that only you and your mom will share.
Kopari Coconut Multi-Tasking Kit, $38. Available at KopariBeauty.com and Sephora.com
Basilan Island, located within the Sulu Archipelago in the Southwestern Philippines, is apparently home to the purest coconuts on Earth — at least, that’s the conclusion I’ve drawn after trying out Kopari’s lightweight, ultra moisturizing, sweetly scented products, all of which contain responsibly sourced coconut oil from this region. With the summer season around the corner, it’s the perfect time to get your mom in a beach-ready state of mind, and this Kopari kit will certainly have her reaching for her sun hat! The set contains a 0.5 oz. bottle of Kopari’s Sheer Coconut Oil, a non-greasy wonder that can be used to hydrate the complexion, tame frizz and fly-aways, remove stubborn makeup, and alleviate cracked cuticles; a 1 oz. bottle of the Kopari Coconut Body Glow, formulated with over 50% organic coconut oil, then blended with shea butter ethyl esters, and completed with mica, titanium oxide, and iron oxide particles that reflect oncoming light and give the skin a lit-from-within glow; a 1 oz. tube of the Kopari Coconut Balm, a dense treatment formulated with over 80% coconut oil then blended with soothing aloe vera, making it a great alternative for soothing sun-soaked skin, conditioning cracked heels, moisturizing elbows and knees, and smoothing any calluses on feet and hands; and a 2 oz. jar of the Kopari Coconut Mini Melt, a 100% pure and organic coconut oil that can be used as a moisturizing and strengthening hair mask, an indulgent massage oil, and a hot bath booster. Each of the travel-sized products in this kit can perform a range of beauty tasks, making them a must-have in beach bags and clutches alike.
La Vie Boheme Yoga Havana Yoga Mat, $86. Available at LaVieBohemeYoga.com
We can’t all afford to enroll in yoga classes that take place in grown-up tree houses: buildings literally perched high up in forest-like expanses, with floor-to-ceiling windows that provide the sensation of being in the great outdoors. But sometimes we can create a setting that’s conducive to our mental relaxation — even if it’s by creating a sense of place via music and art. Inspired by the rich foliage and culture of Havana, Cuba, this yoga mat features vibrant pink and magenta hibiscus blooms, orange protea flowers, exotic birds of paradise plants, pink Peruvian lilies, and lush green leaves — all over a backdrop resembling a tiled floor pattern.
Pevonia De-Aging Saltmousse in Papaya-Pineapple, $41. Available at Pevonia.com
Exfoliation is key to maintaining supple, firm, radiant skin — and that’s as true for your complexion as it is for your body. This anti-aging body scrub polishes off dead skin cells thanks to its sea salt particles, but it goes a step further to guarantee a thorough exfoliation thanks to the pineapple and papaya extracts in the formula. Both of these fruit extracts are rich in alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) that hydrolyze (and hence loosen) the glue-like lipids that holds skin cells together within the epidermis (the outermost layer of skin). The AHAs, then, make it easier to wash off those dead skin cells and reveal a new layer of smoother, more radiant, softer, firmer skin. The formula also includes carrot seed oil, which is known to help unclog pores and help the skin reach optimal moisture levels, and oat amino acids that hydrate the skin and soothe any topical irritations. This body scrub helps to make one’s birthday suit all the more worthy of a celebration, and it makes exfoliation feel like a party thanks to its tropical aroma and its foaming texture.
Stratton Home Decor “Mother” Wall Art, $19.99. Available at Kohls stores and Kohls.com
Consider this the grown-up version of the “World’s Best Mom” coffee mug: a charmingly rustic wood-and-metal sign that reassures your mom that she is in, fact, the center of your universe. Measuring 12″ in height, 14″ in width, and 1.5″ in depth, this wall sign is adorned by four metal rods (two on each side) arranged diagonally so as to create a triangular shape reminiscent of a roof. The three metal flower accents, meanwhile, emphasize the triangular shape and lend the piece a feminine touch.
Ted Baker Painted Posey Two-Wheel Travel Bag, $298. Available at Nordstrom stores and Shop.Nordstrom.com
If mom is a frequent traveler, chances are her luggage might be looking a littler raggedy. With this carry-on suitcase, she’ll be ready to hit the airport at a moment’s notice, and she’ll turn heads as she wheels it through security and along her terminal. Measuring 14 1/2″ in width, 16 1/2″ in height, and 8″ in depth, the blossom-covered suitcase features two swivel heels, a telescoping handle you can extend when you want to roll it along, and two sturdy top handles for when you want to carry it like a tote (or tuck it into the plane’s overhead bin).
