More Great Gifts For Moms — As Seen On CBS Austin’s “We Are Austin”
Still searching for the perfect gift for mom? I stopped by CBS Austin’s “We Are Austin” yesterday with more creative gift suggestions for bibliophiles, foodies, tea lovers, fragrance fanatics, and more. Check out Parts 1 and 2 of the segment above or click here for Part 1 and click here for Part 2, and read on for more details on all the goodies showcased on air!
FEED HER MIND (AND HER IMAGINATION) WITH A BOOK OF THE MONTH SUBSCRIPTION
There are countless poignant quotes about the joys of books. Jorge Luis Borges, for instance, one mused, “I imagine Paradise will be a kind of library,” while Game of Thrones author George R.R. martin theorized that, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies; a man who never reads lives only one.” I love the ideas about books as stairways, trains, airplanes, and magic carpets that give readers access to new and fantastical worlds, that make the journey as intriguing and fulfilling as the destination. Moms who, like me, consider trips to the bookstore magical and who relish reading nooks and the sound of paper rustling as they turn one page after the other, will be thrilled if they receive a Book of the Month subscription this Mother’s Day.
Here’s how it works: when you’re a Book of the Month member, each month you’re presented with 5 carefully selected, brand new book titles, so that you can choose which one most piques your interest. Once you select a title, you’ll receive a hardcover copy of that book in a colorful blue box. The joy of finding that bright blue box on your doorstep once a month is worth it in and of itself — it always feels like the sweetest of surprises.
There are 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month subscriptions available. And, right now, when you gift someone a Book of the Month membership, you get a free month for yourself. Talk about an incentive, right?
In an ideal universe, I’d start my day off with a fresh green smoothie (a mix of kale, banana, strawberries, blueberries, moringa powder, and coconut water that I’ve perfected) after a session of yoga outdoors or a morning hike and a warm and indulgent shower. Then I’d enjoy a cup of coffee and get ready to shift into work mode. In reality, however, most of my mornings are a blur as I try to make sure everyone is fed (including the dog), that my kiddo has cleaned his teeth properly and washed his face, that he’s fully dressed in clothes that match and aren’t on backwards (you’d be surprised), that he has a proper breakfast instead of some Pop Tarts or a pack of Oreos, that he makes it to school on time, and that I resemble something akin to a functional human being (at the very least, that my hair is combed, my skin is hydrated, and I have earrings and lipstick on). Green smoothies are amazing but finding the time to whip them up in the morning amidst all the chaos can be a challenge — as I’m sure it is for so many other moms. But with SANS bottles, you can prepare your shakes, smoothies, and fresh juices the previous night, just as you’d prepare your kids’ lunches and snacks, and the drinks will be fresh and delicious in the morning.
Sure, you can theoretically make your smoothie and place it in any ol’ bottle, but if you’ve done this in the past, you’ve likely seen how fresh smoothies tend to go bad in what feels like the blink of an eye, turning an unappetizing brown color and becoming goopy and gelatinous. With SANS bottles, however, this doesn’t happen. See, what makes SANS bottles unique is that they feature a vacuum pump system that removes air from inside the bottle. By slowing down the oxidation process that occurs when fruits and vegetables are exposed to air, the bottle’s contents stay fresh for longer — typically between 2 and 7 days depending on the ingredients used.
To use your SANS bottle, you just unscrew the cap, pour in your beverage, screw the cap back on and then start pressing down on the built-in pump. As you continue pressing down on the pump, you’ll notice the resistance increases — that’s a sign that you’re effectively creating an air-tight seal. You just keep pumping down and, once it starts getting tough to press down any further, you simply press down one final time, twisting as you do so to seal the bottle. Since it’s a glass bottle with a silicone sleeve, it’s not as fragile as many other portable thermos, plus it provides the insulation needed to keep your beverage at the desired temperature, and it’s completely leak-proof.
For single servings, you have the 16 oz. SANS Original bottle ($30 at SANS-Bottle.com), which is available in four fun shades. And, for larger portions, there’s the SANS XL ($40 at SANS-Bottle.com), a 32 oz. carafe that’s great for storing fresh-everything from fresh-squeezed juices to homemade baby foods and vegetable purees. I’ve even used the SANS XL to store wine!
Not only does it come in a luxurious ruby-toned flaçon, but the new JAFRA Rose Blossom EDP ($45 at Jafra.com) is the type of floral scent every woman can appreciate — sweet but well-balanced, feminine but subtle, understated and elegant. The scent features a heart of rose centifolia, which is also known as cabbage rose due to its many petal folds and as the Provence rose thanks to the region in the South of France where it’s still most widely cultivated.
Unlike other rose types, this hybrid rose variety has a tenderness to it, an almost velvety quality that’s mesmerizing and never overpowering. And, in this aromatic composition, it’s joined by an earth pink pepper note and a creamy silk woods notes so that, together, they yield a scent that’s alluring and sensual.
Procrastinators, fear not! If you haven’t found the perfect gift yet, just head over to JCPenney because, with all the options available, it’s truly a one-stop shop. If she’s a foodie, the Cooks 5-in-1 Power Blender ($40 at JCPenney) will allow her to whip up homemade pasta and pesto sauces, soups, vegetable purees, applesauce, salad dressings, and custard. And, if wine is her go-go juice, mom will giggle when she sees the oversize Mixit Floral Wine Glass shown above ($40 at JCPenney), which features the cheeky phrase “Dinner is Poured” along the bowl.
Cooks and Mixit are both brands that are exclusive to JCPenney and, together, they offer a vast assortment of goods: think waffle makers, crock pots, cookware sets, decorative throw pillows, makeup bags, and much more. The options are truly endless!
HELP HER ACHIEVE SMOOTH, BALANCED, AND LUMINOUS SKIN WITH AVYA SKINCARE
What makes AVYA’s products unique is that they contain a signature Qusome complex comprised of peony, turmeric, and neem extracts — all of which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help to boost skin radiance, control oil production, decrease pore size, and protect against UV rays. These active ingredients are protected inside microspheric cocoons so that they’re released directly onto the skin’s surface at the time of application, thereby maximizing their efficacy.
Peony has long been used as a complexion stabilizer, brightening and evening out the skin. Neem extract, meanwhile, has antibacterial and astringent properties that allow it to prevent breakouts, exfoliate the skin, and tighten pores without causing any irritation. Turmeric, meanwhile, contains a great deal of curcumin, a substance that can neutralize free radicals and protect the skin against oxidative environmental stress and which has anti-inflammatory properties.
In addition to these key ingredients, each product in the AVYA Skincare range also contains additional active ingredients such as encapsulated vitamin C, snow mushroom, and vitamin C. The collection is comprised of 4 products: the Anti-Aging Power Serum with Vitamin C ($165 at Avyaskincare.com), which features encapsulated vitamin C to boost the skin’s radiance and even out skin tone; the Day Moisturizer SPF 20 ($105 at AvyaSkincare.com), a lightweight lotion with snow mushroom and niacinamide that protects against environmental stressors; the Night Moisturizer with Vitamin A ($110 at AvyaSkincare.com), a night treatment with vitamin A to stimulate cellular turnover; and the Eye Bright Cream with Caffeine ($85 at AvyaSkincare.com), which reduces puffiness, gives skin a lift, and reduces dark circles.
Right now, if you follow @avyaksincare on Instagram, you can enter their giveaway for a chance to win this entire collection!
As moms, sometimes we get so busy taking care of others that we forget to take care of ourselves: going days and weeks without sleep, forgetting to eat breakfast or lunch in our rush to get things done, scheduling medical appointments for everyone else but neglecting our own physicals and dental exams, skipping weekend brunch dates with the girls out of sheer mom guilt, and so on. Yes, parenting involves making sacrifices, but that doesn’t mean completely disregarding out needs as individuals. After all, if we’re not in the proper mental, physical or emotional state, we can’t effectively tend to the needs of those around us. A little self-care goes a long way in making us more well-grounded people, more doting and understanding partners, more efficient and motivated professionals, more caring and patient parents.
That’s why Hello Mama Box is addressing the self-care needs of moms throughout their entire parenting journey. This monthly maternal wellness box subscription service is meant to help moms squeeze in a little “me” time and replenish their energy. Each box contains tea bags, 3-4 travel-sized natural beauty products, affirmation cards, and a functional gift — whether it’s a wine stopper, a purse holder, a candle, or a framed trinket.
You can buy a 3-month, 6-month, 9-month or 12-month subscription (a yearly subscription goes for just $35/month) or purchase a one-time gift for $49.99. Visit HelloMamaBox.com for more info.
INVITE HER TO ENJOY SOME SHADY FASHION BUSINESS WITH DISCOUNTGLASSES.COM
If you want mom’s fashion future to be bright, you gotta get her some shades, right? Think of all the stylish celeb moms out there — folks like Nicole Richie, Jessica Alba, Kim Kardashian, Rachel Zoe, and Victoria Beckham, to name just a few — and you’re likely to remember at least a few paparazzi shots in which they made casual looks pop with a great pair of shades. Can’t afford to get mom some Valentino or Dior shades? No biggie! DiscountGlasses.com offers a ton of on-trend, high-quality, affordable sunglasses, with prices starting at just $19.95 and free shipping on all orders (none of this free-shipping-on-orders-over-$50!).
Not only are there some fabulous options — such as the Lunettos Casey sunglasses in Navy/Grey pictured above at top ($34.95 at DiscountGlasses.com), with their oversize rounded lenses and elegant navy frames; the Moda 107 sunglasses in Black Light Crystal ($58 at DiscountGlasses.com), pictured second above, with their graphic printed frames; and the Realtree Girl G200 shades in Clear ($99.95 at DiscountGlasses.com), with their polarized, blue mirrored lenses —but there’s no risk involved. If you buy a pair of shades and they don’t fit as you imagined or the color is different from what you expected, you can always return them. In fact, DiscountGlasses.com offers 365-day returns for any reason (yes, ANY reason!) with free return shipping. And the company’s home office, its eye lab, and its customer service center are all located right here in the US.