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Home > Blogs > Adventures in Motherhood > Archives > 2011 > April > 30 > Entry
Mother’s Day gifts that make you feel younger!
My idea of a perfect Mother’s Day: Sleeping in, then waking up to big mug full of Hubby’s pressed coffee and a long snuggle with each of my three kids, followed by brunch at El Meson.
The perfect Mother’s Day gifts?: Homemade cards, flowers and brunch at El Meson. (Did you catch the hint that time, dear?)
But a teensy bit of luxury is always welcome, as long as it doesn’t break the bank.
I recently opened a package from the Adventures in Motherhood mailbag filled with samples of sumptuous skin care products from Mustela.
These rich lotions are just the thing for moms-to-be, new moms and old has-beens like me.
Mustela Hydration (about $16 per 7 oz.) is a must-have, especially with leg-shaving season upon us.
The natural ingredients include wheat germ oil and vitamin E that nourish and renew tired mommy skin. Slather it all over morning and night, and feel it sink in and silken your skin, with no greasy residue.
And I really like the fact the Mustela products can be used by breastfeeding moms. The lotions are hypoallergenic and free of paraben, phthalate and phenoxyethanol.
Lansinoh was my only refuge during my breastfeeding days, and while the lanolin-based cream worked great, it felt like I was spreading on bacon grease. Yuck!
Mustela also carries an Intensive Action cream for stretch marks. I laughed when I pulled it out of the box (because I consider myself beyond help in this area. I know: TMI).
My 5-year-old asked what the tube held and I told him. He promptly said, “You REALLY need to use that, Mommy.” Thanks, kid.
Mustela is available online or at Sephora, as is 5-in-1 Restore Cream Age Delay from First Aid Beauty. It’s a bit on the pricey side ($36 for 1.7 ounces), but it’s a treasure.
I even put the Restore Cream on my oily T-zone at night after my usual witch hazel cleanse (Dickinson’s Cleansing Astringent is about $4 a bottle, but the generic stuff is half the price and works just as well).
The Restore Cream absorbs really quickly and leaves my skin feeling supple, fresh and younger — really!
In case you’re wondering where the 5-in-1 comes in, the cream is designed to:
Reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Improve radiance.
Correct uneven skin tone.
Nourish and moisturize.
Combat free radicals. (Yay!)
A less-expensive gift option is the Burt’s Bees line of earth-friendly natural skin care. On a few Mother’s Days past, I’ve received Burt’s Bees gift sets, which allowed me to sample several of their products and find some favorites.
I swear by their roll-on Herbal Blemish Stick for monthly breakouts (again, TMI). My teen and tween both have their own bottles (about $8 each) to dab on and effectively dry out any problem spots, too.
When I want a splash of something to refresh my senses after work, I mop my brow with Burt’s Bees Garden Tomato Toner (about $11). Love the fresh scent!
And speaking of a little splash of something, I recently enjoyed a sample of Voga Pinot Grigio. For under $10, this Italian wine was soft and simple — a nice, clean compliment to Easter dinner.
But here’s why it would make a cool gift: The intriguingly shaped bottle! It’s mysterious and sleek-looking, isn’t it?
I was pleasantly surprised to find a cork under the screw-top cap — which makes for easy storage since you don’t have to mess with recorking and possible spillage in the fridge between pours.
And it would make a fine Mother’s Day brunch beverage if I didn’t already have my heart set on a glass of El Meson’s homemade Sangria …
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